True Christian Love to be Sung with any of the Common Tunes of the Psalms
The source for this document is https://quod.lib.umich.edu/e/eebo/A35958.0001.001
Project Note
This is licensed under Creative Commons CC BY-NC-ND. This license allows reusers to copy and distribute the material in any medium or format in unadapted form only, for noncommercial purposes only, and only so long as attribution is given to the creator.
The source of this document is the Early English Books Online (EEBO-TCP) website. Those books were transcribed in a character for character manner and can be very cumbersome to read since there was no standard spelling during that time. Many spelling variations such as "unlesse", "vnlesse", and "vnles" regularly appear.
This project was conceived to clean up those books as much as possible and make them more accessible to the interested reader, leading to the creation of a massive list of variant spellings and their corrections. This was used to clean up the text, but is of course only as complete as the list itself. Because of the nature of the original transcription, some words have missing characters or places where the original language (e.g., Greek) was not transcribed. This effort does not change that. Be aware that the original transcription can also be faulty and in some cases entire sentences may be missing.
Although this is no substitute for a properly compared, proofed, and scholarly edition, I believe that the result is a document which is far more accessible, particularly for searching for terms using standard spelling. The document has been cleaned and presented in what I hope is a pleasing and useful format for the vast majority of Christian brothers and sisters who just want access to read these spiritually nourishing works.
However, a word of warning: The Puritans were a very diverse group of people and their age was characterized with godliness, but also much upheaval, disputation and strife. They disagreed on many doctrines and some of these works contain less orthodox or Scriptural views than others. The reader is strongly advised to read with discernment, particularly if it is unknown whether author is trustworthy.
This project took a huge amount of time and skill to bring to fruition. I would particularly like to thank David Jonescue for the initial list of Puritans he found on EEBO and the concept behind this project as well as the continuous, unceasing efforts toward seeing this complete. Without his labor, this would not be available. Alex Sarrouf was invaluable in providing the initial list of over 7,000 spelling variations he had identified and corrected, as well as continuing to review more than 16,000 additions to that list for any typos.
Logan West
(with David Jonescue and Alex Sarrouf)
www.puritansearch.org
TRUE CHRISTIAN LOVE. To be sung with any of the common Tunes of the PSALMS.
COL. 3. 16.
Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly, in all wisdom, teaching and admonishing one another in Psalms, and Hymns, and spiritual songs, singing with grace in your hearts to the Lord.
EDINBVRGH, Printed by Andro Anderson, ANNO DOM. 1655.
TO THE READER.
SInce
CHRIST'S
fair Truth
craves no man's art,
Take this rude Song in better
part.
TRUE CHRISTIAN LOVE.
I
Have a heart for love, and love
I
cannot choose but have,
A love that can give full content,
the least as I can crave.
have agents still with me,
Who promise that which I do seek,
but sure I know they lie.
Though honor height to lift me up,
and mammon me to serve:
nor makes my heart to swerve.
Pale fear, duske envy, care and toil,
with other ill hew'd wights
Wait for my service if I weed,
their masters, O what sights.
The only thing like to prevail,
was match unto my mind:
perfections of each kind.
But now
I
see that fancy is,
not real as it seems:
No earthly love can give content,
all loves but Christ's are dreams.
Then why want I contenting love,
since Christ's love may be had:
In whom is all that
I
do seek,
or can be thought or said?
What other loves do seem to have,
is truly in him found;
The scattered beauties of them all
What they do lack and cannot have▪
because they finite be,
Its infinite, in him it stands
forever still: O He,
He, he is only worthy love,
and nothing else but he,
Alas, that vanity so long
hath so bewitched me.
Why heard I flattering idols words?
why did I parly keep:
Why suffered I affection
to sing me so asleep?
and kept so oft their tryst,
As if false loves could be found true,
and had no mind of Christ.
No, not when Christ was suiting me,
and they found oft untrue:
I stack still in their bonds and could
myself no ways rescue.
did still pursue my love:
He knew though I refused, my heart
was his; he could me move.
And now its done, my love is thine,
This whorish heart, and suffer not
my soul hence to deceive.
There shall my suitors all me serve,
but thou my love shall be,
They shall be mine, not I theirs, else
they shall not follow me.
