SUMMARY OF THE SONG. THIS Book consists of three parts: The first includes chapter i. verse 1; chapter ii. verse 7. The second extends from chapter ii. verse 8, to chapter vii. verse 9. The third includes the remainder of the book, chapter vii. verse 10, to chapter viii. verse 14. I. The way in which the soul longing for the manifestation of the love of Christ is led along in the gratification of that desire, from one degree to another of pious enjoyment, until attaining the greatest delight possible for the saint in the present world. Chap. i. 1; chap. ii. 7. These periods of enjoyment are separated by vicissitudes of fortune and diversity of feeling, through which the believer is brought to those more cheering scenes in his progress to heaven. These seasons may be repeated in our experience, some of them more. than once, before we attain those which succeed. 1. We enjoy the love of Jesus, as manifested in pri vate communion, in "his chambers." Chap. i. 4. 2. In the way of duty and self-denial. Chap. i. 7-11. 3. In sitting with the King in the circle of his friends, and enjoying, as one of them, the delights of social communion with him. Chap. i. 12-14. 4. In delightful repose with him amid enlarged prospects of spiritual beauty. Chap. i. 15-17. 5. In the protection and delights set forth in chap. ii. 1—3. 6. And in enjoying, at last, the pleasures mentioned in chap. ii. 4-7, the greatest possible on earth. II. An exhibition of motives by which the Lord Jesus would allure such soul away from the present world, for being with him in glory. Chap. ii. 8; chap. vii. 9. As we are treated throughout our redemption and discipline here, like beings possessing a will, the spiritual decays and sluggishness into which we are liable to fall, must be counteracted by the presentation of powerful motives to the mind; and our faith can be best matured by strengthening the soul, as is done in these periods of great enjoyment, and then leaving us in that strength, without such sensible pleasures, to manifest our steadfastness by struggling against difficulty and the absence of Jesus, by dependence on his word and promises and love. Hence our Lord allures us 1. By the beauty of heaven, as a place he has prepared for us, and where he is awaiting us. Chap. ii. 8-17. 2. By the splendour of the reception awaiting us there, no less than by the security and grandeur of our conveyance towards glory. Chap. iii. 1-11. 3. By his great love for us—an affection so intense as to be incapable of being fully expressed by the strongest illustrations, and so strong as to remain constant even amid our neglect. Chap. iv. 1; chap. vii. 9. III. The effect produced on the heart of the saint by these manifestations of love, and by these motives. Chap. vii. 10; chap. viii. 14. 1. Assurance of hope. Chap. vii. 10. 2. Desire to be much alone in communion with Christ. Chap. vii. 11. 3. Willingness to engage in labours of holiness and love. Verse 12. 4. Consecration to him of our best and most valued gifts and possessions. Verse 13. 5. Desire that every thing hindering the full interchange of affection between Jesus and our soul may be removed. Chap. viii. 1-2. 6. The desire to guard against every sin and every act at all likely to cause the withdrawal of Jesus's love. Verse 3-4. 7. The pleasing consciousness of leaning on Jesus, and of being upheld by his everlasting arms. Verse 5. 8. Desire to lie continually near the heart of Jesus, and to be sustained by his power. Verse 6. 9. Willingness to sacrifice every thing coming between us and Christ. Verse 6. 10. A conviction of the meanness of every thing the world. could offer for bribing us to renounce Christ. Verse 7. 11. An interest for the salvation of the impenitent. Verse 8-10. 12. A sense of our accountability as stewards of God, holding our property and our all in trust. Verse 12. 13. The privilege of access continually to the throne of grace, with full encouragement from our Lord for addressing to him our voices in prayer and praise. Verse 13. 14. The desire for the completion of our redemption, and for the perfecting of his love to us and of our love to him, by the second coming of our Lord. Verse 14. TRANSLATION. CHAPTER I. Ver. 1. The Song of songs which is Solomon's. SPOUSE. 2. O that he would give me kisses of his love: 4. Draw me; we will run after thee: The king hath brought me into his apartments: We will cherish a more pleasing remembrance of thy love than of wine; They love thee sincerely. 5. Dark am I but lovely, O ye daughters of Jerusalem, As the tents of Kedar, as the pavilions of Solomon. 6. Look not on me, I am dark, Because the sun hath browned me; My mother's children were ill-disposed towards me; My own vineyard have I not kept. 7. Tell me, O thou whom my soul loveth, Where thou feedest? where thou makest thy flock to rest at noon? For why should I be as one veiled,* * Regarded as a harlot. |