Digression 1: The Excellencies of Christ — Song of Songs 5 Opened

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To strengthen our hearts in the resignation mentioned of ourselves unto the Lord Christ as our husband, as also to make way for the stirring of us up to those consequential conjugal affections, of which mention shall afterwards be made, I shall turn aside to a more full description of some of the personal excellencies of the Lord Christ, whereby the hearts of his saints are indeed endeared unto him.

In the Lord our Righteousness then, may these ensuing things be considered, which are exceeding suitable to prevail upon our hearts to give up themselves to be wholly his.

1. He is exceeding excellent and desirable in his deity, and the glory thereof. He is Jehovah our Righteousness (Jeremiah 23:6). In the rejoicing of Zion at his coming to her, this is the bottom, Behold your God (Isaiah 40:9). We have seen his glory (says the apostle) what glory is that? The glory of the only begotten Son of God (John 1:14). The choicest saints have been afraid, and amazed at the beauty of an angel; and the stoutest sinners have trembled at the glory of one of those creatures in a low appearance, representing but the back parts of their glory, who yet themselves in their highest advancement do cover their faces at the presence of our Beloved, as conscious to themselves of their utter disability to bear the rays of his glory (Isaiah 6:2; John 12:39-40). He is the fellow of the Lord of Hosts (Zechariah 13:7). And though he once appeared in the form of a servant, yet then he thought it no robbery to be EQUAL unto God (Philippians 2:8). In the glory of this majesty he dwells in light inaccessible. We cannot by searching find out the Almighty to perfection: it is high as heaven, what can we do? It is deeper than hell, what can we know; the measure thereof is longer than the earth, and broader than the sea (Job 11:7-9). We may all say one to another of this, surely we are more brutish than any man, and have not the understanding of a man; we neither learned wisdom, nor have the knowledge of the Holy; who has ascended up into heaven or descended, who has gathered the wind in his fist, who has bound the waters in a garment, who has established the ends of the earth, what is his name, and what is his Son's name, if you can tell (Proverbs 30:2-4).

If any one should ask now with them in the Canticles, what is in the Lord Jesus our beloved, more than in other beloveds, that should make him so desirable, and amiable, and worthy of acceptation? What is he more than others? I ask what is a king more than a beggar? Much every way. Alas! this is nothing; they were born alike, must die alike, and after that is the judgment. What is an angel more than a worm? A worm is a creature, and an angel is no more; he that made the one to creep in the earth, made also the other to dwell in heaven. There is still a proportion between these: they agree in something; but what are all the nothings of the world, to the God infinitely blessed for evermore? Shall the dust of the balance, or the drop of the bucket be laid in the scale against him? This is he of whom the sinners in Zion are afraid and cry, who amongst us shall dwell with that devouring fire, who amongst us shall inhabit with everlasting burnings? I might now give you a glimpse of his excellency in many of those properties and attributes, by which he discovers himself to the faith of poor sinners. But as he that goes into a garden where there are innumerable flowers in great variety, gathers not all he sees, but crops here and there one, and another; I shall endeavor to open a door, and give an inlet into the infinite excellency of the graces of the Lord Jesus, as he is God blessed for evermore, presenting the reader with one or two instances, leaving him to gather for his own use, what further he pleases. Hence then observe,

1. The endless, bottomless, boundless grace and compassion that is in him, who is thus our husband as he is the God of Zion. It is not the grace of a creature, nor all the grace that can possibly at once dwell in a created nature, that will serve our turn. We are too indigent to be suited with such a supply. There was a fullness of grace in the human nature of Christ: he received not the Spirit by measure (John 3:34). A fullness like that of light, in the sun, or of water in the sea; I speak not in respect of communication, but sufficiency. A fullness incomparably above the measure of angels, yet it was not properly an infinite fullness; it was a created, and therefore a limited fullness. If it could be conceived as separated from the deity, surely so many thirsty guilty souls, as every day drink deep and large draughts of grace and mercy from him, would (if I may so speak) sink him to the very bottom: nay, it could afford no supply at all, but only in a moral way. But when the conduit of his humanity, is inseparably united to the infinite inexhaustible fountain of the deity, who can look into the depths thereof? If now there be grace enough for sinners in an all-sufficient God, it is in Christ. And indeed in any other there cannot be enough. The Lord gives this reason for the peace and confidence of sinners (Isaiah 54:4-5). You shall not be afraid, nor confounded, you shall not be put to shame: but how shall this be? So much sin and not ashamed? So much guilt and not confounded? Your maker (says he) is your husband, the Lord of Hosts is his name, and your redeemer, the Holy One of Israel, the God of the whole earth shall he be called; this is the bottom of all peace, confidence and consolation: the grace and mercy of our maker, of the God of the whole earth. So are kindness and power tempered in him! he makes us and mars us! he is our God, and our Goel, our redeemer. Look unto me (says he) and be saved, I am God and none else (Isaiah 45:22). Surely one shall say, in JEHOVAH have I strength and righteousness (verse 24).

