Notes of a Sermon by The Rev. John Kennedy, D.D., Dingwall: “Rise up, my love, my fair one, and come away” (Song of Solomon, ii. 10-13)

OLD Testament songs are usually prophetic. We might expect this. The grand matter of their joy was future—the coming of Messiah. He was to them then, in the revelation of Him which they had, as the Morning Star, pointing to a coming day, when the Sun of Righteousness would arise. The first coming of Christ to redeem by sacrifice was a matter of promise as surely as His coming the second time without sin unto salvation. But He is to the New Testament Church still as the Morning Star. Present revelations of Him, even in Gospel light, are but preludes of a coming day, when faith shall give place to vision and hope to enjoyment. The voice of Christ was sweet to the Old Testament Church. To her it was sweet as it announced His coming. His voice is heard in the promise though mountains intervened, and the eye of hope sees Him coming over them all. Meantime it was winter, and the Church was within walls. The time for going outside had not come. Meantime her Beloved came only to the lattice outside to give her a glimpse through types and prophecies, for through these came all the light to her. Instead of clear glass, it was lattice that covered her window. It suited winter, and it let in but broken glimpses of her Beloved. She was as a roe or a young hart. He could come over mountains and hills to her. But He was easily scared away, and only glimpses of Him could be caught.

Even still, though Christ has come over the mountains and hills, and though in fulfilment of promise became incarnate, and crucified and risen, He is still to His Church on earth as one looking through the lattice. She has not to look out from the lattice to see Him at a distance. He has come. He is showing Himself at the lattice, but He is still as a roe or a young hart, of whom only glimpses are seen, and easily provoked to hide Himself. It is only through a glass He can even now be seen. Occasionally, through the means and ordinances in the light of the gospel which is now shining, does He make Himself known to His people. “My Beloved spake, she recognised His voice,” and said unto me. He spoke to herself, He spoke to her heart, and she knew and felt this. In further addressing you from the text, let us consider—

I. The terms of endearment applied to the Church.

I. “My love.”—my loved one. He is entitled to speak of His love to her, and He is entitled to speak to her of His love. His love passeth knowledge, and she is His spouse. These words are sweet.

1. As they express a love that was from eternity. It was no recent thing, a fit which may soon pass away. Oh, no! He loved her from everlasting. Her love is of yesterday only. She has not far to look back till her eye rests on years of ignorance, unbelief, enmity, and rebellion. But in His eye, though it can sweep eternity, there appears no beginning to His love. Oh! how sweet to a loved one to discover that for years the lover’s affection was fixed upon her even while she knew it not. But, oh! what is this compared with this telling His Church of a love that was before the foundation of the world was laid?

2. As they express a love that was well proved. It was proved in the glory and joy of heaven throughout a past eternity. Oh! that He would think of you there, of your place on earth. But think as one living and think with gladness in the purport of all He would do for you and in you on the earth. Oh! was it not proved in His coming, and work and death in the flesh. Oh! was it not proved in His coming after He had sat down at the Father’s right hand in the chariot of the gospel to your door, and stood there for twenty years rejected and despised? Oh! was it not proved in His coming to woo and win you to be His in a time of love in a day of power. And since then has He not been to you better than your deserts and your hopes?

3. As they express a pledged and plighted love—“My love.” See with all thy wants and unworthiness, with all thy sins and sores. Oh! how lovers long for words of plighted love. Here they are—“My love.” because my sister, my spouse.

“My fair one.” Ah! is she so? She was not so always. He made her so. In His own righteousness, He is not ashamed to present her before God. And she has His own image outlined on her heart. How sweet to Christ is her beauty. There are three reasons why it is so.

1. It is the beauty of His “love.” How one enjoys the beauty of our object of love. Who can conceive of Christ’s delight? It must correspond with His love.

2. It is conformity to Himself. There are tastes that vary. What is beauty in itself is not so to some. What is to some is not so to others. But this is the beauty which accords with Christ’s taste. It is the beauty of His own image. It is the beauty of holiness.

3. It is the beauty that shall never fade. Yea, it shall only be more and more developed till the daughter of the King becomes all glorious within.

4. Fruit of this travail. [This head is not developed in the manuscript.]

II. “Arise and come away.”

When first He spoke to her it was with a stern voice. She was then lying on a bed of sloth at the brink of hell. He awakened her, for it was He who came by His Spirit to convince her of sin. He summoned her to arise to meet God on Sinai. He called her to arise and pay her debt to justice and to the law. She heard the awful curse and she heard the holy commandment. It was, “These do and live,” “do or die,” yea, it was “do and die.” “Sinner,” “child of wrath,” were then the names given to her. It was the winter season then. Dark and stormy and barren.

When next He called her it was as a sinner still. She was then lying in the horrible pit, fast in the miry clay. Spiritual death had its hands around her. The enemy wound her with all the fetters he could forge. Her heart was full of enmity and dread, and her hope had just expired. But this voice called her effectually from the grave. She arose in life and hope from the grave.

When next He called her winter had passed. It was the spring-time of a state of grace. She had begun to rest on her attainments, to fix a complacent eye on her beauty, forgetting Him who made her fair. Arise and come away from all you have received. Arise and live by faith.

1. Arise from thine attainments. 2. Arise from thy slumbers on the bed of carnal ease. 3. Arise and leave all in the world behind thee of which the flesh would make an idol. This is not your rest. 4. Arise from thy inward skulking place. Face the work, face the foe, face the cross, the self-denial. 5. From thy despondency into hope—get above the clouds and the darkness.

“Come away” with me. This is the inducement. Be content—1. With my salvation for thy help and health. 2. With my service for thy employment. 3. With my company and communion for thy joy. 4. With my guidance for your direction. 5. With my God for your God. 6. With my people for your people. 7. With my palace for your house.

III. The first season to mark is the day of Christ’s coming.

Then the voice of Christ thus addressed the Church. The winter then passed. The spring had come. Signs of spring at the coming of Christ, songs of angels, birds of the air, Simeon in the temple, John Baptist as with the sad voice of the turtle, preparing for fruitful service to the Church. Joyful times may be called the season here referred to. Called outside the wall to Him who came.

1. The spring-time of a state of grace. Singing of peace and joy in believing, sad notes of repentance, a beginning of fruit—not ripe, but promising—the kind but not the attainment—the thing but not the fulness.

2. At the dawn of glory. Call to leave all on earth. All earthly things—all things in the Church on earth—even faith and hope—all trials and temptations—the body itself—to go with Him.

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