With the (a) tranquillity of heartfelt peace-
Making them hear, what those around hear not,
Thy voice encouraging, thy loving call,

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Enter thou (b) now into thy Saviour's joy"— Thus kiss them with the kisses of thy mouth.

VER. 2.-"For thy love is better than wine.” Faint with fatigue, and sad with sudden fear, Exhausted nature hails the (c) cheering draught That ministers invigorating help;

Or when (d) disease has waned the strong man's strength
Accepts the cordial, and awhile renews

By wine refresh'd, the cheerfulness of health.
But oh, what weak similitudes are these,
(Though the best type material things supply,)
Of soul-felt comforts, of remembered joys
Experienced in communion with that God
Whose word assures us that He (e) changeth not!
Saviour! thy love is better far than wine.

When slumb'ring faith, inactive and inert,
Admits despondence, and the (ƒ) shieldless soul
Lies open to suggestions, which unmet
Might change those slumbers into very death;
When, as his piercing javelin, Satan hurls
That question home into the doubting heart,

"Art thou a child? Thou! by thy sins o'ercome?'
And strives, moreover, in the bleeding wound
To pour that poison from the depths of hell,

(a) Acts vi. 15; xx. 24. (b) Matt. xxv. 21.

(e) Mal. iii. 6; Heb. xiii. 8.

(c) Ps. civ. 15.

"Draw back more boldly, for (g) thou canst but die ;"

At such a time, in such an hour of need,

Better than wine to him of heavy (h) heart,
Better than cordials to the cold and faint,
Yea, better far than wine, thy love, oh Lord,
At such a season to thy drooping saints
Fall'n (i) among thieves and wounded very sore:

Thrill'd memory then with grateful certainty
Vibrates the chords of loving-kindness past,
Touched by her inward teacher, as he speaks
And testifies of Jesus, and appeals-

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Hast thou not felt that solitary bliss

With which a stranger (j) intermeddleth not?
Have you not tasted of that sacred cup

Which symboll'd (k) forth the Saviour's flowing blood?
And as you tasted felt your (1) inward life

Of gracious origin, delighted throb
Responsive to those words of blessed sound,

"That blood was shed for (m) many, and for you?" Oh faint believer! if redeeming love

Pervaded then your (n) trustful consciousness,
Am I not still an everlasting God, (o)

My kindness everlasting-(p) Shall my fear
Implanted in your bosom be in vain,

And vain the promise (q) They shall not depart ?"

Prov. xiv. 10.

(i) Luke x. 24.

(Gal. ii. 20.

(k) Luke xxii. 20; 1 Cor. x. 16.
(m) Matt. xxvi. 28.

Ps. xiii. 5, 6; comp. with four preceding verses.

Deut. xxxiii. 27;
Jer. xxxii. 40.

Ps. xc. 2; Is. xl. 28.

(p) Isa. liv. 8-10.

Oh blessed consolations-blessed voice

Of a prayer-hearing Father! Teeming earth.
Thou canst bring nothing to compete with these;
Saviour, thy love (r) is better far than wine.

VER. 3.-"Because of the savour of thy good ointments thy name is as ointment poured forth, therefore do the virgins love thee."

On thee (t) descended in (u) abundance rich,

The holy unction for thy triune work,

Our Prophet, Priest, and heav'n-appointed King.
Grace (x) on thy lips was poured, thy steps were traced
By the sweet savour (y) of devotion, truth,

Love, holiness, and mercy shed around-
Where e'er the tale of thy compassions rang
The atmosphere, so long by sin defiled,

Grew redolent of all that could refresh the sense
Of moral purity, and hope divine.

And still that name is ointment poured forth!
The (2) depths, the heights of knowledge infinite,
Of
mercy, fathomless are blended there;

Jehovah there (a) accepted incense smells ;
His perfect law (b) obeyed unerringly,

His outraged (c) sway with pardon reconciled,

1 John iv. 19; Eph. iii. 17, 19.
John i. 32. 33.

(x) Ps. xlv. 2; Luke iv. 22.

1 Cor. i. 24; Col. ii. 3.
John viii. 29, 55; Ps. xl. 6;
1, 2; v. 8.

(s) Matt. xxv. 1; 2 Cor. xi. 2.
(u) John iii. 34.
(y) Lev. viii. 22.

Gen. viii. 21.

John v. 36; Phil. ii. 7; Heb. iii. (c) Rom. iii. 26.

His truth upheld—a full atonement made—
And oh, to man what treasury of hope! (d)

Jesus! the lost one's refuge! Sound it forth
Ye (e) heralds of salvation, through the earth.
Glory to God! (f) good will to sinful men,
And peace to a convulsed and wretched world,
These are its mingled perfumes! holy oil (g)
Man cannot buy and may not counterfeit,
But flowing o'er our mystic Aaron's head
"Twill reach his (h) lowest skirts; and, bless his saints,
A savour (i) unto life. Therefore they love, (j)
Therefore in love increase eternally.

VER. 4.-"Draw me, we will run after thee: the king hath brought me to his chambers: we will be glad and rejoice in thee, we will remember thy love more than wine: the upright love thee." [Margin, they love thee uprightly.]

Oh, for attractive energy! thy church

Thy sluggish church-with cords of threefold strength
To draw (k) within that influence of love!
Then in each (7) duty run the willing feet,
Work (m) the delighted hands, and (n) joyful lips
Instant in prayer, are eloquent in praise.

Then from (o) abundant hearts the song breaks forth,

(e) Mark xvi. 15.

(d) 1 Tim. i. 15.
(g) Exod. xxx. 30-33.
(i) 2 Cor. ii. 16.
(k) John xii. 32;
(m) Rom. vi. 13.

(j) Rom. v. 5. Jer. xxxi. 3.

(n) Ps. xiii. 6.

(f) Luke ii. 14.
(h) Ps. cxxxiii. 2.

(1) Ps. cxix. 32. Luke vi. 45.

Time may die,

Thanks to our (p) God and Father-glory, praise,
To Him, whose loving mercies drew us near,
And (q) brought us to his (r) chambers.
Creation (s) perish, but the happy soul
Within that royal palace is secure.
Her holy habitation who can (t) touch?

Dwelling (u) in God, herself his dwelling (x) place.
What can approach to injure or disturb ?

What (y) should she do with fear? What else enjoy
Than praise and adoration? Glorious God,

We will be glad, we will rejoice in thee :

More, infinitely more, than (≈) earth's poor joys,
We will esteem thy boundless tenderness.

And oh, for (a) grace to love thee uprightly!

VER. 5.-"I am black, but comely, O ye daughters of Jerusalem, as the tents of Kedar, as the curtains of Solomon."

Daughters of Zion, (ye enquiring souls
Who (b) search for wisdom as for hidden ore
And cry (c) for understanding with desire,)
Say, have we not in God's own (d) mirror seen,
And (e) trembled as we gazed, our native selves
In all the blackness of (ƒ) inherent sin