Thus shall I have advantage twice,
and blest shall be my lot,
I will get my lovers goods, and love
above theirs, well I wot.
though I unworthy be,
not loath but pity me.
his constancy is known;
offend and do confess:
my faults both more and less.
more nor
I
may well bear,
But will my burdens as I need,
support, I do not fear.
No wrath at others will cause him
No flanderer will get his ear,
to hear of me a lie.
he will not angry be:
nor fitch a fault falsely.
as nothing to pass by:
His love will hide my sin in love,
faith safely may rely.
He will not waste his heritage,
nor will himself disgrace,
he turns upon their face.
work prejudice to me,
More then the Suns light unto all,
doth hinder me to see.
No causeless jealousy will vex
at any time his mind,
As to admonish and rebuke,
and chasten if it need,
And so me save from perishing,
too oft deserved indeed.
If I be sad, he will be loath,
yet more to vex my heart,
If any other will do so,
'gainst them he'l take my part:
And those that grieve me he will grieve,
and curse them more and less,
he will not me forsake.
He doth but excercise my faith,
and sharpen my desires.
And if he seem to stay well long,
that I become so dead,
As
I
can neither say nor sing,
nor meditate, nor read,
Nor do ought else that might asswadge
hearts pangs in such a case,
But sit and droup and hang my head,
long looking for his grace.
Uttering but broken words or none,
perplexed with thoughts confusde,
Suggestions whisper all the while,
as if I were refusde,
Yet still his gracious hand doth me
but brings me through at length.
and failing those my tears:
In books and bottles, and takes course,
to rid me out of fears.
And failing both my words and tears,
he makes each woeful groan:
And failing those, my sighs, and all
the parcels of my mone.
my lifted hands and looks:
Speaks all my mind to him, as if
it written were in books.
For he doth search the heart and knows,
what is the spirits mind:
And as its fit, gives answer to
needs cry, in every kind.
And look how sharp these trials are,
their fruit is far more sweet:
more sweet nor grief was fell.
For judge ye whosoever felt,
what weight in sin, what grief,
In mind oppressed what angnish is;
when soul sees no relief,
What torment in perplexity,
what horror in God's wrath,
What hell in feared eternity,
at loosing of his breath?
And presuppon a soul were sure
to dwell at last above,
In heaven with Christ, yet know ye not,
what langour is in love?
what battle with our so:
and seems us to forgo?
grief, anguish, torments gone.
For wrath, death, hell, eternity,
of fear now there is none.
But in their place the heart lift up;
life, light, and rest, is come
Felt love, peace, victory, hearts health,
and Christ's Sprit, all in sum.
Judge when our much prokocked Lord,
himself shows reconcilde,
If with the joy that then is felt,
a heart may not be filde.
to soul in such a case
But add more grief, and make the veil
more thick to hide Christ's face.
Then others loves all get you gone,
or else take servants place:
Too hard conditions were to me,
for you to quite his face,
though mixed with drierie tears,
Then all earths honor, pleasure, wealth
can yield in many years.
who first me loved, and chusde,
and would not be refusd.
I will seek his love, as he sought mine,
and learn of him to love,
Since he invites I cannot miss,
though whiles he shall me prove.
his Father, King of Kings:
His heritage is Heaven and earth
the waters with his hand.
He made the Sun and Stars so swift,
yet not be seen to move,
Least men on earth had vexed been
with motions from above.
His strength upholds this weighty globe
and yet which is far more,
He bare our sins and heavy wrath,
deserved of us therefore:
are all, Yea, and Amen:
sufficient hath been.
For justice he can do no wrong,
for mercy there is none
Or shall in hell be, who have sought
for grace through him alone.
Most lovely, and most terrible.
do all in him cohere.
a Lyon to his foes,
He gives his peace to all that comes,
wrath follows all that goes.
his eyes do all things see.
Eternal God, though he as man,
man's properties retain.
and his are one all three,
Therefore when I do love the Son,
I love the father too:
And so the Spirit who dwell in him,
to all I worship do.
and so to all his own,
In him my Sabbath is begun,
his rest by steps, of peace.
