THE DISCIPLINE OF Gathered Churches, WITH The Covenant taken by each Member; And a Confession of Faith professed by the Church of Christ at Martins Vintry:
Together with Spirituall Hymnes by way of Paraphrase upon the whole book of Canticles by them sung at their breaking of Bread.
And an Abreviate of their whole Practise.
London Printed for R. Ibbitson in Smithfield, 1654. ⟨Nou. 22 1653⟩
CANTICLES.
CHAP. I.
NOw let us sing a Song most choise.
To God; of Christ our peace:
verse 2 Whose blood gush'd out to heale our souls
His love doth never cease.
verse 3 The savor of thy grace, O Christ,
Is sweet from Heaven above
Thou dost refresh our thirsty soule,
And thee we dearly love.
verse 4 Draw us we will run after thee,
Thy fellowship to have:
We will be glad, and joy in thee,
Thy love therefore we crave.
verse 5 We are by nature black with sin,
Dear friends and Christians all;
The blood of Christ will make us clean
If we on him do call.
verse 6 Look nor on us, for our black sins,
In which we guilty are,
Us to destroy, O Lord, but let
us in thee have a share.
We mind the world too much; our souls
We do not keep with care,
But to refresh our souls, sweet Christ
Thy blood thou didst not spare.
verse 7 I sought for Christ whom my soul loves
Sweet rest in him to find,
To feed with his beloved ones
And him alone to mind.
verse 8 Then by his Spirit he me taught,
And with his flock me led,
And with his Body and his Blood
My Soule hath sweetly fed.
verse 9 The life of Saints in sinful flesh,
While they continue here;
Is ful of trouble, strife, and care,
But Christ doth love them dear.
verse 10 His Testaments most precious are
And sealed with his blood.
His Graces he to Saints doth give,
Most pure are and good.
verse 11 The borders of his table spread,
are richer then the gold;
His Ordinances are more pure
Then silver to behold.
verse 12 Whilst I with Christ at Table sit,
His Body and Blood to take.
His Graces powred in my Soul
A sweet perfume doth make.
verse 13 Christ my Beloved is to me,
sweet, glorious, and bright;
He onely shall have place to lodge
in my heart day and night.
verse 14 He hath by clusters of rich grapes
with his own blood me fed,
With his beloved chosen ones,
for whom his blood he shed.
verse 15 By this communion Lord with thee
thy righteousness is mine
Thou dost me love, & give me grace
and I by Faith am thine.
verse 16 O my Beloved thou art fair,
and pleasant unto me,
And all is sweet that I injoy,
in fellowship with thee.
verse 17 As thou art sweet so by thy grace
Our fellowship is so,
Oh let the breath of thy sweet Spirit
for ever on us blow.
CHAP. II.
CHrist Jesus as with water sweet
which from the Rose is stil'd
hath now refresht our drooping souls
with his blood which was spil'd,
verse 2 Satan doth rage, and seek our harm
while we continue here,
But blest be God, a Savior
we have that loves us dear.
verse 3 Even as an apple tree among
trees growing in the wood
So is the body and blood of Christ
for souls the richest food.
We under his sweet wings have sate
with great delight of heart,
His body & blood is sweet which to
our souls he doth impart.
verse 4 Praise be to Christ that brought us to
this banquet and rich feast
His love doth overflow our souls
most precious is his taste,
verse 5 O stay our souls by Faith in thee,
sweet Christ who art above,
And let thy Spirit comfort us
for we are sick of love.
verse 6 Christ hath preserv'd our lives, and brought
us hither to this place:
But glorious is the love wherewith
our souls he doth imbrace.
verse 7 His sweet communion to our souls
doth give much joy and ease,
Oh, that we never more might part,
if Jesus Christ did please.
verse 8 When we were full of griefe, the voyce
of Christ to us was sweet
Mountains of sorrows he did tread,
our souls (forlorn) to meet.
verse 9 Most willingly he died, and by
his Spirit he doth us cal,
And by his wounds and precious blood
for us doth conquer all.
verse 10 Christ our beloved sweetly spake
and said to us this day,
Rise up and I wil beautifie
your souls, O come away.
verse 11 Gods wrath is past your tears are botl'd
verse 12 Sweet flowers of grace appear,
The time of Gospel joy is come,
Gods glorious word to hear.
verse 13 The bread & wine doth for your souls
my body an blood display,
Arise and I will beautifie
your souls, O come away.
verse 14, When we with broken hearts do mourn
in secret, Christ doth cal;
Our tears he sees, and hears the sobs
and sighings of us all.
Our voice is sweet to him, and he
to be with us doth joy.
verse 15 And all the enemies of the Saints
he surely will destroy.
verse 16 O our Beloved, ours thou art,
and we, O Christ, are thine.
Thy body and blood, doth feed our souls
while we take bread & wine.
verse 17 Until the day of joyful rest,
with thee in heaven above:
Be thou with us, and keep us from
divisions, in thy love.
CHAP. III.
