The Mystery of the Marriage Song, Exposition · Verse 11
Verſ. 11. So ſhall the King greatly deſire thy Beauty: For he is thy Lord, and worſhip thou him.
THeſe words are added as an argument or motive to invite & ſtir up the Spouſe to the exerciſe of mortification, ſelf denial, & holineſs, for as much as the ſame is deſirable, amiable, and wel pleaſing to the King he… huſband, Col: 1.10. Nor ſhal ſhe be a loſer, though ſhe forſake all for Chriſt: if the world reject her a… caſt her off, yet Chriſt himſelf wil delight in her, ta… care of and provide for her. Every one that hath f… ſaken houſer, or Brethren, or Siſters, or Father, or Mother… or Wife, or Children, or Lands, for his names ſake ſhal receive a hundred fold here, and life everlaſting in th… world to come, Mat. 19.29. There is more true comfort in one hours communion with Chriſt (though i… the midſt of affliction) then in many years enjoyment of creature-relations.
[So ſhall the King greatly defire (or covet) thy beauty] (i. e) he wil de…ght himſelf in thy fairneſ; ſome read it, in thy Sanctity or holineſs; and truly there is a wonderful beauty in true holineſs.
Obſ. 1 According to this reading we may Obſerve. Holineſs in the Church is amiable to the Lord.That holineſs in the Church is a deſirable thing, and wel-pleaſing to the Lord, who gave himſelf for her, that he might ſanctifie and cleanſe her 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 ſhe ſhould be holy, and without blemiſh, Eph: 5.26, 27.
This point may be further inlarged in the following Particulars.This is inlarged in four particulars.
Firſt, Holineſs becomes the houſe of God, Pſalm 93.5. Pſal. 48.1. and the people of God, Tit: 2.13, 14 who hereupon are called Saints, and holy Brethren, Deut: 33.3. 1 Cor. 1.2. Heb. 3.1. Pſalm 10.3. Dan: 7.18, 21, 22, 25. 1 Pet: 2.9.
Again, the more holy we are the more like to God; for (1) he is holineſs it ſelf; holineſs is his nature and eſſence, Iſai. 6.3 Pſalm 99.3, 5, 9. Rev. 4.8. Iſai 5.16. Iſai. 63 15 And (2) he is the author and worker of bolineſs in the creature, Levit: 20.8. John 17.17. Jude 1.1 Sam: 2 2. Levit: 21.32. 1 Theſſ: 5.23.
Thirdly, Chriſt our head to whom we ſhould be conformable is the great Saint, the holy one of Iſrael, Iſai. 43.5. Iſaiah 53.9. John 8.46. 1 Pet: 2: 22. Acts 3.14. Rev: 2.2. Iſaiah 54.5. Pſalm 106.16: On his breaſt-plate holineſs to the Lord is written, that he might take away the iniquity that cleaves to our holy things, Exod: 28.36. Such a high prieſt becane us who is holy, and ſeperate from ſinners, Heb: 7.20. by whom we might be preſented holy and without ſpot, Eph. 5.26.
Fourthly, the Spirit of God whereby the Saints are ſealed is the ſpirit of holineſs, the Holy Ghoſt, Pſalm 51.11. Iſai. 63.10. Eph. 4.30. 1 Theſ… 4.8. The Angel alſo, and the glorified ſoule of Beleevers are ho… Deut. 33.2. Acts 7.53. Jud… …. Mat 18.…0 Iſeh. 12.23. and we ſhould be like unto them, for they and we make up but one Church, only with this difference; they are tranſlated into a ſtate of glory, and we remain in a ſtate militant. Though we are accepted with God only for the Righteouſneſ ſake of Chriſt, and our inherent holineſs doth not in the leaſt contribute to the matter of our juſtification, yet the Lord loves and delights to have his people holy, both in their nature and actions; and 'tis prophecied that holineſs ſhal abound in the times of the new Teſtament, inſomuch that there ſhal be upon the be's of the horſes holineſs to the Lord, Zach. 14.20. And O that Miniſters and Churches were more holy.
