The Pulpit Commentary — Song of Songs — Section 32

him, and then all our outer service will be the natural product of our inner life ; not mere fruit fnstened on, but fruit grown, produced naturally by our life. And so shall we find that the inner and the outer act and react one upon the other for the mutual good of each. So, whilst we keep the vineyards of others, our owu vineyard will also be kept.-S. C. Ver. 6 (part).-Not faithless, yet not faithful. "They made me the keeper of the vineyards . . . kept." Text a sorrowful confession, but it is not the most sol'rowful of all. That will come from those who cannot say even as much as is said here. For there was, we may readily suppose, the keeping of the vineyards of others, thouah the speaker's own was not kept. But the confession suggests sin of a deeper dye ~ con- dition of things more sad than this. Let us speak of it first, and consider- ' I. THOSE w:ao KEEP NEITHER-the vineyards of others nor their own. We take (see previous homily) the vineyard to represent the soul of man. Now, we are all of us, and some especially, appointed to keep the vineyards of others-to watch and tend the spiritual interests of those entrusted t.o our care; such as our children, our class, our congregation. And all of us, not merely some, are appointed to keep our own vineyard, to care for our own souls. Now, our text speaks of those who did fulfil one part of this duty-they kept the vineyards of others, though they did not keep their own. But partial failure is less terrible than entire failure. And it is of this we speak; of those who keep neither the souls of others nor their own, who neglect both alike. Deplorable is it for those for whom they were appointed to care. What chance have such neglected ones? The mightiest influence that C:I.Il possibly bear upon them-I speak especially of our children-the influence of parental love and care to train their souls for God, is kept back. What wonder that in such neglected vineyards " ill weeds grow apace"? But yet more deplorable will it be for those thus guilty to such neglect. What will they say when at the last great day it is asked of them what they have done with the vineyards they were appointed to keep? And of course such persons, as a rule, keep not their own vineyards. The same indifference to spiritual things which made them neglect the vineyards of others makes them neglect their own. They have no hunger after God, uo thirst for the living water which Christ alone can give. They care not for any of these things. And so the rank undergrowth which the world, the flesh, and sin propagate, spreads over all their spiritual being, and over that of those whom they were appointed to keep. Godless parents have godless children; they have not sought that it should be otherwise. And the teacher who knows not Christ for himself will never persuade his class to yield themselves to Christ. And the unholy minister-h I what will his congregation be? Oh, dreadful will it be for those who have kept neither the vineyards of those others that have been entrusted to them, nor their own. But our text tells especially of- II. THOSE WBO RA VE KEPT BUT ONE. They have kept the vineyards of others, but not their own. Or it might have been, for it often is, the other way-They might have kept their own, but not others'. Let us speak of these first. There a.re many of them. They think only about their own poor wretched souls, and how they can make them secure. For this they keep up certain religious habits and do many things. But it is all self-contained ; it is mere selfishness, for it all centres in the man's own soul. This is the sin of the Church to-day. Its members are so busy keeping each their own vineyards that they care but very little indeed for those of others. But such selfishness brings with it its own proper punishment, as it ought to and cannot but do. "The liberal man deviseth liberal things, and by liberal things he shall stand." But the churlish common Christianity of our day fails to devise liberal things, and therefore does not stand. For is it standing high in men's esteem? le its odour fragrant; its name, like his of whom we read in ver. 3, as" perfume poured forth"? And does it stand strongly, firmly on its faith? Is not that faith faltering in many places? and do not many fall away, and that daily? If we would have our own vineyard yield large luscious fruit to our Lord, care for the vineyards of others as well as our own. 2. But the text tells chiefly of those who kept other, and not their own. Of this we have epoken already in the former homily. Therefore we come to speak of that most desire.Lie and blessed condition which is found in- lll, T~oeE w:µo ~E~ BO'l'Jl-thtl vineyard11 9f others !lnd their 9w~. Y~s, the 91W Wf oi:t. 1. 1~11.J THE SONG OF SOLOMON. 21