UPon our beds wee sought for Christ.
but could not find him there;
verse 2 We rise, and went to worldly things
and Christ did not appear.
verse 3 The Word to hear then did we go
verse 4 And found our Saviour then,
We held him in our heart, and would
not let him go agen.
verse 5 we now have in communion sweet
receiv'd Christs body and blood,
Let Christ among us sweetly rest vine
while he doth see it good
verse 6 What heavenly gales of Grace diperfum'd from heaven above,
Hath Christ our Savior breath'd on us
at this rich feast of love.
verse 7 Where Angels do about us stand
verse 8 And Christ his Spirit doth give
Give us O Lord thy Spirital waies,
that we in Christ may live.
verse 9 Christ hath himselfe a Charriot made
of Ordinances fair
verse 10 The bottom is of grace most free
of Faith the Pillars are.
And covered with his sacred blood,
and fil'd with precious love,
For all the Saints to sit and sing
glory to God above.
verse 11 Go forth, exalt the Throne of Christ
to us he doth impart
His body and blood, his glory & grace
in gladnesse of his heart.
CHAP. IV.
CHrist Jesus hath us beautifi'd,
with his rich Grace of Love,
Our mournful eyes he hath refresht
with gladnesse from above:
Much people hear the word with us
verse 2 But we his flock do feed
By Faith on him our souls are washt
in blood which he did bleed.
verse 3 The love of Christ in streams of blood
to us is sweet and fair,
His innocent body to break for us,
and give, he did not spare.
verse 4 His power & strength doth us preserve,
verse 5 His word doth us refresh
Praise be to him who at this Feast,
hath fed us with his flesh
verse 6 O blessed Christ whose fellowship
In this feast we have had,
Thy body and blood, by bread and wine
by faith hath made us glad
Oh that the glorious day was come
and all these shadowes gone
That we might mount to Heaven with thee.
verse 7 Our glory is Christ alone
verse 8 Christ in his love hath brought us to
this feast of bread and wine;
As his beloved Spouse with him,
upon the mount divine:
verse 9 His Grace he pouers forth most free
his precious blood he shed
He draws our hearts to him, his heart
for us is ravished.
verse 10 Christ by his blood doth purifie
the Saints whom he doth love.
And doth delight to sanctifie
their souls from heaven above:
verse 11 Their prayers he delights to hear
his graces they are sweet
Whereby he draws their hearts to him
in faith and love to meet
verse 12 His sister, Spouse Christ doth us cal
a Garden inclosed round,
A Spring shut up, a Fountain seal'd
in whom his Spirit is found.
verse 13 As Trees a comely Orchard make
wher they are planted wel,
So doth his Church bear prec [...]ous fruit,
in Christ who doth excel,
verse 14 His graces are exceeding sweet,
which to the Saints do flow
Whereby their hearts he watereth
that pleasant fruit may grow.
verse 5 And of his Garden Christ himself
the fountain is, whose blood
A Wel of living water is
with streams to do them good
verse 16 As in thy Garden thou dost feed
us here with bread and wine,
So let thy Spirit on us blow,
from heaven in grace divine.
As thou, O Christ, thy body & blood
for us doest freely give,
So sanctifie us with thy grace,
that we in thee may live:
And may in our communions all
have fellowship with thee,
And thou thy self may joy in us
thy pleasant fruits to see.
CHAP. V.
CHrist is unto his Garden come
to meet us at this feast,
His precious grace to poure on us
and feed us with the best,
He poured out his blood for us,
and willingly did die
That we might feed thereon by faith
to live eternally,
verse 2 Our flesh doth sleep, our soul doth wake
the voyce of Christ we hear
Hee knocks and cals to have us come
to him that loves us dear,
And cals us Sister, Love, and Dove,
his undefiled one,
Yet for our sins, Gods wrath was poured
His innocent head upon
verse 3 When Christ hath called many a time
to us to ope our heart,
Our lazinesse and pride of spirit,
hath mov'd him to depart,
verse 4 But our beloved glanced in
with glorious beams divine
And by his sacred power made way
into our heart to shine,
O then our soul did hunger sore,
of his sweet love to taste
Our bowels moved were for him,
and then we rose in haste
verse 5 We rose up to our Saviour dear,
to him to open our heart;
His Graces by his spirit divine,
to us he did impart:
verse 6 Yet from our sense he did withdraw
which made our soules to faint,
We sought him, but had no return
from him of our complaint,
verse 7, We by the mouths of Ministers,
his sacred word did hear
Which did so strip and wound our
that we did quake for fear.
verse 8 But such refreshments here we find
by Christ from Heaven above,
In this communion; that our souls
for him are sick of love,
verse 9 What our Beloved is, we seek,
some people question much,
Why we should love him more then they
and why our zeal is such?
verse 10 Christ our Beloved is beautifull
his glory we can tell,
If ten thousands compare with him
he doth them all excell.
verse 11 His Spirit doth sweetly Graces breathe
upon his people all,
verse 12 His love is faithful to the Saints,
whom he by Faith doth call.
verse 13 The flowers of the Promises
in Christ are rich and fair.
and every word that from his mouth
distils is sweet and rare
verse 14 His handy works most precious are
his bowels yern with love
verse 15 His strength is very excellent,
and great from heaven above.
verse 16 A pleasant relish we do find,
of his sweet body and blood
Yea, he is wholly lovely and
doth alwaies doe us good,
This our beloved is, and is
to us a faithful friend,
To whom be honor, glory, laud,
and praise world without end.
