The Pulpit Commentary — Song of Songs — Section 183

intercourse with Jeeue. If he spake the promise, "Lo, I am with you alway," certainly he will fulfil H. Why should he not? Is anything too hard for him to nccomplisb? Some imagine that the real presence of Christ is to be found only in the sacrament of the Supper, This is a delusion. Bis real presence is ever in the spiritual temple, i.e. in the temple of a Christian's heart. Saith he, "I will never leave thee, I will never forsake thee; " eo that we may boldly say, "The Lord is my He! per." 2. This companionship with Jesus is a real honour, When, in olrlen time, the King of England went out in person to war, every peer in the realm counted it an honour to "'0 with him. It wa.s dishonourable to stay at home. Every duke and earl would rath:r, dwell amid hardship and danger on the battle-field, if the king were there, than amid thf'I luxuries of their own castle-halls. To be near the person of the king was counted high honour. Yet this honour was as nothing-an empty bubble-compared with companion- ship with Jesus Obrist. To be companion with the King of heaven is real honour and real advantage. It is Christ alone who can teach us what honour is. Honour is insepar- able from righteousness, and be is Perfect Righteousness. And Christ i8 a Worker. He is the good Shepherd, ever going out in search of lost sheep; so, if we wish to have companionship with Jesus, we must be workers too, Service is honourable. It is in service that we shall find Obrist nearest us. There is a legend of a pious monk in the Middle Ages, who had a vision of the Saviour. The man was ravished with holy joy. It was a season of hallowed communion with bis Lord. At that moment the bell rang, and it was the duty of this monk to distribute food to the poor. There was a struggle in his mind. Should he leave this vision, and break up this sweet fellow- ship? The bell called him to a sacred duty, and he responded and went. At the end of an hour he returned, and lo! the vision was still there. Then the lips of the Master moved, and he said, "Unless thou hadst fulfilled thy call of duty, I had departed." If Jesus is with us, almighty strength is assured. Unerring wisdom is ours; sweetest sympathy cheers us; certain success is in sight. "I will go in the stren~th of the Lord God." III. IN HOLY SERVICE THERE WILL BE SlJ:LF-DENIAL, "Let us go forth into the field; let us lodge in the villages; let us get up early to the vineyards." Now, this language does not seem natural or customary in the lips of an earthly king. But it is natural and seemly in the lips of the Prince of heaven. For it is his delight to humble himself, and to become the Servant of all. 1. Discomfort and hardship are foretold. "Let us go into the field." Jesus is very frank and outspoken. Not on any account will he hide from us the hard conditions of his service. Plainly did he tell his first disciples what toils and persecutions they would have to endure, And the Word still abides, "'l'hey that will live godly in Obrist Jesus must suffer persecu- tion." Paul was forewarned of the perils that awaited him in every city. But the real friend of Jesus is prepared for self-denial. Apart from self-denial, his service would not be like the service of Jesus. "The disciple is not greater than his Master, nor the servant than his Lord." The Son of God says to us, "Let us go forth into the field." We must leave for a time the fair palaces of our Prince, and lodge in narrow tenements. Yet is there any ground for lamentation? Any roof which covers us, however humble, shall be a palace of delight if only Obrist be with us there. The palace does not make the dweller therein a king; but the presence of the King makes the house a palace. Difficulties and self-denials will be quietly borne if we are on Christ's errands. Yea, they will be welcome, if love to Jesus prevail. "They have put me," said Rutherford, "into a prison; but Immanuel came and made it into a banquet-house." Yes, if Jesus come with us into our lowly cottage, forthwith '' the doors shall be pearls, and the windows agates," and the fence shall be made of all kinds of precious stones. 2. We shall be willing to continue in this self-denying work. "Let us lodge in the villages." We must not grow weary in this well-doing. Many a man will rouse his courage to face some herculean task or to fight in some sharp conflict, who will yet faint under the weariness of a long campaign or fail in patient endurance. The service to which Jesus calls us is lifelong, and tho discomfort may be long continued. Still, we will embrace it with joy. "He that endureth to the end, the same shall be saved." The Christian missionary who goes into a foreign field to sow the heavenly seed, must be prepared for long-continued sacrifice. So should every true servant of the King. For self-denial is not long-continued pain. The joy ot  171 THE .SONG OF SOLOMON. [en, vu. 1-13,