"Fair love, 'tis thee I'm fond to wed;
"Tis thee I'm loth to want:
"Come to thy heav'nly mate, and bid
"All earthly loves avaunt.
"Thy company and love to gain
"I am fo ftrongly bent,

"I'll still infift, till I obtain

Thy full and free confent.

"Hafte to mine arms; for, didft thou move

"As I'm to thee inclin'd,

"Thy heart would on the wings of love

Outfly the hafty wind.

Verse 14. O my dove that art in the clifts of the rock, in the fecret places of the stairs, let me fee

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thy countenance, let me bear thy voice; for Sweet is thy voice, and thy countenance is comely.

My dove that in the lofty rock

"Are wont to neftle high,

"And to my wounds, when ftorms provoke,
"As fhelt'ring holes to fly;

"In fecret corners wont to vent
"Thy heart to me alone,
"Kindly to pour thy heavy plaint,
And make thy humble mone:

"O why doft thou that built fo high,
"At every threat'ning fhoke,
"So tim❜rous now for fhelter fly
"To any lower rock?

"Why, frighted from thy lofty neft,

"To lurking holes and clifts

"Doft take, with fhame and fear oppreft,

"Such vain and forry fhifts?

"Look up, my dove; nor blufh nor fear Thy heav'nly mate to face,

"Who wills thee boldly to appear "Before his throne of grace.

"Lift voice and count'nance both upright,

"With confidence to me;

"And let thy voice mine ears delight, Thy countenance mine eye.

"For fweet's thy voice of pray'r and praise,

"Which please me more to hear, "Than ever choice melodious lays "Could charm a mortal ear.

"Thy humbleft mournful notes, my dove,

"Excel, in my esteem,

"Their higheft ftrains that artful rove
"In orat'ry divine.

"Thy countenance is alfo fair
"And comely in mine eyes;
"Though earthly minds with scornful air
Thy heav'nly mein defpife.

"For, while my righteoufnefs complete
"Is ftill thy robe renown'd,
"My graces in thy count'nance meet,
"And caft their luftre round.

Verse 15. Take us the foxes, the little foxes that
Spoil the vines; for our vines have tender grapes.
"But fince my bride's a tim'rous dove,
"Soon fcarr'd and fet aftray;
"Care must be taken to remove
"The fright'ning beafts of prey.
"Of hurtful foes a hellifh brood
"Againft her peace combines;
"As in a vineyard foxes rude
"Infeft the feeble vines.

"Let all concerned in her and me
"Soon, at our inftance, feize
"The foxes great and fmall they fee
"That spoil the rifing trees.

"Ye minifters of my affairs,

"My vineyard who attend,

"I charge you guard against the fnares "That do the vines offend.

"All erring teachers foon defcry,

"Deceitful workers check;

"All falfe apoftles take and try,

"Refute, repel, reject.

† Take, in the original, is in the plural number, take ye.

"No cunning fpoilers flightly mark, "No little foxes spare:

"For these no fmall deftruction work,

"No little mifchief fhare.

"A little fox foon fpoils and rents
"Small branches to the ftump:
"A little leaven foon ferments
"And leavens all the lump.

"Our vines have fmall and tender grapes:
"And if the strong, the big,
"With much ado the hurt efcapes,

"How hardly will the fprig?

"Each foul be alfo taught to catch

"Small foxes hid in heart;

"Vain thoughts, deceitful lufts, that hatch "And gender grievous fmart.

Their little rifing brats deftroy, "Their fmall beginnings hufh; "Elfe they the buds of grace and joy, "The tender branches crufh."

Verfe 16. My beloved is mine, and I am bis; be feedeth among the lilies ‡.

Such were the kindly words he spoke

To give my foul repofe;
Such was the order ftrict he took
With my disturbing foes.

I'll therefore boldly now affert,
While yet he hides his face,
And own his int'reft in my heart,
My int'reft in his grace.

Lo! I am his, and he is mine;

Our titles are involv'd

By myftic union, so divine

As cannot be diffolv'd.

Our mutual int'reft firm abides,

And will endure for ay;

Hence, though behind the fhades he hides,

He is not far away.

+ Viz. Himself, or bis people.

That is, bis people, or his ordinances.

Though heav'n the nobleft banquet yields,
Among his flow'rs above;

Yet here amidst his lily-fields

He keeps his feasts of love.

'Mongft faints whofe robes are lily-white,
By washing in his blood,

To grace the feast is his delight,
His meat, and drink, and food.
With loving care his flocks he feeds
Upon the fateft place,
Among the fairest lily-beds,
The paftures of his grace.
By faith I wait my proper fhare,
When nought by fenfe I fee;
And argue from his paft'ral care
His loving mind to me.

Ver. 17. Until the day break †, and the shadows

flee away.

Among the lilies here below

My Lord will feed and stay,
Until eternal day fhall blow
Time's fhady night away:
Still therefore rays of joy remain,
Tho' dampt with clouds of fear;
Until he cleave the ftarry plain,
And on the clouds appear.

Did faints of old, when wrapt in night,
Believing, hope to fee

Incarnate Love's fubftantial light

Make legal fhadows flee?

'Tis done; and now the brighter sky
Makes gofpel-grace the pawn
That all remaining fhades fhall die
And fink in glory's dawn.

Her fiery wheels, with fpeedy flight,
Shall o'er the fhades be hurl'd;

And deluges of dawning light

O'erfpread the dufky world.

Thefe words are applicable either to the preceding or following. + Heb. Breathe, or blow.

Let there be light, once more he'll fay,
Who first did gild the ball:

Then up

fhall rife the endless day,

And down the fhadows fall.

Darkness the charge, no more to be,
Shall hear, and foon obey;

And clouds of fin and forrow flee
Before the rifing day.

The long dark nights that keep the field,

And domineer'd with might,

Shall then refign their place, and yield
To everlafting light.

Ev'n ordinances fweet fhall pass,
Which darkly fhew him here;
For then he'll break the looking-glafs,
And face to face appear.

Welcome, the great, the glorious ftore;
Adieu, fweet little pawns:

I'll doubt, and fear, and fin no more,
When glory's morning dawns.

-Turn †, my Beloved, and be thou like a roe, or a young bart upon the mountains of Bether t Kind Lord, till this bright morn appear To my eternal blifs;

Till dufky fhadows all retire

And work no more diftrefs:

Turn, till this glorious break of day;

O turn to me thy face;

While in the fhady vale I stay,

Deny me not thy grace.

While circling woes deprefs my foul
To various darkfome urns:
Let circling mercies round me roll,
By various kind returns.
O'er hills of fin, and guilt, and wo,
That place us far apart,

Come marching like the bounding roe,
Or loving youthful hart.