of Christ's Kingdom (Zech. viii. 20-23; friends, but enemies. Jonathan's love to Isa. ii. 3; Mic. iv. 1, 2). Bride's Gratitude to the King. • We will remember Thy love more than wine.' Shulamite resolves not only to rejoice in the King himself, but to cherish a grateful remembrance of his love." We will remember (or record) thy love (or loves-loving words and actions) more than wine." Probably a double resolution-to remember inwardly for herself, and to record outwardly for others; both to the praise of her loving Bridegroom. One of the duties and delights of believers, the Remembrance of Christ's Love. I. The LOVE remembered. Heb. 'Loves,' -for the greatness of it, or the variety of its kinds, and the multiplicity of its manifestations. Christ's love to His people that of a Saviour to the lost, a Redeemer to the captive, a Shepherd to his sheep, a Husband to his wife, a Brother to his brethren, a Father to his children, a Friend to his intimate acquaintances. Its various manifestations 1. Offering Himself for our redemption in the everlasting covenant (Ps. xl. 7). 2. Revealing himself to the Old Testament Church in types and symbols, prophecies and promises. 3. Assuming our nature in the fulness of time. 4. His teachings and labours of love during His life on earth. 5. His sufferings and death as the atonement for our sins. 6 His return to heaven to carry forward the work of our salvation. 7. His subsequent bestowment of the Holy Spirit with all needful grace and blessing. 8. His gathering in lost sinners to Himself through His Word and Spirit. 9. His speaking peace and comfort to the awakened and troubled conscience. 10. His restoring the believer from his falls and backslidings. 11. His gladdening the soul with His manifested presence and love. 12. His gracious promises to come again and receive His people to Himself for ever. Christ's love infinitely worthy to be remembered and celebrated through time and eternity; on account of 1. Its greatness. 'Greater love hath no man than this, that a man lay down his life for his friends' (John xv. 13). Christ's love greater than this; as-(1) He did more than lay down His life for us; (2) He did it not for David, wonderful, passing the love of women (2 Sam. i. 26). Jonathan's love only a faint picture of Christ's. 2. Its costliness. 'Christ loved the Church, and gave Himself for it' (Eph. v. 25). The love of Ahasuerus to Esther his queen extended to the gift of half his kingdom (Est. v. 3). Christ's love to His people extended not only to the gift of His whole kingdom, but of Himself (Matt. xx. 28). 3. Its fruits. Deliverance from sin, death, and hell, with perfection in holiness and the enjoyment of Himself in glory everlasting. "That He might sanctify and cleanse it by the washing of water, by the word; that He might present it unto Himself a glorious Church, not having spot or wrinkle, or any such thing, but that it should be holy and without blemish' (Eph. v. 26). II. The REMEMBRANCE of it. The remembrance of Christ's love on the part of believers: (1) A Duty; (2) A Delight; (3) A Necessity. Proceeds-(1) From a sense of duty; (2) From the impression of its sweetness. Christ's love remembered when all else is forgotten. Its remembrance brings -(1) Glory to Christ; (2) Benefit to our neighbour; (3) Comfort and quickening to ourselves. Its remembrance our sweetest cordial in the time of trouble (Psalm xlii. 6). Assures us afresh of our interest in Christ, and casts out slavish fear. Revives our love to Him, and stimulates to do and suffer for His sake. His love not remembered and recorded as a thing past and gone for ever; but one of unchanging continuance and ever fresh manifestation. An everlasting love. Helps to remembering it are 1. Daily reading of the Word, with meditation and prayer; especially such portions of it as bear expressly upon Christ and His love. For example: the Gospels and Canticles; Isaiah liii.; Psalm xxii. &c. 2. Careful observance of the Sabbath, with suitable meditation on His death and resurrection, which it was designed to commemorate. 3. Frequent celebration of the Lord's Supper, designed for the express purpose of keeping Himself and His dying love in re membrance. 4. Fellowship with living and loving believers. As iron sharpeneth iron, so doth a man the face of his friend.' Then they that feared the Lord spake often one to another.' 'Provoke one another to love and good works.' III. The DEGREE of Remembrance. 