church. "A spring locked up, a fountain sealed.” -"God is loving unto every man, and his mercy is over all his works." But we have now before us a representation of those special influences of the Holy Ghost, which prepare and seal the heirs of heaven. "He sanctifieth all the elect people of God."— After that they believe in Christ, they are "sealed with that holy Spirit of promise which is the earnest of our inheritance until the redemption of the purchased possession unto the praise of his glory ""— "Him the world cannot receive, because it seeth him not, neither knoweth him; but ye know him, for he dwelleth with you, and shall be in you'

h "

Under the figure, therefore, of this blissful paradise, and its perpetual fountain, we have an exhibition of the present happy state of the spiritual believer of his privileges in the kingdom of heaven, as that kingdom is now established "in righteousness and peace, and joy, in the Holy Ghost1."

The remaining part of the allegory seems to represent the anxious struggles of the grateful soul, to show some sense of the mercies received, and to make some return to her beneficent Lord, which though poor and disproportioned, may nevertheless be such as his love will deign to accept.

south, upon my garden, that its odours may exale."

8 Ephes. i. 13, 14.

h John, xiv. 17.

i Rom, xiv. 17.

-"Let my beloved come into his garden, and eat of its delicious fruits." The blowing of the wind is another established emblem of the Holy Ghost, that invisible agent, whose effects are yet so discernible on every side. "We hear the sound thereof, but cannot tell whence it cometh, or whither it goeth *."

k

The invocation of the Spirit on this occasion forcibly reminds us of that most true doctrine recognised in our tenth Article: "The condition of man after the fall of Adam is such, that he cannot turn and prepare himself, by his own natural strength and good works, to faith and calling upon God: wherefore we have no power to do good works pleasant and acceptable to God, without the grace of God by Christ, preventing us, that we may have a good will, and working with us when we have that good will."

We have represented to us also in this parable ow graciously the Lord accepts at the hands of his people their sacrifice of praise and obedience. "I am come into my garden, my sister, espoused; I have gathered my myrrh with my spices; I have eaten my honey with my conserve; I have drunk my wine with my milk. "There is an entertainment to be prepared by his faithful people for the Saviour himself-prayer and thanksgiving-even songs of praise, with every exercise of faith, of hope, and of

k John, iii.

I

love; of meekness and of long-suffering. By these things we are to hallow his holy name. This is the part of the sacrifice to be burnt upon the altar:an offering made by fire unto the Lord for a sweetsmelling savour."

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But besides, you notice that the bridegroom invites his friends and companions to partake of the repasts which his grateful spouse has prepared. "Eat, my companions; drink, yea, drink plentifully, my friends." And we are all aware that one of the most distinguishing virtues of the followers of Christ has ever been charity to the poor. "To Το do good and to distribute forget not, for with such sacrifices God is well pleased'." This is that labour of love", which a gracious God has said "he will not forget." It is indeed considered as a personal favour shown to the Saviour. "Then shall the King say to them on his right hand, Come, ye blessed children of my Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you, from the foundation of the world. For I was an hungred, and ye gave me meat: I was thirsty, and ye gave me drink: I was a stranger, and ye took me in: naked, and ye clothed me: I was sick, and ye visited me: I was in prison, and ye came unto me."-" Verily I say unto you, inasmuch as ye did it unto one of the least of these my brethren, ye have done it unto me "."

1 Heb. xiii. 16.

m Heb. vi. 10.

n Mat. xxv.

IDYL THE EIGHTH.

From the second Verse of the fifth Chapter, to the second Verse of the sixth inclusive.

THE following Idyl is certainly very distinct in its exterior imagery from the foregoing, nor is it difficult to be understood in its leading circumstances, whatever obscurity our ignorance of ancient habits may have east upon some minor particulars. The allegory possesses a considerable affinity to the fifth, and is one of those, which I conceive the most fertile imagination would find it no easy task to interpret, in its external form, of King Solomon and a royal bride.

A domestic occurrence in much humbler life very clearly supplies the present parable. The husband is one that has travelled far in the night, and returns late to his desired home and beloved companion.-He finds the door barred against his admission, and, though his wife is awakened by his call and knocking, yet her delay and trifling leading him to suppose that he was not heard, he departs to seek a lodging elsewhere. Her distress at finding him gone-her unsuccessful search, with the unfortunate circumstances which attend it, are then described.

Such is the exterior imagery of the first part of this allegory: the second part, if it ought not rather to be separated from it, and made a distinct idyl of itself, we shall notice afterwards. The spouse, or wife, we are to remember, is the relater in this part of the poem.

2 I

I was asleep; but my heart awoke*:

It was the voice of my beloved, who was knocking.

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Open to me, my sister, my partner,

My dove, my perfect one,'

"For my head is filled with dew,

"My hair with the drops of the night"."

"I have put off my clothes,
"How shall I put them on again?

"I have washed my feet,

"How shall I dirty theme?"

My beloved thrust his hand through the opening &;

My affections were stirred towards him,

I arose to open to my beloved,

My hands dropped myrrh,

My fingers pure myrrh,

עור a

"Surrexit, excitavit se, excitatus est."-Simon. "But my heart awoke.” A very natural description of the manner in which the mind of one asleep, or partly asleep, is excited by some expected call.

b The copious and, in some situations, pernicious dews which fall during the night in these countries, are mentioned by many travellers.

c A clear description, I conceive, of the hesitation of a person half awakened, whose drowsy and impotent resolution seems in vain to encounter a thousand unreal difficulties.

d" It was the ancient custom to secure the door of a house by a cross-bar, or bolt, which by night was fastened by a little button or pin; in the upper part of the door was left a round hole, through which any person from without might thrust his arm, and remove the bar, unless this additional security were superadded.” -See Dr. Percy, p. 76.

e Bowels or pity.

מור עבר

Current or passing myrrh, being, according to