in the day of His power-if He has covered you with His own righteousness (that garment of "fine linen pure and white") then be sure you will evidence this by your own personal and increasing likeness to Him: by your fruitfulness in all those things which set forth the holiness and richness of His grace.

But, observe Christ increaseth this commendation of His Church, by the contrast He draws between "His love"-(the Church,) and the wicked the thorns."

"As the lily among the thorns so is my Beloved." -The Believer growing up in the midst of an ungodly world, is like the lily, in a wilderness of "briars and thorns."

The wicked, who are Christless-are like the thorns and briars-" The sons of Belial shall be all of them as thorns thrust away, because they cannot be taken with hands.' 991

They are worthless and unfruitful towards God!“Do men gather grapes of thorns, or figs of thistles ?” They choke the word of life-the good seedas we read in the Parable of the Sower.

They grieve and hurt the people of God. Lot was pricked with these thorns: for His "righteous soul was vexed every day by their ungodly deeds and wicked conversation."

1. II. Sam. xxiii. 6. 2. Mat. vii 16. 3. II. Pet. ii. 8.

And what child of God, has not, in some measure, experienced this? Like a solitary lily, in a household of thorns, your lot may be cast. Day by day, your soul is vexed, by what you see, and hear, and feel. Marvel not at this. Be not discouraged, although you stand alone, among "thorns and briars!" You are not alone, for He is with you-who walked in the furnace of fire, with Shadrach, Meshech, and Abednego. You will be soon transplanted to another garden, where neither "briar nor thorn" springs up, and into which nothing that "worketh abomination or maketh a lie can enter."

But, the end of the ungodly will be like that of "briars and thorns."-They will be bound in bundles and burned with unquenchable fire," as thorns cut up shall they be burned in the fire.'

Oh! thoughtless sinners, hear the word of the Lord! He compares you to thorns. Whatever you may be in your own opinion, or that of the world's: however amiable may be your natural character and disposition :—however lofty the rank and position you occupy :-this is what Christ thinks of you;-like briars and thorns useless cumberers of the ground, and "fit only for the BURNING?"

Oh! Christless soul, think of your condition.—

1. Rev. xxi. 27.

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2. Is. xxxiii. 12.

As yet, the "Prince of this world," is not finally cast down under our feet. Exalted to "the

hearts of His

right hand of God" in glory, the Lord Jesus condescends to dwell in the people, and like "a bundle of myrrh," (which by Jacob was esteemed a worthy gift for a Prince1 and by Moses required as an ingredient for the holy anointing oil:2 and by the wise men of the east, brought as their choicest present to the Holy Child, Jesus,) "like a bundle of myrrh"-full of "sweet smelling odours"-celebrated alike for its healing properties, as well as its cleansing power and pleasant perfume, So is Christ to His Church, during the "night" of her bridegroom's absence. "To them that believe, He is precious.”—

"They love the name of Jesus,

Emanuel, Christ the Lord;

Like spikenard on the breezes,

His name abroad is poured."

"By His stripes they are healed." By His blood they are cleansed (the blood of Jesus Christ cleanseth from all sin.) "By His Spirit they are made acceptable and meet for the presence of their King" being clothed upon with His glorious body whose garments smell of myrrh, aloes and cassia." They who have thus found Christ-" their wisdom, sanctification, and redemption"-value and esteem His presence above all else.

1. Gen. xliii. 11.

2. Ex. xxx. 23.

They desire His presence, in their hearts, during the long "night" of their pilgrimage. That which is nearest and most precious, we place in our bosoms both for greater safety, as well as greater honour.

The Church desires, that under every dispensation which may befall her, during the "night" of her sojourning here-Jesus would dwell nearest and closest to her heart-" He shall lie all night between my breasts."

14. My beloved is unto me as a cluster of camphire
in the vineyards of En-gedi.

All the choicest and most costly productions of nature, are nothing, in comparison with His excellency, who is the "chiefest among ten thousand and altogether lovely."

Nevertheless they serve, by way of comparison, to set forth the delight and pleasure the Church took in Him, whom she again calls her" beloved," and compares to "a cluster of camphire in the vineyards of En-gedi."

As to the perplexing, and in some measure, unedifying interpretations which the learned have suggested, in reference to the particular shrub, ("copher")" camphire :" it is unnecessary here to

speak. Suffice it to say-that whatever the precise nature of the shrub was, to which Solomon referred --it was one notable for its excellencies. Its virtues, like the Sun in the Heavens-were peculiarly suitable to set forth the glories of Jesus, in whom was exhibited all the treasures of the Godhead bodily.

It is however, worthy of consideration, that the Hebrew word "copher," also signifies "atonement," or propitiation.'

In that sense, the Christian Reader will readily see its application to Jesus, who "bare our sins in His own body on the tree," and made "propitiation for our sins," and thus made us as one with God, through "the blood of His Cross."

The observation of Bishop Patrick, is most striking and precious.

He says the ancient Jewish Doctors, by dividing the Hebrew word "Eshcol," (a cluster) and reading the words thus "ish-col, copher,"-learned that mystery which their degenerate children afterwards rejected—the mystery of a suffering Messiah. The words read thus in connexion with the whole of the

passages, make the sentence " my beloved is unto to me as one that expiates all things."

One would almost have thought that the explanation of this verse, as given in the Talmud—had n written by a Christian, rather than a Jewish