And on this ground it is, that if all the world should (if I may so say) set themselves to drink free grace, mercy and pardon; drawing water continually from the wells of salvation; if they should set themselves to draw from one single promise, an angel standing by, and crying drink O my friends, yea drink abundantly, take so much grace and pardon as shall be abundantly sufficient for the world of sin which is in every one of you; they would not be able to sink the grace of the promise one hair's breadth. There is enough for millions of worlds if they were, because it flows into it from an infinite bottomless fountain. Fear not O worm Jacob, I am God and not man, is the bottom of sinners' consolation. This is that head of gold mentioned Song of Solomon 5:11, that most precious fountain of grace and mercy. This infiniteness of grace in respect of its spring and fountain will answer all objections that might hinder our souls from drawing nigh to communion with him, and from a free embracing of him. Will not this suit us in all our distresses? What is our finite guilt before it? Show me the sinner that can spread his iniquities to the dimensions (if I may so say) of this grace? Here is mercy enough for the greatest, the oldest, the stubbornest transgressor! Why will you die, O you house of Israel? Take heed of them who would rob you of the deity of Christ: if there were no more grace for me then what can be treasured up in a mere man, I should rejoice my portion might be under rocks and mountains.

Consider hence his eternal, free, unchangeable love. Were the love of Christ unto us, but the love of a mere man, though never so excellent, innocent and glorious, it must have a beginning, it must have an ending, and perhaps be fruitless. The love of Christ in his human nature towards his, is exceeding intense, tender, precious, compassionate, abundantly heightened by a sense of our miseries, feeling of our wants, experience of our temptations, all flowing from that rich stock of grace, pity and compassion, which on purpose for our good and supply, was bestowed on him. But yet this love as such, cannot be infinite, nor eternal, nor from itself absolutely unchangeable. Were it no more, though not to be paralleled, nor fathomed, yet our Savior could not say of it, as he does, as my Father loves me, so have I loved you (John 15:9). His love could not be compared with, and equaled unto the divine love of the Father, in those properties of eternity, fruitfulness, and unchangeableness, which are the chief anchors of the soul, rolling itself on the bosom of Christ, but now

1. It is eternal. Come you near unto me, hear you this, I have not (says he) spoken from the beginning in secret, from the time that it was, there am I, and now the Lord God and his spirit has sent me (Isaiah 48:16). He himself is yesterday, today, and forever, and so is his love, being his who is Alpha and Omega, the first and the last, the beginning, and the ending, which is, which was, and which is to come (Revelation 1:11).

2. Unchangeable. Our love is like ourselves; as we are, so are all our affections: so is the love of Christ, like himself: we love one, one day, and hate him the next: he changes, and we change also; this day he is our right hand, our right eye, the next day cut him off, pluck him out. Jesus Christ is still the same, and so is his love: in the beginning he laid the foundation of the earth, and the heavens are the works of his hands, they shall perish but He remains, they shall all wax old as does a garment, and as a vesture shall he fold them up, and they shall be changed; but he is the same, and his years fail not (Hebrews 1:10-12). He is the Lord, and he changes not, and therefore we are not consumed. Whom he loves he loves unto the end. His love is such as never had beginning, and never shall have ending.

3. It is also fruitful. Fruitful in all gracious issues and effects. A man may love another as his own soul, yet perhaps that love of his cannot help him, he may thereby pity him in prison, but not relieve him: bemoan him in misery, but not help him: suffer with him in trouble, but not ease him. We cannot love grace into a child, nor mercy into a friend: we cannot love them into heaven, though it may be the great desire of our soul. It was love that made Abraham cry, Oh that Ishmael might live before you, but it might not be. But now, the love of Christ, being the love of God, is effectual and fruitful in producing all the good things which he wills unto his beloved. He loves life, grace and holiness into us: he loves us also into covenant, loves us into heaven: love in him is properly to will good to any one: whatever good Christ by his love, wills to any, that willing is operative of that good.

These three qualifications of the love of Christ, make it exceedingly eminent, and him exceeding desirable. How many millions of sins, in every one of the elect, every one whereof were enough to condemn them all, has this love overcome? What mountains of unbelief does it remove? Look upon the conversation of any one saint, consider the frame of his heart, see the many stains and spots, the defilements and infirmities, wherewith his life is contaminated, and tell me whether the love that bears with all this, be not to be admired. And is it not the same towards thousands every day? What streams of grace, purging, pardoning, quickening, assisting, do flow from it every day? This is our beloved, O you daughters of Jerusalem.

2. He is desirable and worthy our acceptance, as considered in his humanity; even therein also in reference to us, he is exceedingly desirable. I shall only in this note unto you two things:

- 1. Its freedom from sin. - 2. Its fullness of grace: in both which regards the Scripture sets him out as exceedingly lovely and amiable.

1. He was free from sin: The Lamb of God, without spot, and without blemish. The male of the flock to be offered unto God, the curse falling on all other oblations, and them that offer them (Malachi 1:14). The purity of the snow is not to be compared with the whiteness of this lily, of this Rose of Sharon, even from the womb: For such a high priest became us, who is holy, harmless, undefiled, separate from sinners (Hebrews 7:26). Sanctified persons, whose stains are in any measure washed away, are exceedingly fair in the eye of Christ himself. You are all fair (says he) my beloved, you have no spot in you. How fair then is he, who never had the least spot or stain?

