for they shall be filled."-" They shall be abundantly satisfied with the fatness of thy house, and thou shalt make them drink of the river of thy pleasures "." "His left arm is under my head, his right doth infold me." The King himself approaches-she is pressed to his bosom as the object of his fondest affection; and supported by his arm, she enjoys his society, and partakes of the banquet. And we may notice, that, in the interpretation of the parable, the royal bridegroom and the marriage-supper are the "Christ is the bread of life."-" His body is meat indeed, and his blood is drink indeed." same. The question was once put to our Lord by one of his disciples, "Lord, how is it that thou wilt manifest thyself to us, and not unto the world?" The conversation of Christ had raised the expectation, that such manifestations would be vouchsafed. His answer, in the passage referred to, confirms the hope. He leads the inquirer moreover to the consideration of the office of the Holy Ghost the Comforter. It is, therefore, through the agency of this Divine Being, that the communion and presence of Christ are enjoyed in the soul. Hence we read of Joy in the Holy Ghost."-" Of the love of God shed abroad in the heart by the Holy Ghost which is given unto us." The constant experience also of his faithful h John, xiv. 8 Ps. xxxvi. 8. Rom. v. 5. f Mat. v. 6. people does attest, and in every age has attested, that these spiritual manifestations of Christ, unknown and unsuspected by the world, are, occasionally, vouchsafed to them; and the strongest assurances conveyed to their minds of his favour and unchanging affection. These discoveries of the divine love, moreover, as the parable before us seems to intimate, may sometimes be expected as a blessing upon the public ordinances of religious worship. To perpetuate these happy seasons would be, indeed, to convert earth into heaven; but the believer needs not to be admonished, that these holy transports are, in this present life, only occasionally granted, and but for a short time. They are transient, unfixed, and evanescent, like the bow in the clouds, which pledges the covenant in the day of rain. Yet the bride of Christ cannot but wish to retain, as long as possible, the heavenly vision; and would, especially, be cautious, that no unnecessary interruption may occur, to banish from her mind the pleasing image of her beloved. "I charge ye, O daughters of Jerusalem, as with the gazels, and as with the deer of the plain, that ye stir not, nor raise up my beloved, till he please." Like Peter on the mount of transfiguration, the Christian thinks "it good to be here," and would fain build a tabernacle to prolong the stay of the heavenly visitor. But though the thought of losing sight of the blissful scene is painful to him, and he descends again into this lower world with some reluctance, yet the kind intent of the gracious Saviour towards him is answered: a pledge, and earnest, and happy foretaste of joys to come has been conveyed to his soul. This inspires him with a lively hope, and animates him to press forward towards the mark for the prize of his high calling. 66 Besides, in these manifestations of the divine benevolence, such a heavenly light is wont to be left upon the believer's mind, beaming forth in good will towards men," that he can look round upon his friends and upon his earthly charge, and, in submissive patience, say with the Apostle, "To 66 Τα depart and be with Christ is far better; abide in the flesh is more needful for you'." ! Phil. i. 24. but to E IDYL THE FOURTH. Corresponding with that Part of the public Translation contained in the latter Part of the second Chapter, beginning with the eighth Verse. THE Idyl now before us is altogether pastoral; no connexion whatever in its exterior imagery, except that both are poems upon the common subject of Love, can be pointed out between this and the preceding parable. The lovers are here supposed to reside at a great distance from each other:-the imaginary fair relates a visit she had received from her beloved :-she records his affectionate address to her-how she enjoyed his society— and concludes with expressing an earnest desire for the frequent repetitions of his visits. It was the voice of my beloved! He comes, leaping on the mountains, My beloved is like the gazel, Or the fawn of the deer". a She suddenly hears, while in the retirement of her garden, the well-known sound of her beloved's voice: he had arrived unexpectedly, it should seem, from a distance over intervening hills and mountains. b In admiration at the ease and swiftness with which her beloved traverses the interposed mountains, she compares him to the "For lo, the winter is over, "The rain 'is' passed away,' and' is gonea: "The flowers appear on the ground: "The time of the singing of birds' is arrived": "The voice of the turtle is heard in our land: "The fig-tree is embalming its fruit ; animals here mentioned: a comparison not unusual in Scripture; "Asahel was as light of foot as a wild roe.' "He shall make my feet like hart's feet, and he walk upon mine high places."-Hab. iii. 19. -2 Sam. ii. 18. will make me to ,"paries noster."-Simon. "Mr. Harmer supposes the word rendered fence' to mean the green wall, as it were, of a chiosk or eastern arbour;" which is thus described by Lady M. W. Montague: "In the midst of the garden is the chiosk, that is, a large room commonly beautified with a fine fountain in the midst of it. It is raised nine or ten steps, and enclosed with gilded lattices, round which vines, jessamines, and honeysuckles, make a sort of green wall," &c.-(Harmer's Outlines.)-Parkhurst. In this well-known retreat, coming from the scene of his distant abode and occupation, he finds the object of his choice, and invites her abroad. d The winter or rainy season continues in these countries from November to February, when the spring, the most beautiful season of the year, succeeds. • The season of the song is come. The song here referred to Mr. Harmer conjectures to be peculiarly that of the nightingale. f"Filling them with that clammy delicious juice which is so well known."-Parkhurst. |