Owen, Of Communion With God, File 9
(... continued from File 8)
Chapter 3 (Digression 1)
Digression 1. Some excellencies of Christ proposed to
consideration, to endear our hearts unto him - His
description, Cant. 5, opened.
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 afterward 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," Jer.
23: 6. In the rejoicing of Zion at his coming to her, this is
the bottom, "Behold thy God!" Isa. 40: 9. "We have seen his
glory," saith 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, Isa. 6: 2; John 12: 39-41. He
is "the fellow of the Lord, of hosts," Zech. 13: 7. And though
he once appeared in the form of a servant, yet then "he
thought it not robbery to be equal with God," Phil. 2: 6. In
the glory of this majesty he dwells in light inaccessible. We
"cannot by searching find out the Almighty unto perfection: it
is as high as heaven; what can we do? 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
fists? who has bound the waters in a garment? who has
established all the ends of the earth? what is his name, and
what is his Son's name, if ye can tell," Prov. 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 judgement. What is an angel more than a worm? A
worm is a creature, and an angel is no more; he has 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 the
devouring fire, who amongst us shall dwell 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 endeavour 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 farther he pleaseth. Hence, then, observe, -
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 fulness of grace in the human nature of
Christ, - he received not "the Spirit by measure," John 3: 34;
a fulness like that of light in the sun, or of water in the
sea (I speak not in respect of communication, but
sufficiency); a fulness incomparably above the measure of
angels: yet it was not properly an infinite fulness, - it was
a created, and therefore a limited fulness. 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, Isa. 54: 4, 5, "Thou shalt not be
ashamed, neither be thou confounded; for thou shalt not be put
to shame." But how shall this be? So much sin, and not
ashamed! so much guilt, and not confounded! "Thy Maker," saith
he, "is thine husband; the LORD of hosts is his name; and thy
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," saith he, "and
be ye saved; for I am God, and none else," Isa. 45: 22,
"Surely, shall one say, In the LORD have I 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, Cant. 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 ye die, O house of Israel?" Take
heed of them who would rob you of the Deity of Christ. If
there were no more grace for me than what can be treasured up
in a mere man, I should rejoice [if] 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 Saviour could not say of
it, as he does, "As the Father has loved me, so have I loved
you," John 15: 9. His love could not be compared with and
squalled 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 ye near unto me, hear ye this; I
have not," saith he, "spoken in secret from the beginning;
from the time that it was, there am I: and now the Lord GOD,
and his Spirit, has sent me," Isa. 48: 16. He himself is
"yesterday, today, and for ever," Heb. 13: 8; 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," Rev. 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
changeth, 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
remaineth: they all shall 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," Heb. 1: 10-12. He is
the LORD, and he changeth 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,
"O that Ishmael might live before thee!" 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 willeth 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
ye daughters of Jerusalem.
2. He is desirable and worthy our acceptation, 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
fulness of grace; - in both which regards the Scripture sets
him out as exceedingly lovely and amiable.
(1.) He was free frown 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, Mal. 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 an high priest
became us, who is holy, harmless, undefiled, separate from
sinners," Heb. 7: 26. Sanctified persons, whose stains are in
any measure washed away, are exceeding fair in the eye of
Christ himself. "Thou art all fair," saith he, "my love, thou
hast no spot in thee." 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 out 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 four thousand years, every one upon the roll of his
genealogy being infected therewithal. 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.
Objection. 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. "'Eph hoi pantes hemarton", Rom. 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, Rom. 5: 17; 1
Cor. 15: 22, so was he to us all; and his transgression of
that covenant is reckoned to us.
[2.] 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: -
1st. 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 descendant from
Adam, he had not been a fit high priest to have offered
sacrifices for us, as not being "separate from sinners," Heb.
7: 26. Had Adam stood in his innocence, 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 [any] 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 in 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.
2dly. 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 thee, and the power of the Highest shall
overshadow thee: therefore also that holy thing that shall be
born of thee shall be called the Son of God." He was "made of
a woman," Gal. 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 guile found in his mouth," 1 Pet. 2: 22; that he
"fulfilled all righteousness," Matt. 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
chargeth his angels with folly, and those inhabitants of
heaven are not clean in his sight; and his excellency and
desirableness in this regard will lie before us. Such was he,
such is he; 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 afterward.