But let us take the words as they are here laid down, [So ſhall the King greatly deſire thy beauty, or thy fairneſs.]
This is directed to the Spouſe for her incouragement; As ſhe deſireth and delighteth in the beauty of Chriſt her huſband who is altogether lovely, the chiefeſt of ten thouſand; ſo he deſireth and delighteth i… her beancy, wherewith he himſelf hath adorned her, and which flows from him. Out of his ſide there iſſued forth water and blood John 19.34. John 5.6. whereby the Church is cleanſed and rendred fair and full of beauty; and the rib taken out of Adams ſide, whereof Eve was made, was a Type of this.
Obſer. 2 The words being thus briefly explained wil afford us this Obſervation:The Church is to dery her own wil, righteouſneſs &c. for Chriſt per ſpiritual Husband.
That it is an amiable thing in Chriſts eye for the Church to deny her own will, wiſdom, and righteouſneſs, and … renounce all other Lovers for his ſake.
There is a beauty in Juſtification, and a beauty i… …actification; So ſhall the King greatly deſire thy Beauty.
Niw if we look upon the Church as being enabled …poactiſe this leſſon of ſelf-denial, by the grace and Spirit of Chriſt; So this beauty of hers (which is thus deſirable) may wel be ſaid to be put upon her by Chriſt, and to be his beauty; ſo that in concluſion Chriſt deſireth and delighteth in his own beauty.
All the ſpiritual beauty and Glory which the Saints have or ſhal have, is derived to them from Chriſt their husband, who infinitely excels all other huſbands.
The excellency of this huſband above other huſbands may be demenſtrated in three things,Three thing propoundeds wherein Chriſt excels all other huſbands. among many other particulars which might be mentioned.
Firſt, other husbands wil have a conſiderable portion with their ſpouſes before they marry them; beauty, or mony, or noble deſcent, makes up the match; but Chriſt findes us not fair and wel qualified when he firſt marries us to himſelf, but polluted in our blood, naked, and loathſom, Ezek: 16.4, 5, 6, 7, 8. Then it is that he ſpreadeth his ſkirt over us, covereth our nakedneſs, clotheth us with broidered work, and decketh us with his Ornaments; and thus his heart comes to be raviſhed with his own Beauty, Cant. 4.9. To the confounding of the wiſdom of the world, and fleſh, …he juſtifieth the ungodly Rom: 4.5. When we were Enemies we were reconciled to God, Rom. 5.10, when dead in treſpaſſes and ſins, he quickned us, Eph. 2.5. when we were filthy he cleanſed us; when deformed, vile and wretched in our ſelves, he entered into Covenant with us, communicated his Righteouſneſs to us; poured out his ſpirit upon us, united himſelf to us by the ſame Spirit, and enabled us to lay hold on him by ſaith ſo that all comes from his free Love.
Secondly, Other husbands if their ſpouſes be not beautiful, ſutable, meek, obedient, they cannot make them ſo; but Chriſt puts a new Spirit, a divine nature nto his Spouſe, whereby ſhe doth freely and cheeruſly obey him. In the day of his power his people ſhal be willing, Pſalm 110.3. of Lions they ſhall be made Lambs, Iſai 11.7. Iſai. 65.25. Though he finde u filthy and deformed, yet he doth not leave us ſo, but make us amiable and holy.
Thirdly, The temporal husband though his affections be much towards his Wife when he marries her, yet for the moſt part it ſo fals out, that after miſcarriages (eſpecially if they be groſs ones) do alienate his heart, if not cauſe an utter divorce from her; But Chriſt having once ſet his love upon his Spouſe, and knowing from eternity how ſhe would prove, and what unkindneſs ſhe would manifeſt, doth notwithſtanding continue his love and kindneſs to her for ever; ſee Jer. 3.1, 14. Jer: 31.3. Hoſea 2.14, 19. Hoſea 14.4.