It is true, Adam at his creation had this spotless purity, so had the angels. But they came immediately from the hand of God, without concurrence of any secondary cause. Jesus Christ is a plant and root of a dry ground, a blossom from the stem of Jesse, a bud from the loins of sinful man, born of a sinner, after there had been no innocent flesh in the world for 4000 years, every one upon the roll of his genealogy being infected therewithall. To have a flower of wonderful rarity to grow in Paradise, a garden of God's own planting, not sullied in the least, is not so strange: but as the Psalmist speaks (in another kind,) to hear of it in a wood, to find it in a forest, to have a spotless bud, brought forth in the wilderness of corrupted nature, is a thing which angels may desire to look into. Nay more! this whole nature, was not only defiled, but also accursed: not only unclean, but also guilty; guilty of Adam's transgression in whom we have all sinned. That the human nature of Christ, should be derived from hence, free from guilt, free from pollution, this is to be adored.

But you will say, how can this be? Who can bring a clean thing, from an unclean? How could Christ take our nature, and not the defilements of it, and the guilt of it? If Levi paid tithes in the loins of Abraham, how is it that Christ did not sin in the loins of Adam?

Answer: There are two things in original sin; 1. Guilt of the first sin, which is imputed to us, we all sinned in him (Romans 5:12), whether we render it relatively in whom, or illatively, being all have sinned, all is one: that one sin, is the sin of us all, omnes eramus unus ille homo: we were all in covenant with him; He was not only a natural head, but also a federal head unto us; as Christ is to believers (Romans 5:17; 1 Corinthians 15:22) so was he to us all. And his transgression of that covenant is reckoned to us.

Secondly, there is the derivation of a polluted, corrupted nature from him; Who can bring a clean thing out of an unclean? That which is born of the flesh is flesh, and nothing else; whose wisdom and mind is corrupted also. A polluted fountain, will have polluted streams. The first person corrupted nature, and that nature corrupts all persons following; now from both these was Christ most free. He was never federally in Adam; and so not liable to the imputation of his sin on that account. It is true, that sin was imputed to him, when he was made sin; thereby he took away the sin of the world (John 1:29), but it was imputed to him in the covenant of the Mediator, through his voluntary susception; and not in the covenant of Adam by a legal imputation. Had it been reckoned to him, as a descendent from Adam, he had not been a fit high priest to have offered sacrifices for us; as not being separate from sinners (Hebrews 7:25). Had Adam stood in his innocency, Christ had not been incarnate, to have been a Mediator for sinners, and therefore the counsel of his incarnation morally took not place until after the fall; though he was in Adam, in a natural sense from his first creation, in respect of the purpose of God (Luke 3:23, 38) yet he was not in him, in a law sense, until after the fall; so that as to his own person, he had no more to do with the first sin of Adam, than with any personal sin of one whose punishment he voluntarily took upon him. As we are not liable to the guilt of those progenitors who followed Adam, though naturally we were no less in them than him. Therefore did He, all the days of his flesh serve God in a covenant of works; and was therein accepted with him; having done nothing that should disannul the virtue of that covenant as to him; This does not then in the least take off from his perfection.

2. For the pollution of our nature, it was prevented in him from the instant of conception (Luke 1:35): the Holy Ghost shall come upon you, and the power of the Highest shall overshadow you, therefore also that holy thing that shall be born of you, shall be called the Son of God. He was made of a woman (Galatians 4:4), but that portion whereof he was made, was sanctified by the Holy Ghost, that, what was born thereof, should be a holy thing; Not only the conjunction and union of soul and body, whereby a man becomes partaker of his whole nature, and therein of the pollution of sin, being a son of Adam, was prevented by the sanctification of the Holy Ghost, but it also accompanied the very separation of his bodily substance in the womb, unto that sacred purpose whereunto it was set apart: so that upon all accounts, he is holy, harmless, undefiled. Add now hereunto, that he did no sin, neither was there any guilt found in him (1 Peter 2:22), that he fulfilled all righteousness (Matthew 3:15), his Father being always well pleased with him (verse 17) on the account of his perfect obedience, yea even in that sense wherein he charges his angels with folly, and those inhabitants of heaven, are not clear in his sight, and his excellency and desirableness in this regard will lie before us: such was he, such he is, and yet for our sakes, was he contented not only to be esteemed by the vilest of men, to be a transgressor, but to undergo from God, the punishment due to the vilest sinners. Of which afterwards.

Secondly, the fullness of grace in Christ's human nature, sets forth the amiableness and desirableness thereof: should I make it my business to consider his perfections, as to this part of his excellency, what he had from the womb (Luke 1:35), what received growth and improvement, as to exercise in the days of his flesh (Luke 2:52), with the complement of them all, in glory, the whole would tend to the purpose in hand. I am but taking a view of these things in passing. These two things lie in open sight to all at the first consideration: all grace was in him, for the kinds thereof: and all degrees of grace for its perfections; and both of them make up that fullness that was in him; it is created grace that I intend, and therefore I speak of the kinds of it; it is grace inherent in a created nature, not infinite, and therefore I speak of the degrees of it.

