While from the newly-sprouted Gentile vines,
Whose grapes are young and tender, choice and rich
The flavour cometh forth.-Beloved one, rise!
Rise from this visible engrossing scene,
And with affections linked to things above, (x)
Where Christ thy treasure is, (y) be soaring still!
VER. 14.-"O my dove, that art in the clefts of the rock, in the secret places of the stairs, let me see thy countenance, let me hear thy voice; for sweet is thy voice, and thy countenance is comely."
Hasten his Advent in thy fervent prayers, (*)
For, oh, he loves (a) to hear thy pleading voice
Craving his glad approach; (b) retiring dove,
Fierce vultures chase thee; but thy one retreat
Is in that Rock of Ages (c) which was cleft
By blinded hate that knew not what it did, (d)
To be thy hiding-place secure and strong :—
There pour thou forth thy plaintive orisons,
There tell him all thy heart, thy sorrows, cares;
Thy Father hears in secret, and his ear (e)
Is open to thy cry; thy voice is sweet,
Heard on the gradually rising path (f)
Of faith and piety, that stair divine, (f)
By which who climbeth with progressive zeal,
(y) Matt. vi. 21,
(b) Ps. cxliv. 5.
Luke xviii. 1. Ps. xviii. 2; xciv. 22. (e) Ps. xxxiv. 15.
(d) Luke xxiii. (f) Phil. iii. 12-14.
(z) 2 Pet. iii. 12.
34; 1 Cor. ii. 8.
(f) Jude 20, 21.
Stedfastly gazing where its topmost round (g)
Glows with celestial glories, faileth not
Through heaven vouchsafed assistance, to attain (h)
The object of his hope. Thy voice is sweet
Heard on that ladder mystical;
Tuned undissembling to Jehovah's praise.
Thy countenance is comely (i) as it beams
With holy animation, and is turned
Where opening skies reveal thy risen Lord,
At the right hand of Majesty Divine !
Then lock not up those tones of melody (k)
By doubt and diffidence.—Veil not that eye
Of trustful happiness by self-wrought gloom;
But cheerfully obey thy risen Lord-
Pass not his gracious invitation by;
And let Him" hear," who cannot hear too oft, (1)
The prayers and Hallelujahs of his Church.
"Give Him no rest" in hearing till He make Jerusalem a praise upon the earth :
In psalms and hymns and spirit-stirring songs
Make melody which He delighteth in ; (n)
Offer thy praises and thy thanks to Him,
Who takes them as his honour. (o) —Chase afar
Iniquity accursed from thy tents; (p)
Then strong in faith thy face unspotted lift
(g) Heb. iii. 14.
(k) Ps. cxxxvii. 4.
(n) Eph. v. 19.
(p) Job xi. 14, 15.
(h) 1 Thess. v. 24. (i) Acts vi. 15; vii. 55.
(7) Eph. iii. 20. (m) Isa. lxii. 7.
(0) Ps. 1. 23; lxix. 30, 31.
To Him omnipotent, who makes it shine
With glory from the mount of fellowship; (9)
"Tis "comely" then; and radiating love
Reflects thy Maker's image: God is Love. (r)
VER. 15.-"Take us the foxes, the little foxes, that spoil the vines: for our vines have tender grapes."
But ah, the weakness of this "house of clay!" (s)
The readiness of Satan and his wiles!
Not frequent communings-not joyful hopes—
Not glimpses of the Saviour, though so blest;
Make caution needless, nor our foes extinct;
The Cana'nites yet live :—their watchful hate
Seeks at all times our ruin and disgrace,
But most especially when Christ is near, (t)
When heavenly joys are beaming on the soul,
Our enemy has hope that, off our guard,
Forgetful how his snares surround us still,
He may surprise us; and his hateful work
Plies with unwearied, subtle diligence.
Foxes beset the vineyard of the Lord, (u)
Collective or peculiar; stealthy steps,
Deceitfully approaching, "spoil the vines,"
Nip off humility and self-mistrust, (v)
(9) Exod. xxxiv. 30; Matt. xvii. 2.
(s) Job iv. 19; 2 Cor. v. 4; Rom. vii. 24.
(t) Matt. xvi. 17, comp. with ver. 23; John xiii. 37, 38; 2 Cor. (u) Ezek. xiii. 4; Lam. v. 18; Luke xiii. 32.
And widen every breach, howe'er minute, (w)
In Zion's fencings. As a subtle fox
Turning and winding to deceive the chase
Of them that would defeat him, (x) Satan tries
All means, all artifices, to regain (y)
The conquests of Messiah.-Do men "sleep?"
Then mingles he the tares among the wheat, (2)
And spoils the tender grapes and budding shoots
Of hopeful promise in the Church of Christ,
As with a fatal pestilential blight,
Whence every ill develops rapidly—
Declensions, (a) falls, apostasies, and strifes,—
He seeks his time, when favour'd most in prayer,
Or holy usefulness, a watch less strict
May leave unusual openings ;-gliding in,
He tells us we are
somewhat,"-saps our peace
By curious questions, or, perchance, attempts
To designate our joys as crackling thorns,
Whose flamings sparkle, not to warm, but cheat ;-
Oh, then, in seasons of peculiar light,
Be fearful most of dazzled giddiness;
Redouble your precautions, O ye saints!
Aware of the Destroyer!-Stop the gaps (6)
Where, entering silently, he spoils the vines :-
Be cautious! for your enemy is strong, (c)
(w) Eph. iv. 26, 27.
(z) Matt. xiii. 25.
(b) Neh. iv. 7-9.
(y) Luke xi. 24.
(a) 1 Tim. i. 20; 2 Tim. iv. 10.
(c) Luke xi. 21, 22.
To sleepless malice adds perfected craft,
And spiteful certainty of shortening rule ;-
Ye know, if ye are Christ's, your struggling souls
Resist a baffled and defeated foe, (d)
Who scarcely tries (at least more seldom tries,)
In open field to vanquish the sincere ;–
But oh, be heedful where disguised he lurks,
Clad in sheep's clothing to deceive the flock, (e)
Insinuating error, dropping sparks
To kindle by degrees into a flame
Of baleful heresy, yet smoothly bland,
Speaking perhaps through lips of godly men, (f)
And fox-like hiding the attacks he plans,-
66 Take ye those foxes who contrive the woe
Of God's Jerusalem! expose their craft,
Seize your keen weapons, (g) servants of the Lord,
And sword in hand, yea, in your armour build
Her walls and fences that are breaking down!
The weakest is made strong who cleaves to Christ; (h)
Faith in the Saviour is a panoply
That renders harmless e'en the fiery darts
Of him you battle with. Oh, cherish faith,
Be stedfast and immoveable in faith,
And all the machinations of your foes
Shall only magnify and make more plain
The guardianship and goodness of your Lord!
(d) Col. ii. 15.
(f) Matt. xvi. 22, 23;
(h) Isa. xl. 29-31.
(e) Matt. vii. 15; 2 Cor. xi. 13—15. Rom. xvi. 17. (g) 2 Cor. x. 4.
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