'More than wine.' The love better than wine (verse 2), and therefore more remembered. Wine mentioned as a natural means of gladness and refreshing (Jud. ix. 13; Ps. civ. 15). Associated with festivity-banquet of wine.' Here put for all earth's choicest pleasures and sensuous enjoyments. To Shulamite, her bridegroom's love more worthy to be remembered than everything besides. Sweet is the King's wine, but sweeter his love.' All Christ's gifts sweet, and all His benefits to be remembered; but sweeter and niore to be remembered than all is His love. Its sweetness sufficient to obliterate the remembrance of all other joy. Christ's love the absorbing subject as the believer approaches the confines of eternity. Earth's lawful enjoyinents perhaps not forgotten in heaven; but the love of Christ the chosen and overshadowing subject of ever-new songs (Rev. i. 5; v. 9, 12, 13; xiv. 3). The text the language of resolution. We will remember,' &c. Such resolution needed. The flesh adverse to such remembrance. Satan's object to efface or weaken it. The tendency of earthly things to prevent or deaden it. David's language in reference to Jerusalem applicable to Christ's love: "If I forget thee, let my right hand forget her cunning: if I do not remember thee, let my tongue cleave to the roof of my mouth; if I prefer not thee above my chiefest joy (Ps. cxxxvii. 5, 6). Bride Commends her Beloved and 'The upright love thee?' May be either read-Upright people love thee; or, 'Rightly do people love thee.' Mentioned by Shulamite as an enhancement of her Beloved's excellence, and a justification of her own love. Similar to verse 3. Indicates the character both of Christ himself and Christ's Lovers. I. THE CHARACTER OF THOSE WHO LOVE CHRIST. "The upright;'-sincere, true, just, pure in heart and life. Such as Simeon of Jerusalem; Joseph the carpenter; Joseph of Arimathæa; Nathaniel, 'an Israelite indeed, in whom was no guile.' Christ Himself, that Just One;' God's 'righteous servant;' Jesus Christ the Righteous,' who loves righteousness and hates iniquity; 'holy, harmless, undefiled, and separate from sinners. Naturally loved by persons of a similar character, and only by such. A holy Christ capable of being loved only by holy persons, or such at least as, conscious of their sins, desire to be holy. Like naturally loves and draws to like. Hence Christ only loved by converted and renewed persons. Love to God's Christ a holy and spiritual thing. A plant not spontaneously growing among the noxious weeds of Nature's garden, but produced by the Holy Ghost in a renewed heart. Found only in those who have passed from death to life; who were afar off, but have been made nigh by the blood of Christ; who were lost, but are found; who as believing and pardoned sinners have tasted that the Lord is gracious' (1 Pet. ii. 3; 1 John iv. 19). The forgiven woman that had been a sinner, loved Jesus, who had forgiven her sins, which were many, and for which she now lovingly weeps at His feet. The proud, self-righteous, merely outwardly religious Pharisee, incapable of such love. He to whom little is forgiven, the same loveth little' (Luke vii. 47). A sinner may love Christ, but not a Pharisee (Luke xv. 1, 2). Upright persons love Christ, because by His blood shed for them, and His spirit given to them, He has made them upright. When He forgives a sinner He makes him upright. The heart purified by faith. All upright who love Christ in sincerity. Others only pretenders. True love to Christ sufficient to prove a man upright. By their fruits ye shall know them.' On the other hand, a man's love to Christ proved by his uprightness. 'If ye love me keep my commandments. If a man love Me, he will keep My words' (John xiv. 15, 23). Hence those worthy to be 'accursed' who do not love Christ. They are not upright, and they refuse Him who would make them so. II. THE CHARACTER OF CHRIST HIMSELF. The text a commendation of the Beloved. He must be excellent and upright who is loved by upright persons. A man's character indicated by the character of his friends. A high commendation of the character of Christ-(1) That He is loved by all the honest and best in creation-by all holy angels and holy men; (2) That He is loved only by the holy and upright III. THE CHARACTER OF LOVE TO CHRIST. It is (1) A holy thing; only upright persons possess it; (2) A right and reasonable thing. Upright persons only love uprightly-on just grounds and