HOMILIES BY VARIOUS AUTHORS. Vers. 10-13.-0hristian missions. "I am my beloved's," etc. The scene is still in "the king's chambers" at Jerusalem. What Solomon bas said to her whom be would win is of no avail; her heart is true to her beloved. This emphatic redeclaration of her love for that beloved one is all the response that the king's flatteries have obtained. She speaks as if she were already away from the palace and back at her country home; once more occupied in her usual occupations and enjoying her former happy intercourse with her beloved. B.ut the going forth to her work suggests the idea of going forth in spiritual work, and the language she uses points to the manner in which such work may be successfully done. We may take the section as an allegory concerning Christian missions. It suggests- I. WHAT PROMPTS THE:111. (Ver. 10.) The profound and delightful realization of Christ's love towards and within us. Such work, if done only because we are afraid of the judgment-day, when we all must give account of our stewardship; or from mere sense of duty; •still less when the motive is ecclesiastical ambition; or even when pity for the ignorance and general sad condition of the heathen is the motive ;-all such promptings have but partial, some very partial, power. The true motive is that which the rapturous expression of ver. 10 reveals- H. How THEY SHOULD BE OARRIED ON. "Come, my Beloved, let us," etc. 1. The presence of Christ should be inv9ked. (Ver. 11.) "Let us go forth,'' etc. Then: 2. There should be the going forth. Away from accustomed haunts, away from the place of ordinances and privileges, to where none of these things are enjoyed. 3. With diligence. "Let us rise early" (ver. 12). 4. With watchfulness, not alone in planting, but for growth and progress. III. THEIR TRUE NATURE. (Ver. 12.) "There will I give thee," etc. They are an acceptable offering of our love to Christ and its true maoife,;tation. A love to Christ that is not expansive, that does not go forth to bless others, is no true love, but some- thing very different (1 Cor. xv. 10). IV. THEY SHALL BE REWARDED WITH DELIGHTFUL SUCCESS. (Ver. 13.) May not the ,lack of this-though, indeed, it is not entirely absent-be owing to some grave defect in motive or manner'/ V. ALL THE GLORY WILL BE RENDERED TO CHRIST. "Which I have la.id up for thee." (Ver. 13.) Cf. the account of the first missionary meeting and report (Acts xiv. 27).-S. C.
Ver. 10.-" I am my belovea!s." (Cf. on eh. ii. 16).-S. 0. Vers. 11-13.-Useful service. Earth is a great picture-gallery, full of illustrations of heavenly things. This i;naterial universe is the projection of God's thoughts; tho visible expression of hh1 dispositions; the blossoming of his love. 'l'he God of nature is the God of religion;· hence ·the same lessons appear in both. As we have seen in the home of a great artist the h11ndiworks of his genius adorning parlours and halls, corridors and bed-chambers-works in all stages of development-so is it in God's world. Pictures of him abound. Every garden is a lesson-book for humanity; every well-kept garden is a portrait of a saint; every fruitful vineyard is an emblem of Christ's Church. Saicl the Prophet Isaiah to the godly man, "'l'hou shalt be as a wel 1- watored garden." "My ·well-beloved hath a vineyard in a very fruitfnl hill." 'l'bo THE SONG OF SOLOMON. [olt. vu. 1-13,