Flood branchd in four to water all
Redeemde, and holy, making them,
and righteous and wise,
Though we have slain him, yet his blood
speaks better things for us,
Then
Abel's
crying curse but his
as with a new deludge,
Or fire consume the earth, yet Christ's
safe Ark is for refuge,
For now no wrath unmixed with love,
shall of his own be felt,
Because God in his sacrifice,
the smell of rest hath smelt.
So is that offering constant pledge
True
Isaac
offered up to me,
not minted at but slain:
Most
Isaac
like in this escape,
though slain he rose again
Sweet
Joseph
by his brethren sold,
by our means made to serve:
He hath provided well our food,
least we through want should starve,
From Egypt's bonds and slavery base,
its he that sets us free:
Its he that doth prepare our way,
through floods and raging sea.
but fruitfuller then he,
Christ, grace and truth gives me.
My duty
Moses
shows but strength
But Christ, by teaching gives me life,
and will, and action to.
The priest that offered only once;
and pacify'd for ay:
And needs not
Aaron-
like repeat
his sacrifice each day.
For
Aaron's
offering oft did prove
his offering unperfite,
God still our sins to quite.
in him they have an end,
No further use of them since God
did Christ their substance send,
No priest by office now on earth,
no proper sacrifice,
No alter of materials
no fixed place of service.
The tent where God dwells bodily,
the temple where the tryst,
Is set for meeting of our God,
as reconciled is Christ.
he mercy seat of God,
Access, and oracles of peace,
giving to us abroad.
with him is manna hid,
The Law in him lies closde from speech,
except through mercies lid.
By him my prayers are perfumed
and smell as insence sweet:
By him my cup is furnished,
and table filled with meat.
The Priest, the alter and the Lamb,
the laver washing all:
And what else any rite did sign,
The judge which rids his people from
all adversaries hand.
Our kindly King by whom we may
possess that promised land.
To all his iubjects affable,
above all earthly Kings,
His basest servants have his ear,
at all times in all things.
He is the Churches darest love,
and therefore must be mine,
to be my love incline.
Oft hath he proved his love to me,
and will not now decline,
Oft hath his love much sweeter been
in straits and fears of death,
As sweetest kisses been to me,
convoyed with lively breath.
my thirst his flagons quenched,
as herbs by dew bedrench'd
Oft in his love withdrawing, He
from bed hath made me rise,
And when we met, his wrath was gone,
he called me spouse betroath'd,
And washing me by pardon, said
who made me clean but thou?
Who made a child of wrath like me
What makes me lovely, but thy love
that set the price on me:
Whose beauty makes me fair but thine
what have I not from thee:
My exaltation is come,
to be a child of God
By thy descending to be man,
and some whiles here abode:
proves thee to be the tree:
Where cut from
Adams
filthy stock
•
impted clean must be.
Thy manger makes my bed more soft,
thy stable gives me inns:
my country-people wins.
Thy wisdom in thy child-hood hides
Thy self devoting unto griefs
Thy emptying my fullness is,
thy meanness me promots.
Thy hyding of thy royal state
a Kingdom me allots.
from service sets me free▪
And bondage of proud Satan's yoke,
and sins strong tyrranie.
Thy lurking thirty years unknown,
forever makes me shine
With glory far above the reach
of subtilest ingine.
Thy name inrold in sinners book,
by baptism makes my name
To be inrolde among the Saints,
even those of greatest fame.
Thy offering suretyship for me
to God at
Iordans
bank,
Hath fred me of my sins, and hell,
well's me and God
I
thank,
me and my children all:
I hear the Father answer thee,
I love you great and small.
I hear thee say: Take me for them,
I hear the father cry, Content
come children, come and hear.
Come hear the Covenant between
me and my dearest Son,
Come give your hearts consent thereto,
and then your bargan's done.
I hear thee say, Mans due is death,
I will do thy will, O Lord.
let suffer I accord.
I hear thy Fathers voice from Heaven
cry, lovely Son art thou
These all, and this, (and that was I)
are thine, I am pleased now.
I hear him say to all, and me,
Go hear my Son and live:
He drew. I came thou welcomed me;
and life I feel dost give?
Now take me with thee where thou wilt
In faith my soul is glew'd to thee,
lead me as blind are led.
Cross Satan's teeth, if our way lie▪
and cross each other foe
lead me and
I
will go.