considerations. Just grounds for loving Christ-(1) In what He is; (2) In what He has done. Christ infinitely worthy of angelic, still more of human, love. Is infinitely excellent in Himself; has been infinitely kind to us. As God, possessed of all the infinite amiableness of the Divine perfections; and, as our Creator, Preserver, and Benefactor, has an infinite right to our love. That right enhanced by the fact that, as God-man for our sakes, He has become also our Redeemer. Robbery committed when Christ is not loved; idolatry, when others are loved in His place. If any man love not the Lord Jesus Christ, let him be Anathema Maran-atha,'-accursed [when] the Lord cometh (1 Cor. xvi. 22). The text a test of character. Do I love Christ ? If not, then I am not upright. I do not love uprightness; for Christ is uprightness itself. I rob Him of what He has the most perfect right to, and of what He sets the highest value on-my love. Hence of mercy my need both of mercy and to pardon, and of grace to renew me. Lord, grant both. grace; SHULAMITE, TO THE DAUGHTERS OF JERUSALEM, OR LADIES Gives an Account of herself in justification of her presence in the King's Chambers. Look not upon me, Shulamite, in the Allegory, originally a rus- the ladies of the court. The words indicate The Christian Paradox. "I am black, but comely." Hence observe I. DARK side of the Paradox.-'I am black.' The believer black 1. With sin. In common with others, the believer blackened-(1) With original sin; (2) With actual transgression. The character of sin to make men black. Sin black in itself, and blackens those who carry it in their nature and commit it in their life. Black, as contrary to the nature and will of God, who is Light. The least sin in a believer like a dark spot on the sun's disk. Sin pervading our whole nature renders us Man, originally created moral Ethiopians. 'upright,' made black by the Fall (Eccles. vii. 29; Rom. v. 12-19). Black with sin, both original and actual, now the character of the human race (Gen. vi. 5; viii. 21; 2 Chron. vi. 36; Prov. xx. 9; Ps. xiv. 1-3; Rom. iii. 9-19, 23; James ii. 10; iii. 2; 1 John i. 8). The experience and confession of David The teaching of Christ (Ps. li. 5). (John iii. 5-7). Observe-(1) The believer black through inbred corruption and daily transgressions, even while in Christ and enjoyA law in his members warring ing His love. against the law of his mind (Rom. vii. 23). Peter's fall immediately after the feast. The believer carries his blackness into the King's chambers. Good to remember and confess it in the midst of his spiritual enjoyments. 'Look unto the rock whence ye are hewn, and to the hole of the pit whence ye are digged' (Isa. li., 1). (2) The believer not only black, The great distinction but conscious of it. between him and others. Others as black as he; but he alone sees and feels his blackness. (3) The believer not afraid to acknowledge that he is black. His safety and comfort not in his not being black, or less black than others; but in his being comely in Christ, and washed in His blood. His sense of blackness, therefore, no hindrance to his rejoicing in of blackness part of our rejoicing in Christ's Christ, but rather a help to it. Confession comeliness. The blacker we are in our own eyes, the more precious is Christ (2 Cor. xii. 8-10). (4) The confession, I am black,' often the turning point in a soul's history. Paul's experience at Damascus (Acts ix. 1–18; Rom. vii. 9). That of Isaiah in the temple (Isa. vi. 5-8). Never comely till we realize we are 'black.' (5) Our whole nature black. I,-not a part of me; the whole natural man; the 'me' and 'I' of the Apostle. In me, that is, in my flesh, dwelleth no good thing. I am carnal, and sold under sin' (Rom. vii. 14, 17). (6) Believers always black with sin while in this world. Times when the believer may be without suffering; no time when he is without sin. 2. With suffering. Suffering and grief blacken us as well as sin (Jer. viii. 21; Lam. 21 iv. 8; Ps. cxix. 83). Like others, the believer, while in this world, black with suffering as well as with sin. Sin draws suffering with it as its dark shadow. Believers no exception to this law. That believers have suffering, no more to be concealed than that they have sin. The difference between them and other men, not that they have less suffering, but that they have more comfort and better hope. The testimony of Scripture and the experience of believers, that