(2.) The fulness 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 transits. 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
fulness 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
fulness dwell," Col. 1: 19, - "that in all things he might
have the pre-eminence." 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: 35, into personal
union with himself. So "The mighty God," Isa. 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 the 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 his life a ransom for many," Matt. 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, Heb.
10: 7, 8, "Lo, I come to do thy 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 for ever 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 unto us by
his Son, whom he has appointed heir of all things, by whom
also he made the worlds; who being the brightness of his
glory, and the express image of his person, and upholding all
things by the word of his power," has "purged our sins." Heb.
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 Tim. 3: 16, for this work. The
sword awaked against him that was the fellow of the Lord of
hosts, Zech. 13: 7; and by the wounds of that great shepherd
are the sheep healed, 1 Pet. 2: 24, 25.
(2.) Hence does he become an endless, bottomless fountain
of grace to all them that believe. The fulness 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 fulness
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
afterward. This, then, is that which I intend by this fulness
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 afterward) 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.
(3.) Thus is he fitted for a mediator, a days-man, 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 power of God, and the wisdom 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 unto 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 vigour of our
spirits, the substance of our time; but when, withal, 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?
(4.) 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 for ever and
ever, and has the keys of hell and of death. Our Beloved is
made a lord and ruler, Acts 2: 36. He is made a king; God sets
him his king on his holy hill of Zion, Ps. 2: 6; and he is
crowned with honour and dignity, after he had been "made a
little lower than the angels for the suffering of death," Heb.
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," Matt. 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: 4, until he bring them to himself: and for his
enemies, his arrows are sharp in their hearts, Ps. 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 sometimes with
outward judgements bruises, breaks, turns the wheel upon them,
- stains all his vesture with their blood, - fills the earth
with their caresses: and at last will gather them all
together, beast, false prophet, nations, etc., 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, Eph. 1: 20-22, "far above all
principality, and power, and might, and dominion, and every
name that is named, not only in this world, but also in that
which is 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., Phil. 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, - "Lord of lords, and King of kings;" glorious in his
sceptre, - "a sceptre of righteousness is the sceptre of his
kingdom;" glorious in his attendants, - "his chariots are
twenty thousand, even thousands of angels," among them he
rideth on the heavens, and sendeth out the voice of his
strength, attended with ten thousand times ten thousand 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 towards 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 judgement-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 farther
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
Chant. 5: 10-16, "My Beloved is white and ruddy, the chiefest
among 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, as sweet
flowers: 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 of marble, 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 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 among ten
thousand."
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 one gold," or, "His head gold,
solid gold;" so some; - "made of pure gold;" so others; -
"chrusion kefale", say the LXX, retaining part of both the
Hebrew words, to "ketem paz", "massa auri."
Two things are eminent in gold, - splendour 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," Ps.
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," Dan. 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," Ps. 45:
3, 4. "His glory is great in the salvation of God: honour and
majesty are laid upon him: he is made blessed for ever and
ever," Ps. 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
a shaken kingdom; all which render it glorious. But of this,
somewhat before.
(2.) It is durable, yea, sterna], - solid gold. "His
throne is for ever and ever," Ps. 45: 6; "of the increase of
his government there shall be no end, upon the throne of
David, and upon his kingdom, to order it, and to establish it
with judgement and with justice from henceforth even for
ever," Isa. 9: 7. "His kingdom is an everlasting kingdom,"
Dan. 7: 27, - "a kingdom that shall never be destroyed," chap.
2: 44; for he must reign until all his enemies be subdued.
This is that head of gold, - the splendour 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 fulness and
excellency of his wisdom, which the head is the seat of. The
allegory is not to be straitened, whilst we keep to the
analogy of faith.
