The Pulpit Commentary — Song of Songs — Section 66

of tbe song is represented as addressing a. passionate adjuration to her companions," by the r0es and binds "-that is, by all beautiful, loving, timid, and easily startled things. 11.s tbe8e were-that they should not awaken her beloved from his repose until ho will, And so the soul that rests in the realization of God's love would linger therein. " My willing soul would stay In euoh a fra.me as this." And this side of heaven there is no such joy to be realized as this. Alas I how rare ii is, or rather, how rarely we find it, though we might if we would I Still, the sou) knows that its life is not to be all enjoyment. Service has to be rendered. Th€ disciples would have liked to stay on the Mount of Transfiguration; they said, "It ie good to be here;" but the poor lunatic lad down below needed healing, and therefore neither their Lord nor they might finger where they were. Hence, though the son) would rest always in the joy of his realized love, yet it may, probably will, as with Paul, be sent forth to stern duty and patient toil. Therefore it is added, "until he please." " 0 Love Divine, how sweet thou art I When shall I find my willing heart All taken up by thee? 11 s. c. Vers. 8-17.-The soul wooed and won. In this lovely pastoral the literal meaning is, we think, as stated in introduction to homily on ver. 15. But it may be taken as setting forth how Christ woos and wins the souls he loves. 'l'he various stages are shown. • I. Tm: SOUL HEARS ms VOICE. "The voice of my Beloved" (ver. 8). It is•as said in John x., "My sheep hear my voice." !I'hey hear it in the loving exhortations of those who wou1d win them for Christ; in his Word; in the silent pleadings of his Spirit; in his providence. And it is gladly heard. The tone of this ver. 8 shows that she who hears is pleased to hear. There is the response of her heart; of. "My sheep hear . . , and follow me; " " Speak, Lord; for thy servant heareth." II. THEN THE SOUL SEES HIM COMING. "Behold, he cometh leaping upon," _etc. Christ says to his Church, "Behold, I come quickly." There, as here, his coming is: l. Swiftly. Conversions to Christ very rarely are sudden, but they often seem so (cf. those of penitent thief, Paul, Philippian gaoler). The conviction that Christ alone can save us, !illd that he will, is borne in upon our souls all in a moment, as it were; the truth rushes in upon us. 2. No distance can keep him back. The sonl has been distant enough from him; "over the hills, and far away." How we have _kept aloof from him! What space we have put between him and ourselves I Gone, maybe, into some" far country." 3. Difficulties do not daunt him. Mountains and hills-he leapeth upon them. What impossibilities have sometimes seemed to stand in the way of a soul's salvation! Take the instances above named. What human probability was there that they should be won for Christ? But he· makes nothing of them; they cannot hinder him. "Who art thou, 0 great mountain? before Zerubbabel," etc. (Zech. iv. 7). 4. Very near. "He standeth behind our wall." Just outside (cf. "Behold, I stand at the door, and knock"). Often the soul when sought by the Saviour is conscious of his nearness, and that he is seeking her. Sometimes when we are alone and in serious thought; sometimes in sacred services, when his Word has been preached with power. ill. KNows THAT HE IS SEARCHING FOB HEB. "He Iooketh in at the windows " (ver. 9). He will find her if she is to be found, and so his eyes search for her. This, too, the soul often knows. "Thou God seest me" (cf. Ps. cxxxix. 1-12, "0 Lord, thou hast searched me," etc.). Our hearts' inmost secrets, unknown to our nearest and dearest earthly friend, are known to him; for all our hearts have windows through which his eyes often keenly glance. Conscience shows ue those "eyes of the Lord which are in every place." (For illustration of this loving search, cf. parables in Luke xv.) IV. ls AFFEC'OONATELY ENTREATED BY HUI. He: 1. Addresses her as Ma much-- OH, II, 1-17,] THE BONG OF SOLOMON. 65