The Song of Songs, Chapter I: The Paraphrase

Now will I sing of Christ the King,
And of his Church the Queen;
The Song of Songs to them belongs,
Where their pure Flames are seen.

The Church to Christ.
LET my dear Saviours Love appear
By some assuring sign;
Thou, Lord, my sainting Soul dost chear,
When thou say'st, I am thine:
Let others on their Danties feed,
And drink the richest Wine;
My Feast do[…] all their Feasts exceed,
When thou say'st, I am thine.

Thy Word which sounds thy mighty Fame,
And how good thou hast been,
Doth so revive, that for the same
Souls love Thee, tho' unseen;
Souls of an Heav'nly make and frame,
The Joyful Heirs of Grace,
Do taste such Sweetness in thy Name,
They long to see thy Face.

Fain would I, but I cannot move,
Sin hath Enfeebled me;
O draw me with the Cords of Love!
I will run after Thee:
Thou hear'st, thou draw'st, I come, I come,
Thy Love (my God) is sweet;
Thy Presence-Chamber is the Room
Where Souls and Joys do meet.
Our Earthly Pleasures we forget,
To think upon thy Love;
All upright Souls their Minds do set
On Thee, my Lord, above.

Tho' I to Strangers black do seem,
And under Foot am trod,
Yet am I Fair in Heav'ns esteem,
I am the House of God.

O do not scorn my outward state!
Ye know not what's within;
Whom God doth love, how dare ye hate?
My Saviour hides my Sin;
Profest Church-Members should have brought
Some Comfort to my Mind;
But did they Treat me as they ought,
Alas! they prov'd unkind;
Their Anger did my words controul,
They Bow'd me to their Will:
And so my own immortal Soul
Declin'd and Fared ill.

Pitty my tempted state; O Lord!
Whom still I do adore;
O bring me home by thy good Word!
My Lapsed Soul Restore;
Since, Lord, thy Mercies still abides,
Shall I be lost among
False Flocks, false Doctrines, and false Guides,
Which do thine Honour wrong?

Christ.
My Church, to Me the World is dross,
And thou a Pearl of Price;
And art thou Stray'd and as a Loss?
Attend to my Advice:
Look back upon my Church of old,
And mark which way they went;
And let thy Childrens Eyes behold
The Pastors I have sent.

As Pharaohs Horses (Egypts Pride)
Is deem'd the Choicest Breed;
So thou my Church, my Fairest Bride,
All Fair Ones doth exceed.

Mans Eyes the outward state behold,
Mine Eyes are on thy Heart.
Whilst other'S shine with Pearl and Gold,
Through Grace thou lovely art.

My Soul that loves thee is so glad
Thy Stock of Grace to see,
I and my Father, we will add
A new supply to Thee.

The Church.
My King doth Sit in Heav'n above,
Where Angels do attend;
And from below, my Faith and Love
Shall to my King ascend.

My Faith ascends unto my Lord,
And brings him down to Me;
My Love a Bosom doth afford,
Where he shall lodged be:
O the sweet time, as if I was
Reigning in Heav'n above;
Whence once my Soul doth Christ embrace
in Arms of Faith and Love!

It is so sweet, when we do meet,
My Joys in Christ exceed,
The sweetest Smells, and Tasts, and Sighs,
Which can our Senses feed.

Christ.
My dearest Church, I do admire
The Beauties of thy Mind,
So Meek, so Harmless, so Entire,
So Faithful and so Kind.

The Church.
My dearest Lord, thou art the Sun,
By whose bright Beams I shine;
And then my Glory first begun,
When thou becamest mine:
Since thou art mine, and I am thine,
A Num'rous Race do flow
In every place, which to thy Grace,
Their Birth and Being owe.

The dear Assemblies of thy Saints,
Where thou my Lord dost dwell,
Are sweet and pure, and shall endure
Against the Gates of Hell.