The Pulpit Commentary — Song of Songs — Section 215

influence ie felt in moulding the Church. The Church will be either better or worse for my presence. My zeal for fruitfulness will be contagious. My devoutness will lift tho Church to a loftier elevation. Or my unspirituality will chill the ardour of the Church's love, I cannot be an idle spectator. I must do good work in the Church or bad, I am called unto usefulness, 4. A garden implies abundance of good. What- ever can meet the hunger of the body, or gratify the nostrils, or please the eye, or brin" delight to the whole man, is found in a perfect garden. The word suggests abundance~ So, in the Church, Jesus Christ spreads a perpetual banquet. He well knows our every requirement, and he anticipates every need. Here is truth for the nourishment of the soul, wisdom for practical guidance, refreshing cordials for hours of weariness, strength for daily duty, deep wells of water for the soul's thirst, grace for every time of need. No earthly garden can fitly picture forth the lavish provision God makes for our souls. Not a. blessing is withheld. "All things a.re ours; for we a.re Christ's, and Christ is God's." Much as I have already received, there's much more to follow. II. MARK THE CHRISTIAN'S BPEEOB. "The companions hearken to thy voice." 1. This means that a Christian is social. If he has withdrawn from the society of worldly men, he is the more drawn into the fellowship of the saints. A Christian cannot be a recluse. This is a. mistaken idea of his position and his obligation. Christian love excludes selfishness. His new instinct impels him to help others. He yearns that all men may be sa.ved. God has given him the ta.lent ofspeech. It is a. wondrous gift. He can convey his thoughts to others. He can express tender feeling and brotherly sym- pathy to others. He can reprove faults and encourage virtues by his speech. He can have intimate friendships, which shall be helpful to him and to others. He dare not leave neglected the social side of his nature, or he will be disloyal to his Master. 2. His speech is attractive. '' The companions hearken to thy voice." They did not complain of the harshness or bitterness of his speech. The very reverse: "they hearkened." It was pleasant. There was a. heavenly savour abont it, that made it winsome. It was like a. breath of spring that quickened and refreshed them. The Christian's converse sheds new light into others' minds. It stimulates gently all the better impulses of the soul. It strengthens faith and love and hope. He hears new revelations from God's lips, and communicates the message to his fellows. Each Christian can help and instruct other Christians. Each has his own peculiar experience of the new life, and the interchange of experience is comforting and stimulating. If we speak what "we have known, a.nd ta.steel, a.nd felt, a.nd handled of the good word of life," if we spea.k under an impulse of love, our speech will be attractive, and will minister grace to the hearers. " As iron sha.rpeneth iron," so do wise and gracious words quicken friendship. 3. This Christian speech was praiseworthy. Had it not been so, the Divine Master would not have asked to hear it. May we not learn here how ready our Immanuel is to find occasion for commending us? Instead of being in a. mood for censoriousness, he is a.lways ready to put the best construction on our doings. If he can find in us a virtue to praise, he will do it. It well behoves us, then, to ask: ourselves whether our converse with others is always edifying. Our speech grea.tly influences men; is that influence always on the right side? In the dark days of Israel's fall, there were a. few "who spa.ke often one to another: and the Lord hearkened, and hea.rd, and a book of remembrance was written before him." During his earthly ministry, Jesus often reminded men of the power that resides in human speech, and of the tremendous issues that follow. "By thy words thou shalt be justified, and by thy words thou shalt be condemned." III. THE CHRISTIAN'S FELLOWSHIP SOUGHT BY CBBIST. "Cause me to hear it." 1. .d. rare instance of Christ's meekness. There is nothing more edifying or more delightful to the Christian tha.n to listen to the voice of Jesus. "Never man spa.ke like this Man." His words are like pearls of wisdom, and for sweetness are like the droppings of the honeycomb. But how comes it to pass that Jesus can find pleasure in listening to our imperfect speech? '!'his is almost a crowning act of condescension. He delights to hear our voices. He asks us so to speak that he may hear. Ho loves to hear us speak as his witnesses among men. He is pleased to hear our testimony concerning himself. His ear is gratified with our songs of adoration and gratitude. Specially he rejoices to hear our voices in prayer. "Hitherto," he says, "you have asked nothing" -comparatively nothing-" in my Na.me. Ask, and ye shall receive, that your joy may 206 THE SONG OF SOLOMON. [cH, VIII. 1-14,