CHAP. VI.
WE have this day been seeking out
Christ our Beloved dear,
That we with pure and single hearts
might worship him in fear
verse 2 And in his Church we have injoy'd
his Ordinances good,
And he by grace hath fed us with
his body and his blood.
verse 3 O our Beloved Saviour dear
behold we are thine own,
Thou dost among the Lillies feed,
beside thee we have none.
verse 4 In thy love we are beautiful
through grace which thou dost give
To make us comely, and thy strength
alone doth make us live
verse 5 When wee in tears doe groan for Christ
by faith our prayers prevail
For in Assemblys of the Saints
to be, he doth not faile.
Where all professors joyn with us
verse 6 But he his flock doth feed
(By faith) on him O wash our souls
in blood which thou didst bleed.
verse 7 The love of Christ in streams of blood
to us is sweet and fair,
His spotlesse body to break for us
and give he did not spare.
verse 8 Though in opinions difference be
in outward things below.
In Churches Congregations,
and precious Saints also.
The sanctified Spouse of Christ,
in light divine is one
With God in Christ, & all the Saints
have sweet communion.
verse 10 By Faith in him they are more bright
then day, or Moon, or Sun
And by his power they are so strong down
none can them overcome.
verse 11 Into his Garden Christ came
where his sweet Spirit did blow,
And view'd the Graces of the Saints
which from his Spirit did flow,
verse 12 His love constraineth all the hearts
he doth by grace prepare,
His arme he doth reveale and then,
his people willing are.
verse 13 O come let us return to walke
more close and we shall see,
The glorious power of the Lord,
our joy and strength to be.
CHAP. VII.
ALl those that are regenerate
are beautiful, their feet
In holy pathes do walk with Christ
they have communion sweet.
verse 2 Their bowels erne in charity,
to Saints where they do live,
Unto the poor that are in want
they liberally do give.
verse 3 The Ordinances of the Lord,
unto the Saints are sweet,
Lord sanctifie our union,
that Christ may with us meet.
verse 4 The power of Christ doth us preserve
in him alone we live,
Our tears he turns to joy, his spirit
a sweet perfume doth give.
verse 5 His blood he freely spilt for us,
and cloathed us also.
With his pure robes of righteousnes
his mercies to us flow.
verse 6 He by his blood doth purifie,
the Saints whom he doth love,
And doth with pleasant joy delight
their souls from Heaven above.
verse 7 The humble spirits of the Saints,
before the Lord in love,
By grace from Heaven on them bestow'd
ascend to God above,
verse 8 By faith our souls doe mount on high
while bread & wine we take
And in this feast, the grace of Christ
a sweet perfume doth make
verse 9 His precious body and blood receiv'd,
unto the taste is sweet,
And all our souls refreshment have,
when we with him do meet,
verse 10 O our Beloved Saviour dear,
behold us we are thine,
And thy desires after us
most sweetly doe incline.
verse 11 O our beloved Jesus come,
and do thou with us live,
verse 12 That all our joy may be in thee
to whom our hearts we give.
verse 13 Then we abundant peace shall have,
in all that we possesse
All our rich treasures are in thee,
thou art our righteousnesse.
CHAP. VIII.
AS we in this our fellowship,
communion have together,
So let our union truely be
with thee, O Christ, for ever.
verse 2 In all the duties we performe,
thy Spirit to us give,
Teach thou our soules, and give us strength
that we in thee may live.
verse 3 Do thou preserve our souls and be
with us in every place.
For glorious is thy love wherewith Saints
our souls thou dost imbrace.
verse 4 Thy sweet communion with the
doth give much joy and ease.
Oh, that we never more might part
if Jesus Christ did please.
verse 5 What heavenly gales of grace divine
perfum'd from heaven above
Hath Christ our Savior breath'd on us
at this rich feast of love,
verse 6 Lord to thy bosome take us up,
to be with thee above,
For after thee in us doth burn.
a vehement flame of love.
verse 7 The floods of tears, and streams of blood
which Christ for us hath shed,
Abundantly set forth thy love,
of which we now have fed.
verse 8 Lord many of thy Saints there are
that wait thy mind to know,
O teach both us and them the way
where thou wouldst have us go.
verse 9 Oh, that all were united here,
who union have with thee,
Let all our troubles have an end,
and all thy Saints agree.
verse 10 We bless thee for our fellowship
in this rich feast of love,
Refresh our soules with thy sweet spirit,
for ever from above.
verse 11 Christs Churches are his vineyards
where he doth keepers place
To dresse his plants, and make their fruit
to bud & spring apace.
verse 12 They in his vineyards doe the work
which he to them doth give,
That his name may be magnifi'd
and we in him may live.
verse 13 All those that in thy Church, O Christ
do worship thee in fear,
Communion have with thee, and joy
thy pleasant voyce to hear.
verse 14 Make haste, O Christ, with speed to us,
we do thee dearly love,
O let thy spirit to our hearts
come down from heaven above.
FINIS.