Ver. 13. "Thou that dwellest in the gardens, the companions hearken to thy voice: cause me to hear it."

"The Lord's throne is in heaven," yet he dwelleth in "the garden" of his Church, among the trees which his own hand hath planted. Time was when the Bride imagined that her beloved had forsaken his garden and had "turned aside," but now she can say, "Thou that dwellest in the gardens !" This acknowledgment bespeaks in her a calm and settled assurance of mind, which she did not always possess. It proves her to have increased in the knowledge of her Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ.

Our eyes may at times be "holden," as Mary's were at the sepulchre, when "she knew not that it was Jesus," supposing him to have been the gardener; but it is the privilege of the believer, in the exercise of faith, to know that Jesus is still there, whether we see him or not. And we need but to hear his well-known "voice" saying, "Mary," to regain all our confidence, and have every suspicious fear put to flight.

The Bride therefore prays, "Thou that dwellest in the gardens, the companions hearken to thy voice: cause me to hear it."

"The word companions being in the masculine gender in the original, proves them to be the companions of the Bridegroom. His companions are

"the angels, that excel in strength, and do his commandments,' having also this peculiar characteristic, 'hearkening unto the voice of his word' (Psalm ciii. 20)."-DURHAM.

They always hear the voice of Jesus, and are ever ready to obey the first whisper of his word. Unlike the Bride, they never slumber; they never need to be aroused from off their beds; they never compel their Lord to stand at the door and knock, "saying, Open to me" (chaps. iii. and v.); they need no urging on to holy service; it is their delight to "do his commandments." They require no exhortation to listen when he speaks, for it is their incessant occupation to be "hearkening to the voice of his word!" And the Bride would fain "hear it," even as they. "Cause me to hear it" -give me to hear the "still small voice" speaking in thy Gospel, in thy word, in thy providences, in thy sanctuary and ordinances, and in my daily walk. "Speak comfortably" unto me (Isaiah xl. 2; Hos. ii. 14). Cause me to hear thy voice-even thine, and not "the voice of a stranger;" the shepherd's voice (John x. 3-5, 27)—the master's voice (1 Samuel iii. 9)—the counsellor's voice (Isaiah xxx. 21) the reprover's voice (Hab. ii. 1)-the Father's voice (Heb. xii. 5)—and, above all, "the voice of my beloved." Cause me to hear it-" not for a time, but for ever," even as do the angels. May converse with Jesus be my happy employment, “hearkening

to the voice of his word." "Cause me," thy Bride, "to hear it." This emphatic "me" again reminds us of the oneness of the whole body of believers; "My dove, my undefiled is one." All the plants in Christ's garden hear the voice of Jesus. Oh! for more of the constant whisperings of the Spirit of Jesus in our hearts, quickening the drowsy, strengthening the feeble, comforting the disconsolate. Why do we not more earnestly reiterate the cry, "Thou that dwellest in the gardens, the companions hearken to thy voice; cause me to hear it.”

"The sheep hear his voice."

'Speak, Lord, for thy servant heareth."

But the Bride of Jesus cannot stop here: sweet indeed it is, while she is absent from her beloved, to listen to the breathings of his Spirit "in the gardens," and to have Christ dwelling in her heart by faith. But she urges yet one plea more.

Ver. 14. "Make haste, my beloved, and be thou like to a roe or to a young hart upon the mountains of spices."

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Come, Lord Jesus." "Tis true we have "the earnest of the Spirit in our hearts;" but we want, O we earnestly long for, "the appearing" of our beloved upon the mountains of spices. "Make haste, my beloved, be thou like to a roe or to a young hart." Come swiftly, O "make haste!"

Such are the fervent breathings of the soul after

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Jesus!-such the intense affection of his Bride! How her language betrays the warmth of love! What holy vehemence she displays! One might wonder that sinners should dare to use such language towards their God; but "perfect love casteth out fear." And the Bride is now so filled with "the full assurance of faith," confidence toward God," and a love which no waters can quench, that she bursts forth into this glowing language, “Make haste, my beloved!" even as one of old did dare to reiterate the same cry in one short Psalm four times over!" Make haste unto me, O God”—“ O Lord, make no tarrying"-"Make haste, O God, to deliver me"-"Make haste to help me, O Lord!" (Psalm lxx).

Nor do the children of God desire less to see the beloved of their souls," as they see the day approaching." Hear the language of one: "When shall I be satisfied with thy face? When shall I be drunk Come, Lord Jesus, and tarry not. The Spirit says, Come-the Bride says, Come: even so, Lord Jesus, come quickly, and tarry not.” -J. WELSH.

with thy pleasures?

And another writes: "O how long is it to the dawning of the marriage-day? O sweet Jesus, take wide steps! O, my Lord, come over the mountains at one stride! O, my blessed, flee as a roe or young hart upon the mountains of separation." "O time, run, run, and hasten the marriage-day, for love is

tormented with delays." And again, “I laugh, I smile, I leap for joy, to see Christ coming to save you so quickly. O such wide steps as Christ taketh! Three or four hills are but a step to him. He skippeth over mountains."-S. RUTHERFORD.

Yea, and many can add, "My soul longeth, yea, even fainteth," for the sight of Jesus!

"The minutes seem to move too slow:

May Jesus quickly come!"-WATTS.

-no :

"Be thou like to a roe or to a young hart upon the mountains of spices." It is not here, as in earlier experience, "the mountains of Bether," or division (chap. ii. 17, margin)-it is not that clouds have come between us and Jesus, and we want to see the light of his countenance again by faiththe soul is here in the full possession of that bright and happy experience; but far above and beyond all that, yea, even while “ our conversation is in heaven," we long for more still-"we look for the Saviour, the Lord Jesus Christ," &c. (Phil. iii. 20, 21). We look for his coming again to receive us unto himself; and this is something beyond our going to be with him. “ Beloved, now are we the sons of God," says the apostle, BUT "it doth not yet appear what we shall be: but we know that, when he shall appear, we shall be like him; for we shall see him as he is" (1 John iii. 2). That is the consummation we are looking for.