For the fountain of grace the Holy Ghost, he received not him by measure (John 3:34), and for the communications of the Spirit, it pleased the Father that in him should all fullness dwell (Colossians 1:19), that in all things he might have the preeminence. But these things are commonly spoken unto.

This is the beloved of our souls! Holy, harmless; undefiled; full of grace and truth; full to a sufficiency for every end of grace; full for practice, to be an example to men and angels as to obedience; full to a certainty of uninterrupted communion with God; full to a readiness of giving supply to others; full to suit him to all the occasions and necessities of the souls of men; full to a glory not unbecoming a subsistence in the person of the Son of God; full to a perfect victory in trials, over all temptations; full to an exact correspondence to the whole law, every righteous and holy law of God; full to the utmost capacity of a limited, created, finite nature; full to the greatest beauty and glory of a living temple of God; full to the full pleasure and delight of the soul of his Father; full to an everlasting monument of the glory of God in giving such inconceivable excellencies to the Son of man.

And this is the second thing considerable, for the endearing of our souls to our beloved.

3. Consider that he is all this in one person. We have not been treating of two, a God and a man; but of one who is God and man. That Word that was with God in the beginning, and was God (John 1:1), is also made flesh (verse 14), not by a conversion of itself into flesh, not by appearing in the outward shape, and likeness of flesh, but by assuming that holy thing that was born of the Virgin (Luke 1:55) into personal union with himself. So the Mighty God (Isaiah 9:6) is a child given to us; that holy thing that was born of the Virgin, is called the Son of God (Luke 1:35). That which made the man Christ Jesus to be a man, was the union of soul and body; that which made him, that man, and without which he was not that man, was the subsistence of both united in the person of the Son of God. As to the proof hereof, I have spoken of it elsewhere at large; I now propose it only in general, to show the amiableness of Christ on this account; here lies, hence arises, the grace, peace, life, and security of the church, of all believers: as by some few considerations may be clearly evinced.

1. Hence was he fit to suffer, and able to bear, whatever was due unto us; in that very action, wherein the Son of man gave himself a ransom for many (Matthew 20:28), God redeemed his church with his own blood (Acts 20:28), and therein was the love of God seen that he gave his life for us (1 John 3:16). On this account was there room enough in his breast to receive the points of all the swords that were sharpened by the law against us, and strength enough in his shoulders, to bear the burden of that curse that was due to us. Thence was he so willing to undertake the work of our redemption (Hebrews 10:7-8), "Lo I come to do your will O God;" because he knew his ability to go through with it. Had he not been man, he could not have suffered, had he not been God, his suffering could not have availed either himself or us, he had not satisfied; the suffering of a mere man, could not bear any proportion to that which in any respect was infinite. Had the great and righteous God gathered together all the sins that had been committed by his elect from the foundation of the world, and searched the bosoms of all that were to come to the end of the world, and taken them all, from the sin of their nature, to the least deviation from the rectitude of his most holy law, and the highest provocation of their regenerate and unregenerate condition, and laid them on a mere holy innocent creature, O how would they have overwhelmed him, and buried him forever out of the presence of God's love! Therefore does the apostle premise that glorious description of him to the purging of our sin. "He has spoken to us by his Son, whom he has appointed heir of all things, by whom also he made the world; who being the brightness of his glory, and the express image of his person, upholding all things by the word of his power, has purged our sins" (Hebrews 1:2-3). It was he that purged our sins, who was the Son and heir of all things, by whom the world was made, the brightness of his Father's glory, and express image of his person; he did it, he alone was able to do it. God was manifested in the flesh (1 Timothy 3:16) for this work; the sword awaked against him that was the fellow of the Lord of Hosts (Zechariah 13:7), and by the wounds of that great shepherd, are the sheep healed (1 Peter 2:24-25).

Hence does he become an endless, bottomless fountain of grace to all them that believe. The fullness, that it pleased the Father to commit to Christ, to be the great treasury and storehouse of the church, did not, does not lie in the human nature considered in itself; but in the person of the Mediator God and man. Consider wherein his communication of grace does consist, and this will be evident. The foundation of all is laid in his satisfaction, merit and purchase, these are the morally procuring cause of all the grace we receive from Christ. Hence all grace becomes to be his; all the things of the new covenant, the promises of God all the mercy, love, grace, glory promised, became (I say) to be his. Not as though they were all actually invested or did reside and were in the human nature, and were from thence really communicated to us; by a participation of a portion of what did so inhere; but they are morally his by a compact, to be bestowed by him as he thinks good, as he is Mediator God and man, that is, the only begotten Son made flesh (John 1:14) from whose fullness we receive, and grace for grace: The real communication of grace is by Christ sending the Holy Ghost to regenerate us; and to create all the habitual grace, with the daily supplies thereof in our hearts, that we are made partakers of; now the Holy Ghost is thus sent by Christ as Mediator, God and man, as is at large declared (John 14:15-16) (of which more afterwards). This then is that which I intend by this fullness of grace that is in Christ; from whence we have both our beginning, and all our supplies, which makes him as he is the alpha and omega of his church, the beginner and finisher of our faith, excellent and desirable to our souls. Upon the payment of the great price of his blood, and full acquitment on the satisfaction he made, all grace whatever, (of which at large afterwards) becomes in a moral sense his, at his disposal; and he bestows it on, or works it in the hearts of his by the Holy Ghost according as in his infinite wisdom he sees it needful. How glorious is he to the soul on this consideration? That is most excellent to us which suits us in a wanting condition; that which gives bread to the hungry, water to the thirsty, mercy to the perishing. All our reliefs are thus in our beloved. Here is the life of our souls; the joy of our hearts; our relief against sin and deliverance from the wrath to come.

