_I am come into My garden, My sister, My spouse._ THE KING FEASTING IN HIS GARDEN I. The voice of the Master Himself calls us to consider his presence: “I am come.” He tells us He is come. What I Could He come without our perceiving it? Is it possible? May we be like those whose eyes were holden so... [ Continue Reading ]
_I sleep, but my heart waketh: it is the voice of my Beloved that knocketh._ ASLEEP AND YET AWAKE-A RIDDLE We are glad to perceive in this Song the varied experience of the bride. She was the well-beloved of the heavenly Bridegroom, but she was not without her faults. Let us bless God that in the... [ Continue Reading ]
_I have put off my coat; how shall I put it on?_ PROFESSION, TESTED BY THE UNUSUAL It is when we are asked to do unusual things that we find out the scope and the value of our Christian profession. How difficult it is to be equally strong at every point! How hard, how impossible, to have a day-and-... [ Continue Reading ]
_I charge you, O daughters of Jerusalem, if ye find my Beloved, that ye tell Him, that I am sick of love._ HEAVENLY LOVE-SICKNESS Sick! that is a sad thing; it moves your pity. Sick of love--love-sick! that stirs up other emotions which we shall presently attempt to explain. There is a twofold love... [ Continue Reading ]
_What is thy Beloved more than another beloved, O thou fairest among women._ THE INCOMPARABLE BRIDEGROOM AND HIS BRIDE I want to address some earnest words to the people of God upon certain practical truths that arise out of our text; and the first thing I have to say is this, that the daughters o... [ Continue Reading ]
_My Beloved is white and ruddy, the chiefest among ten thousand._ CHRIST’S PERFECTION AND PRECEDENCE The spouse in this verse styles her Lord, “my Beloved,” from which it is easy for us to gather that it is of the utmost importance that our heart’s affection should be really and truly set upon Chri... [ Continue Reading ]
_His cheeks are as a bed of spices, as sweet flowers: His lips like lilies, dropping sweet-smelling myrrh._ SPICES, FLOWERS, LILIES, AND MYRRH It is of Christ, the heavenly Bridegroom, that we perceive the spouse to be speaking, and mentioning in detail at least ten particulars, dwelling with deli... [ Continue Reading ]
_Yea, He is altogether lovely._ ALTOGETHER LOVELY When the old Puritan minister had delivered his discourse, and dwelt upon firstly and secondly and thirdly, before he sat down he usually gave a comprehensive summary of all that he had spoken. In these five words, the spouse here gives you her sum... [ Continue Reading ]