But lead; and leave me not, or else
I
cannot miss to fall:
If thou do hold me in thy hand,
Thy combats makes me not amazde,
Thy victory my conflict makes,
to be with vanquishde so.
Thy going to the wilderness
Thy fighting all alone makes me
fight in thy company:
all my days makes me sure,
with tempted me endure.
to fill my natures lust,
under pretence of trust.
To help or hazard life, some way,
which God will not allow:
I see thee still before me, Lord,
my helper here be thou.
Its true my flesh doth grieve to think,
what may thy Saints befall,
What horrible suggestions,
and blasphemies withal.
What shapes and apparitions,
by night some, some by day:
Yea power of this flesh, yet thou
So usde my fear do stay.
Most dangerous of all, me thinks,
and hids both hoof and horn.
And Angel-like in some man's mouth,
bids to some Image bow,
And worldly motives brings thy truth
to cause me dis-avow.
may Satan bid avoid:
For thousands here for fault of light
guild have been and destroide.
To free me from this ill,
I
know
new trouble shall me breed:
And make the world me persecute
with spite, in word and deed.
But so I may thy truth contain,
and still adhere to thee:
I fear no persecution,
nor wicked's injury.
More hatred can I not, then thou,
no more despised be:
More chargde with bitter calumnies,
nor ofter get the lie.
more followed at the back:
murgeons that mockers make.
less thanked for good deeds:
Worse intertaind in my country,
worse furnished in my needs:
More friendly handled by my friends,
and those of mine own blood,
Then thou was,
I,
yea none can be
who suffer shall for good.
What can befall me which did not
before befall to thee?
What more distrest for righteousness,
can I expect to be?
what harder bed then rocks:
What sharper rest then not to sleep,
or to preveene the cocks,
no penny in my purse.
Among such people as me hate,
and in their heart me curse.
What greater hunger then to fast,
and when its come to eat,
To send and buy some course piece bread
What greater drouth then want a drink,
in journey at mid-day?
and hear on say me nay?
What spoil of goods more then to strip
me naked to the skin,
And in my sight divide my clothes,
and then to scorn begin.
by stones lift up to cast.
What banished can I more be then
Without a hole to hide my head,
which even to beasts is rare?
What prison worse then fall in hands
Thirsting like Wolves for blood of Saints
to grace their godless feasts?
What judgment more unjust then find
And still the less fault he can find,
the more at me to grudge?
And if I speak a modest truth
and all me to disgrace.
What torment more then pricks thurst in
Yea all the flesh with scourging rent,
and nothing safe but bones.
And those so racked in all joints,
as sinews none go free.
hung up and naild on tree.
And what might seem to be untouchde,
thy tender bowels all.
So burnt as slockning welcome was,
by vinegar and gall.
All this thou suffered, Lord, and more
Why should I then be feared for such
like suffering more, or less.
Thou came to witness for the truth,
and so must all thine do:
Thou came to suffer for the truth,
and so must all thine too.
None follow thee, except they be
for truth thy livery wear.
The truth is limit to thy word,
thine and none others saw;
Thy scriptures meaning thou wilt have
O that I were inclinde to do
what duties there are namde!
Then when
I
suffer should for truth
when men from age to age,
To chop and change thine ordinance
run head-long in a rage,
And by their own traditions
do make thy precepts void,
so lies thy Law destroide.
But thou Lord, over all declares
And ere we yield, thy jealousy
wills rather we be slain.
Yea ere we do a needless work
and weaken little ones,
We choose our urgers should us sink
Then strengthen, Lord, my faith in thee,
But fear may only thine offense,
whose love be bought so dear,
why may I not be sure:
That love which made thee pay my price
shall steadfastly endure?
If I should lean to my free-will
or strength, I could not stand,
Oft had I perished, if my life
had line in mine own hand.
I
wonder not that such as lean
to their works, will or strength,
Fit, others for, and make themself
apostasy at length.
Chasde souls are sensible of sin,
and sensible of wrath.
And flee from both to thee for life,
and in thee draw their breath.
How then can such not persevere,
and so be saved at length,
and fills with thy fresh strength.
