The intercourses of divine love betwixt Christ and his Church, or, The particular believing soul metaphorically expressed by Solomon in the first chapter of the Canticles, or song of songs : opened and applied in several sermons, upon that whole chapter : in which the excellencies of Christ, the yernings of his gospels towards believers, under various circumstances, the workings of their hearts towards, and in, communion with him, with many other gospel propositions of great import to souls, are handles / by John Collinges ...

The First Chapter of the Song of Solomon paraphra∣sed, and turned into English Meeter, so as it may be Sung in the Ordinary Tunes, in which the Eng∣lish Psalms are sung.

I.

THE Kisses of thy Mouth (Dear Lord) Let my Soul only have, No Earthly thing I do desire, No worlds fine things I crave. 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.

II.

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: Let me more kisses have; My wants are more than one, therefore More Kisses I do crave.

III.

Thou hast varieties of Grace My Soul of wants as much:

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.

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.

V.

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:

VI.

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.

VII.

O put forth thine Almighty hand, Let power, and love constrain

My feeble Soul to follow thee, And with thee to remain. Lay hand O Lord! upon my will, Then I shall willing be: Put strength into my legs and I Shall then run after thee.

VIII.

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.

IX.

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.

X.

My Lord! not I alone, but mine Shall also follow thee: 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.

XI.

My Soul melts, I did speak but now The King hath answered.

And 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.

XII.

In thee, O Lord! I will be glad, Thou art my only joy; 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.

XIII.

In him all things excelling dwell, 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.

XIV.

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.

XV.

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

By th' first birth I am black and dark, But; by a new birth Light. 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.

XVI.

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.

XVII.

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 at∣tend; Mine own I did not keep. The envious one hath collied me While I thus lay asleep.

XVIII.

What Souls will not Afflictions tann, If they be sharp and long? Or who is not discolour'd by Temptations, if too strong? Worldly distractions spoil the look Of a Religious mind, But ah! through negligence I have Been to my self unkind.

XIX.

But O thou whom my soul loves best, Tell me where thou doest use.

At noon to feed thy flock. At noon Do not my Soul refuse. When as Afflictions scorch me most Be thou at hand to me, And teach my Soul at such a time How it may come to thee.

XX.

O thou Shepheard of Israel, Let me but know the hour, When most of thee I may enjoy, Tast most thy Grace and Power. By th' flocks of thy Companions, I would not turn aside. With thee alone I would converse; Be thou (O Lord!) my guide.

XXI.

Thou fairest she! dost thou not know Where me at noon to see? The footsteps of the flock will teach Thee the right way to me. Feed by the Shepheards Tents, for there I shall most surely abide; The Shepheards that derive from me Shall be to thee a guide.

XXII.

I have compar'd my love unto The goodly company Of Horses which King Pharaoh draw, Made strong by Unity: Of Horses which march on to meet The armed men, and ne're Do from the glittering Sword turn head, But mock at Cowards fear.

XXIII.

Thy Cheeks (my Love!) are comely made With rowes of Jewels given

Thee, by my self: Thy lovely neck Adorn'd with Chains from Heaven. I will yet give thee further grace Borders of Gold I'le make, And spots of Silver thou shalt have And for thine own them take.

XXIV.

O may my dearest Royal Lord From's Table never stir. How sweetly doth my spikenard smell While's that he sitteth there. Even his own Graces will not smell When he is gone from me; His Grace in me doth daily need His Royal company.

XXV.

My well-beloved is to me Myrrh, in a bundle tyed. More precious, medicinal, and sweet Than all the world beside. Betwixt my Breasts he shall have place, There he shall alwaies lye; It is the place for posies. There I will this bundle tye.

XXVI.

Engaddi's Vineyards have their plants Of Camphire [Cypress.] All Are names too short for me whereby My Dearest Lord to call. My sweet companion! thou art fair, Thou lookest with Doves Eyes, Eyes which both meek, and harmless are, Not sparkling Cruelties.

XXVII.

Thou hast a satisfyed Soul, A rich, contented mind,

A plain and clean, and lowly heart Which is to others kind, A tender heart, a mournful Eye, Exceeding quick. These are The things which make me say again, Thou art exceeding fair.

XXVIII.

Nay (my Beloved!) thou art fair My beauty is to thee As nothing, worse than nothing, 'tis But meer deformity. Thou fair art, and pleasant too, Thy conversation's sweet. Thrice happy souls to walk with thee Whom thou dost please t' admit.

XXIX.

When thou within my bed dost lodge, How soon it waxeth green? When thou art gone, no fruitfulness In it at all is seen. Not a good work at such a time, Can my poor soul produce. Not an heart chang'd in Churches, when Thou art not in the Pewes.

XXX.

The Beams and rafters of thy house Of Cedar are, and Fir. Sweet, beautiful, and strong they are, Such as shall never stir. Thy word, and Ordinances Lord, Support thy Church for ever. O let my Sins within thy house Me sever from it never.

Notes

• V. 2. Let him kiss me with the kisses of his mouth.
• Of thy mouth.
• Kisses pl.
• For thy loves are better then Wine.
• V. 3. Because of the savour of thy good Ointments: thy name is as an oint∣ment poured forth.
• Therefore do the Virgins love thee.
• V. 4. Draw me, we will run after thee.
• Draw me.
• Run.—
• We will run.
• The King hath brought me into his Chambers: we will be glad, and ejoice in thee.—
• —We will remember thy loves more then Wine.
• Upright things, or Up∣rightnesses love thee.
• V. 5. I am black but comely, O you Daughters of Hierusalem! as the Tents of Kedar; as the Cartains of Solomon.
• I am black but comely.
• V. 6. Look not upon me be∣cause I am black.
• 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.
• V. 7. Tell me O thou whom my soul loveth, where thou feedest, where thou makest thy flocks to rest at noon.
• At noon, [the time when Shepheards are most at leisure.]
• For why should I be as one that turneth aside by the flocks of thy Companions.
• V. 8. If thou know not O thou fairest amongst Women, go thy way forth by the footsteps of the flock, and feed thy Kids besides the Shep∣heards Tents.
• V. 9. I have compared thee O my Love, to a company of Horses in Pharaoh's Chariots.
• V. 10. Thy Cheeks are comely, with rowes of Jewels, thy neck with Chains of Gold.
• V. 11. We will make thee bor∣ders of Gold with studs of Silver.
• V. 12. While the King sitteth at his Table: my spike∣nard sends forth the smell thereof.
• V. 13. A bundle of Myrrh is my beloved unto me, he shall lye all night be∣twixt my breasts.
• V. 14. My beloved is unto me as a cluster of cam∣phire [or Cypress] in the Vineyards of En∣gaddi.
• V. 15. Behold thou art fair my Love, behold thou art fair, thou hast Doves Eyes.
• V. 16. Behold thou art fair my Beloved, yea pleasant—
• Our Bed is green.
• V. 17. The Beams of our house are Cedar, and our raf∣ters are Fir.