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and the spouse promises in allusion to eastern manners, to entertain him with the most choice perfumes': but the language is highly metaphorical. She had before compared his name to liquid perfume, and I conceive her meaning to be, that she would extol him before the company, and that her praises should perfume his character, equal to the fragrancy of ointments poured out, or of spices burnt before him.

In this view the allegory admits of an easy and beautiful application. The Redeemer is (or at least ought to be) at all times the object of the believer's admiration and gratitude. We should praise him in contemplating the works of nature and of providence-we should praise him in all the ordinances of his house, but most eminently at his table, when he sitteth in the circle of his 'friends.' Then should our hearts burn with holy gratitude; then should our lips celebrate his love, and our graces exhale like the perfume of spikenard.

1 On nuptial occasions, and at all royal and noble feasts, the eastern nations are very profuse in their use of perfumes. Some instances occur in the history of our Lord himself in the New Testament. See Mark xiv. 3. John xii. 3.

Of the true spikenard of the antients there have been some disputes. Three dissertations on it may be found in the Asiatic Researches. [See vol. II. 405. IV. 418.] Dr. Roxburgh calls it Valeriana Jatamans. He had the living plants growing in baskets, and in each basket were about thirty or forty hairy spike-like bodies, more justly compared to the tails of ermine or small weasels. They could not be brought to flower out of its native soil-Bootan. It is used both for perfume and medicine.

While at the table sits the king,
'He loves to see us smile and sing:

Our graces are our best perfume,

And breathe like spikenard round the room.

The words may, however, be extended to the whole of the communion subsisting between the Lord and his people, in acts of social worship. • The prayers of saints' are in the New Testament compared to incense; and believers, from their being permitted at all times to offer these, are considered as priests' whose office it is to offer incense unto God"."

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Beside sprinkling and burning perfumes, the easterns frequently use bunches of odoriferous plants as we do nosegays, and sometimes wear little bags or bottles of perfume in their bosoms3: both which circumstances are alluded to in the next verses.

By a bundle, bag, or bottle of myrrh, I understand a small vessel filled with liquid myrrh, or that precious stacte which exudes from the tree of its own accord, and was probably worn in the bosom to exhilirate the spirits. By the By the cypress here mentioned is supposed to be intended the benna (or hinna) a plant in very high esteem with the Arabians, and other eastern nations. Shaw says, • This beautiful and odoriferous plant, ' if it is not annually cut and kept very low, grows ten or twelve feet high, putting out its little

Watts, Hymn lxvi. B. I.

* See Harmer on Sol. Song, p. 212. &c.

2 Rev. v. 18.

Dr.

flowers in clusters which yield a most grateful smell like camphire'.'

It was at the island Hinzuan or Johuna, that Sir W. JONES first saw the hinna, which he describes as a very elegant shrub, about six feet high before it was in flower. On bruizing some of the leaves, moistened with water, and applying it to the nails and tips of the fingers, they were in a short time changed to an orange scarlet'. Sonnini describes this plant as of a sweet smell, and commonly worn by women in their bosoms3.

From this plant being said to grow in the • vineyards of En-gedi,' we may remark, that the Hebrews did not restrict the term vineyards to ground devoted to the culture of vines, but included in it every kind of plantation for the culture of curious and exotic plants. The senti ment expressed under both these images is the same, and amounts I conceive to this; That the sense and recollection of her beloved's af fection was to her pleasant, reviving, and animating, like the choicest perfumes even worn 'continually in the bosom.

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Such is the Lord Jesus Christ to his church,

Travels, p. 113, 114. 2d. edit.

2 Works, vol. I. p. 493.

3 Hunter's Trans. vol. I. p. 273.

• See Calmet's Dict. also Harmer on Sol. Song, p. 34. The original word for remain signifies to stay, abide, remain,' and is by no means confined to the night. Bate, Parkhurst, Harmer.

and to the individual believers of which it is composed.

1. His love is precious like myrrh. Images `of this kind make but weak impressions on the imagination of an European; but to see the manner in which an Asiatic enjoys perfumes would suggest a strong idea of the rapturous manner in which St. Paul expresses his sense of redeeming love: O the height and depth, the length and 'breadth of the love of Christ!'

2. We should endeavour to preserve this sense of the love of Christ in our hearts-wear it in our bosoms. So saith the apostle JUDE: Keep 'yourselves in the love of God; looking for the mercy of the Lord Jesus Christ unto eternal ' life'.' The continual recollection of the love of Christ to us, is the most certain way to keep alive our affection to him.

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3. The Jews have a remark on this text, which, though caballistical enough, may be worth re. peating. They observe, in their mystical way, that the original word for cypress signifies also an atonement; and that the two words, a cluster of cypress, may with a slight variation be changed into the man who propitiates all things,' and point strongly to the Messiah, and his death and sacrifice. Dr. Watts beautifully alludes to this idea.

As myrrh new bleeding from the tree,
Such is a dying Christ to me;
And while he makes my soul his guest,
Thy bosom, Lord! shall be my rest.'

1 Jude, ver. 21.

SECTION III.

Ch. I. ver. 15-17.

Bridegroom. Behold, thou art beautiful, my consort: Behold, thou art beautiful! thine eyes are doves.

Spouse.

Behold, thou art beautiful, my beloved; yea pleasant:

Yea verdant is our carpet.

Bridegroom. Cedars are the roof of our house,
And the Brutine trees our rafters.

Dr. KENNICOTT makes a division here, with a change of scene; and, though I confess myself rather doubtful, I have followed his example. If we continue the scene, we must consider this verse as an answer to the affectionate expressions of the spouse in the preceding paragraph; commending her beauty, and, in particular her eyes, as the faithful index of her heart. The general current of critics and interpreters run a parallel between her eyes and the eyes of doves, and it is certain that there is something very beautiful and striking in the eyes of the carrier pigeon, which is the true Assyrian dove: but having considered the construction of the original, and the manner in which the same image is afterwards introduced, with the nature of the parabolic imagery, I am compelled to yield to the opinion of Dr. HoDGSON', that the eyes are compared, not to the eyes of doves, but to doves themselves: for, as he observes, when it is afterwards said, her eyes are fishpools,' it must be taken in this manner; and so elsewhere her hair and teeth

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