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I. The fact which is implied in the text, that LOVE IS THE GREAT MOTIVE FOR ACTION IN THE CAUSE OF CHRIST. This love has about it certain marked peculiarities.

1. It is first a love which realizes the person of the Beloved. Jesus must be to us no historical personage who was once on earth, but is now dead and powerless; he must be an actual person living still in our midst.

2. The love here spoken of was well assured of the affection of its Beloved. Note the verse which precedes our text, "I am my Beloved's, and His desire is towards me." A Christian is never strong for service when he does not know whether Christ loves him or not. Strive then for a well-assured sense of the Saviour's love. Be not content till you possess it, for it will be health to your spirit and marrow to your bones: it will be a girdle of strength to your loins and a chain of honour about your neck.

3. The love of the spouse lived in fellowship with the Well-beloved. "Come, my Beloved, let us go, let us lodge, let us get up, let us see. There will I give Thee my loves." True love to Jesus grows stronger and stronger in proportion as it abides in Him. If we have abounding love to Jesus we can prosper under disadvantages, but if we have it not we have lost the great secret of success. It yokes us with the strong Son of God, and so makes our infirmities to be but opportunities for the display of His power.

4. This love leads the Church to hold all things in joint possession with Christ. Observe that word, "at our gates are all manner of pleasant fruits." Love to Jesus constrains us to make over all that we hold to Him, while faith appropriates all that Jesus has to itself.

5. The love which is the great motive to Christian action is a love which looks to Jesus for united operation. It is, "Come, my Beloved, let us go forth into the field, let us get up early to the vineyard." All is well when the Redeemer leads the way. Be not afraid, for you go in good company. Who among us will be afraid to do anything or go anywhere if Jesus saith, "I will go with you?"

II. Love LEADS US TO GO AFIELD IN THE SERVICE OF JESUS. "Come, my Beloved, let us go forth into the field."

1. A loving Church spontaneously puts herself upon widened service. She has a large heart towards her Lord, and longs to see Him reign over all mankind. She does not wait to hear again and again the Macedonian's cry, "Come over and help us," but she is prompt in mission enterprise.

2. The spouse, when she said, "Let us go forth into the field," knew that the proposal would please her Lord; for the nature of Christ is a large and loving one, and, therefore, He would bless the far-off ones. His is no narrow heart; His thoughts of love are far-reaching, and when the Church says, "Let us go forth into the field," truly her Lord is not backward to accept the invitation.

3. The spouse is evidently prepared for any discomfort that may come as the result of her labour. She must needs leave the fair palaces of her royal husband and lodge in rustic cottages. Poor lodgings there for Solomon's fair spouse; but what cares she?

4. The spouse is quite ready, to continue in this uncomfortable service. She says, "I will lodge in the villages," there will she abide a while, not paying a flying visit, but stopping until the good work is done, for which her Lord and she went forth. Oh, get ye out, ye Christians, into the distant fields of labour. For our Master s sake, and in His strength and company, we must compass sea and land for His redeemed ones. Only, if any of you go, do not try to go alone. Stop until you breathe the prayer, "My Beloved, let us go. You go in vain when you go not with the Master, but when you have secured His company, then go and welcome, for you shall doubtless come again rejoicing, bringing your sheaves with you."

III. Love LABOURS ALSO AT HOME. Nearer the palace there were vineyards, and the spouse said, "Let us get up early to the vineyards."

1. Note, then, that the Church does her work at home as well as abroad. When she loves her Lord she works with zeal, she gets up early. All men in Holy Scripture who loved God much rose early to worship Him. We never read of one saint engaged upon sacred service who rose late. Abraham rose early, David rose early, Job rose early, and so did they all. It is put here as the very type and symbol of an earnest, vigorous service of Christ.

2. Notice that God's people, when they are awake, first look well to the Church. "Let us see if the vine flourish." The Church is Christ's vine. Let us take stock of it.

3. Then the Church looks after the little ones. "Let us see if the vine flourish, whether the tender grape appear." No earnest Church forgets the children of her Sabbath school, and every other agency for the young will be sure to be well minded.

4. Then the Church also takes notice of all inquiries. "Let us see whether the pomegranates bud forth." If a Church be alive, there will be always many to observe where the first tear of repentance is glistening.

IV. LOVE IN A CHURCH BRINGS FORTH ALL ITS STORES FOR THE BELOVED. The Church of God has in herself, through the rich love of her Husband, all manner of pleasant fruits. Some of these fruits are new, and oh, how full of savour they are. Our new converts, thank God for them, what a freshness and power there is about their love! Then there are old fruits, the experience of believers who are ripening for heaven, the well-developed confidence which has been tried in a thousand battles, and the faith which has braved a lifetime of difficulties. These old fruits — the deep love of the matron to Christ, the firm assurance of the veteran believer — there is a mellowness about them which the Lord delights in. All these choice things ought to be laid up. Every good thing in a Church is meant to be stored up, not to be despised and forgotten; and the point of all is that all in the Church ought to be laid up for our Beloved.

( C. H. Spurgeon.)

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KJV: Come, my beloved, let us go forth into the field; let us lodge in the villages.

WEB: Come, my beloved, let us go forth into the field. Let us lodge in the villages.