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knowledge, that she had faid nothing of her beloved. It was as much as if the had faid, "alas! what fhall I fay of my be"loved, he is infinitely more than I can tell you! all nature "fails to paint him forth! ye afk, what is my beloved more "than another's beloved? I anfwer, he is all, he is every thing! "he is a conftellation of all the perfections of nature, grace, "and glory! would you have a delineation of his glories? "What hand then must draw the ftrokes of fuch inimitable "beauties, and incomprehenfible perfections, whose glory the "Heaven of Heavens cannot contain, before whom all nations are

as nothing. Do you afk, what is my beloved? O let eternity *tell, and experience unfold him to you in all his beauties, "perfections, and lovelinefs; for in fum, he is all. His mouth is most fweet, yea he is altogether lovely; this is my beloved, and this is my friend, O daughters of Jerusalem.

Firft, CHRIST's mouth being moft fweet, (or as it is in the original, fweetneffes) denotes, that fum of fweetnefs contained in the word of God, which is the word of his mouth, volume of his love, fweeter than the honey or the honey comb. When the Chriftian takes a furvey of the book of GOD, as the volume of his love, an epitome of redeeming grace, an abftrad of the confolations of Heaven, a true revelation of the way of life and falvation, he finds that it has a commanding pleasure, and unfpeakable fweetness, more to be defired than gold, faith the Prophet, Jer. xv. 16. Thy words were found, and I did set them; and thy word was unto me the joy and rejoicing of my heart.

Secondly, The fweetness of CHRIST's mouth, may denote the sweetness of that grace contained in the bleffings which proceed from his lips: as grace is poured into his lips, fo he pours grace therefrom, Luke iv. 22. And all bare him witness, and wondered at the gracious words which proceeded out of bis mouth. And indeed all the bleffings of the gofpel, election, adoption, predeftination, regeneration, juftification, and fanctification, are full of the sweets of distinguishing favour, there fore these bleffings are fo frequently compared to a feast of fat things, full of marrow; to wine on the less well refined.

Thirdly, CHRIST's mouth being moft fweet, may denote, the preciousness of his promifes, fweetness of his invitations, and fealings of his love, all which are fweet, yea fweetneffes; for what can be more fweet to a guilty foul, than the promifes of pardon, life, and peace? on which account the Apoftle fays, unto us are given exceeding great and precious promifes. CHRIST'S invitations are sweet, Come unto me all ye that labour, and that

are heavy laden! Ho every one that thirfteth, come ye to the waters! and that which makes thefe invitations fo fweet, iš the promise connected with them, reft to the weary and heavy laden, and reception to the coming foul; and him that cometh unto me (lays CHRIST) I will in no wife caft out: But above all, the kiffes of his mouth, the fealings of his love, are most fweet, because they afford a folid fatisfaction to the foul of its interest in the divine favour; a ratification of its fure interest in all the bleffings that GoD has promifed in his word; re moves ten thousand thousand diftreffing fears from the mind, and creates ten thousand thousand joys in the foul, fo that the Chriftian fays, Let him kifs me with the kiffes of his mouth, for his love is better than wine; yea, he is altogether lovely.

In his perfon, as God-man and MEDIATOR, he is altogether lovely. To view the Deity embodied, the perfections of the God-head fhine in our nature, and the Deity blaze through the man, is the wonder of heaven, the admiration of angels, and the joy of faints. Here the Chriftian may fit and gaze on beauties infinite, on glories all divine, till his faith is changed into open vifion; when he fhall fee all the radiant perfections of JEHOVAH'S luftre with infinite blaze in his beloved, as one altogether lovely.

This is further displayed in his human nature and obedience. His human nature has every perfection that can render it lovely; holiness is his nature, therefore fairer than the fons of men; God hath anointed him with oil of gladnefs above his fellows; which was not only meet for his union with the divine nature, but likewife to qualify him for his obedience to the law, that it might be every way adequate to its demands: Hence, there is an infinite loveliness in his obedience; not only as it is commenfurate to the perfection of the law, but because the luftre of the Deity fhines therein, and on which account is called the righteoufnefs of GOD, and in which righteoufnefs the faint is more lovely than angels.

Chrift is altogether lovely in his death, refurrection, afcenfion, and glorification; likewife in the miniftration of his Word, and adminiftration of his ordinances.

First, In his death there appears all the excellencies of a divine atonement, and lovelinefs of a propitiation made by blood. Here the Chriftian fees the lovelinefs of reconciliation between God and his foul, of peace fealed, and falvation made fecure.

Secondly, Lovely in his refurrection; there fhines forth all the excellencies and trophies of his facrifice, over fin, death, and hell. Here the Chriftian fees the loveliness of his refurrection, as it seals a fure proof of his fatisfaction, and fecures a fafe paffage to glory; what can now obftruct the Chriftian in his paffage to heaven? Can wrath? No, it is pacified. Can guilt? No, it is pardoned. Can death? No, it is conquered. Can fin? No, it is removed. Can Satan? No, for he is triumphed over; and all this by the refurrection of Jefus firm the dead.

Thirdly, CHRIST is lovely in his afcenfion, he rofe and afcended as the head and reprefentative of his people; he took their names with him, and set them as a feal upon his heart, therefore he says, I afcend unto my Father, and unto your Father; unto my God, and unto your God: Hence, they are faid to be rifen, and fealed with him in heavenly places.

