Preparatory Meditations - Second Series: 143

(Canticles 6:10. Who is She that Looks Forth as the Morning, Fair as the Moon, Clear as the Sun, Terrible as an Army with Banners) Wonders amazed! Am I espoused to Thee? My glorious Lord? What! Shall my bit of clay Be made more bright than brightest angels be, Look forth like as the morning every way? And shall my lump of dirts wear such attire? Rise up in heavenly ornaments thus, higher? But still the wonders stand, shall I look like The glorious morning that doth gild the sky With golden beams that make all day grow light, And view the world o'er with its golden eye? And shall I rise like fair as the fair moon, And bright as in the sun, that lights each room? When we behold a piece of China clay Formed up into a China dish complete, All spiced o'er with gold sparks display Their beauty all under a glass robe neat, We gaze thereat, and wonder rise up will, Wond'ring to see the Chinese art and skill. How then should we and angels but admire Thy skill and vessel Thou hast made bright thus Out for to look like to the morning tire That shineth out in all bright heavenly plush? Whose golden beams all varnish o'er the skies And gild our canopy in golden wise? Wonders are nonplussed to behold Thy spouse Look forth like to the morning whose sweet rays Gild o'er our skies as with transparent boughs Like orient gold of a celestial blaze. Fair as the moon, bright as the sun, most clear, Gilding with spiritual gold grace's bright sphere. O blessed! Virgin spouse, shall thy sharp looks Gild o'er the objects of thy shining eyes Like fairest moon and brightest sun do th' fruits Even as that make the morning shining rise? The fairest moon in 'ts socket's candle-light Unto the night and th' sun's day's candle bright. Thy spouse's robes all made of spiritual silk Of th' web wove in the heaven's bright loom indeed, By the Holy Spirit's hand more white than milk And fitted to attire thy soul that needs. As th' morning bright's made of the sun's bright rays, So th' Spirit's web thy soul's rich loom o'erlays. Oh! Spouse adorned like the morning clear, Chasing the night out from its hemisphere. And like the fair face of the moon, whose cheer Is very brave and like the bright sun 'pear, Thus gloriously fitted in brightest story Of grace espoused to be the king of glory. And thus decked up methinks my ear attends Kings', queens' and ladies' query, 'Who is this? Enravished at her sight, how she out sends Her looks like to the morning filled with bliss, Fair as the moon, clear as the sun in 'ts costs And terrible as is a bannered host?' And all in grace's colors thus bedight, That do transcend with glory's shine the sun And moon for fairness and for glorious light, As doth the sun a glowworm's shine outrun. No wonder then and if the Bridesgroom say, 'Thou art all fair, my Love, Yea, everyway.' May I a member be, my Lord, once made Here of Thy spouse in truest sense, though it be The meanest of all, a toe, or finger 'rayd, I'st have enough bliss, espoused to Thee. Then I in brightest glory ere 't be long Will honor Thee singing that wedden song.