The Intercourses of Divine Love Betwixt Christ and His Church

p. 1The First Chapter of the Song of Solomon paraphrased, and turned into English Meeter, so as it may be Sung in the Ordinary Tunes, in which the English Psalms are sung.

THE Kisses of thy Mouth (Dear Lord) [V. 2. Let him kiss me with the kisses of his mouth.]

Let my Soul only have,

No Earthly thing I do desire,

No worlds fine things I crave. [Of thy mouth.]

Let me thy Gospel Doctrines have,

By them O speak to me

So by thy Grace, that I in them

Thy special Love may see.

A Kiss Lord! is but a small thing,

But a Love-token 'tis,

The Least of that is Sweet to me,

Lord grant me but a kiss.

One Kiss is sweet, but not enough: [Kisses pl.]

Let me more kisses have;

My wants are more than one, therefore

More Kisses I do crave.

Thou hast varieties of Grace

My Soul of wants as much:

p. 2[For thy loves are better then Wine.] As are my wants, my dearest Lord,

O Let thy Loves be such.

Drunkards are pleas'd with wine, but I

In it no tast can find.

O Let me only know, that thou

To my poor soul art kind.

[V. 3. Because of the savour of thy good Ointments: thy name is as an ointment poured forth.] IV.

The knowledge thou hast given my soul

How much thy Loves are worth,

Above created things is that

Alone which draws it forth

In breathings after Thee. Thy Name

Is Ointment poured out,

Which with its fragrant smell perfumes

The places it about.

[Therefore do the Virgins love thee.] Therefore the Virgins do thee love.

The undefiled mind

Can satisfaction no where else,

But in thee only find.

Every such Virgin will thee love

And thee alone desire.

Thy sweetest Ointments fuel are

To feed that sacred fire:

[V. 4. Draw me, we will run after thee.] Lord I should come to thee: thou art

The term to which I move;

I should (O Lord!) run after thee

In the scent of thy love.

But I can neither run nor come

Unless thou first me draw.

Either my lusts do me seduce,

Or Satan doth me aw.

[Draw me.] O put forth thine Almighty hand,

Let power, and love constrain

p. 3My feeble Soul to follow thee,

And with thee to remain.

Lay hand O Lord! upon my will,

Then I shall willing be:

p. 3Put strength into my legs and I

Shall then run after thee.

[Run.—] Lord move me first, then I shall move

And stand no longer still,

Yea I shall move with strength to do

What is thy sacred will:

I shall not only move, but run,

Make hast, and not delay,

To keep thy precepts, if that thou

Wilt help me in my way.

It shall be then my meat and drink

To do what thou requirest.

Thou Lord shall then of me receive

Whatever thou desirest.

I shall nor faint, nor weary be,

But persevering run,

Until the race be finished,

Which my soul hath begun.

My Lord! not I alone, but mine

Shall also follow thee: [We will run.]

I shall make known thy ways to all

That shall converse with me.

Sinners by my example shall

Be turned to thy Grace,

When they shall hear, how thou to me

Hast shewn thy pleasant face.

My Soul melts, I did speak but now

The King hath answered. [The King hath brought me into his Chambers: we will be glad, and ejoice in thee.—]

p. 4And me into his Chambers brought,

Unto his Royal Bed.

How doth my heart, now leap for joy?

How is my countenance glad?

My soul can now despond no more,

It can no more be sad.

In thee, O Lord! I will be glad,

Thou art my only joy;

[—We will remember thy loves more then Wine.] Thy Loves I will remember, when

New troubles me annoy.

The savour of the worlds sweet wines.

Is a poor transient thing.

But I shall ne're (I trust) forget

The Love of Christ my King.

In him all things excelling dwell,

[Upright things, or Uprightnesses love thee.] They've chosen him their throne;

The Saints will him sincerely love,

And will love him alone:

The more upright the greater love

They to the Lord shall bring.

Who loves them with the greatest love,

And is the Lord, their King.

[V. 5. I am black but comely, O you Daughters of Hierusalem! as the Tents of Kedar; as the Cartains of Solomon.] You Daughters of Hierusalem.

The City of my God,

You who in the same Church with me

Have taken your abode,

Upbrard me not, that I am like

The Coverings upon

Black Kedars Tents. I'm also like.

Curtains of Solomon.

I black am from my self, but am p. 4By Imputation white.

p. 5By th' first birth I am black and dark,

But; by a new birth Light. [I am black but comely.]

I black am in your curious Eye.

And in my own much more;

But white in my Beloveds sight

Since he hath paid my score.

[V. 6. Look not upon me because I am black.] Look not on me because I'm black.

With a too curious Eye.

Nor with disdain, nor let my black

Visage you satisfy:

Much less dis-colour you. Behold

(Sisters!) and pity me.

My Blackness is not my delight.

Ah! 'tis my misery.

[Because the Sun hath looked upon me: my Mothers Children were angry with me. They made me the Keeper of their Vineyards, but my own I have not kept.] The Sun hath scorch'd me with its heat.

It is by that I am tann'd.

My Mothers Children also have

Touch'd me with unkind hand.

Their Vineyard they would have me attend;

Mine own I did not keep.

The envious one hath collied me

While I thus lay asleep.

What Souls will not Afflictions tann,

If they be sharp and long?

Or who is not discolour'd by