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BRIDEGROOM.

m Since she is a wall,

We will erect on it a turret of silver:

And since she is a door,

We will incase it with a plate of cedar.

n I am a wall!

THE YOUNGER SISTER.

And breasts shall I have' as towers!

Then am I in his eyes

As one that obtaineth favour.

BRIDE.

• Solomon has a vineyard in Baal-Hammon: He has let out this vineyard to dressers,

m" Since she is a wall," &c. These figurative expressions I understand as a gracious declaration on the part of the bridegroom, that in the allegorical sister there is nothing materially defective she is a wall:-she is a door: the silver turret to this wall, the cedar wainscot to this door, may yet be supplied.-It shall be their united care to improve the appearance, and to ornament person of their sister.

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n" I am a wall, and breasts shall I have as towers," &c. These words, I conceive, are spoken by the younger sister; she is consoling herself on the gracious acknowledgment, which she hears respecting her real worth. She repeats the promise, and argues that she has therefore obtained favour in the eyes of the bridegroom.

? The above lines respecting the vineyard, or cultivated estate, as we might render it, are spoken by the bride. She is supposed to be presented by Solomon with this estate as her residence: but she will consider herself only as a steward: she will industriously contrive that her Lord shall be no loser. She accordingly compares the vineyard consigned to her with another vineyard of the same value, in the place mentioned in the text. This vineyard was let on hire; she notices the price which was stipulated to be paid for it. She would take care that her grateful return, her

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That a man should bring of its fruits
'The value' of a thousand pieces of silver.
A vineyard, which is mine, is before me:

The thousand shall be reserved' for thee, O Solomon, And two hundred shall be given' to the dressers of the fruit.

ONE OF THE COMPANIONS P.

Thou that dwellest in the gardens,

The companions are listening to thy voice,

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Be like the gazel or the fawn of the deer
Upon the mountains of spices!

INTERPRETATION OF THE LAST IDYL.

Including the last ten Verses of the eighth Chapter. "WHO is this that cometh up from the wilderness leaning upon her beloved?" The meaning of this emblem in the figurative language of the Canticles we cannot easily mistake. The soul is blessed with the Saviour's presence, is acknowledged in the character of his spouse. By the exercise of a lively faith she reclines herself upon Christ, her only refuge and strength; supported by his arm, she is

service of love, should not be less to Solomon than the rent paid by these tenants. Her own servants also she declares should be remunerated for their trouble.

P One of the dressers just alluded to.

travelling on in security towards the heavenly mansions, which are prepared for her reception.

The bride, as we have noticed, is first reminded of her original state, and of the obligation which she owed to her Lord. Between two earthly lovers there are wont to be reciprocal causes of affection: they meet in some respects on equal terms, if

"For contemplation he and valour form'd,
For softness she and sweet attractive grace."

Far different are the circumstances of the union between Christ and the church of his redeemed. When, indeed, that union is completed, she is found possessed of every charm and every grace that can make her the admiration of beholders: "fair as the moon, clear as the sun, dazzling as the bannered hosts." But then this excellence and glory, and whatever is denoted in the figurative language of this book by beauty of person and ornaments of dress-every thing fair and valuable which is found in the spouse of Christ, has been owing entirely to the grace, the free gift of her beloved.

This was intimated in the imagery of the first Idyl, where we saw one that had been raised from a state of servitude and oppression, led in a bridal procession into the palace of the King of Israel. This pointed out, indeed, in some measure, the inequality between the parties, and informed us of what sort the obligation was, which was conferred by the heavenly bridegroom upon his spouse the

Church. This consideration is, however, much more forcibly impressed upon us in the present Idyl, by an allusion to the case of an exposed female infant, whom the hand of a charitable benefactor first rescues from the stroke of death, and then fondly nurtures and educates till she arrives at woman's estate, when he receives her as his bride.

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Beneath this citron-tree I raised thee up; here thy mother brought thee forth in sorrow, here bringing thee forth in sorrow, she bare thee." If such had been the situation of the supposed bride, and such the commencement of her connexion with her husband, she owed, indeed, her all to him. She might be "comely," she might be "perfect in beauty," but it was all "through his comeliness which he had put upon her." In short, no emblem of a greater obligation, imposed by one individual on another, can be easily imagined; and the reader will find the same comparison, in very minute detail, employed by the prophet Ezekiel, to point out the obligation and ingratitude of the external Jewish church to the God of Israela.

Strong, however, as is the language of the metaphor, the case supposed does but faintly shadow the obligations of the espoused soul to Christ. The soul, we may say, is now justified, and sanctified, and adorned with many excellent graces; so that

Ch. xvi.

the great Redeemer himself delights in her society, and she is honourable in the sight of all. But what was she once, when he first acknowledged her

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By nature a child of wrath, even as others "".

shapen in iniquity, and conceived in sin." "None eye pitied thee to have compassion upon thee; but thou wast cast out into the open field, to the lothing of thy person, in the day that thou wast born." But if we reflect upon the nature of those spiritual mercies which exalt the helpless sons of men from their native misery to the heirship of eternal glory, how much more costly are the charities of Jesus Christ, which he has bestowed upon his people, than those of this imaginary benefactor, as shown to the exposed infant, whom he afterwards espouses!

To preserve his people from the hand of justice, for their wretchedness did not arise from misfortune, the gracious Redeemer descends from his heavenly throne, and becomes a man; and in this his assumed nature, he offers himself a victim in their stead; "dying the just for the unjust:"-" He who knew no sin being made sin for us, that we might be made the righteousness of God in him." We consequently read, concerning the heavenly Bridegroom, "that he so loved the church that he gave himself for it, that he might sanctify and cleanse it, and present it to himself a glorious

b Eph. ii. 3.

c Ps. li. 5.

d Ezek. xvi. 5.

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