The living water is the Lord's; it bears hie seal. The Lord himself is, in the truest eense, the "Fountain opened . . . for sin and for uncleanness" (Zech. xiii. 1); with him is "the fountain of life'' (Ps. xxxvi. 9). He leadetb his redeemed to living fountains of waters (Rev. vii. 17). But they who have received from him the living water become themselves fountains, ae the Lord bath said," Whosoever drinketh of the water that I shall give him shall never thirst; but the water that I shall give him shall be in him a well of water springing up into everlasting life." And auain, "If any man thirst, let him come unto me, and drink. He that believeth on ~e, as the Scripture hath said, out of hie belly shall flow rivers of living water" (John iv. 14; vii. 37, 38). The saint of God ie indeed "a fountain sealed," sealed with the Lord's seal, dedicated wholly unto him; "a spring shut up" from all other waters save only the living water which the Lord giveth, not "a fountain which sends forth at the same place sweet water and bitter" (Jas. ii. 11). But he must be "a fonntain of gardens" (ver. 15)'; he that is watered of God must water the thirsty ground (Prov. xi. 25). St. Paul, who had received the gift of the Spirit from the Lord, passed on the living waters to Apolloe; Apolloe watered the garden of the Lord at Corinth (1 Cor. iii. 6). So must all God's people do. They know in their own hearts more or less of that holy calm and blessedness which the living waters of the indwelling of the Spirit (John vii. 39) bring to the faithful; they must do their best to extend to others the blessings which they have themselves received; they must pray and labour for the spiritual well-being of those nearest to them, within the sphere of their personal influence; they must do their beet to help missionary work through the world, resting not till "the earth shall be full of the knowledge of the Lord, as the waters cover the sea" (Isa. xi. 9). But each must keep himself as "a fountain sealed" for the Lord and the work of the Lord, that at the last he may be sealed with the seal of the living God, and stand on the Mount Zion among the mystic hundred and forty and four thousand who have the Lamb's Name and his Father's Name written in their foreheads (Rev. vii. 2, 3; xiv. 1). • II. THE VOICE OF THE BRIDE. She accepts the bridegroom's parable. She is a garden enclosed. She calls upon the winds, north and south, to blow upon the garden, that the fragrance of its spices may flow forth to give pleasure to the bridegroom. The garden is hers; for it"is herself, her love. And yet it is the bridegroom's, for she has given herself, her love, to him; she invites him to come into his garden, and eat his pleasant fruits. So the Church, the bride of Christ, longs for the heavenly Bride- groom; so each Christian soul seeks the Saviour's presence. The soul that would give itself wholly to the Lord as a garden barred against all other masters, and enclosed for his use, strives ever to please him more and more; she would have her inward life of prayer and meditation and spiritual communion with him to become more and more pleasing to him, more and more fragrant. Therefore she calls for the north wind as well as the south to blow upon the garden, that the spices thereof may flow out. She is willing to submit to the cold blasts of adversity, as well as to be refreshed with the soft breezes of joy and holy gladness. She knows that God will make all things, joy and sorrow alike, to work together for good to them that love him (Rom. viii. 28). Therefore she prays only that his will may be done in her, whether by chastisements or by spiritual joy and blessing. She would have the garden bring forth more fruit, even though it must be purged with the pruning-knife of affliction. For the garden, though it is herself, her own heart., is yet the Lord's; for she has given it to the heavenly Bridegroom; therefore she yearns for his irradiating presence, praying him to enter into his garden, and eat his pleasant fruit8.
HOMILIES BY VARIOUS AUTHORS. Vers; 1-7.- What OhriBt sees in those who love him. As a mere story, these verses may be taken as a further attempt on the 11art of King Solomon to win her to whom he speaks for himself. Therefore he extols her beauty. Her eyes like the beautifol eyes of the Syrian dove; her dark glossy hair like that of the goats that browse on the slopes of Mount Gilead ; her teeth white as the newly cleansed wool, as even and regular as is the fleece that has been first shoro, and perfect as is the breed of sheep THE SONG OF SOLOMON. [cu. 1v. 1--16.