Thus is he fitted for a mediator, a daysman, an umpire between God and us; being one with him, and one with us, and one in himself in this oneness, in the unity of one person. His ability and universal fitness for his office of mediator are hence usually demonstrated. And herein is he Christ the wisdom of God and the power of God. Herein shines out the infinitely glorious wisdom of God: which we may better admire than express. What soul that has any acquaintance with these things falls not down with reverence, and astonishment? How glorious is he that is the beloved of our souls? What can be wanting that should encourage us to take up our rest, and peace in his bosom? Unless all ways of relief and refreshment be so obstructed by unbelief, that no consideration can reach the heart to yield it the least assistance, it is impossible but that from hence, the soul may gather that which will endear it to him with whom we have to do. Let us dwell on the thoughts of it. This is the hidden mystery, great, without controversy, admirable to eternity. What poor, low, perishing things, do we spend our contemplations on? Were we to have no advantage by this astonishing dispensation, yet its excellency, glory, beauty, depths, deserve the flower of our inquiries, the vigor of our spirits, the substance of our time; but when with all our life, our peace, our joy, our inheritance, our eternity, our all lies herein, shall not the thoughts of it, always dwell in our hearts, always refresh, and delight our souls?

He is excellent and glorious in this; in that he is exalted, and invested with all authority; when Jacob heard of the exaltation of his son Joseph in Egypt and saw the chariots that he had sent for him, his spirit fainted and recovered again, through abundance of joy and other overflowing affections. Is our beloved lost who for our sakes was upon the earth, poor and persecuted, reviled, killed? No! He was dead, but he is alive, and lo he lives forever, and ever, and has the keys of hell and death: our beloved is made a Lord, and ruler (Acts 2:36). He is made a king; God sets him his ring on his holy hill of Zion (Psalm 2:8) and he is crowned with honor, and dignity, after he had been made a little lower than the angels for the suffering of death (Hebrews 2:7-9) and what is he made king of? All things are put in subjection under his feet (verse 8). And what power over them has our beloved? All power in heaven and earth (Matthew 28:18) as for men! He has power given him over all flesh (John 17:2). And in what glory does he exercise this power? He gives eternal life to his elect: ruling them in the power of God (Micah 5:3) until he bring them to himself; and for his enemies! His arrows are sharp in their hearts (Psalm 45:5) he dips his vesture in their blood: Oh how glorious is he in his authority over his enemies? In this world he terrifies, frightens, awes, convinces, bruises their hearts and consciences, fills them with fear, terror, disquietment, until they yield him feigned obedience; and sometime with outward judgments, bruises, breaks, turns the wheel upon them; stains all his vesture with their blood; fills the earth with their carcasses; and at last will gather them altogether, beast, false prophet, nations, and cast them into that lake that burns with fire and brimstone.

He is gloriously exalted above angels in this his authority; good, and bad (Ephesians 1:20-22), far above principalities and powers, and might, and dominion, and every name that is named, not only in this world, but in that to come; they are all under his feet, at his command, and absolute disposal. He is at the right hand of God, in the highest exaltation possible, and in full possession of a kingdom over the whole creation; having received a name above every name, etc. (Philippians 2:9). Thus is he glorious in his throne, which is at the right hand of the Majesty on high; glorious in his commission which is all power in heaven and earth; glorious in his name, a name above every name, the Lord of Lords, and King of Kings; glorious in his scepter, a scepter of righteousness is the scepter of his kingdom; glorious in his attendants, his chariots are twenty thousand, even thousands of angels, among them he rides on the heavens, and sends out the voice of his strength, attended with ten thousand times ten thousands of his holy ones; glorious in his subjects, all creatures in heaven and in earth, nothing is left that is not put in subjection to him; glorious in his way of rule, and the administration of his kingdom, full of sweetness, efficacy, power, serenity, holiness, righteousness and grace in, and toward his elect; of terror, vengeance, and certain destruction towards the rebellious, angels, and men; glorious in the issue of his kingdom, when every knee shall bow before him, and all shall stand before his judgment seat; and what a little portion of his glory is it, that we have pointed to? This is the beloved of the church, its head, its husband; this is he with whom we have communion: but of the whole exaltation of Jesus Christ, I am elsewhere to treat at large.

