The Pulpit Commentary — Song of Songs — Section 212

flame of love no amount of coldness or opposition will cool it in the least degree. Let Satan and his legions do their very utmost to lessen the intensity of this heavenly fl.o.mc, their labour is vain. They only prepare for themselves a bitter disappointment. Or let the floods of human vice and human antagonism rise as they may, they can never rise as high as this heavenly flame. The finite can never o'ermaster the Infinite. The love of God to men is a facred principle, an integral !?art of the Divine nature. There is nothing outside God to be compared in potency with what is within him. As the creature can never be a match for the Creator, so no kind of opposition can ever injure or diminish the eternal love of God. Just as nothing on earth nor in hell can diminish God's power or tarnish his righteousness, so also nothing can lessen or dim the fervent flame of hi_s eternal pity. "Many 'Waters cannot quench love_;" yea, love turns all human hatred mto fresh coals to feed the flame. 2. Love has a priceless value. 'l'he argument on the part of the Bridegroom seems to be, " Wherefore should my love abate ? If it should, there must be some reason for it. What reason can there be? wba.t advantage? what gain?" Even were there some advantage to be gained, this would not weigh in the scale. For love scorns all advantage. Love delights in sacrifice. Only let love discover how it can make some new surrender, in order to bless the fallen and the wretched, and straightway love makes the surrender. Jesus will give up his heaven, bis joy, bis crown, to-day; give all up without hesitation, if he can thereby lift some poor sinner into a righteous life. On bis part nothing shall impede the activities of his ardent love. Will he ever listen to any proposal to allow bis love to rest? Never I Will he at any time prefer ease, or rule, or fame, or worship, to the outgoings of practical love? Never! A thousand times, never l Do I feel myself now more unworthy of bis love than ever in my past history? Then, my soul, be hopeful ! Here is greater scope for Immanuel's love ! Spirit of truth, show me more clearly yet my guilt, my ingratitude, my inward corruption ! For then shall I see bow much I need my Saviour's pity, my Saviour's help. Then I know that he will run to my deliverance. For "Christ died for the ungodly." He loves to save the needy. If I have had much sin forgiven, then shall I love much. "Therefore, Lord, write my name upon thy heart, for in me thy love shall have a glorious triumph I "-D. Ver. 11.-Stewardship. This language is Oriental, yet the lesson is cosmopolitan. In every kingdom there must be a system of economics. For a prosperous condition there must be division of labour. The land must be cultivated. The people must have food. 'l'be king's howsehold must be sustained. To this end scope should be given to personal skill and personal enterprise. So a wise king farms out his land to busbandmen, who are under obligation to render back a fair proportion of the produce. This system brings the greatest advantage to both parties. Now, all this has its counterpart in the kingdom of God. Every man is a steward entrusted with God's property. He cannot live for himself. A day of reckoning is appointed, when the account must be produced and examined. Life, with all its possessions and privileges, is a sacred responsibility. Independence of God is impossible. L OBSERVE THAT Goo IS THE GREAT PBOPBIETOB. "The earth is the Lord's, and the fnlness thereof; the world, and they that dwell therein." No part of this vast aud illimitable universe is exempt from his lordsbip. 1. His claim is founded on creation. God alone is uncreated. The unfallen hosts of angels, all principalities and powers in heaven, no less than the tiniest insect on earth, are the workmanship of his skilful bands. Creation gives a prescriptive and an indisputable right. What I make I claim as my own, though probably the raw material belonged to another. But God created out of nothing, or rather out of himself; therefore his title is without a flaw. 2. His claim is fownded on preservation. For preservation is simply a continuous act of creation. He sustains in existence every atom of material, every form of life, every dynamic force, and this through every successive hour. In this way be asserts perpetually bis supreme rights of property. Every vineyard is his workmans¥P· The life of every tree is his gift. The nourishing qualities of the soil; the sunshme, dew, and rain; all influences of the revolving seasons-all are his contributions to the main- tenance of the vineyard.. This is simply a sample of God's sustaining activity. My life bangs upon him through every hour. "In him I live and move;" "By him all OH. VIII. l-14.] THE SONG OF SOLOMO::-r. 203