Happy the Believer, who, whether enduring the blasts of the "north :" or enjoying the pleasant breezes of the "south wind"-the comforts of the gospel-the joy and peace of the Holy Ghost; is, in both cases, enabled to yield "spices," pleasing and grateful to the Lord of the vineyard.

Blessed, most blessed, effects of tribulation or blessing, which, like the wind (whether north or south) "sweeping the chords of the Æolian harp" with sweet and pleasant sounds, says, in the language of conscious fruitfulness, "Let my Beloved come into His garden, and eat His pleasant fruits."

CHAPTER V.

1. I am come into my garden, my sister, my spouse: I have gathered my myrrh with my spice; I have eaten my honeycomb with my honey; I have drunk my wine with my milk: eat, O friends; drink,

yea, drink abundantly, O beloved.

Most ready is Christ to hear and answer the prayers of His Church. Scarcely had the prayer for His presence gone forth from her lips, than lo! Jesus is present.

say

here I am."

"Thou shalt cry, and He shall How greatly does He delight in the souls, the

gracious souls of His dear people!

With what satisfaction does He "gather" the fruits; and "drink" not the wine only, which is for strong men, but even condescend to the "milk the small things-the little tokens of His Church's grateful and adoring love!

And what grace is here displayed. The Church invites her Lord. He comes and "brings the banquet Himself, and the guests also."

1. Is. ix. 58.

How free, and hearty, and loving His invitation"Eat O my friends." These only are welcomed at His table. How abundant His provisions—“He satisfieth the longing soul, and filleth the hungry soui with goodness.”1

Believers, may your souls be as this "garden" of the Lord, so that He can sup with you and you with Him!?

grace :

"Be

Be not straightened in Him, or His not drunk with wine, wherein is excess, but be filled with the Spirit.

"3

Of the wine of the kingdom Jesus bids you drink abundantly; yea, "drink of the rivers of God's pleasure and be abundantly satisfied."

995

2. I sleep, but my heart waketh: it is the voice of my beloved that knocketh, saying, Open to me my sister, my love, my dove, my undefiled: for my head is filled with dew, and my locks with

the drops of the night.

This evidently is not an unconscious state. It is a state of sleep, but not the sleep of spiritual death. It is the slumber of one who is only half awake. This is a most dangerous state of soul for a Christian;

2. Rev. iii. 20.

1. Ps. cvii. 9.
4. Ps. lxxxv. 26.

5.

3. Eph. v. 18. Ps. lxv. 4.

most grieving to the Lord's Spirit, though not incompatible with true grace. Indeed here, in the case before us, it was the Church who was in this sad condition.

Let us try to ascertain something of the nature of such a condition, and then see the manner in which the Lord deals with it.

I. I think one great evidence of a slumbering soul, is a dull, cold, lukewarm perception and enjoyment of spiritual religion: holding, perhaps, the truth in its theory, without exhibiting its savour and reality in the life.

If I see one, of whose gracious state I cannot properly doubt, grow weak in faith and cold in love; slothful in spirit; negligent about attending means of grace; palliating or excusing little sins (" is it not a little one?") exhibiting signs and symptoms of decided love for the world; impatient of all serious conversation about Christ and eternal things; then I cannot doubt that such an one is "slumbering."

If I meet with aged professors, and find them only babes in Christ-having little grace and little maturity-learners, when, for the time, they ought to be teachers; contenting their souls with outward ordinances; feeding on the mere husks; preferring the friendship of unconverted persons; then I am not in doubt that such are "slumbering" souls.

Now, in all such cases, and in all the variety of symptoms of slumbering, slothful souls, this will be

observed: the affections are dull and cold; the service formal and legal; they have left their “ first love;"1 prayer is shortened and only languid; the form observed, but little real prayer engaged in ; the Word read, but hurriedly, just as a salve to quiet conscience, and because habit calls for it.

The service of God in the sanctuary, though not altogether forsaken, yet only half liked; not enjoyed. The company of the righteous shunned.

A faithful awakening Christ-preaching ministry no longer sought after.

Family worship, omitted or slurred over.

These and many others, alas! too many to dwell upon, are among the many symptoms of a sleeping soul. And what are the causes which lead to such a condition?

Prosperity is one cause which promotes such a condition: the pride of life; love of show; doing as our wealthy and worldly neighbours do.

And the pride of poverty, too, which leads to over carefulness, and spirit of murmuring, and rebellion, envyings towards others, and thus towards God himself; this is "a fly in the ointment," which destroys the sweet savour of our spiritual state before God. This "dries up" the fountain of the Christian's soul; makes him an empty vessel, a dry and unctionless root!

1. Rev. ii. 4.