Having insisted on these generals, for the further carrying on the motives to communion with Christ, in the relation mentioned, taken from his excellencies and perfections, I shall reflect on the description given of him by the spouse in the Canticles, to this very end and purpose (Song of Solomon 5:10-16). My Beloved is white and ruddy, the chiefest of ten thousand. His head is as the most fine gold; his locks are bushy and black as a raven. His eyes are as the eyes of doves, by the rivers of waters, washed with milk, and fitly set. His cheeks are as a bed of spices: his lips like lilies dropping sweet smelling myrrh: his hands are as gold rings, set with the beryl; his belly is as bright ivory overlaid with sapphires; his legs are as pillars, set upon sockets of fine gold: his countenance is as Lebanon, excellent as the cedars; his mouth is most sweet, yea he is altogether lovely. This is my beloved, and this is my friend, O ye daughters of Jerusalem.

The general description given of him (verse 10) has been before considered; the ensuing particulars are instances to make good the assertion, that he is the chiefest of ten thousand.

1. The spouse begins with his head and face (verses 11-13). In his head, she speaks first in general, unto the substance of it, it is fine gold, and then in particular, as to its ornaments, his locks are bushy, and black as a raven.

1. His head is as the most fine gold; or his head gold, solid gold, so some, made of pure gold, so others, [illegible] say the 70 retaining part of both the Hebrew words [illegible] massa auri.

Two things are eminent in gold; splendor or glory, and duration; this is that which the spouse speaks of the head of Christ: his head, is his government, authority, and kingdom; hence it is said a crown of pure gold was on his head (Psalm 21:3), and his head is here said to be gold, because of the crown of gold, that adorns it. As the monarchy in Daniel, that was most eminent for glory and duration, is termed a head of gold (Daniel 2:38). And these two things are eminent in the kingdom, and authority of Christ.

1. It is a glorious kingdom; he is full of glory and majesty, and in his majesty he rides prosperously (Psalm 45:3-4). His glory is great in the salvation of God, honor and majesty are laid upon him, he is made blessed for ever and ever (Psalm 21:5-6). I might insist on particulars, and show that there is not any thing that may render a kingdom or government glorious, but it is in this of Christ in all its excellencies. It is a heavenly, a spiritual, a universal, and an unshaken kingdom, all which render it glorious: but of this somewhat before.

2. It is durable: yea eternal; solid gold, his throne is for ever and ever (Psalm 45:6), of the increase of his government there is no end, upon the throne of David, and upon his kingdom to order and establish it with judgment, and justice from henceforth even for ever (Isaiah 9:7). His kingdom is an everlasting kingdom (Daniel 7:27), a kingdom that shall never be destroyed (Daniel 2:44), for he must reign until all his enemies be subdued. This is that head of gold, the splendor, and eternity of his government.

And if you take the head in a natural sense; either the glory of his deity is here attended to; or the fullness, and excellency of his wisdom, which the head is the seat of. The allegory is not to be straightened, while we keep to the analogy of faith.

For the ornaments of his head, his locks are said to be bushy or curled, black as a raven. His curled locks are black; "as a raven" is added by way of illustration of the blackness, not with any allusion to the nature of the raven. Taking the head in a political sense, his locks — said to be curled, as seeming to be entangled but really falling in perfect order and beauty — are his thoughts, counsels, and ways in the administration of his kingdom. They are black or dark because of their depth and unsearchableness, as God is said to dwell in thick darkness; and curled or bushy because of their exact interweaving from his infinite wisdom. His thoughts are many as the hairs of the head, seeming to be perplexed and entangled, but really set in all comely order — deep and unsearchable, dreadful to his enemies, and full of beauty and comeliness to his beloved. Such are the thoughts of his heart, the counsels of his wisdom in reference to the administration of his kingdom: dark and perplexed to a carnal eye; in themselves, and to his saints, deep, manifold, ordered in all things, comely, and desirable.

In a natural sense, black and curled locks denote comeliness and vigor of youth; the strength and power of Christ in the execution of his counsels appears glorious and lovely in all his ways.

The next thing described in him is his eyes (verse 12): his eyes are as the eyes of doves by the rivers of waters, washed with milk, and fitly set. The reason for this allusion is obvious: doves are tender birds, not birds of prey, and of all others they have the most bright, shining, and piercing eye. Their being washed in milk or clear white crystal water adds to their beauty; and they are here said to be fitly set — that is, in due proportion for beauty and luster, as a precious stone in the setting of a ring.

Eyes, being for sight, discerning, knowledge, and acquaintance with the things that are to be seen, the knowledge, understanding, and discerning Spirit of Christ Jesus are here intended. In the allusion used, four things are ascribed to them: first, tenderness; second, purity; third, discerning; and fourth, glory.

The tenderness and compassion of Christ towards his church is here intended: he looks on it with the eyes of gentle doves — with tenderness and careful compassion, without anger, wrath, fury, or thoughts of revenge. So are the eyes of Christ on us, as the eyes of one who in tenderness cares for us, laying out his wisdom, knowledge, and understanding in all tender love on our behalf. He is the stone, that foundation stone of the church, whereon are seven eyes (Zechariah 3:9), wherein there is a perfection of wisdom, knowledge, care, and kindness for its guidance.