2. For the ornaments of his head; his locks, they 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. Take the head spoken of in a political sense: his locks
of hair - said to be curled, as seeming to be entangled, but
really falling in perfect order and beauty, as bushy locks -
are his thoughts, and 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 brushy, because of their
exact interweavings, from his infinite wisdom. His thoughts
are many as the hairs of the head, seeming to be perplexed and
entangled, but really set in a comely order, as curled bushy
hair; deep and unsearchable, and dreadful to his enemies, and
full of beauty and comeliness to his beloved. Such are, I say,
the thoughts of his heart, the counsels of his wisdom, in
reference to the administrations of his kingdom: - dark,
perplexed, involved, to a carnal eye; in themselves, and to
his saints, deep, manifold, ordered in all things, comely,
desirable.
In a natural sense, black and curled locks denote
comeliness, and vigour of youth. The strength and power of
Christ, in the execution of his counsels, in all his ways,
appears glorious and lovely.
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 of 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 delight also in streams of water is known. 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 lustre, - as a precious
stone in the foil or fulness of a ring, as the word signifies.
Eyes being for sight, discerning, knowledge, and
acquaintance with the things that are to be seen; the
knowledge, the understanding, the discerning Spirit of Christ
Jesus, are here intended. In the allusion used four things are
ascribed to them: - 1. Tenderness; 2. Purity; 3. Discerning;
and, 4. Glory: -
1. The tenderness and compassion of Christ towards his
church is here intended. He looks on it with the eyes of
galleys doves; with tenderness and careful compassion; without
anger, fury, or thoughts of revenge. So is the eye
interpreted, Deut. 11: 12, "The eyes of the LORD thy God are
upon that land." Why so? "It is a land that the LORD thy God
careth for;" - careth for it in mercy. So are the eyes of
Christ on us, as the eyes of one that in tenderness cares for
us; that lays out his wisdom, knowledge, and understanding, in
all tender love, in our behalf. He is the stone, that
foundation-stone of the church, whereon "are seven eyes,"
Zech. 3: 9; wherein is a perfection of wisdom, knowledge,
care, and kindness, for its guidance.
2. Purity; - as washed doves' eyes for purity. This may be
taken either subjectively, for the excellency and immixed
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," Hab. 1: 13. "He
has no pleasure in wickedness; the foolish shall not stand in
his sight," Ps. 5: 4, 5. If the righteous soul of Lot was
vexed with seeing the filthy deeds of wicked men, 2 Pet. 2: 8,
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, Eph. 5: 25-27, "Even as Christ
also loved the church, and gave himself for it, that he might
sanctify and cleanse it, with the washing of water by the
word, that he might present it to himself a glorious church,
not having spot, or wrinkle, or any such thing; but that it
should be holy, and without blemish." The end of this
undertaking is, that the church might be thus gloriously
presented unto himself, because he is of purer eyes than to
behold it with joy and delight in any other condition. He
leaves not his spouse until he says of her, "Thou art all
fair, my love; there is no spot in thee," Cant. 4: 7. Partly,
he takes away our spots and stains, by the "renewing of the
Holy Ghost;" and wholly adorns us with his own righteousness:
and that because of the purity of his own eyes, which "cannot
behold iniquity," - that he might present us to himself holy.
3. Discerning. He sees as doves, quickly, clearly,
thoroughly, - to the bottom of that which he looks upon.
Hence, in another p]ace it is said that his "eyes are as a
flame of fire," Rev. 1: 14. And why so? That the churches
might know that he is he which "searcheth the reins and
hearts," Rev. 2: 23. He has discerning eyes, nothing is hid
from him; all things are open and naked before him with whom
we have to do. It is said of him, whilst 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, and the snow [show] of pretences that is on them.
He sees the inside of all; and what men are there, that they
are to him. He sees not as we see, but ponders the hidden man
of the heart. No humble, broken, contrite soul, shall lose one
sigh or groan after him, and communion with him; no pant of
love or desire is hid from him, - he sees in secret; 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.
4. Beauty and glory are here intended also. Every thing of
Christ is beautiful, for he is "altogether lovely," verse 16,
but most glorious [is he] in his sight and wisdom: he is the
wisdom of God's eternal wisdom itself; his understanding is
infinite. What spots and stains are in all our knowledge! When
it is made perfect, yet it will still be finite and limited.
His is without spot of darkness, without foil of limitedness.
