The Churches ardent love to Christ being a paraphrase on Cant. 1. 2, 3 / by J.J. Jordan, Joshua. This text is an enriched version of the TCP digital transcription B09328 of text R224437 in the English Short Title Catalog (Wing J1018E). Textual changes and metadata enrichments aim at making the text more computationally tractable, easier to read, and suitable for network-based collaborative curation by amateur and professional end users from many walks of life. The text has been tokenized and linguistically annotated with MorphAdorner. The annotation includes standard spellings that support the display of a text in a standardized format that preserves archaic forms ('loveth', 'seekest'). Textual changes aim at restoring the text the author or stationer meant to publish. This text has not been fully proofread Approx. 15 KB of XML-encoded text transcribed from 1 1-bit group-IV TIFF page image. EarlyPrint Project Evanston,IL, Notre Dame, IN, St. Louis, MO 2018 B09328 Wing J1018E ESTC R224437 64551338 ocm 64551338 184620 2240877554

This keyboarded and encoded edition of the work described above is co-owned by the institutions providing financial support to the Early English Books Online Text Creation Partnership. Searching, reading, printing, or downloading EEBO-TCP texts is reserved for the authorized users of these project partner institutions. Permission must be granted for subsequent distribution, in print or electronically, of this EEBO-TCP Phase II text, in whole or in part.

 Early English books online. (EEBO-TCP ; phase 2, no. B09328) Transcribed from: (Early English Books Online ; image set 184620) Images scanned from microfilm: (Early English Books, 1641-1700 ; 2868:26) The Churches ardent love to Christ being a paraphrase on Cant. 1. 2, 3 / by J.J. Jordan, Joshua. R. B. To the ingenious Mr. Joshua Jordan on his foregoing poem. C. B. To the bookseller on the foregoing poem. 1 sheet ([1] p.). Printed for John Taylor at the Ship in St. Paul's Church-Yard, London : 1687. Caption title. Attributed to Joshua Jordan. Cf. Wing (2nd ed.). Imprint from colophon. Imperfect: broadside creased and stained. Includes the Song of Solomon chapter paraphrases as well as 2 additional poems dedicated to Jordan and to the bookseller initialed by the authors. Reproduction of original in: Harvard University. Library. The Churches ardent love to Christ being a paraphrase on Cant. 1. 2, 3 / by J.J. -- To the ingenious Mr. Joshua Jordan on his foregoing poem / R.B. -- To the bookseller on the foregoing poem / C.B. eng Jordan, Joshua -- Poetry. Bible. -- O.T. -- Song of Solomon -- Paraphrases, English. Bible. -- Selections -- Paraphrases, English. Broadsides -- England -- 17th century. eebo The churches ardent love to Christ. Being a paraphrase on Cant. 1. 2,3. By J.J. Jordan, Joshua 1687 1 2499 15 0 0 0 0 0 60.02 D The rate of 60.02 defects per 10,000 words puts this text in the D category of texts with between 35 and 100 defects per 10,000 words. 2011-01 Assigned for keying and markup 2011-01 Keyed and coded from ProQuest page images 2011-08 Sampled and proofread 2011-08 Text and markup reviewed and edited 2012-05 Batch review (QC) and XML conversion
THE CHURCHES Ardent LOVE to CHRIST . Being a PARAPHRASE on Cant. 1.2 , 3. By J. J.
To the READER . READER , IF thou hast holy flames which ne'er do cease , This Poem read , it may thy flames increase : Or if thou art Prophane , here thou may'st see To the true Church , thy Non-conformity . Some I have known , who highly did admire That any should be sing'd in Cupid's fire , Yet have themselves found it too hot at last , To bear the scalding heat but of a Blast . So thou that art Prophane , thou mayst admire That any should be fond of Holy Fire , Yet may a holy spark some time or other Take in thy heart , which thou mayst never smother ; And who can tell , but that this Poem may That spark produce , wouldst thou but read and pray . Perchance thou mayst in reading raise some Jeers , For ought I know , thou mayst let fall some Tears : He may be won , that longest doth resist , The Spirits wind doth blow , where it doth list . I 'll ne'er despair of any , whilst I see A fruitless Tree , may next year fruitful be . But yet remember this , there 's nothing brings More danger , than to scoff at sacred things ; The Song was his , who wisest was of Kings . My style 's too low for matter so Divine ; The R●●● is dull , the Precious-stone doth shine , Take thou the Stone , and let the Ring be mine .
Cant. 1. 2 & 3 Verses .

Let him Kiss me with the K●sses of his Mouth , for thy Love is ●etter than Wine .

Because of th● savour of thy good Oyntments , thy name is as Oyntment poured out , therefore do the Virgins Love thee .