Purity: as washed doves' eyes for purity — this may be taken either subjectively, for the excellency and unmixed cleanness and purity of his sight and knowledge in himself, or objectively, for his delighting to behold purity in others. He is of purer eyes than to behold iniquity (Habakkuk 1:15); he has no pleasure in wickedness, and the foolish shall not stand in his sight (Psalm 5:4-5). If the righteous soul of Lot was vexed with seeing the filthy deeds of wicked men, who yet had eyes of flesh in which there was a mixture of impurity, how much more do the pure eyes of our dear Lord Jesus abominate all the filthiness of sinners. But herein lies the excellency of his love to us: that he takes care to take away our filth and stains, that he may delight in us; and seeing we are so defiled that it could no otherwise be done, he will do it by his own blood (Ephesians 5:25-27). He leaves not his spouse until he says of her, "You are all fair, my love, there is no spot in you" (Song of Solomon 4:7) — partly taking away our spots and stains by the renewing of the Holy Spirit, and wholly adorning us with his own righteousness.

Discerning: he sees us quickly, clearly, and thoroughly — to the bottom of that which he looks upon. Hence in another place it is said that his eyes are as a flame of fire (Revelation 1:14), that the churches might know that he is the one who searches the minds and hearts (Revelation 2:23). He has discerning eyes; nothing is hidden from him; all things are open and naked before him with whom we have to do. It is said of him while he was in this world that Jesus knew all men and needed not that any should testify of man, for he knew what was in man (John 2:24-25). His piercing eyes look through all the thick coverings of hypocrites; no humble, broken, contrite soul shall lose one sigh or groan after him, and no pant of love or desire is hidden from him. No glorious performance of the most glorious hypocrite will avail with him; his eyes look through all, and the filth of their hearts lies naked before him.

Beauty and glory are here intended also: everything of Christ is beautiful, for he is altogether lovely (verse 16), but most glorious in his sight and wisdom. He is the wisdom of God — eternal wisdom itself; his understanding is infinite. When our knowledge is made perfect, it will still be finite and limited; his is without spot of darkness, without the limitation of finitude.

Thus then is he beautiful and glorious, his head is of gold, his eyes are doves eyes, washed in milk and fitly set.

The next thing insisted on, is his cheeks, verse 15. His cheeks are as a bed of spices; as sweet flowers, or towers of perfumes. Or well grown flowers. There are three things evidently pointed at in these words.

- 1. A sweet savor as from spices, and flowers and towers of perfume. - 2. Beauty, and order, as spices set in rows or beds, as the words import. - 3. Eminency in that word, as sweet or well grown, great flowers.

These things are in the cheeks of Christ: the Chaldee Paraphrast, who applies this whole song to God's dealings with the people of the Jews; makes these cheeks of the church's husband to be the two tables of stone, with the various lines drawn in them, but that allusion is strained; as are most of the conjectures of that scholiast.

The cheeks of a man are the seat of comeliness, and manly courage. The comeliness of Christ, as has in part been declared, is from his fullness of grace in himself for us. His manly courage respects the administration of his rule, and government, from his fullness of authority, as was before declared. This comeliness and courage; the spouse describing Christ as a beautiful, desirable personage, to show that spiritually he is so, calls his cheeks; so to make up his parts, and proportion. And to them does she ascribe a sweet savor, order, and eminency a sweet savor; as God is said to smell a sweet savor from the grace and obedience of his servants (Genesis 8:2, the Lord smelled a savor of rest from the sacrifice of Noah) so do the saints, smell a sweet savor from his grace laid up in Christ. Song of Solomon 1:3. It is that which they rest in, which they delight in, which they are refreshed with. As the smell of aromatic spices, and flowers, please the natural sense, refresh the spirits and delight the person, so do the graces of Christ to his saints. They please their spiritual sense, they refresh their drooping spirits, and give delight to their souls. If he be nigh them they smell his raiment, as Isaac the raiment of Jacob; they say it is as the smell of a field that the Lord has blessed (Genesis 27:27) and their souls are refreshed with it.

2. Order and beauty are as spices set in a garden bed. So are the graces of Christ. When spices are set in order, any one may know what is for his use, and take and gather it accordingly. Their answering also one to another makes them beautiful: so are the graces of Christ in the gospel, they are distinctly and in order set forth that sinners by faith may view them, and take from him according to their necessity. They are ordered for the use of saints in the promises of the gospel. There is light in him, and life in him, and power in him, and all consolation in him; a constellation of graces, shining with glory, and beauty. Believers take a view of them all; see their glory and excellency, but fix especially on that, which in the condition wherein they are, is most useful to them. One takes light and joy; another life and power; by faith and prayer do they gather these things, in this bed of spices. Not any that comes to him goes away unrefreshed. What may they not take, what may they not gather? What is it that the poor soul wants? Behold it is here provided, set out in order in the promises of the gospel; which are as the beds wherein these spices are set for our use; and on the account hereof, is the covenant said to be ordered in all things (2 Samuel 2:3-4).

3. Eminency; his cheeks are a tower of perfumes, held up, made conspicuous, visible, eminent; so it is with the graces of Christ, when held out, and lifted up in the preaching of the gospel. They are a tower of perfumes; a sweet savor to God and man.