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 13, "His
cheeks are as a bed of spices; as sweet flowers," or "towers
of perfumes" [marginal reading], or well-grown flowers. There
are three things evidently pointed at in these words: - 1. A
sweet savour, 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
paraphrase, 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 manlike
courage. The comeliness of Christ, as has in part been
declared, is from his fulness of grace in himself for us. His
manly courage respects the administration of his rule and
government, from his fulness 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, calleth his cheeks; so to make up his
parts, and proportion. And to them does she ascribe, -
1. A sweet savour, order, and eminency. A sweet savour; as
God is said to smell a sweet savour from the grace and
obedience of his servants (Gen. 8: 21, the LORD smelled a
savour of rest from the sacrifice of Noah), so do the saints
smell a sweet savour from his grace laid up in Christ, Cant.
1: 3. It is that which they rest in, which they delight in,
which they are refreshed with. As the smell of aromatical
spices and flowers pleases the natural sense, refreshes the
spirits, and delights 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 which the LORD
has blessed," Gen. 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
Sam. 23: 5.
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 savour 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
colour in the lilies, and the sweetness of savour in the
myrrh. The glory and beauty of the lilies in those countries
was such as that our Saviour tells us that "Solomon, in all
his glory, was not arrayed like one of them," Matt. 6: 29; and
the savour of myrrh such as, when the Scripture would set
forth any thing to be an excellent savour, it compares it
thereunto, Ps. 45: 8; and thereof was the sweet and holy
ointment chiefly made, Exod. 30: 23-25: 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," Ps. 45:
2; whence men wondered or were amazed - "tois logois tes
charitos", [Luke 4: 22] - 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
savour, 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 savour unto God," 2 Cor. 2: 15;
and the savour 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, savoury, 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 the
beryl" [verse 14]. The word "beryl," in the original, is
"Tarshish;" which the Septuagint have retained, not
restraining it to any peculiar precious stone; the onyx, say
some; the chrysolite, say others; - any precious stone shining
with a sea-green colour, for the word signifies the sea also.
Gold rings set with precious, glittering stones, are both
valuable and desirable, for profit and ornament: so are the
hands of Christ; that is, all his works, - the effects, by the
cause. All his works are glorious; they are all fruits of
wisdom, love, and bounty. "And his belly is as bright ivory,
overlaid with sapphires." The smoothness and brightness of
ivory, the preciousness and heavenly colour of the sapphires,
are here called in, to give some lustre to the excellency of
Christ." To these is his belly, or rather his bowels (which
takes in the heart also), compared. It is the inward bowels,
and not the outward bulk that is signified. Now, to show that
by "bowels" in the 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, is thus set out. What a beautiful sight is it to
the eye, to see pure polished ivory set up and down with heaps
of precious sapphires! How much more glorious are the tender
affections, mercies, and compassion of the Lord Jesus unto
believers!
Verse 15. The strength of his kingdom, the faithfulness
and stability of his promises, - the height and glory of his
person in his dominion, - the sweetness and excellency of
communion with him, is set forth in these words: "His legs are
as 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 thus reckoned up some of
the perfections of the creatures (things of most value, price,
usefulness, beauty, 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 to present his loveliness
and desirableness: but, alas! all this comes short of his
perfections, beauty, and comeliness; 'he is all wholly to be
desired, to be beloved;'" -
Lovely in his person, - in the glorious all-sufficiency of
his Deity, 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, even for our sakes.
Lovely in the whole course of his life, and the more than
angelical holiness and obedience which, in the depth of
poverty and persecution, he exercised therein; - doing good,
receiving evil; blessing, and being cursed, reviled,
reproached, all his days.
Lovely in his death; yea, therein most lovely to sinners;
- never more glorious and desirable than when he came broken,
dead, from the cross. Then had he carried all our sins into a
land of forgetfulness; then had remade 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, 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 wherewith he is crowned.
Now he is set down at the right hand of the 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, whereof his saints
are made partakers.
Lovely in all the tender care, power, and wisdom, which he
exercises in the protection, safe-guarding, and delivery of
his church and people, in the midst of all the oppositions and
persecutions whereunto 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 nigh and have communion with him and
his Father.
Lovely and glorious in the vengeance he taketh, 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.
Owen, Of Communion With God
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