"Now the end of the commandment is charity, out of a pure heart, and of a good conscience, and of faith unfeigned."—1 Timothy 1:5 See, my soul, what Jesus hath secured for thee by his gracious undertaking and accomplishment, and which his servant was commissioned to tell the church, was the very end of the commandment; namely, charity, or love. And this law of love is given thee, that thou mightest manifest whose thou art, and to whom thou dost belong; not as a rule of acceptance, for then that would be to make thy love a covenant of works; but as a sweet testimony of thy affection in the hand of Jesus. It is a law of love indeed, because the cords of love,…

"And thou shalt not be for another man; so will I also be for thee."—Hosea 3:3 My soul, was not God the Holy Ghost representing, by the similitude of his servant the prophet's marriage with an adulteress, the astonishing marriage of Jesus with our nature, and his personal-union with every individual of his church and people? Look at this scripture, and see how sweetly it points to Jesus. The prophet was commanded to love this woman beloved of her friend, and yet an adulteress. He was to buy her also to himself: and he was to charge her to abide with him, and not to play the harlot any more, saying unto her: "And thou shalt not be for another man, so will I also…

"I would cause thee to drink of spiced wine, of the juice of my pomegranate."—Song of Solomon 8:2 What, my soul, hast thou aught to offer to thy Jesus? Will he accept a present at thine hand? Yes, Jesus will accept those goings forth of his own grace, his own gifts, in the exercises of faith, and love, and joy, and praise; when, by his own sweet and reviving communications, he hath called to the north wind, and to the south wind, to blow a gracious gale upon my soul, and causeth the very graces he himself hath planted in my heart to send forth all their powers in the enjoyment of his person and righteousness. And do not forget, my soul, for thine encouragement…

"Awake, O north wind, and come, thou south; blow upon my garden."—Song of Solomon 4:16 Are these the words of my Lord? Yes, surely, they can be no other; for none but Jesus can send the Holy Ghost to his church and people. And besides, none can call the church "my garden," but he that is the rightful owner of it. Surely, Lord, it is thine, both by thy Father's gift, and by thy choice, and by thy purchase, and by the conquests of thy grace, and by the voluntary surrender of thy people, when thou hast made them willing in the day of thy power. And dost thou call then, both the north wind and the south, thou dearest Lord, to blow upon my…

"Living waters shall go out from Jerusalem; half of them toward the former sea, and half of them toward the hinder sea: in summer and in winter shall it be."—Zechariah 14:8 My soul, was not this fulfilled in part when the gospel went forth from Jerusalem? And is it not now fulfilling, while the same blessed gospel is going forth from sea to sea, and from the river even unto the ends of the earth? Surely neither the summer's drought, nor the winter's frost, shall dry up or congeal those living waters. But, my soul, hast thou asked of Jesus, as the woman of Samaria did in the moment of Jesus's promise, for those living waters? Oh if thou knowest, my soul, this gift of…