The Pulpit Commentary — Song of Songs — Section 182

highest fruitfulness is the result of patient culture. Prosperity is threatened by many foes. Iluman agency must co-operate with Divine power in order "to bring forth fruit unto perfection." Every flower and blossom is an outburst of God's glory. Earth is crnmmed full of heavenly things. I. IN ALL HOLY SERVICE TRF. MOTIVE POWER Is LOVE, "Come, my beloved." Thus Jesus speaks. 1. God's works spring from love. \Ve cannot conceive any othor re~~on why the ~te:nal God should have begun to create, unless that happiness and love might be mnlt1phed. Love would not permit him to keep all good within himself. Love impelled him to produce various orders of sentient life. His joy is increased by 1Yitnessing the joys of others. " Yes, he bas gemmed with worlds the abyss, Filled them with beauty, life, and bliss, Only the wider to dispense The gifts of his beneficence. Oh yes I creation planned above Was but for mercy's stream a vent, The outgushings of eternal love- Ay, this is love's embodiment." 2. TMs love in us springs from our assurance of Christ's love.. The love that is fruitful in service realizes the personal friendship of Christ. If I am tormented with doubts touching my acceptance by Christ, I shall have no energy for service. I have only a limited capacity of power, and if I expend this in solving difficult questions, or in calming my own fea_rs, I sha)l be unfit for_ service. If the Master is saying to me, " Son, go work to-day m my vmeyard," and 1f I reply, " Lord, I know not if I be a son," I shall not accomplish any good. But when I know that I am "accepted in the Beloved," there is a mainspring of love within that stirs all the energies of my soul, Then my daily prayer will be, "Lord, what wilt thou have me to do?" '!'hen, "the love of Christ constraineth me." "For to me to live is Christ." It would be a painful restraint on my new nature if I did not render him service. Then his "service is perfect freedom." 3. True love hears Immanuel's voice. "Come, my beloved." Love moves into healthful activity every organ. It not only gives activity to the feet; it gives sensitiveness to the ear. The voice of Christ is not addressed to the bodily organ; it is addressed to the soul. It is a spiritual communication; a "still small voice." As in the days of his flesh the multitude did not understand the speech that came from heaven-" I have both glorified it, and will glorify it again;" they thought that it thundered, or that an angel spake; so is it still. The Christian hears a voice that no one else can. hear. The passing crowd may hear a faint hum, as the wind passes through ihe telegraphic wires, but the message conveyed through the wire is understood only by the person trained to receive it. So the voice of heavenly authority and the voice of heavenly friendship is heard only by wakeful, tender love. 4. Loue craves to give itself ezpression. Love is an expausive power. It is a law of its nature to spread ; to go out in practical forms. Like the force of steam, it cannot be held in restraint. The hotter steam becomes, the more it expands. The present motive power in commerce, and in swift locomotion, results from the expansive power of steam. So all human philanthropy and all missionary enterprise are the outcome of fervent love. It would be painful to love if no service were permitted. She is girt and sandalled, waiting to scale rugged mountains, waiting to cross tempestuous 8eas, waiting to traverse perilous deserts, in order to tell the perishing that Jesus can save. Love never wearies. Service is her delight. T~ere is within an irresistible instinct to do good. II. IN HOLY SERVICE WE HA VE DIVINE COMPANIONSHIP. "Let us go, ... let us lodge." l. This is a real experience. To many persons the presence of Christ is a fiction; it may be a part of their creed, nothing more. They read of it as a promise, but they have never realized it. Yet they may. For on the part of e. faithful servant of Christ hie 1,resence is a real enjoyment. Every inspiration of benevolent desire is from him. He talks with ns by the way. We ask for strength, and he gives it. We lack courage, and he supplies it e.bundantly. He makes our dumb lips eloquent. As truly e.s we Lold intercourse with an earthly friend-yea, more truly-do we have real and joyous en. VII. 1-13.] 'l'IIE SONG OF SOLOMON.