Songs 6:11 I went down into the garden of nuts to see the fruits of the valley, and to see whether the vine flourished and the pomegranates budded… I. THE CHURCH IS A GARDEN. There are four gardens which may furnish us with ample materials for meditation. 1. The garden of Eden, where man was formed, and where man fell. 2. The garden of Gethsemane, where the Saviour often resorted with His disciples. 3. The garden of Calvary, belonging to Joseph of Arimathca. 4. The Church. Now the three former gardens were real gardens; the latter is a garden metaphorically considered only; a spiritual garden, a garden for the soul, and for eternity. A garden requires much careful attention. A garden is a place of pleasure and delight. In a word, it is also a place of profit too. It yields not only flowers, but fruits. The Church is always "filled with all the fruits of righteousness, which are by Jesus Christ, unto the glory and praise of God." Some gardens yield the owner his chief income. -God derives His principal revenue of honour from His Church. II. IN THIS GARDEN THERE IS A VARIETY OF TREES. There are three kinds of trees spoken of here. Now I am not going to make a comparison between Christians, comparing some of them to nut trees, and some to vines, and some to pomegranates. But as you find all these, however they differ, in the same garden, so it is with the subjects of Divine grace. They are all, however they differ from each other, "trees of righteousness, the planting of the Lord, that He may be glorified. And however distinguished from each other, they stand in the very same state, and are in the same relation to Him and to each other. What do we learn from hence? Why, that you should never oppose Christians to each other, crying up one, and crying down another, because they are not the same, but valuing them all, loving them all, praying, for them all Grace be with all them that love our Lord Jesus Christ in sincerity. What do we learn from hence? Why, that you should not look for everything from the same individual. Do not go to the nut-bush for the grapes, and do not go to the vine for the pomegranate. You cannot expect all these fruits upon the same tree. III. HE ENTERS THIS GARDEN FOR THE PURPOSE OF INSPECTING IT. He enters His garden indeed for other purposes, too. He enters it to walk there; He enters it to enjoy His pleasant fruits them, and He loves to hold intercourse and communion with His saints. But here He speaks of entering it, you see, for another purpose; for as the garden is His own, it is so valuable that He will not treat it with neglect or overlook it. No; "I went down," says He, "to see the fruits of the valley: for the garden is low, and the Church is lowly." "I went down to see the fruits of the valley." He is continually inspecting His Church; and how qualified is He for this! "His eyes are as a flame of fire:" distance is nothing to Him; darkness is nothing to Him. And what is His aim when He comes to examine? Not to ascertain whether you are learned, but whether you are "wise unto salvation"; not whether you are rich, but whether you are "rich towards God"; not whether your bodies are inhealth, but whether "your souls prosper"; and so of the rest. IV. WHEN HE COMES TO EXAMINE HIS GARDEN, HE LOOKS AFTER EVEN THE FIRST BEGINNINGS OF GRACE. "I went down to see whether the vines flourished, and the pomegranates budded." Observe, not only to look after the flourishing of the vine, but the budding of the pomegranates. Oh I that is a fine bud when a man no longer restrains prayer before God, but cries, "God be merciful to me a sinner!" When his tear drops upon his Bible, and he says, "Lord, save, or I perish." One of the earliest buddings of religion, I am persuaded, is love to the Lord's people, and tenderness towards them, and delight in them. But why does the Saviour look after the very buddings of grace, and value these? We answer, because they are His own producing, the work of His own Spirit in the heart. And because they are necessary: for though there may be buds without fruit, there can be no fruit without buds; though there may be a beginning without advancing or finishing, there can be no advancing or finishing without a beginning. These things, therefore, are essentially necessary. And because also they are sure pledges of something more. He sees in them the peace of God — sees in them pardon — sees in them the comforts of the Holy Ghost. Oh! there is heaven in that bud! Oh! there is an immensity, an eternity of glory and blessed Hess in that bud! It will bring forth fruit unto life eternal. (W. Jay.) Parallel Verses KJV: I went down into the garden of nuts to see the fruits of the valley, and to see whether the vine flourished, and the pomegranates budded. |
    |