The Pulpit Commentary — Song of Songs — Section 147

her babe sooner than she will hear the cry of another child. If we hear our Master's ~oice, then faith is not asleep. " Faith cometh by hearing." Of all Christ's sheep thi~ is a sure mark ; they hear Christ's voice, "A stranger will they not follow, for they knnw not the voice of strangers." We know well that if any one strives to arouse us out of sleep, it will be our best Friend. No one else will take such pains to bless m. Ah! if I hear in my soul a rousing voice, if I am moved to holier aspiration, I instinctively say," It is the voice of my Beloved that knocketh." Then ought I most gladly to respond, "Speak, Lord; for thy servant heareth." 111. HERE rs A GRACIOUS CALL. This is the reason why the Christian's heart is awake: Jesus calls and knocks. A Christian cannot sleep under such an appeal. 1. Chr1~t•s whole Person engages in this call. He not only speaks with his voice; he knocks with his band. He knocks by the preaching of faithful ministers. He knocks by the counsels of a pious friend. He knocks by his afflictive providences. He knocks by his royal bounties. Every fresh gift is a fresh appeal. He knocks by many a startling event that happens about us. He knocks at the door of memory, at the door of feeling, at the door of conscience, at the door of affection. He tries every door, if so be his kindly errand may succeed. He has too much earnest love for us easily to desist. Such love is born, not on earth, but in heaven. 2. He not only knocks ; he speaks. He appeals to our intelligenl. nature. He will not use force or compulsion. That were unseemly on the part of love. Jesus will use measures equally potent, but of a winsome, spiritual sort. He speaks to the heart of saints in a "still small "oice." '!'here is a latent power in his gentleness. When God spake to despondent Elijah in the desert, he did not speak in earthquake, or in thunder, or in whirl wind, but in a soft human voice. No sound breaks on the ear; the message goes straight to tbe conscience and to the heart. Have we not, in hours of retirement,.often heard the music of hie voice, gently chiding us for neglect, or sweetly moving us to closer fellowship? We may resist the appeal, but, alas I we increase our guilt ; we cheat our souls of joy. 3. He addresses us by themost endearing epithets. "My sister, my love, my dove, my undefiled." Every.argument that can move us to a better life be will employ. The whole vocabulary of human speech he will exhaust, to assure us of his interrst. He reminds us of our many professions of attachment. He brings to our remembrance our plighted troth. Did we not at one time say that we were his? Have we not pledged ourselves to be faithful over and over again? What an array of perjured vows lie on his book? Can we think of them without self-condemnation? 4. Ho appeals to us on the ground of his deeds and endurances. "My head is filled with dew, and my locks with the drops of the night." It is the pathetic picture of a friend who has been refused customary hospitality, and who has spent the cold night appealing for admission. This is the picture, and the meaning thereof is plain. Jesus Christ has to endure hardship and pain through our self-indulgence and our spiritual stupor. Alas I we shut him out from his own temple. We shut out our best Friend. After all that he has done for us, yea, suffered. for us, in proof of his strong affection, shall we treat him with cold neglect, with heartless contempt? Shall he be all ardour, and shall we be frigid as an iceberg? Shall his nature be all love, and shall ours be all selfishness? Tben we are not like him. Is not this to "crucify our Lord afresh, and put him to open shame" ? Surely here is a test of character. He who can hear these gracious appeals unmoved, bath never felt the stirrings of the new life; he bath no part in the covenant of grace.-D. Vere. 9-16.-The personal eueUences of Jesus. A man is al ways greater than his works, for his best work is only & part of himself. As there is more virtue in the tree than ever comes out in the fruit, so there is some quality in the man that has not come forth in his deed. 'l'he same is true in larger measure with respect to God, If there is sublimity in his works, how much more in himself! The redemptive work of Jesus is stupendous, yet his love is more stupendous sWI. Th11.t love of hie was not exhausted in the great atoning act; it was only disclosed, and made visible. We admire his incarnation, hie benevolent labour, his voluntary suffering, his humiliating death, his strange ascension. We love him in return for his grnat love to us. Yet his greatest claim to our admiration and our praise is, not his deeds of kindness, but l,irnself. Hie character is so inlaid with excellences that it demands all the worship Oil, V, 1-10.] THE SONG Olt' SOLOMON. 137