streets and broad ways, in which unsearchable riches are hid; and the soul having been raised from sleep, is anxious to search every avenue and corner of the streets of God's most Holy Word, saying, “I will seek him whom my soul loveth."

Verse 3.-The watchmen that go about the city found me: to whom I said, saw ye him whom my soul loveth?

The watchmen or angels of the Church, whose province it is to lead the sheep, and to direct poor sinners to the "Lamb of God, which taketh away the sins of the world;" and to these men the poor sinner goes, saying, saw ye him whom my soul loveth?" and tell me where I can find him, for my soul is athirst for God; "when shall I come and appear before him," for he is my hope, my life, my all.

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Verse 4.-It was but a little that I passed from them, but I found him whom my soul loveth: I held him, and would not let him go, until I had brought him into my mother's house, and into the chamber of her that conceived me.

Many and various are the conflicts of the Lord's children and people, whilst passing through this vale of tears; but the Lord alone is their strength and song; and he also has become their salvation: and when thus mercifully visited, as with the day spring from on high, the soul starts up as from a deep sleep, saying, “I have found him whom my soul loveth, and will not let

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him go, until I have brought him into my mother's house, and into the chamber of her that conceived me." Such is the solicitude of every heaven-born soul, that all may taste and see the goodness of the Lord, especially they of their own household.

Verse 5.-I charge you, O ye daughters of Jerusalem, by the roes, and by the hinds of the fields, that ye stir not up, nor awake my love, until he please.

This charge appears to have been given by the Church to some other part of the body, that she might not be disturbed in the holy exercise of her soul: the whole text seems to give us that idea. O that we all,

who name the name of Jesus, were but more anxiously concerned, like Mary of old, to sit at the feet of Jesus; thus would the peace of the Church flow as a river, and her righteousness be as the waves of the sea.

Verse 6.-Who is this that cometh out of the wilderness like pillars of smoke, perfumed with myrrh and frankincense, with all powders of the merchant ?

"Who is this," say some of the Church of old, "that cometh out of the wilderness like pillars of smoke perfumed with myrrh and frankincense?" This may have reference to the Church in its early stage on the earth, under the Mosaic economy; or it may have reference to its close, previous to the ushering in of the Gospel of Christ, the sun of righteousness;

for when Christ made his appearance on earth, then it might be said, the Church was seen to rise and come forth," like pillars of smoke," &c. So it may be said of all the redeemed of the Lord, who are thus gathered out of this wilderness, into which we are all born; but when raised anew, by power divine, we rise into the image of our Maker, so that "old things are passed away, and behold all things have become new" habitations for the Lord. These are they that come up out of the wilderness richly perfumed with the love of Jesus; or in the words of the text, "perfumed with myrrh and frankincense, with all powders of the merchant."

Verse 7.-Behold his bed, which is Solomon's; three score valiant men are about it, of the valiant of Israel.

A description of the bed of Solomon is given in this verse, to shew the greatness of Solomon above all the kings of the earth, and of his valiant men as guards, to shew that Solomon was a type of Christ and his Church; for although Jesus had not where to lay his head as a man, yet as God-man he exceeded Solomon in all his glory, inasmuch as he needed not the guard of man, or of angels, for he could have commanded a host of angels to attend him if he had thought meet, and he would have been instantly obeyed: and herein is the safety of the Church, being under the protection of Him, who hath all power invested in Him, and therefore is able to save to the very utmost; therefore it may be truly said,

blessed are the people whose God is the Lord, for he watcheth over his saints every moment, by night and by day; therefore in Him the Church is more safely guarded than Solomon with all his valiant men.

Verse 8.-They all hold swords, being expert in war: every man hath his sword upon his thigh because of fear in the night.

They (says the text) "all hold swords;" to signify that the saints are men of war, but their warfare is of a spiritual nature, being the "good fight of faith," to the pulling down of the strongholds of Satan, with the sword of the spirit, which is both " quick and powerful, and sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing even to the dividing asunder of soul and spirit, and of the joints and marrow, and is a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart." See Heb. iv, 12.

Verse 9.-King Solomon made himself a chariot of the wood of Lebanon.

This Chariot of Solomon's is supposed to have reference to the human nature of Christ, in which his divine nature was embodied, and in which it might be said he rode. Others think it had reference to the gospel chariot, designed by infinite wisdom to convey the gospel of salvation to the utmost boundaries of the earth; and in which chariot, it may be said, Jesus is going forth daily to call in and to gather in all the lost sheep of his fold.

Verse 10.-He made the pillars thereof of silver, the bottom thereof of gold, the covering of it of purple, the midst thereof being paved with love, for the daughters of Jerusalem.

This verse is a continuation of the former, setting forth a beautiful description of the gospel chariot of our God; being richly adorned with all the blessings of the everlasting covenant, for the daughters of Jerusalem to go forth therein, to the East and to the West, to the North and to the South; that the glad tidings of salvation might go forth to all kindreds, nations, tongues, and people. It is said this chariot is "paved with love," and made of gold, to shew its richness and durability; yea it is made to last as long as time shall last, for the gathering in of the saints. It has already been travelling above 1800 years, and goes more swift than ever; and never has been known to be out of repair. Such is the strength and firmness of the chariot of our God, that it will continue to go forth against all the powers of earth and hell, until all the redeemed are gathered into the heavenly garner, shouting grace, grace unto it!

Verse 11.-Go forth, O ye daughters of Zion, and behold king Solomon with the crown wherewith his mother crowned him in the day of his espousals, and in the day of the gladness of his heart.

"Go forth, O ye daughters of Zion, and behold king Solomon," a lively type of our Lord; and if he, an earthly King, was worthy of so much honour, what