The next clause of that verse is, his lips are like lilies, dropping sweet smelling myrrh. Two perfections in things natural are here alluded unto. First the glory of color in the lilies, and the sweetness of savor in the myrrh. The glory, and beauty of the lilies in those countries was such, as that our Savior tells us, that Solomon in all his glory, was not arrayed like one of them (Matthew 6:29) and the savor of myrrh, such as when the Scripture would set forth any thing to be an excellent savor, it compares it thereunto (Psalm 45:8) and thereof was the sweet and holy ointment chiefly made (Exodus 30:26). Mention is also made frequently of it in other places to the same purpose. It is said of Christ that grace was poured into his lips (Psalm 45:2) whence men wondered, or were amazed, at the words of grace that proceeded out of his mouth, so that by the lips of Christ, and their dropping sweet smelling myrrh, the word of Christ, its savor, excellency, and usefulness, is intended. Herein is he excellent, and glorious indeed, surpassing the excellencies, of those natural things which yet are most precious in their kind; even in the glory, beauty, and usefulness of his word. Hence they that preach his word, to the saving of the souls of men, are said to be a sweet savor to God (2 Corinthians 2:15) and the savor of the knowledge of God, is said to be manifested by them verse 14. I might insist on the several properties of myrrh, whereto the word of Christ is here compared; its bitterness in taste, its efficacy to preserve from putrefaction, its usefulness in perfumes and unctions, and press the allegory in setting out the excellencies of the word in allusions to them. But I only insist on generals. This is that which the Holy Ghost here intends; the word of Christ is sweet, savory, precious unto believers, and they see him to be excellent, desirable, beautiful, in the precepts, promises, exhortations, and the most bitter threats thereof.

The spouse adds: his hands are as gold rings set with precious stones. Gold rings set with precious, glistening stones are both valuable and desirable for profit and ornament; so are the hands of Christ — that is, all his works. All his works are glorious, they are all fruits of wisdom, love, and bounty. His belly — or rather his bowels, which takes in the heart also — is as bright ivory overlaid with sapphires: the smoothness and brightness of ivory, the preciousness and heavenly color of sapphires, are called in to give some luster to the excellency of Christ. Now to show that by bowels in Scripture, ascribed either to God or man, affections are intended, is needless. The tender love, unspeakable affections, and kindness of Christ to his church and people are thus set out: as beautiful is the sight of pure polished ivory set with heaps of precious sapphires, so much more glorious are the tender affections, mercies, and compassion of the Lord Jesus unto believers.

The strength of his kingdom, the faithfulness and stability of his promises, the height and glory of his person in his dominion, and the sweetness and excellency of communion with him are set forth in these words: his legs are pillars of marble set upon sockets of fine gold, his countenance is as Lebanon, excellent as the cedars, his mouth is most sweet.

When the spouse has gone thus far in the description of him, she concludes all in this general assertion: he is wholly desirable, altogether to be desired or beloved. As if she should have said: I have reckoned up some of the perfections of the creatures — things of most value, price, usefulness, beauty, and glory here below — and compared some of the excellencies of my beloved unto them. In this way of allegory I can carry things no higher; I find nothing better or more desirable to shadow out and present his loveliness and desirableness. But alas, all this comes short of his perfections, beauty, and comeliness; he is altogether to be desired, to be beloved.

Lovely in his person, in the glorious all-sufficiency of his deity, the gracious purity and holiness of his humanity, authority and majesty, love and power.

Lovely in his birth and incarnation: when he was rich, for our sakes becoming poor, taking part of flesh and blood because we partook of the same, being made of a woman that for us he might be made under the law.

Lovely in the whole course of his life, and the more than angelic holiness and obedience which in the depth of poverty and perfection he exercised therein — doing good, receiving evil, blessing and being cursed, reviled, and reproached all his days.

Lovely in his death; yea, therein most lovely to sinners — never more glorious and desirable than when he came broken and dead from the cross. Then had he carried all our sins into a land of forgetfulness; then had he made peace and reconciliation for us; then had he procured life and immortality for us.

Lovely in his whole employment, in his great undertaking — in his life, death, resurrection, and ascension — being a mediator between God and us, to recover the glory of God's justice and to save our souls, to bring us to an enjoyment of God who were set at such an infinite distance from him by sin.

Lovely in the glory and majesty with which he is crowned, now that he is set down at the right hand of majesty on high — where though he be terrible to his enemies, yet he is full of mercy, love, and compassion towards his beloved ones.

Lovely in all those supplies of grace and consolations, in all the dispensations of his Holy Spirit, of which his saints are made partakers.

Lovely in all the tender care, power, and wisdom which he exercises in the protection, safeguarding, and delivery of his church and people in the midst of all the oppositions and persecutions to which they are exposed.

Lovely in all his ordinances and the whole of that spiritually glorious worship which he has appointed to his people, whereby they draw near and have communion with him and his Father.

Lovely and glorious in the vengeance he takes and will finally execute upon the stubborn enemies of himself and his people.

Lovely in the pardon he has purchased and does dispense, in the reconciliation he has established, in the grace he communicates, in the consolations he does administer, in the peace and joy he gives his saints, in his assured preservation of them unto glory.

What shall I say — there is no end of his excellencies and desirableness; he is altogether lovely: this is our beloved, and this is our friend, O daughters of Jerusalem.

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