Is it an amiable thing for the Church thus to deny her ſelf, and forſake all for Chriſt; this then informeth us, that though a man do many good things as Herod did upon Johns preaching, — yet if he be under the power of any luſt, whether pride, ſelf love, covetouſneſs, uncleanneſs, or any other; If he do not deny himſelf, and all the luſts of the fleſh and the world, and that in love to Chriſt he is ſpiritually deformed and without Beauty: neither is there any true comelineſs or amiableneſs in his actions: whereſoever the Lord Jeſus is gratiouſly preſent by the power of his Spirit, he wil not ſuffer his irreconcileable enemies, the Devil, Sin, and the World to rule in his houſe, and freely without control to lodge in his bed; If he enter into the ſtrong mans houſe he will binde the ſtrong man, and make ſpoile of his goods, Mat: 12.28, 29. They that are not with Chriſt are againſt him; They that bawke the Croſs of Chriſt for any outward Relations or advantages have no true Beauty, nor are they deſirable: & what though now they pretend to follow him, by making a fair profeſſion, and abounding in ſome external ſervices (which are in credit at this day) yet their hypocriſie wil ſhortly appear: upon the parting of two Gentlemen whom a ſerving man hath long followed, it wil be ſeen to whether of them he yeates; ſo it wil be in this caſe, when Chriſt and the world part.
Uſe. 2 Secondly, Let chriſtians often remember the admirable gratio us condeſcenſion of Chriſt, who firſt puts a beauty upon them, and then deſireth and delighteth in his own beauty: as the Spouſe deſcribeth and highly commendeth his perſonal beauty, Cant: 5.10. So he deſcribeth & highly commendeth her beauty, Can. 4.1, 2, 3, &c. he firſt blows upon his Garden, making the ſp…es thereof to flow forth, and then eats his pleaſant fruits: all is from him & to him, Cant. 4.16. Cant: 5.1. O wonderful condeſcenſion! O admirable love! thus the King freely and of his own accord is held in the Rafters or Galleries, Cant. 7.5. being tied to the Church by the bands of love: her heart (to allude to that ſaying concerning the ſtrange Woman, Eccleſ: 7.26) is as ſnares and nets, and her hands as bands; the Lord Jeſus is exceedingly taken with her; he allures her with his beauty, Hoſea 2.14, 19. Iſai: 62.4. Hoſea 11.4. and ſhe allures him with her Doves eyes, Cant: 1.15. and ſo their ſpiritual allurements and delights are mutual and reciprocal, theſe things are to be ſpiritually conſidered and improved.
It followeth [For he is thy Lord, and worſhip thou him.]
The dominion or Lordſhip of Chriſt is here ſubjoyned as a reaſon or ground why the Church ſhould obey and worſhip him: Is it not a meet and comely thing for the ſubject to obey his Prince, and the ſervant his Lord and Maſter? Chriſt hath put a beauty upon his Church, pardoned her ſins, delivered her from the curſe, and ſer her at liberty, not that ſhe ſhould live carnally, but obey him ſpiritually: Being dead to the Law by the body of Chriſt that ſhe ſhould be married to another even to him that is raiſed from the dead, that ſhe ſhould bring forth fruit unto God, Romans 7.44
Hence Obſerve.
Obſ. 3 That we ſhould not only look at Chriſt as our high Prieſt and Saviour, That we ſhould eye Chriſt as our Lord ſo as to obey him.to procure for us pardon and Reconciliation, and to free us from wrath and hell; But alſo as our Lord and King, to ſerve and obey him.
By vertue of his Prieſtly office he hath ſatisfied and made an atonement for our ſins, Exod. 30.10. Lev. 5 18. Rom… 5.11.1 John 2.2. and by vertue of his Kingly office he ruleth in us: our faith is to be directed to him for pardon in the former relation, and for power and ability to obey him in the latter: and indeed that man who cordially cloſeth with Chriſt in his prieſtly office, will alſo how down before him, and worſhip him as his Lord; he that hearrily embraceth Chriſt in one Office, doth heartily embrace him in all.
