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This verse is the oft-repeated and rapturous utterance of her who is the type of the redeemed soul concerning her beloved. Of course, we regard it as telling of the soul's joy in Christ.

I. HE MINE. Let us ask three questions.

1. How?

(1) By his free gift of himself. "He loved me, and gave himself for me."

(2) By believing appropriation. Faith has this marvellous power.

(3) By joyful realization of his love to me.

His love has been shed shed abroad in my heart by the Holy Spirit. "I know whom I have believed." How unspeakably blessed such realization is! But it is not universal nor even common. A little child will cry even in its mother's arms. But the arms are there all the same. And so is Christ's love.

2. What for? "He is mine to look upon, to lean upon, to dwell with; mine to bear all my burdens, discharge all my debts; mine to answer all my accusers, mine to conquer all my foes; mine to deliver me from hell, mine to prepare a place for me in heaven; mine in absence, mine in presence, mine in life, mine in death, mine in the grave, mine in the judgment, and mine at the marriage of the Lamb" (Moody Stuart).

3. What then?

(1) All that is his is mine. His righteousness, acceptableness, worthiness; his incarnation, atonement, resurrection, and intercession.

(2) I ought to know it if I do not. It is all-important to me if he be mine.

(3) I ought not to be so anxious about other things.

(4) Let me take care not to lose him. It is possible (cf. ch. 5:6).

II. I HIS. We ask the same three questions.

1. How?

(1) By creation. "It is he that hath made us" (Psalm 100).

(2) By the purchase of his blood.

(3) By the conquest of his Spirit.

(4) By my own free choice.

(5) By open avowal.

2. What for? To work and to witness, to suffer and to live, and if needs be to die, for him. To care for those for whom he cares, and to minister as he ministered.

3. What then?

(1) All that is mine, a sad inheritance indeed, is his. My sin, my guilt, my sorrow, my shame. And he has taken them on himself and away from me forever.

(2) Others should know it. I may not be a secret disciple.

(3) He will be sure to take care of me, teach me, perfect me, and bring me to himself.

(4) I will be his even when I cannot realize that he is mine.

(5) I will try to win others to him. - S.C.

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KJV: My beloved is mine, and I am his: he feedeth among the lilies.

WEB: My beloved is mine, and I am his. He browses among the lilies.