These are the souls that come to thee.
whom thou wilt not cast out:
These souls are drawn and driven to thee,
whom thou must save no doubt
These are thy sheep for whom thou prays
whom non can pull from thee.
with this express command,
Son? see thou loss not one of those,
I will crave them at thine hand.
and lead them all the way,
Through life and death, and raise them up
to glory at that day
Thou dost accept this charge and pawns,
thy honor charge to keep.
These sin and Law chasde souls thou counts
predestinat of old,
And in his council hath decreed
to save as he hath told.
Whom to assure of endless life
in which he cannot lie,
And swore by his eternal self,
for greater there was none:
That of this elect company
there should not perish one:
And though these souls like ship on sea
And whiles may seem close overwhelmed
Their anker lies within the veil,
no wind can make it drive:
It lies where thou art landed Lord,
and where we shall arrive.
for all this perish may
And that thy Saints of purpose called
from thee may fall away.
And looses us from leaning on
the strength of thy right hand:
and bids us build on sand,
They say
Peter
and
Judas
are
alike beloved of thee,
And that they both for gifts received,
alike beholden be:
may wyte the love of pelf:
So
Peter
his free-will for life
may praise and thank himself.
They say thou knowest not who are thine▪
of none they make thee sure:
They say the Lord's foundation
and casts them off the morn:
and do thy counsel scorn.
Yea though thou for them live for ay,
God's Elect whom to he gives right,
to be his sons and heirs,
the heritage for theirs.
That Saints till death seduced may be,
and sheep pulled from thine hand,
Whom God thee chargd to keep and save
Thy word, thy oath, thy covenant
they make no certainty:
Faiths anker they make drive, they speak
in iubstance blasphemy.
They make the merchand nothing wise,
and very short of thought▪
to have what thou had bought:
Yea, so unwise, as for thy sheep
thine own life not to spare,
Whom thou may loss, though so dear bought
I know thy love doth last:
And whom of purpose thou dost call
Whom thou dost love for them thou died,
for whom thou died they live:
Thy love, thy ransoning, and heaven,
all jointly thou dost give.
May be assured thou lovd'st him first,
and for his life didst die,
Now, Lord, thou knows I hate my sin,
and seeks to have it slain▪
and feels it not in vain.
that I apply thy death.
to be exeemd from wrath,
And well I wot the ransom is
sufficient eneugh
Me to redeem from hell, and imp
me in thee as thy bough.
and felt thy Fathers wrath:
and heavy to the death,
For which I sinfully did laugh,
thou mournd and wept full sore:
For pleasure taken in my sin
through grief oft didst thou roar.
For mine ill words thou silencd was,
and knew not what to say:
condemned and led away.
Thy ditty were each one my wrongs
against both God and man:
Thy sentence was my due desert
These lashes laid upon thy skin,
those stripes and all thy wounds
O love which thus abounds!
O thus my love to see thee sad,
O thus to see thee weep:
and cry with sighs cut deep.
O agony! O fearful sweat!
O tears! O bloody drops!
How mingled down from cheeks to feet
To see my love for love of me
That cross, that curse, that growing wrath
and trembling thus for fear.
To see almighty God so weak,
life's fountain thus to die:
wondered and all for me.
Woes me for all my sins! woes me,
for roots of sin so strong:
Which have so long time grown in me,
and like to stick so long:
Oh here revenge thy death!
Oh on this ill avenge me too,
which wronged us both so hath:
Well's me, I wot thou wilt anon
anon our marriage feast.
For as thou died for me, for me
so also didst thou rise:
And reigns as God, and shall me fetch,
so makes thy Word me wise.
have any love like this?
wholly spiritual is.
or else you perish shall:
or perish shall you all:
God's curse on him that loveth not
Or loves not them that do love him,
this curse with death keeps tryst▪
〈◊〉
could like your love die,
All these excellencies of his
Or yet if I by death could be
All that is said or can be more
were naught to my behove.
But now my Love shall never die,
his days shall never end;
And I by death shall have no loss,
my love shall then be more,
Blessed be God therefore.
Yea, and because I cannot live,
and broke his love beneath,
My chariot to eternal life
death he appointed hath.
Therefore till death his love shall be
In him I will strive gainst baser loves,
and death will end the strive.
Only, my Lord, still pity me,
and tarry not too long:
death shall renew my song.
FINIS.