From hence naturally follows, II. Her ardent desire after him —
Conscious that his gifts are his own, and that with- out his gracious assistance she can do nothing, she presents before him,
1. Her supplication —
[Our blessed Lord himself has said, " No man can come unto me, except the Father, who hath sent me, draw him"." And this total insufficiency for every thing that is good, the Church confesses in this short but ardent petition, " Draw me! " None but Jesus himself can open for us the box in which this ointment is contained, or give the spiritual perception whereby alone its fragrance can be discovered. How many, in the days of his flesh, were rather incensed against him, than drawn to him, by all the wonders of his love ! and how many at this day are like the idols which they worship ! " they have eyes, and see not; ears, and hear not; noses, and smell not p." But these have had spiritual senses given unto them ; and therefore they pant after communion with their blessed Lord.
Observe, it is not the carnal unregenerate man alone that needs to offer this petition: it is here offered by " the virgins," " the upright," who already love their Lord; and it is necessary
^ 2 Cor. xi. 2. ' Isai. liii. 2. t i Pet. ii. 7.
1 Cant. v. 10, 16. ^ Zech. ix. 17. " Ps. Ixxiii. 25.
° John vi. 44. p Ps. cxv. 5 — 8. i See the close of ver. 4.
to be offered by all, as long as they continue in the body. There are times and seasons when the most favoured of mankind are comparatively dead and dull : even " the Wise Virgins," as well as the Foolish ones, for a time " slumbered and slept." Again and again does every member of the Church need to be awakened, and to have his sluggishness overcome by fresh communications of divine grace, and fresh manifestations of the Saviour's love. Continually do we need to be " drawn with the cords of a man, and with the bands of love'':" and there- fore we must continually renew the same petition as the Church offers in our text.]
2. Her resolution —
[It is no reluctant service which the Bride will render, when once she feels the attractions of the Bridegroom's love. No : she will " run after him :" she will run with all her might : she will regard no obstacles without ; she will yield to no im- pediments within : she " will run and not be weary ; she will press forward, and not faint\" The space she has already passed, she will account nothing; "forgetting the things that are behind, she will press forward for that which is before, if by any means she may apprehend that, for which she has been apjirehended of God in Christ Jesus'."
The change of person also is here remarkable : " Draw me, and ive will run after thee." Not only will the Church sum- mon all the powers of her soul, and unite them all in the ser- vice of her Lord, but she will bring all she can along with her. When once she feels the constraining influence of Christ's love, she will not be content to come alone : she would im- press every creature that she beholds, with the same love which she herself feels, and would bring all others into the very same union with him which she herself affects. And herein her love differs from that which is here used to set it forth : the love which is felt towards an earthly object, admits not of parti- cipation with others : it would engross all the affections of its beloved object, and not endure a rival : but the Church's love to Christ is enhanced by the most extended communication of the blessings which she herself enjoys. She would have all the earth to know, and love him. Just as Andrew and Philip, as soon as they found the Messiah, invited Peter and Nathanael to come and participate their joy, so does every member of the Church of Christ : he will, like Abraham, " command his household" to fear and love his Lord, and will use all possible means to extend the kingdom of his Redeemer throughout all the earth.]