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thirsteth for more, so is every child of God daily asking, daily desiring more grace, more faith, more love.

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Stay me with flagons"-but she rests not here; she enlargeth her desires." Comfort me with apples." As in the former part of her request, the church plainly has reference to the " banqueting house" into which she had been brought; so in this to that" apple tree" (verse 3.), whose fruit was so sweet to her taste.

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By these apples we may understand the hopes and promises of the gospel which, when " fitly spoken,” are "like apples of gold in pictures of silver."

How comforting to the glorious doctrines of grace!

to them which believe!

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child of God are the

How precious Jesus is

"How sweet the name of Jesus sounds

In a Believer's ear,

It soothes his sorrows, heals his wounds,

And drives away his fear."

How comforting to the Believer's soul are the great and glorious doctrines of grace, such for instance as the Divine sovereignty—the soul's justification by faith3 the sanctification by the Spiritthe final perseverance of Believers,5 and the future

1. Prov. xxv. 11.

2. Job xxiii. 13.-Isai. xl. 13-14.-Rom. xi. 34.

4. Rom. xv. 16.- Jno. xvii. 17-19.

3. Rom. viii. 33.

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consummation and restitution of all things at the coming and glory of Jesus!!

Brethren Believers, in the hour of temptation or feebleness, when the flesh is weak and the spirit buffeted by Satan, when doubts and fears torment your soul, how welcome are " the apples" of com. fort which the promises and consolations of the gospel afford. To "read, mark, learn, and inwardly digest” such promises and doctrines as (Rom. v. 1.)

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Therefore being justified," &c.: (Rom. viii. 1. and 31.)" There is therefore now no," &c. How full of sweet and unspeakable comfort! How blessed are the eyes that see, how happy the hearts that can feel, rest upon, and realise the comfort, the truth, and the power of these inestimable truths!

Alas! Alas! of how much comfort and joy do we rob ourselves by unbelief! Refusing to give credit to the blessed promises of the Lord-how often do we sin away our comforts by unlawful seeking of them in the world. We who ought to be the salt of the earth loose our savour. We who are sent into the world to be witnesses for Jesus, are ashamed of Him.

Thus the comforts of the gospel are lost. Holiness and consolation are wisely and necessarily joined together in the covenant of grace.

If you would walk happily you must also walk closely with Jesus! It is indeed true that salvation

1. Acts iii. 20-21.

This you may

is sure to every Believing soul. believe and hold; and yet the joy of it you may loose. "Restore unto me (said penitent David) the joy of thy salvation." He had lost it, though grace

had not lost him.

thy law."

"Great peace have they that love

If then you would enjoy the comforts of the gospel banquet, not only pray for a spiritual taste both to know and relish its joyful sound and the sweet fruits it furnishes its table with, but take heed that your garments are kept clean from the world's impure touch. Then like ancient Believers, you will walk both in the fear of the Lord and in the comfort of the Holy Ghost.

The reason which the Church gives as an argument for the desired relief deserves notice-" for I am sick of love."

This was a spiritual sickness. There are various bodily sicknesses, so also various spiritual ones. There is the sickness of sin which is a sickness unto eternal death unless it be cured.

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This is hereditary in every one of us! We brought it into the world. It has grown with our growth, and waxed stronger with our strength.

It has spread its deadly poison over every faculty of man's soul, as well as every limb of his body. There is no part clean from it.

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"The whole head is sick and the whole heart faint, from the crown of the head even unto the sole of the foot;" sin has wrought in man's nature.

If perchance some poor sin-sick soul has cast his or her eye upon this page, whose soul is sick and nigh unto death, oh, let me tell such an one "Behold! there is one, even Jesus, able and willing to save your life! Here is one-the only one-the great physician of Israel, whose balm of Gilead, compounded with His own most precious blood and tears, can give you health of soul!" Yes, poor worldling, you may be ignorant of that deadly disease, which like a consuming fever, is eating away the life of your soul. This only makes your case more pitiable. You may be seeking other remedies and other physicians. This is only aggravating your disease. You may be like the poor woman in the the gospel, spending all your substance upon them, and yet be none the better, but rather the worse!

If thy sickness is to be cured, you must come to Jesus!

Alas! Alas! that dying, perishing sinners should sink down into the bottomless pit, with these words ringing in their ears, "Ye will not come to me that

ye might have life!

But this is not the sickness spoken of here. It is a sickness arising from a longing to enjoy more of the

1. Isa. i. 6.

presence of Jesus and the comfortable assurance of His gracious favour. I say longing to enjoy, because every child of God may enjoy the most comfortable assurance of Christ's presence and favour. And such as have tasted that the Lord is gracious, will be earnestly desirous of attaining to the most excellent joy and consolation which He can give.

This is implied in the language of this passage. The Church was "sick of love," and longed for the comfort which the assurance of having a vital interest in Christ, could only give. Many a Christian reader will probably read his or her own experience in that of the text!

At such times betake yourselves to Jesus. Come to Him again, simply as a thirsty, fainting sinner, waiting for fresh streams of His love and salvation!

Amidst all your weakness, buffetings and temptations, remember, if a good work has been, by the grace of God, commenced in your soul, it will also be perfected. God does not give and then take He does not begin and then discover that

away.

He can not carry out.

What He gives in the way of grace, He gives for eternity, as the apostle Paul also saith," the gifts and calling of God are without repentance."1

When your soul is sick, when you see not your tokens, when your soul is cast down and

1. Rom. xi. 29.

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