THE BRIDE’S PROPOSAL
Come, my beloved,
Let us go forth into the field;
Let us lodge in the villages.
Let us get up early to the vineyards;
Let us see if the vine flourish,
If the tender grapes appear,
And the pomegranates bud forth:
There will I give thee my loves.
The mandrakes give a smell,
And at our gates
Are all manner of pleasant fruits,
New and old,
Which I have laid up
For thee, O my beloved.
Shulamite speaks, in reply to the King, as having her heart on her native fields and vineyards—the rural scenes and employments in which she had been brought up. These more attractive to her pure and simple mind, with its genuine love of nature, than the splendour and ceremony of a court. Probably the wish also present, that her native locality might enjoy the benefit of her exaltation. But for all this, or whatever might be the object of her proposal, her Beloved must go along with her. Painful now any thought of separation from him. His presence and society her only earthly happiness and joy.
The Church of Christ and believers individually, happy as the Bride of the Son of God, look out in pity and in the bowels of their Lord, on the lands of the heathen, and a world lying in wickedness, to which they had themselves belonged. Thus the Church of Pentecost soon ‘went everywhere preaching the Word.’ This according to the will and commission of her Lord. ‘Go ye into all the world,’ &c. ‘Ye shall be witnesses unto Me in Judea and Samaria, even unto the uttermost ends of the earth.’ The apostles and disciples were to begin at Jerusalem, but not to stop there. Strictly, the resolution of the Church at Antioch, under the direction of the Holy Ghost, the first full verification of the text (Acts 13:1, &c.). Subsequently, a second made by the apostles, to visit the places among the heathen where they had preached the Gospel, and ‘to see how they did (Acts 15:36). Shulamite’s ‘come’ an echo of her Beloved’s (Chron. Song of Solomon 2:10-13). The Church, in time, responds to Christ’s Call, and pleads the fulfilment of His promise. The text suggestive of
The Church’s Calling.
That calling a Missionary one. The Church called to carry out the Mission of Christ into all the world. To be no longer the spring shut up, but streams flowing forth. Made the bearer of the glad tidings of a Saviour intended for all people. Christ is to be set up as an ensign in every land. That ensign to be carried and displayed by the Church (Isaiah 11:12; Psalms 60:4). The ‘day of good tidings’ to be shared in by a perishing world. The King’s commission to his servants, to go out into the hedges and highways, the streets and lanes of the city, to invite in the poor and needy, and even to compel them to come to the marriage feast. The Gospel to be preached in the ‘villages,’ as well as the large centres of population. But observe—
1. The Lord’s presence with the Church necessary for success in her efforts for the evangelization of the world. Shulamite’s language to the King that of the evangelistic Church pleading with Christ for His presence. ‘Come, my beloved, let us go forth,’ &c. Moses’ pleading with God to be that of the minister and missionary before going forth to deliver his message: ‘If Thy presence go not with us, carry us not up hence.’ Preparation important; but Christ’s presence and power essential. Christ’s word to the faithful and thoughtful preacher that to Gideon as the Lord looked on him: ‘Go in this thy might: have not I sent thee?’ Christ’s promise to His sent servants: ‘Lo I am with you alway.’ The promise, however, to be pleaded in prayer, and laid hold of by faith. The resolve of the Apostles: ‘We will give ourselves to prayer and the ministry of the Word.’
2. Christ’s presence necessary also for His servants’ strength and refreshment in the midst of their labours. Christ wont at times to take His disciples apart (Mark 6:31; John 18:2). Himself whole nights in prayer. The Gospel-fishermen’s nets to be mended in private, as well as managed in public. To teach others successfully, we need to be taught successively ourselves. The wheels of the Gospel chariot the better for frequent oiling. To be ‘endued with fresh power from on high,’ the preacher needs to ‘tarry’ awhile with the Master. The lamp shines more brightly in the pulpit after being trimmed in the closet. Christ’s presence lightens the preacher’s labour, and carries him over every difficulty. In labour or rest, the Master’s presence the faithful servant’s Paradise. Nature only lovely and delightful, when the Lord of Nature is with him.
3. Love to Christ to characterize every preacher of the Gospel. Shulamite’s language to the King: ‘Come, my Beloved.’ Love to Christ the source of ministerial devotedness, and the secret of ministerial success. The motto of the prince of preachers. ‘The love of Christ constraineth us.’ The charge: ‘Feed my lambs; feed my sheep,’ only given to Peter after the thrice-repeated declaration of his love to the Master. The preacher to labour as a portion of the Bride of Him whom he preaches, and as therefore having a personal interest in the work. ‘The Spirit and the Bride say, Come.’
