Intercourse in the Garden
Vidently the spouse held with her companions frequent intercourse — “The companions hearken to thy voice.” She frequently conversed with them. I hope it is so among those who dwell in Christ’s garden. It should be so: “Then they that feared the Lord spake often one to: another;” they had not now and then a crack, now and then the passing of the time of day, but they held frequent converse. Heaven will consist largely in the communion of saints, and if we would enjoy heaven below we must carry out the words of the creed in our practice, — “I believe in the communion of saints.” Let us show that we do believe in it. Some persons. sit still in their pews till the time to go, and then walk down the aisle in majestic isolation, as if they were animated statues. Do children thus come in and out of their father’s house with never a word for their brothers and sisters? I know professors who float through life like icebergs from whom it is safest to: keep clear: surely these partake not of the spirit of Christ? It is well when such icebergs are drawn into the gulf stream of Divine love and melt away into. Christ and His people. There should be among those who are children of the common Father a mutual love, and they should show this by frequent commerce in their precious things, making a sacred barter with one another. I like to hear them making sacred
* Cant. viii.
exchanges: one mentioning his trials, another quoting his deliverances; one telling how God has answered prayer, and another recording how the word of God has come to him with power. Such converse ought to be as usual as the talk of children of one family.
“Thou that dwellest in the gardens, the companions hearken to thy voice.” They do not merely hear it, and say to themselves, “I wish she would be quiet,” but they hearken, they lend an ear, they listen gladly. I know some Christians whose lips feed many. I could mention brethren and sisters who drop pearls from their lips whenever they speak. We have still among us Chrysostoms, or men of golden mouths; you cannot be with them for half an hour without being enriched. Their anointing is manifest, for it spreads to all around them. When the Spirit of God makes our communications sweet, then the more of them the better.
“Thou that dwellest in the gardens, the companions hearken to thy voice.’ She was in the gardens, but she was not quiet there, and why should she be? God gives us tongues on purpose that they should be used. As He made birds to sing, and stars to shine, and rivers to flow, so has He made men and women to converse with one another to His glory. Our tongue is the glory of our frame, and there would be no glory in its being foreverdumb. The monks of La Trappe, who maintain perpetual silence, do no more than the rocks among which they labour. When God makes bells He means to ring them. It may be thought to be a desirable thing, the converse was commendable, for the Bridegroom does not say to the spouse, “Thou that dwellest in the gardens, thy companions hear too much of thy voice.” No; He evidently mentions the fact with approval, because He draws an argument from it why He also should hear that self-same voice.
Is it because we have nothing to say of love, and ‘grace, and truth that we meet and part without learning or teaching anything? Perhaps so. I wish we had a little more small change of heavenly converse: -we have our crowns and sovereigns for the pulpit, we need groats and pence for common talk, all stamped with the image and superscription of the King of heaven. O Holy Spirit, enrich us after this sort! May our communications be such that if Jesus Himself ‘were near we might not be ashamed for Him to hear our voices. Make your conversation such that it may be commended by Christ Himself.
These communications were, no doubt, very dene- fictal. As iron sharpeneth iron, so does a man countenance his friend. Oh, what a comfort it is to drop in upon a cheerful person when you yourself are heavy! What a ballast it puts into your ship, when you are a little too merry, to meet with one in sore travail who bids you share his burden and emulate his faith. We are all the better, believe me, when our Lord can praise us, because the companions hearken to our voices.
In fact, our communications with one another ought to be preparatory to higher communications still.: The converse of saints on earth should be a rehearsal of their everlasting communion in heaven. We should begin here to be to one. another what we hope to be to one another world without end. And is it not pleasant to rise from communion with your brethren into communion with the Bridegroom ? — to have such
talk to one another that at last we perceive that truly our fellowship is with the Father and with His Son Jesus Christ? We thought that we only communed with our brethren; but, lo! we see that the Lord Himself is here; do not our heartsburn within us? We, too, are talking of Him, and now we see that He Himself is here, opening to us the Scriptures, and opening our hearts to receive those Scriptures in the power of them.
“The companions: hear thy voice: cause Me to. hear it.” It is beautiful to hear the Beloved say in effect, “I am going away from you, and you see Me no more; but I shall see you: do not forget Me. Though you will not hear My voice with your bodily ears, I shall hear your voices: therefore speak to Me.. Unseen I shall feed among the lilies; unperceived I shall walk the garden in the cool of the day: when you are talking to others do not forget Me. Sometimes turn aside,and when you have shut to the door, and no eye can see, nor ear can hear, then let Me hear thy voice: it has music in it to My heart, for I died to give you life. Let Me hear the voice of your prayer, and praise, and love.”
It is very loving and condescending to us that the Lord should wish to hear our voice.
It is condescending and gracious, and yet how natural it is! How like to Christ! Love ever seeks the company of that which it loves. What would a husband say if his wife was seen to be chatty and cheerful to everybody else, but never spoke to him? I cannot suppose such a case: it would make too sorrowful a household. I should pity the poor, broken-hearted man who should be forced to say, “My beloved, others hear thy voice, and admire it; wilt thou not speak to me, thy husband?” O believer, will you let the Lord Jesus, as it were with tears in His eyes, say to you, “You talk to everybody but to Me: you lay yourself out to please everybody but Me: you are a charming companion to everybody but to Me”? Oh, our Beloved, how ill have we treated Thee! How much have we slighted Thee! In looking back, I fear there are many of us who must feel as if this gentle word of the Lord had also a sharp side to it. I do remember my faults this day. The text goes like a dagger to my soul, for I have spoken all day long to others, and have had scarce a word for Him whom my soul loveth. Let us mend our converse, and henceforth show our Lord a truer love.