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Ver. Thy catching eyes (of faith and love)
That make myself their prize,
Have overcome me; pray remove
And turn away thine eyes.
Gay like a pleafant flock of goats,
Ón Gilead's ftately height,
Is thine adorning hair, (that notes
Thy known deportment bright.)
6 Thy teeth are like a flock of fheep,
Even fhorn, from washing come;
Each grace with twins their order keep,
And bring full product home.
7 Like to a piece of pomegranate,
Thy temples ruddy clear,
Within thy locks affectionate
And graceful blushes bear.

8 Queens, concubines, and virgins are
Unnumber'd, whom they call

The earth's great beauties, charming fair;
But thou excell'ft them all.

9 My fpotlefs dove as one I view,
She's all in one to me;

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Her mother churches darling too,
And choiceft progeny.

The daughters faw her, and around
They blefs'd her comely face;

Yea, queens and damfels more renown'd,

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Extoll'd her fhining grace.

10" Who's this (faid they) fo brightly fprings, "Like to the morning ray;

"That cleaves night's fhades with filver wings "To hafte the golden day!

"With fun and moon her beauties vie ;

"Yea, terrible to fee!

"An hoft appears, and banners fly;

"O what an One is the !

11 Down to the garden of fweet nuts
I went, when I withdrew,
To fee the budding valley fruits
If grapes and 'granates grew.

Ver. And unawares thy foul at ebb,

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Quick flowing, fet me high

On chariots of Aminadab,
And wings of love to fly.

13 Return, return, O Shulamite ;

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Return, return apace;

That we may look with great delight
Upon thy beauteous face.

What in the Shulamite fo damp'd
Have heav'nly hosts to fee?
As 'twere, two hosts on earth encamp'd,
So choice a fight is fhe.

CHAP. VII.

A further Defcription of the Church's Graces. She
profeffeth ber Faith and Defire.
[Chrift's Words.]

HOW beauteous are thy feet with fhoes,
O prince's daughter fair!

Each stately step thou walkeft fhows

A sparkling heav'nly air.

The joints, that ftrength and motion do
To thy right steps impart,

Like orient jewels burnish'd new,
Speak holy curious art.

2 Thy bowels warm, where kindness glows,
Thine infant brocd to feed,

Seem like a bowl that overflows
With liquor for their need.

Thy fertile womb an heap of wheat
Forms to thy lily brood;

While younger babes have proper meat,
The elder folid food.

3 Like two young roes appear thy breasts,
That are delightful twins;
Thine equal care fo fweetly feeds
Thy babes in facred inns.

4 Thy neck that holds thy head most high,
Like iv'ry white and fair,

May with a tow'r that mounts the sky,
For ftrength and state compare.

Ver. Thine eyes are like the lucid pools
Of fish at Hefhbon, near
Bathrabbim gate; (no learned fools
Had ever fight fo clear.)

Thy nofe fagacious; (th'en'my wots)
Looks bold like Leb'non's tow'r,
Damafcus-ward; to fmell their plots,
And watch against their pow'r.
5 Thy knowing head, like Carmel high,
Appears in crimson red;

Its hairs and dress a purple dye :
(With blood the Lord did fhed.)
Hence ev'n the King of kings compell'd,

Within thine arms embrace,

Is faft a willing captive held,
In gall'ries of his grace.

6 O love, how fair thou art's untold,
In thee what charming fights!
How fweet thy graces manifold!
How pleasant for delights!
I to the palm-tree do compare

Thy ftature ftreight and fine;
Thy brafts of love, fo full and fair,
To clusters of the vine.

8 I faid, I will this palm-tree climb,
And of its boughs take hold;
My love I'll to my bride in trim
And to her babes unfold:

Then fhall thy loving breafts o'erflow,
Like clusters full of wine;
The breath of life thy noftrils blow
Shall fmell as apples fine.

9 With wine that's of the richest kind,
(Referv'd for whom I love,)

Thy palate drench'd, fhall clear the mind,
And graceful fpeech improve :

Juice from the living vine that flows,

Goes fweetly down by fips:

The mouth of fleepers doth unclose,
And fanctify their lips.

[The Church's Words.]

Ver. My well-beloved I must admire,
Moft worthy though he be,

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He's mine; and, lo! his heart's defire
Is towards worthlefs me.

11 Come, love; lets to the field of grace,
Retire from earth's annoy :
Make villages our lodging place,
That none difturb our joy.
12 Let's to the vineyards early go,
To fee if fruits improves;
If tender grapes and 'granates grow:
There I'll give thee my loves.

13 Sweet mandrakes fmell, and at our door,
All pleafant fruits there be,
Both new and old, laid up in ftore,
My dearest Lord, for thee.

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CHAP VIII.

The Church's love to CHRIST, and the Vehemency thereof. She intercecdeth for the Gentiles, and prayeth for CHRIST's coming.

[The Church's Words.]

THAT thou as my brother wert,
My mother's fucking child;

I'd kifs and hug thee in my heart;
Nor be for this revil'd.

Yea, in the op'neft patent place,
Without a blufh for fhame,

I would with joyful arms embrace,
The babe of Bethlehem.

2 I'd bring thee to my mother's houfe,
Who would inftruct me there:
The fpiced wine, and 'granates juice,
Should be thy royal fare.

3

His left-hand for my fupport he,
Beneath my head fhould place;
And for my comfort lend to me
His right-hand's foft embrace.

Ver. O Salem's daughters, do not prove
Difturbers of his eafe;

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I charge you ftir not up my Love,
Nor wake him till he pleafe.

[The Companions Words.]

5 (Whofe this up from the wilderness
Of fin and forrow mov'd,
Comes leaning thus, and laying stress
Upon her Well-belov'd?)

[The Church's Words.]

Beneath the fhady apple-tree,
I did the raife with care:

Thy mother travail'd there with thee;
Thy happy birth was there.

O do thou fet me as a feal,

Upon thine heart and arm:
For love, is ftrong as death, I feel
Sufpicion cruelly warm;

Unfatiate like the grave's defire,
Is killing jealoufy:

The coals thereof are coals of fire,
That flame moft ve'hmently.

7 Can love be quench'd with many floods?
Or drown'd with waters? No:
Should one for love give all his goods,
The price were bafely low,

8 We have a little fifter, Lord;
No breafts yet form'd hath fhe:
What help to her fhall we afford,
When the bespoke fhall be?
[Cbriff's Words.]

If once the be a wall, through grace,
We'll take a fpecial care;

To build on her a dwelling-place,
A filver palace fair:

If once her heart's an open door,
For me to enter in,

We'll as with cedar boards fecure
And ftrengthen her within.

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