"Garments" speak of outward conduct, the walk, move, activity, entertainment, manner, and everything else that is on the outside, because a garment is outside of a person. Since the maiden's dwelling is in Lebanon, she cannot help but have the smell of Lebanon on her garments, even when she walks in the world. Since she is with the Lord in heaven, she inevitably brings forth a subconscious smell that is higher and loftier than that which is from the world.

Verse 12 says, "A garden inclosed is my sister, my spouse; a spring shut up, a fountain sealed." (The garden in 4:12, the orchard in 4:13, the two gardens in 4:16, and the garden in 5:1 are singular in number; whereas the gardens, the waters, and the streams in 4:15 are plural in number.) God's first thought in the Bible was that of a garden. After God created the heavens and the earth, we see Him immediately creating a garden. A garden is not ordinary ground; it is not for ordinary planting. Nor is it a field, which is for tilling. It is specially designed for beauty and enjoyment. It can contain trees, but the purpose of the trees is not for the wood. It can have fruit, but its goal is not the fruit. Its attention is on the flowers; the flowers are there for beauty and for pleasing the eyes. At this point, we see that the maiden has satisfied Christ. She realizes that her existence is not for herself, but for her Beloved. This, however, is not just a garden, but a garden inclosed; even the spring is shut up and the fountain sealed. This means that she is exclusively for her Beloved's pleasure. Although she is a garden, she is not an open garden, but a garden inclosed. The beauty within is not seen by every eye. All that she has is for the Beloved's delight and for no one else. Numbers 19:15 says that when a person dies in a tent, "every open vessel, which has no cover fastened upon it, is unclean." An open vessel is something that is laid open to the public. It is affected by everything, and it is not devoted exclusively to Christ. Any influence can come upon it. If today's believers would close up a little more and seal up tighter, their work would become more prevailing. The meaning of chastity is a garden inclosed. This is holiness. In the Bible, holiness implies singleness. Neither the spring nor the fountain is for outsiders or anything outside.

Verses 13 and 14 say, "Thy plants are an orchard of pomegranates, with pleasant fruits; camphire, with spikenard, spikenard and saffron; calamus and cinnamon, with all trees of frankincense; myrrh and aloes, with all the chief spices." Although this is a garden, it is not lacking in fruit. The Bible calls the believers "shoots" in a few instances. (The word "plants" can be translated as "shoots"; see Darby's New Translation.) It means to be filled with the power of life, to overcome death, and to have the power of resurrection (e.g., the budding of Aaron's rod). This power of life is like an orchard of pomegranates. Pomegranates signify the abundance of fruit. This means that the maiden is full of the power of resurrection and filled with the fruit of resurrection. In the previous verses, pomegranates were used to describe her two cheeks. Pomegranates are not just for fruit-bearing, they are also for beauty. This verse speaks of "an orchard of pomegranates," which means that this garden is not just beautiful, but fruitful as well. This garden is not filled with only one kind of fruit; it is filled with all kinds of fruit.

The flowers and plants that follow are noted either for their color or for their fragrance. In the end, there are also trees of frankincense and all the chief spices. This means that a variety of things is needed in the believers to satisfy Christ (2 Cor. 9:8; Col. 1:9-11). The fruit in the first part of the verse describes the fruit of the Spirit, whereas the spices and the herbs in the second part of the verse describe the grace of the Spirit.

Verse 15 says, "A fountain of gardens, a well of living waters, and streams from Lebanon." Both wells and fountains are for watering the garden and bringing forth flowers and trees. A well signifies a deposit of living water, whereas a fountain signifies flowing water. "The well is deep" (John 4:11) signifies its ability to store water, whereas a fountain is water that constantly flows out. A well is stationary, whereas a fountain is flowing.

Both the well and the fountain are in the garden. In Eden there were four rivers which watered the garden. In the New Jerusalem, there is one river of water of life. The New Jerusalem is a garden-city, and the water there is for the irrigation of the garden. This is the ministry of the Holy Spirit. This ministry brings forth better and finer gardens. This ministry does not have the garden as its source, but flows from the hills of Lebanon. Therefore, without Christ's ascension, there is no descension of the Holy Spirit. "If I do not go away, the Comforter will not come to you" (John 16:7). All the spiritual watering that comes to us today is a result of Christ's appearing before the Father on our behalf.