The Pulpit Commentary — Song of Songs — Section 116

Church, who get tbem to the mountain, etc., where he is, we commiserate, even whilst we condemn, those who never get themselves there at all.-S. C. Yer. 7.-The immaculate soul. "Thou art all fair, my love; there is no spot in thee." Thie word has many parallels; cf. "Ye are clean through the word which I have spoken unto you;" "Ye are washed, justified, sanctified;" "Ye are complete in him;" "There is no condemnation to them which are in Christ Jesus," eto. Now, how can all this be? We reply- I. THROUGH THE ESTIMATE WHICH LOVE FORMS OF THAT WBI0H IT LOVES. (Of. former homily, on vers. 1-7.) II. THROUGH THE BLOOD OF CHRIST, WHICH "CLEANSETII us FROM ALL BIN." Christ is our Representative, the second Adam. Our connection with him becomes vitalized when our hearts trust in him. But he, in and by his death-his blood-made perfect confession of our sins, and in that confession absorbed them (cf. McLeod Campbell on the Atonement). Forgiveness, therefore, follows for all in him; and thus we are cleansed. III. THROUGH TIIE POWER OF THE HoLY GHOST. He is ever acting on our hearts, to lead them along the various stages that will bring us to perfect purity, to complete sanctification. He works in us that deep sense of sin which leads to a genuine repent- ance. He reveals Christ to us, which leads to a. livinll: trust. He inspires us with love to Christ, which leads to the surrender of our will. He prompts us to and aids us in prayer, which perpetuates and deepens every holy purpose. He keeps us in touch with Christ, which bars the entrance of sin to our souls. He makes a.11 the means of grace full of help to our souls. Thus step by step the blessed work is done. IV. THROUGH CHRIST'S GRACIOUS ANTICIPATION OF THE COMPLETED WORK. He looks on us, not as we a.re, but as we shall be, and preda.tes what has yet to, but certainly shall, be realized. CoNCLU'aION. What a. motive all this supplies to our earnest striving .to come up to our blessed Lord's ideal !-S. C. Ver. 8.-The, eautifvl but dangerous world. For once the literal and allegorical interpretation largely agree. For both represent the places spoken of here as full of peril, and both desire the beloved one to" come away" from them, and promise deliver- ance if she will come. Let the peril of delivering her be what it may-as dens of lions and leopards-yet will he accomplish it. Allegorically we may read here- I. CHRIST'S DESCRIPTION OF THE WORLD. It is: 1. Beautiful to look upoo. Some of the :finest scenes, the most glorious landscapes the world can show, are to be seen from the mountain summits named here. The view is entrancing, so travellers say. And the world is to the young soul fair indeed. But: 2. It isfvll of peril also. 'l'he dizzy heights, the steep cliffs, the lofty crags of mountainous regions, demand a. steady head, well-balanced nerves, a. sure foothold. The inexperienced may not venture there. Death and destruction track the footsteps of the traveller on such heights, and if be bo not well trained, they have him for their prey. The spiritual analogy is illustrated by only too many sad experiences. To preserve the soul's .balance .on the heights of the world's prosperity, how difficult for all! how impossible for most! "How hardly shall they that have riches enter into the kingdom of heaven l " " Ma~, vain man, dressed in a little brief authority," etc. But the special perils named hare a.re the beasts of prey. These have their haunts in these mountains (cf. Exposition). In all languages and literatures the designation of evil men by the name of some noxious beast is common ( cf. Psalms ; also our Lord's word, " Go, tell that fox; " and in the Scriptures passim). And the world is full of such creatures-pitiless, cruel, fierce, ravenous, terrible. Smooth and soft and sleek as a. leopard, so long as you are able to defy them ; but fall down, be at their mercy, and what mercy will you get? "The tender mercies of the wicked are cruel;" yes, cruel ae lion, leopard, or any beast of prey. Ask the world's victims what mercy they have received. Let the soul once give the world a chance, and the world will drive it hell ward with relentless cruelty. There is no mercy tbere. What a contrast to "the mountains of myrrh" (ver. 6) l "No ravenous beast shall be there;" "They sh.J.Jl not hurt nor destroy in all my holy mountain" (Isa. xxxv. 9). 011, IV, 1-16,] THE SONG OF SOLOMON. 10:"i