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Saints is a sweet perfume, for "it is like the precious ointment on the head of Aaron that ran down to the skirts of his garments, and as the dew that descended upon the mountains of Zion." See Psalm cxxxiii, 2.

Verse 4.-Draw me, we will run after thee: the King hath brought me into his chambers: we will be glad

and rejoice in thee, we will remember thy love more than wine: the upright love thee.

Here we find the Church exercised in prayer, crying "draw me;" and then, with holy confidence and living faith, is heard to exclaim, we will run after thee;" not walk but run. Oh! for more of this living faith, that, like David, we may desire or crave for an enlargement of heart, to run in the ways of his commandments; and so be mercifully led into the chambers of his presence by the King himself: then the soul is able to rejoice, and to exclaim "in thy presence there is fulness of joy, and at thy right hand there are pleasures for evermore." The remembrance of such love puts more joy into the heart of the believer, than when the worldling's wine, oil, and corn do increase.

Verse 5.-I am black, but comely, O ye daughters of Jerusalem, as the tents of Kedar, as the curtains of

Solomon.

"I am black, but comely," says the Church; and this is the language of Heaven-born souls, for they are led to behold the horrible pit from whence they had been rescued; so that she, the Church, may well say

"look not upon me, for I am black" in myself, but in the Lord's sight am pure. "Oh! ye daughters of Jerusalem," ye members of the true Church, of which Jesus is the head; the Church," the King's daughter, is all glorious within; her clothing is of wrought gold; for she shall be brought unto the King in raiment of needlework; the virgins, her companions that follow her, shall be brought unto thee; with gladness and rejoicing shall they be brought; they shall enter into the King's palace." See Psalm xlv, 13, 14.

Verse 6. Look not upon me, because I am black, because the sun hath looked upon me; my mother's children were angry with me: they made me keeper of the vineyards; but mine own vineyard have I not kept.

Every heaven-born soul has to lament through life his lamentable deficiency and short comings; and oft times has to suffer reproach, not only from the world, but from those of his own house and the Church; for she says, "they made me the keeper of the vineyard;" but acknowledges that her own vineyard she had not kept, which truth we must all acknowledge. Our own hearts, which may be said to be our vineyard, we have (even the best of us) sorrowfully neglected; but to be sensible of these things is one step towards the Holy Land.

Verse 7.-Tell me, oh! thou whom my soul loveth, where thou feedest, where thou makest thy flock to rest

at noon; for why should I be as one that turneth aside by the flocks of thy companions?

“Tell me, oh! thou whom my soul loveth,” saith the awakened mind, "where thou feedest;" this is the anxious solicitude of all those who are taught of the spirit; and their delight is with the Sons of God, that they may rest with them, and be refreshed at noon; "for why should I be as one that turneth aside by the flocks of thy companions?" See St. John vi, 68.

Verse 8.-If thou know not, O thou fairest among women, go thy way forth by the footsteps of the flock, and feed thy kids beside the shepherds' tents.

Here we have to remark, the tender love the great and good shepherd ever manifests towards the Church, calling her the fairest amongst women; and then gently exhorts her, to go forth by the footsteps of her flock to feed her kids; or in other words, to lead and counsel the young, that they may be led along and trained up for pillars in the Lord's house, to go no more out.

Verse 9.-I have compared thee, O my love, to a company of horses in Pharaoh's chariots.

The Church indeed having long complained of her own weakness, as is natural for a soul quickened by the power of divine grace, can at all times appeal to

Him, who searcheth the heart, for he knoweth the mind of the spirit, and maketh intercession for them according to the will of God; so that, notwithstanding the weakness of the people of God, the Lord is pleased in his great condescension to show them that they are strong in the mighty God of Jacob, by comparing the Church to a company of horses in Pharaoh's chariots, both for strength and beauty; and precious in the Lord's sight are all his saints.

Verse 10.-Thy cheeks are comely with rows of jewels, thy necks with chains of gold.

Here we find the Lord of the vineyard speaking of his Church as precious in his sight; as one decorated "with rows of jewels," &c. to shew thereby that as jewels of gold ornament the children of an earthly prince, so doth a meek and quiet spirit ornament the children of God, and renders them more precious in the divine sight than all the ornaments of the most costly gold or silver. See 1st Peter iii, 3, 4.

Verse 11.-We will make thee borders of gold with studs of silver.

In this verse we are led to see the great three in one, namely, Father, Son, and Spirit, saying in the language of the text to the Church, we will make thee, the whole Church, borders of gold, with studs of silver. Such is the unmerited love of the Father, Son, and Spirit towards his ransomed people whom he hath

purchased with his own blood. We may learn further from the text, that all that God can do will be done for the happiness of all his humble followers, both here and hereafter and the great Apostle of the Gentiles shewed a proof of the above when he was called to offer up himself as a testimony for the truth. See 2nd Timothy iv, 6, 7, 8. These are some of the borders of

gold and studs of silver.

Verse 12.-Whilst the King sitteth at his table, my spikenard sendeth forth the smell thereof.

Jesus, our heavenly bridegroom, is ever sitting at the table of the Gospel, and his presence is like spikenard poured forth, as most precious ointment, which leaves a most beautiful perfume; and such is the love of the Saviour, that in every heart he enters he leaves a rich perfume, which made one of old exclaim, Master, it is good to be here."

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Verse 13.-A bundle of myrrh is my well beloved unto me; he shall lie all night betwixt my breasts.

Here the Church is heard to express, with all the bowels of affection, her love to her Saviour in the language of the text, calling him a bundle of myrrh, &c. signifying, she must have him near her heart both night and day; for he had become all and in all to her soul and may the Lord be very precious to all who read these lines, for he is the resurrection and the life of all his children.

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