all spots; but when the reflecting
surface is turned fully towards us we see no spot, we see our own image.
So while the bride is delighting in the beauty of the Bridegroom He
beholds His own image in her; there is no spot in that: it is all fair.
May we ever present this reflection to His gaze, and to the world in
which we live for the very purpose of reflecting Him.

Note again His words:--

Thine eyes are as dove's,

or

Thou hast dove's eyes.

The hawk is a beautiful bird, and has beautiful eyes, quick and
penetrating; but the Bridegroom desires not hawk's eyes in His bride.
The tender eyes of the innocent dove are those which He admires. It was
as a dove that the HOLY SPIRIT came upon Him at His baptism, and the
dove-like character is that which He seeks for in each of His people.

The reason why David was not permitted to build the Temple was a very
significant one. His life was far from perfect; and his mistakes and
sins have been faithfully recorded by the HOLY SPIRIT. They brought upon
him GOD'S chastenings, yet it was not any of these that disqualified him
from building the Temple, but rather his warlike spirit; and this though
many of his battles, if not all, were for the establishment of GOD'S
Kingdom and the fulfilment of His promises to Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob.
Solomon, the Prince of Peace, alone could build the Temple. If we would
be soul-winners and build up the Church, which is His Temple, let us
note this: not by discussion nor by argument, but by lifting up CHRIST
shall we draw men unto Him.

* * * * *

We now come to the reply of the bride. He has called her fair; wisely
and well does she reply:--

Behold Thou art fair, my Beloved, yea, pleasant:
Also our couch is green.
The beams of our house are cedars,
And our rafters are firs.
I am (but) a rose of Sharon,
A lily of the valleys.

The last words are often quoted as though they were the utterance of
the Bridegroom, but we believe erroneously. The bride says in effect,
Thou callest me fair and pleasant, the fairness and pleasantness are
Thine; I am but a wild flower, a lowly, scentless rose of Sharon (_i.e._
the autumn crocus), or a lily of the valley.

To this the Bridegroom responds: "Be it so; but if a wild flower, yet

As a lily among thorns,
So is My love among the daughters.

Again the bride rep