many are the afflictions of the righteous,' and that through much tribulation we must enter the kingdom.' Believers, though having the firstfruits of the Spirit, yet groan within themselves (Rom. viii. 23). Groan, being burdened (2 Cor. v. 2). Believers not only not exempt from grief and suffering in this life, but have naturally a large share of it. Their sufferings partly such as are common to men; partly, peculiar to themselves as believers. Various causes of their suffering. (1) The love of their Father, who chastens them for their profit, to make them partakers of His own holiness (Heb. xii. 6-11). (2) The hatred of the world, which persecutes the members as it did the Head (John xv. 18-21; xvii, 14; 2 Tim. iii. 12). (3) The temptations of Satan, acting both directly on the mind himself, and indirectly through the agency. of others (2 Cor. xii. 7; 1 Pet. v. 9; Rev. ii. 10). (4) Indwelling sin, or the body of sin and death which we carry with us, occasioning a constant warfare within, and often extorting the cry, 'O wretched man that I am! who shall deliver me from the body of this death?' (Rom. vii. 23, 24; Gal. v. 17; James iv. 1; 1 Pet. ii. 11). (5) The sins and sufferings of others, as well of their own brethren as of the unconverted; these often awakening the cry of the prophet: O that my head were waters,' &c. (Jer. ix. 1; viii. 21; 1 Cor. xii. 26; 2 Cor. xi. 29; Rom. xii. 15). (6) Faithful and self-denying efforts for the spiritual and eternal benefit of others; thus filling up in their flesh that which is behind of the afflictions of Christ for His body's sake, the Church (Col. i. 24; 2 Cor. xi. 23-28). Believers, having the Spirit of Christ, suffer in seeking to save others, and grieve to see so many remain unsaved. II. BRIGHT side of the Paradox. 'But comely. The Bride, notwithstanding external blackness, all glorious within' (Ps. xlv. 14). Shulamite's comeliness rather that of the soul, which lighted up and gave a charming expression to her swarthy features. Believers' comeliness that 'in the hidden man of the heart,' and diffusing a spiritual beauty over the life. Believers comely 1. Through imputed righteousness. Comely through the comeliness of their Head and Saviour put upon them (Ezek. xvi. 14). Believers made the Righteousness of God in Christ (2 Cor. v. 21). Made accepted in the Beloved (Eph. i. 6). Christ made righteousness to those who are in Him (1 Cor. i. 30). The language of faith: In the Lord have I righteousness' (Is. xlv. 24). The name by which the promised Saviour was to be called: The Lord our Righteousness (Jer. xxiii. 6). The guests at the King's marriage-supper accepted not in their own garments, but in those provided for and given to them by the King Himself (Matt. xxii. 11, 12). Paul's desire to be found not in his own righteousness which was by the law, but that which was through the faith of Christ, the righteousness which is of God by faith' (Phil. iii. 9). Believers, like Jacob, blessed in the garments of their Elder Brother (Gen. xxvii. 15, 27). Men made sinners by one man's disobedience; made righteous by the obedience of another (Rom. v. 19). 2. Through imparted holiness. Believers saved and made comely as well by impartation as by imputation; made personally holy by the one, as they are made legally righteous by the other. Made righteous in our Representative, we are made holy in our own persons. Christ made to us sanctification,' as well as 'righteousness' (1 Cor. i. 30). Faith says: In the Lord I have righteousness and strength,'—the latter for personal holiness, as the former for acceptance with God (Is. xlv. 24). Believers clothed with 'the beauty of holiness,' as well as with the robe of righteousness. Made to put on Christ in His spirit and character, as well as in His Surety righteousness. Renewed in the image of God, and conformed to the likeness of His Son. Made one with Christ, they possess His Spirit, and live because He lives in them (Gal. ii. 20). Sanctified as well as justified in Him (1 Cor. i. 2). Christ our Life, as well as our Peace and Hope. If any man have not the Spirit of Christ, he is none of His' (Rom. viii. 9). Believers chosen and blessed by the Father in Christ, in order to be holy and without blame before Him in love (Eph. i. 4). Predestinated by Him to be conformed to the image of His Son (Rom. viii. 29). Redeemed by Christ to be sanctified and cleansed, and so presented to Himself a glorious Church, holy