I cnnnot do it justice. Mayhap I shall only lower Jesus in the estimation of mankind. Still, I bo.ve so.id enough to establish his superlative ~xcellence, and to account for my enthusinstic Jove." Ah! who co.n adequately portray the Person of God's dear Son? Cnn Go.briel? Can Michael? Can Paul,after centuries of sweet companionship with him in heo.ven? I trow not I " What think ye of Christ?" is a question, likely enough, often o.skcd one or another among the dwellers in glory. By-and-by we" shall see him as he is." At present we have only imperfect glimpses of his glorious Person; never- tbeles~, we know enough to warrant our profound admiration, to awaken our unfaltering faith, and to excite into activity our most passionate love. 2. This means appropriation. This Being of transcendent excellence I claim as "my Friend." Many of his august perfections seem to forbid my bold familiarity. Sometimes it seems like presumption to say this. But then his simple condescension to me, bis genuine sympathy, his unlimited grace, his covenant with the fallen, "without respect or person," bis repeated assurances of love for me-yes, for me-encourage me to call him mine. He has said to me, " Thou art mine;" is not, therefore, the converse also a fact? Must he not be mine? And if at present I am quite unworthy to claim this relationship, will he not, by his great love, mo.ke me worthy? His love would not find full scope for its exercise, if it were not for such an unworthy object as L Though deserving of hell, I should cast fresh dishonour on bis royal goodness did I not believe bis promise, did I not accept his friendship. Yes, "be is mine." 3. This means the public avowal of Christ. "'!'his is my Beloved, and this is my Friend." It is as if the Christian meant to say," I have chosen Jesus to be my Friend, and I call the universe to witness the fact. No other }?eing was competent to sa.ve me, and I publicly pledge myself loyally to serve him.' Such avowal is a fine trait in a renewed soul. To profess loyalty to Jesus while uo Jove glows for him in the breast-this is an offence to him, a smoke in his eyes, a spear-thrust in his heart. Nothing to him is so odions as hypocrisy. But when there is sincere love to our Immannel, though it be accompanied with selt~iffidence and timidity, there ought to be an open avowal of our attachment. It is but little that we can do to make the Saviour known and loved by others, therefore that little should be done with gladness of heart and with unwavering fidelity. Nor can we ever forget the words of our Well-beloved, " Whosoever shall deny me before men, him will I also deny before my Father which is in hea.ven."-D. Ver. !.-Hospitality and festivity. This verse is the central stanza of the Song of Songs. It brings before us the wedding-feast, the crisis of the dramatic interest of the poem. The bride is welcomed to her regal home; friends and courtiers are gathered together to celebrate the joyful union; and festivity and mirth signalize the realization of hope and the recompense of constancy. Under such a similitude inspired writers and Christian teachers have been wont to set forth the happy union between the Son of God and the humanity to which, in the person of the Church, be has joined himself in spiritual and mystical espousals. I. THE PRESEN0E OF THE DIVINE BRIDEGROOM Al.'D HosT. "I," says he, "have come into my garden." It is the presence, first visibly in the body, and since invisibly in the Spirit, of the Son of God, which is alike the salvation and the joy or man. II. TB GREETING o~· THE DIVINELY CHOSEN BRIDE. The la.nguage in which tb~i greeting is conveyed is very striking: "My sister-spouse." It is the language of affection, and at the same time of esteem and honour. It speaks of congeniality of disposition as well as of union of heart. Christ loved the Church, as is evident from the fact of his giving himself for it and to it, and as is no less evident from his perpetual revelation of his incomparable kindness and forbearnnce, "All that I have," says he, "is thine." III. 'l'rrE PROVISION OF DIVINE BOUNTY. How often, in both Old and New Testa- ment Scripture, are the blessiugs of a spiritnal nature which Divine goodness ha~ provided for mankind set forth under the similitude of n feast! Satisfaction for deep- se,1ted needs, oratificatiou of noblest appetite, are thus suggested. The peculiarity in this passage i; the union of the tw~ ide!'s of marriage nnd of fe~sting-a. union w_h~ch 11·0 fin,\ also in our Lord's parabolic discourses, We are remmded that the Divine Saviour who calls the Church his own, and who undertakes to make it worthy of hilll• HO THE SONG OF SOLOMON.
i;elf, provides for its life and health, its nourishment and happiness, all that infiuite wisdom itself can design and prepare. IV. THE INVITATION OF DIVINE HOSPITALITY. "Eat, 0 frieuds; drink, yea, drink Rbundnut.ly, 0 beloved!" Thus does the Lord of the fenst ever, in the exercise of his benevolent disposition, address those whose welfare he desires to promote. This invita- tion on the part of the Lord Christ is (1) sincere and cordial; (2) considernte and kind· (B) liberal and generous. ' V. THE FELLOWSHIP OF DIVINE JOY. True happiness is to be found in the spirit11al companionship of Christ, and in the intimacy of spiritual communion with him whom the soul loveth. The aspiration of the heart to which Christ draws near in his benignant hospitality has been thus well expressed: "Pour out, Lord, to me, ,rnd readily will I drink; then all thirst after earthly things shall be destroyed; and I ~hall seek to thirst only for the pleasures which are at thy right hand for evermore." The ~piritual satisfaction and festivity enjoyed by the Church on earth are the earnest and the pledge of the purer and endless joy to be experienced hereafter by those who shall be called to "the marriage supper of the Lamb."-T.