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struggle of flesh and spirit, and sometimes overcome and wounded by the former. Ah, what will ye see in the Shulamite? the poor humble follower of the Lamb.

CHAPTER VII.

Verse 1.-How beautiful are thy feet with shoes, O prince's daughter! the joints of thy thighs are like jewels,

the work of the hands of a cunning workman.

"How beautiful are thy feet with shoes," says Christ to his spouse; which is in perfect unity with the language of the Evangelical prophet Isaiah, when by the spirit of the Lord he said, "how beautiful upon the mountains are the feet of him that bringeth good tidings; that publisheth peace; that bringeth good tidings of good, and that publisheth salvation, that saith unto Zion, thy God reigneth." See Isaiah lii, 6, 7. The Church is here stamped with high honour as the daughter of a prince; for a description of the joints of her thighs, see Eph iv, 16, "we are fearfully and wonderfully made."

Verse 2-Thy navel is like a round goblet, which wanteth not liquor: thy belly is like an heap of wheat set about with lilies.

Thy navel," says the text, "is like a round goblet, which wanteth not liquor:" here the spouse, not know

ing where or when to leave off in describing the excellencies of her Lord, uses figurative language to set forth the unbounded bowels of his love and affection to poor sinners, ready and willing to supply all their wants; "for in him all fullness dwells."

Verse 3.-Thy two breasts are like two young roes that are twins.

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Thy breasts," says the spouse, 66 are like two young roes that are twins; all amiable and lovely. Rejoice ye with Jerusalem, and be glad with her; all ye that love her; rejoice and seek, and be satisfied with the breasts of her consolation, that ye may draw milk therefrom, and be delighted with the abundance of her glory. See Isaiah lxvi, 10, 11; 1 Peter ii, 2; and Isaiah lxvi, 16.

Verse 4.-Thy neck is as a tower of ivory: thine eyes like the fishpools in Heshbon, by the gate of Bathrabbim; thy nose is as the tower of Lebanon which looketh toward Damascus.

Such may be understood as descriptive of the character of the true Church of Christ, for stateliness and uprightness, as a tower of ivory; and whose head is Christ. Every believer having eyes of living faith in Christ their head, are "like the fishpools in Heshbon, by the gate of Bath-rabbim;" for the eyes of the saints, who weep for sin in themselves and others, are as a fountain; and like the prophet, at times the saint is

ready to cry out, "O, that my head were waters, and my eyes a fountain of tears, that I might weep day and night for the slain of the daughters of my people." See Jer. ix, 1. 66 Thy nose is as the tower of Lebanon, which looketh toward Damascus ;" as the gate of Bathrabbim, which is clear and open, so are the eyes of the saints, to behold the king in his beauty: their forehead or face being set as a tower looking towards Damascus ; or in other words, as a flint to face their and the Church's enemies: thus exhibiting the character of the boldness of the lion, ready to go forth in the strength of the Lord.

Verse 5.-Thy head upon thee is like Carmel, and the hair of thine head like purple; the king is held in the galleries.

"Thy head upon thee is like Carmel :" now Carmel is a very high hill near the sea, conspicuous to all passers-by; and this ought to teach us that every saint of our God should remember that our Lord said they were to be as a "city set upon a hill, that they might not be hid." Such was the desire of our Lord, that all his saints should be as lights in this dark world.

The text goes on to say that the hair of her head is like purple, and that "the king is held in the galleries;” or the affections of all his saints; and he, their Lord and Master, delights to listen to all their prayers, and answers the humble supplication of every sincere soul,

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saying, "I will walk in them and live in them," and

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they shall never perish, neither shall any man pluck them out of my hand." See St. John xvi, xvii.

Verse 6.-How fair and how pleasant art thou, O love, for delights.

It is holiness of heart and life that renders the believer both fair and pleasant; for it is the badge of all the heaven-born family, which makes them "the joy of the whole earth." "Without holiness no man shall see the Lord; and it is written, "be ye holy, for I am holy." See 1 Peter i, 16.

Verse 7.-This thy stature is like to a palm tree, and thy breasts to clusters of grapes.

Here again the Lord gives a most striking description of her, for beauty and uprightness in his sight; as his purchased possession, comparing her to the stately palm trees; as the Lord expects his people to be both stately and fruitful in all holy living and walking, that all their actions might be as "clusters of grapes,"

to redound to his praise.

Verse 8.-I said I will go up to the palm tree, I will take hold of the boughs thereof; now also thy breasts shall

be as clusters of the vine, and the smell of thy nose like apples.

Another lively description of the Lord's visit to his Church, which is described by various figures: she is here called a "palm tree," which Christ is pleased to

take hold of, and with delight says, her "breasts shall be as clusters of the vine, and the smell of her nose like apples;" thus we are led to see the delight the Lord has in his people, to bless them and to make them fruitful, that all their works may be perfumed with his love, which is unsearchable. See Psalm ciii, 11, 12, 17.

Verse 9. And the roof of thy mouth like the best wine for my beloved, that goeth down sweetly, causing the lips of those that are asleep to speak.

Here the bridegroom of the Church continues his strains of admiration of the various graces of the believer, which flow from the heart, the fountain of life, by the roof of her mouth; this is compared to the “best wine," being the pure offerings of the soul to God; and in return the Lord is graciously pleased to pour into such the strong wine of heavenly consolation, which "goeth down sweetly, causing the lips of those that sleep to speak."

Verse 10.-I am my beloved's, and his desire is towards me.

The spouse here appears to exult in her relationship to the King of Kings with holy boldness, saying, "1 am my beloved's, and his desire is towards me." Such is the living faith of the spouse in Christ, the resurrection and life of her soul. The same holy joy was witnessed by the disciples of old. See 1 John iii, 2.

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