W●●● Tongue sufficient 〈◊〉 express my grief , W●en 〈…〉 presence gives ●e●●● In all my streights ? Sole Object of my joy , ( To whom the World compar'd , is but a toy , Which never can my poorest fancy please , Without thy blessed Self : ) O come and ease My wounded Love-sick heart : It s sacred fire , If thou sustainest not , 't will soon expire . Thou did'st inkindle it , to purge out sin , And none besides thy self can keep it in . Should it go out , Death soon would me surprize , And triumph too , in closing of mine eyes . My Love and Life , are interwoven so , As one cannot without the other go ; O! therefore come , with thy enlivening breath , Blow up my ●eals , I may not mourn to Death . I Salamander like , can be content No where , but in Love's fiery Element , Nor comfort take , but while my flames exalt Their Curling-tops above the Azure Vault ; And thou alone canst make them so to burn : O! therefore , how I long for thy Return ! Let there no Zenith , there no Nadir be , To separate my dear Bridegroom from me : Stand off thou East and West , thou North and South , Let him me kiss with th' kisses of his mouth . Their favours will not only keep me chaste , But be of Glory too a good foretaste ; They will such Sweets convey into my heart , As Heaven itself no better can impart . So I for waiting shall a full amends Receive , and make it known to Foes and Friends , That all may see how sweet a Spouse I have , And may the same endearing Kisses crave : His Kisses so enamour will the Soul , As nought but Love divine , shall there controul . Be gone thou World ; let not a frown or smile Of thine , ( wherewith thou many dost beguile , ) Fill any place 'twixt him and me : Go , go To those that place their happiness below : I 'll harbour no Competitor , for I Resolve to him to live , for him to die ; So Ardent is my Love , I cannot brook , That ought should hinder me but of a Look . With his sweet breath let me be so perfum'd , As all those nasty Worms may be consum'd , Bred by the want of it : His pow'rful breath Can blow them all beneath the power of Death , And cleanse my sully'd Soul and Body so , As both shall whiter be than driven Snow . Such distances are nothing to my Dear , I can no sooner wish , but lo he 's near : I knew this glorious Sun was nigh to dawn , Because I felt my frozen heart was thawn . Lo , at their widest spread , are here mine arms Thee to embrace : My heart is fill'd with Charms Of Love. Ye everlasting doors stand ope , And let the King of Glory have full scope To enter in ; O! come , possess thine own , Within my Heart set up thy Kingly Throne ; Rule in my Heart , and rule thou there alone , Cast out all those which oft have made me groan ; For thy dear Love far better is than Wine , That cheers my heart , but This makes it divine : Yea , 't hath a Vertue too , more worth than Gold , It changeth Enmity into Loves mold ; For even those that did thee hate , and by False Lovers were defil'd , thy glancing Eye Hath made them quit those Lovers all , to cleave To thee , knowing thou ne'er wilt them deceive . Yea , it transcends all worldly Joys so far , As it admits not of the least compare ; Nay should they be compar'd , ( substracting trouble ) The World , in full , could never weigh a Bubble . Verse 3. Thou great Chirurgeon of Mankind , thou hast Both Power and Will to cure ( but with a Cast Of thy most bright and radient Eye ) the heart , Though wounded through with Satans fiery dart . The goodness of thine Oyntment too is such , All Maladies 't hath cur'd but with a Toutch . It s sovereign vertues when thou didst make known , ( How it had cur'd the World of being none ; Yea , when 't was self-destroy'd , and had Death's groan Upon●t , ) then its sweet Savour did disperse Such sweet Perfumes throughout the Universe , So mixt with Love and Grace , that Virgins all , By a most dear Impulse , could not but fall In Love with thee . That thou that didst Eternity Enjoy , with all above that yonder Sky , Where true and everlasting Joys abound ; And if there no Associates had been found , Hadst happy been in thine ownselfs enjoyment , W●●●● the sla●ish trouble of Employment , Shouldst yet have thoughts of making Man , and for His Dwelling-place , a World that should concur With him , to answer all his needs ; and then , To joy to dwell among the Sons of Men ; And for that World t' employ thy Providence , Both for its Sustentation and Defence ; And t' undertake the toyl to rule 't , although Thou knew'st that Man ( thy Deputy ) would grow More wild , than wildest Bruits , and thee forsake . And that this World thou shouldst of nothing make , And Man but of a dirty Clod of Clay , And dart into him such a glorious Ray , As did thy blessed Image on him stamp , And place within him such a heavenly Lamp , As might have guided him in all his ways , And brought him safe to Glory , thee to Praise ! But O! let Seraphims speak if they can , It is above the reach of Finite Man , The wonderful Stupendiousness to tell Of thy Redeeming Love : That when Man fell From his created state , had quite defaced Thy sacred Image , all