and without blemish (Eph. v. 25-27). Believers accepted in Christ without any holiness; but accepted in order to their being made holy. III. The COMBINATION of the two. The believer, like Shulamite, at once black and comely. The paradox: Black and yet comely. Comely while yet black. The explanation: Believers black in themselves, comely in Christ; black by nature, comely by grace; black in the flesh or old man in them; comely in the spirit or new man. Believers carry in them two natures at once, -the flesh and the spirit, the old man and the new. Like Rebekah, with two nations The elder, or old carnal in her womb. nature, to serve the younger, or the new In the believer, with and spiritual one. his twofold nature of flesh and spirit lusting and warring against each other, is seen the Hence both incompany of two armies.' ward conflict and outward incongruities. The believer both a saint and a sinner. Has in him the roots of all sin, and the principles of all holiness. Hence the believer's frequent doubts and disquietude about his spiritual condition. The question natural to the inexperienced Christian: If I am a child of God, why am I thus ? A part of spiritual wisdom to know that we can be, and that, if believers, we actually are, both black and comely at the same time. Not less black in ourselves because comely in Christ; and not less comely in Christ because black in ourselves. Believers often black outwardly in respect to condition and circumstances, when comely inwardly in respect to character and affections. Black like their Master, in the eyes of the world; comely in the eyes of God. Black in suffering; comely in the patience and meekness with which they endure it.-Observe 1. Believers to be as conscious of their comeliness in Christ, as of their blackness in themselves. Our duty to know ourselves, that Christ is in us; and that while black in ourselves, we are comely in Him. Hence both the believer's humility and joy. 2. Our duty and privilege to confess both our blackness and our comeliness. Grace not to be denied while blackness is acknowledged. To see and confess ourselves at once black and comely-black in ourselves and comely in Christ-the mark of a believer. Pride forbids both. 3. Our comeliness to attract and convince the world, more than our blackness might offend and deter them. The excellenee of Christ and His Gospel seen in the comeliness of believers, notwithstanding their blackness. Believers to seek that others may think highly of Christ on their account, and rejoice in Him along with them. The world and weak professors apt to stumble at the blackness in believers, as seen in their sufferings, and especially in their sins. More power in their comeliness to attract, than in their blackness to repel. Believers more to be envied for their comeliness than despised for their blackness. 4. Much in the believer and the spiritual life mysterious and incomprehensible to the world. Apparent contradictions: black, yet 5. The glory of the work of Christ and of in sins, hath He quickened us together with Christ (by grace are ye saved); and hath raised us up together, and made us sit toNeither fornicators, nor idolators, nor adul gether in heavenly places in Christ Jesus.' terers, nor effeminate, nor abusers of themselves with mankind, nor thieves, nor covetous, nor drunkards, nor revilers, nor extortioners, shall inherit the kingdom of God: and such were some of you; but ye are washed, but ye are sanctified, but ye are justified in the name of the Lord Jesus, and by the Spirit of our God' (Eph. ii. 5, 6; 1 Cor. vi. 9-11; read also Titus iii. 3-7). Notice the PARTY ADDRESSED. "O ye daughters of Jerusalem.' These, in the Allegory probably the ladies of Solomon's court, now present with ShulaNow admite in the King's chambers. The dressed by the rustic Stranger who has just been introduced among them. probable representatives-(1) Of the professing Church; (2) Of persons only partially or carnally acquainted with Christ. Charged not to disturb the Beloved One's rest (chap. ii. 7). Connected in some way with the marriage of the King and Shulamite (chap. iii. 10). Supposed to have some knowledge of the Bridegroom, though not possessing Him as their own (chap. v. 8). Made desirous to learn more about Him, and to seek Him with the Bride (chap. vi. 1). Becomes interested in the Bride, and 23 admires her beauty (chap. vi. 13). The women of Jerusalem who followed Jesus to Calvary, |