Fourthly, He is lovely in his glorification, Heb. ii, 9. But we fee Jefus, for the tafting of death crowned with glory and bantur. And faith the HOLY GHOST, His glory is great in thy falvation; honour and majesty haft thou laid upon him; the MAN JESUS in union with the divine nature, is not only invested with the honour of being head of the church, of being King, Lord, and law-giver in Zion, but he is crowned with the majefty of the Deity, and honour of the GODHEAD; as fuch he is the brightnefs of the father's glory, the object of all adoration, Heb. i. 6. and let all the angels of God worship him. Not that Chrift hath the perfections of the divine nature inherently in his human; no, but the human nature, hath perfonal union with the divine, by virtue of which, he claims a relative glory to all the perfections, praises, and adorations of JEHOVAH, Rev. vii. 10. I beheld, and la, a great multitude, which no man could number, of all nations and kindreds, and people, and tongues, food before the throne, and before the lamb, cloathed with white robes, and palms in their hands, and cried with a loud voice, Jaying, falvation to our God, which fitteth upon the throne, and to the lamb! So that whatfoover loveliness or glory there is in the Deity, is alfo in the church's beloved. And when CHRIST appears, in his effential glories as JEнOVAH, by nature, in his perfonal glories as GOD-MAN, and in his mediatorial glories as the fuffering MESSIAH and Saviour of his people, then the Chriftian will fee him in the perfection of his lovelinefs; in all the beauties, glories, and brightness of the Deity; in all the luftre of nature, grace, and glory, as the most confummate object of lovelinefs, adoration, joy, and

praife. Well may the spouse, in rapture fay, This is my beloved, and this is my friend, O daughters of Jerufalem! This is as if she had faid, what fhall I fay more? there is no end of his excellencies; he is the fum of beauty, perfection, and glory; Yea altogether lovely. Would you know who is my beloved, O ye daughters of Jerufalem? Why, this is my beloved, one who has all the perfections of kindnefs in his heart,beauty in his perfon,-tenderness in his nature,-majesty in his countenance,-love in his looks,-sweetness in his smiles,wifdom in his counfels,-peace in his ways,-life in his love,-joy in his favour, and glory in his prefence; his countenance shineth as the fun in his ftrength; his raiment is as white as fnow; all nations before him are as nothing; thousands of thousands minifter unto, ten thousand times ten thoufand ftand before him; This, is my beloved, and this is my friend, O daughters of Jerufalem.

Thus, my dear Friendly, I have given you a fhort defcription of the church's beloved. You fee that the Chriftian has not only communion with CHRIST in his power, faithfulness, plenitude and fulness, but likewife in his beauty and perfections; and therefore it is the joy of the Chriftian's life, and delight of his foul, to ruminate and dilate upon all the boundlets riches of the grace and glories of his beloved; this is what engages his heart, with holy admiration and joy, to take up entire complacency in his beloved, being fully fatisfied in the fixation of his affections, upon CHRIST the beloved object of his foul, 1 Pet. i. 8. wham having not feen, ye love; though now ye fee him not, yet believing, rejoice with joy unspeakable and full of glory.

Friendly. As the fcriptures difplay, as in a mirror, the beauties, perfections, and properties of CHRIST, what are their genuine effects upon the mind?

Truth. Zeal for his glory, and fervency of affection to his

name.

Firft, Zeal for his glory; as the word of GoD paints forth the excellencies of CHRIST, in the most vivid colours, and ftrongest demonftration, fo it raifes the paffions of the mind into the most lively zeal for promotion of the honour of the SAVIOUR's perfon, ways, and ordinances. Hence, we fee the zeal of young converts fo warm and fervent, that their hearts feem to burn with one perpetual flame for his glory, being made by divine grace fenfible of the want of him; and the fcriptures revealing him in the perfection of his fuitablenefs,

grace, and redundant kindness, this revelation of CHRIST kindles in his foul a celeftial flame, that burns with holy ardour for the honour of the ways of Gop, and falvation of his foul. So ftrong and paffionate is his zeal, that he would willingly have all brought to the knowledge of CHRIST, and wonders why every one is not concerned as he is. As the worth of his foul, a fenfe of his mifery, and the want of falvation lies with weight upon his mind," (he having a difcovery of CHRIST in his fuitablerefs, fulness, and freeness of grace to pardon, and save him with an everlasting falvation) this railes the Chriftian to fuch a pitch of holy zeal, that fometimes, it must be owned, in young converts, breaks forth beyond prudence. Nor is this at all to be wondered at, fince the wisdom, love, power, grace, and kindness of GOD; the excellencies and perfections of the LORD JESUS, fhine with fuch infinite blaze, in the covenant of grace, and promifes of falvation, that their fouls are transported with it. How great is thy goodness which thou haft laid up for them that fear thee! which thou haft wrought out for them that trust in thee before the fans of men! and exclaims with the woman of Samaria, come, fee a man that told me all things that ever I did; is not this the Chrift? Pfalm xxxiv. 3, 8. O magnify the Lord with me, and let us exalt his name together! O tafte and fee that the Lord is good: blessed is the man that trufteth in him!

Secondly, This zeal does not only difcover itself by warm and vivid expreffions, but by fervent affection and regular attendance upon his ways; is the product of faith, works by love, and fhews itself by a diligent attendance in the courts of the Lord's houfe, by hearing the word of God affectionately, receiving it greedily, feeding upon it heartily, as the ministration of life, the meflage of heaven, the embaffy of peace, the favour of life unto life to his foul; he therefore receives the truth in the love of it, as a revelation from God, the method of falvation, the path of peace, the door of hope, and the way of communion between GoD and his foul, Pfal. i. 2. His delight is in the law of the Lord; and in his law dith be meditate day and night. The reafon why the young convert delights in reading and meditating on the holy fcriptures is, because it the volume of his father's love, windows of his grace, and legacies of his kindness; it is there he finds wifdom to guide, ftrength topport, fulness to fupply, and grace to comfort him, his God to fuccour and bring him fafe through this labyrinth of forrows, this vale of tears, this land of draught, to the land of reft, immortality, peace and joy, Pfal. lxxiii:

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