his Oyl was wasted , Extinguished that Lamp , which was his Guide , And nought became , but a huge Mass of Pride , And yet of Misery ! That thou shouldst leave Thy glorious Throne , Mans Nature to receive ! Disrobe thy self for Raggs , and be content , From thy Dear Fathers bosome , to be sent Into this World of wickedness and wo , Pains far beyond our thoughts to undergo , Such as thou never couldst have born their Load , Hadst thou been only Man , and not been God , One drachm whereof t' have born , would e'er have prest The Universe below the hope of Rest , Yet should , if thou hadst not the whole have born ! Expos'd unto thy Vassels greatest scorn ! The worst indignities of vilest Men ! The wrath of an incensed God! And then Thy spotless Soul a Sacrifice for Sin To offer up ! 'T is endless to begin Thy condescending Love t' admire , for all Thy Sufferings were , to free vile Man from thrall , And re-instate him in a state of Bliss Of thy free will , for no desert of his ! That thou the King shouldst Trayt'rous Man forgive , Yea , die the Traytor 's death , that he might live ! Well might the Worlds bold eye ashamed be , When Men would not thy Innocency see ! Well might the senseless Rocks in sunder rent , When Reas'n-endowed Men would not relent ! Well might the sacred Temple's vail be broken , When Worshippers would shew , of grief , no Token ! Well might dead Bodies rise out of their Graves , When living Men would not be Free , but Slaves ! And well might Angels stoop themselves , to see The greatness of so great a Mistery ! These works of Love and Wonder have such Fame In Heaven and Earth thee got , as that thy Name Is as most precious Oyntment poured out , Attracting Virgins Love the World throughout , Mounting their Faith above their Hope , with me For e'er to love , and be belov'd of thee . And are some of thine Oyntments sweet Perfumes , Whose Fragrancies have filled all the rooms Of Virgin-hearts , whereby they are made fit For thee their King to enter in , and sit And sup with them , and make them long to see Thy glorious self their welcom●st Guest to be . The savour of thine Oyntment too , is sweet Both in thy Word and Temples where they meet ; O! how they joy , that thou hast so contriv'd , That in thy Word ( to keep their hearts reviv'd ) As in a glass , they may thee still behold : That thou their Spots , and their depraved Mold , Dost by thy Spirit cleanse , and make them whiter Than scouring can by Fullers Soap and Nitre , And hast engag'd for ever me t' uphold Against Hell gates , or ought that can be told . Thy Graces too , prepar'd with heavenly Art , Do Cordialize thine Oyntment for the Hea●t , Being sweet'ned with thy Promises ; these deck Thee more than Chains of Gold the purest Neck , And send such Odours forth , as that they draw With sweeter Violence than Jet the Straw All Virgins unto thee , with power such , The Load-stone draws not Iron half so much . And thou with these , all Virgins hast adorn'd : These Rubies , and these Pomanders , though scorn'd By others are , yet are by them so priz'd , As by thy help , they have them Temperiz'd , So are fit Habitations of thy Spirit , Meet for that glorious Light which Saints inherit , And will at last be my Companions found , For they with me , with Love to thee are Crown'd ; And these our Crowns , which here are made of Love , Will help make up our glorious Crowns above .
To the Ingenious Mr. Joshua Jordan , on his foregoing Poem . I. SAY sacred Bard ? What Muse did thee inspire ? none of the Poets nine , it could not be ; I rather think 't was some Diviner fire , and wish the same would so inspire me . II. So sweet each Cadence flows , replete with sense , the more I read it , I admire thee more ; And so attractive is your Eloquence , methinks I have no power to give o'er . III. Your sacred Accents with bright vertue fraught , declares your thoughts are pure , immaculate ; Wisdom and Grace together there is wrought , and sprightly Wit triumphant sits in state . IV. Some may ( perhaps ) in these debauched times , censorious be , but let them do their worst ; The Wise and Vertuous will affect your Rhimes , whilst impious Criticks do with envy burst . V. As when bright Sol , hid in a gloomy Cloud , breaks forth , it shines more glorious than before ; E'en so your Verse , though darkness may it shroud a while , at length 't will please us more and more . Oxcynthes , R. B.
To the Bookseller , on the foregoing Poem . THE Author 's yet unknown to me , so I forbear to speak , for fear I should thereby Detract from his desert , and hurt his Name , Who once may gain an everlasting Fame . His Aim is good , the Subject's too divine , To be made better by a Pen of mine : The Genius may , by use , be more sublime , And Dr — n may become his Friend in time . His Name ( perhaps ) may make the faithless World Believe his Muse from Helicon was hurl'd . Till then , I 'll say no more , than that I am , Your faithful Friend , and still will be the same . C. B.

Licens'd ,

May 4. 1687. R. M.

LONDON , Printed for John Taylor , at the Ship in St. Paul's Church-yard , 1687.