4. Promptness and diligence necessary in the Church’s discharge of her calling. ‘Let us get up early to the vineyards.’ The text of John Wesley’s last sermon, preached after a laborious ministry of above half a century,—‘The King’s business requireth haste.’ His own practice was to rise at four o’clock. The New Testament Church early and zealous in its labours for the evangelization of the world. The Apostle, some time before his death, speaks of the Gospel as having been preached ‘in all the world,’ and ‘to every creature under heaven’ (1 Chronicles 1:6, 1 Chronicles 1:6; Colossians 1:23). Need for promptness. Men dying at the rate of one every second. Thousands dying daily without Christ, and without even the knowledge of Him. Vast ‘fields’ open, and ‘white to the harvest.’
5. The Church to inquire carefully into the success of the Gospel and the spiritual state of the world, both at home and abroad. Ministers and missionaries not merely to preach and labour, but to look for results. The work the servant’s, and the success the Master’s. True, but success promised, and to be expected. God’s promise that His Word shall not return to him ‘void.’ Generally the faithful and prayerful labourer who expects most, the most successful. Fulfilment of divine promises in regard to the Church and the world to be believingly and earnestly looked for. All flesh to see the salvation of God. The knowledge of the Lord to cover the earth. Men to be blessed in Christ, and all nations to call Him blessed. Christ to inherit all nations. The people to be gathered to Shiloh. The idols to be utterly abolished.
6. The believer’s love to Christ to be displayed in his diligently carrying out the Saviour’s wish in regard to the evangelization of the world, and the conversion of sinners to himself. ‘There will I give thee my loves.’ The Church and believer’s warmest love to Christ found in connection with their most self-denying labours in making Him known to others. The believer then most acceptable to Christ, when caring most for the souls whom He bought with His blood. His ‘loves’ given best to his Lord when going in His bowels and in His steps after the sheep that was lost. ‘There,’—not on the couch of selfish care and indulgence, but in the place of labour and sacrifice, in the spirit and work of His Master, does He give Him his ‘loves.’
7. The Church’s aim to bring forth spiritual children to Christ. ‘The mandrakes give a smell.’ The mandrake a very strong smelling plant’ growing in Palestine. The fruit, gathered in wheat harvest or the month of May, and perhaps other parts of the plant, thought by the Orientals to favour conception (Genesis 30:14-16). The Church to be ‘a joyful mother of children.’ ‘Married’ to Christ that ‘she may bring forth fruit unto God’ (Romans 7:4). The part of faithful ministers and others to ‘travail in birth until Christ be formed’ in the souls of others. When Zion, in her ministers and members, travails, she brings forth her children (Isaiah 66:8). The preaching of the Gospel, accompanied by faith, love, and prayer, on the part both of preacher and people, the true means of the Church’s spiritual conception.
8. The result of the Church’s labours an abundance of spiritual fruit. ‘At (or over) our gates (or door, according to the practice in Eastern houses) are all manner of pleasant fruits.’ Such fruits the sample and foretaste of what was to come. The Church’s fruits an acceptable gift to Christ. ‘My soul desired the first ripe fruit.’ ‘I have chosen you and ordained you, that ye should go and bring forth fruit. Herein is My Father glorified, that ye bring forth much fruit.’ The minister’s true ambition to have many souls to present to Jesus at His coming. ‘Here am I and the children whom thou hast given me.’ The most ‘pleasant fruits’ to Christ, the souls whom He has redeemed with His blood, sought out and brought to Him by His loving people. These fruits both ‘new and old.’ The Church’s converts from both Jews and Gentiles, those of the Old Covenant as well as the New, those that were ‘nigh,’ as well as those who had been ‘afar off.’ In the New Testament Church the graces of the age of the Law increased by those of that of the Gospel. ‘Instead of the fathers shall be the children.’ Believers not to be satisfied with first principles, but to go on unto perfection (Hebrews 6:1).
9. All the Church’s works to be begun and carried on for Christ. ‘Which I have laid up for thee, O my beloved.’ Believers to do what they do ‘heartily, as to the Lord, and not unto men.’ Love to Christ to be the mainspring of the believer’s labours. The salvation of a soul to be dear, but the glory of Christ still dearer. The salvation of souls to be dearest because Christ’s glory is bound up with it. The strongest motive with a faithful and loving labourer, that Christ shall ‘see of the travail of his soul and be satisfied.’ Love considers that best bestowed which is bestowed on its object. Mary’s precious ointment best employed in anointing her Saviour’s feet. All services now lovingly done for Christ to be one day called for, acknowledged, and rewarded. ‘Inasmuch as ye have done it unto one of the least of these, my brethren, ye have done it unto me.’