Now the Lordſhip of Chriſt may be conſidered two wayes.Chriſt hath a two-fold Lordſhip.
Firſt, 1 Abſolute and generaChriſt hath an abſolute providential independent Lordſhip or ſoveraignty over all things in Heaven, and earth, and hell, as he is the moſt high and mighty God, King of Kings, Lord of Lords, eſſentially one with the Father, the Lord of glory, 1 Cor. 2.8. Acts 10.36. Heb. 1.10. Eph. 4.5. There is but one Lord Jeſus, by whom are all things, and we by him, 1 Cor. 8.6.
Secondly. 2 Relative and peculiar.Chriſt hath a peculiar relative Lordſhip, as he is mediatour and head of his Church, which is his body, for whoſe good and welfare all things are put into his hands by the Father. John 5 22. John 13.3. John 17.2. Eph. 1.20, 21, 22, 23. the King is head and ruler over all his ſubjects within his dominions; but he ruleth his Queen in a more peculiar intimate manner.
The former is an uncreated, but the latter is a created Lordſhip;Reaſons we ſhould obey the Lord Jeſus. God hath made that ſame Jeſus whom ye crucified both Lord and Chriſt, Acts 2 36.
There are ſtrong Reaſons why we ſhould Worſhip and obey Chriſt as our Lord,
1 Becauſe we are his, and belong to him all manner of wayes; As, Firſt, By creation, Co…. 1.16, 17.1 Reaſ: We are his every way, John 1.3. Heb. 1.2.1 By Creation,
Secondly, By the eternal donation of the Father, which donation was reciprocal; we were given to Chriſt,2 By eternal donation. and Chriſt to us, John 17.2, 6, 24. Iſa. 42.6, 7, &c.
Thirdly, By purchaſe and acquiſition, Chriſt payed dear for us, even the price of his own blood, (i. e.) the blood of God, Acts 20.28. Be you holy as God is holy,3 By pure chaſe, and paſſe the time of your ſo ourning here in fear, for as much as ye were not redeemed with corruptible things as ſilver and gold, from your vain converſation, but with the pretio us blood of Chriſt, &c. 1 Pet. 1.16, 17, 18, 19.
We are his, & belong to him ſoul & body; all that we have, & all that we can do is too little for him, who gave himſelf for us that he might redeem us from all iniquity & purifie to himſelf a peculiar people, zealous of good works. Tit: 2.14. ye are bought with a price, therefore glorifie God in your body, & in your ſpirit, which is Gods, 1 Cor: 6.10. he dyed, that they which live ſhould not henceforth live to themſelves, but unto him which dyed for them, and roſe again, 2 Cor: 5.15.
Fourthly, by ſpiritual union and implantation; he is the vine, we are the branches;4 By ſpiritual union he and we are one ſpirit, one Chriſt myſtical, John 15.5. 1 Cor: 6.17. 1 Cor: 12.12. God having tranſplanted us out of the old vine the firſt Adam, and crucified us to the old Covenant, and ingrafted us into the new Vine the ſecond Adam, that we might be found in him, and that our fruit might be found in him, and to him, Phil. 3.8. Hoſ: 14.8. Rom 7.4. In a word, that we might live from and by Chriſt as our principle, for him and to him as our end, John 15.1, 2. John 17.21, 22, 23 Gal: 2.19, 20. 1 Cor. 15.45. Phiſ. 1.11.
Fiftly, we are the Lords by Covenant and ſtipulation,5 By Covenant God in Chriſt hath entered into Covenant with us, and promiſed to be o… god and Father, Jer: 31.33. Heb. 8.10. and we have accepted the grace of the Covenant, and do avouch our ſelves to be the Lords people, Hoſ. 2.23.
Sixthly,6 By Conqueſt, By Conqueſt; Chriſt hath not only vanquiſhed his peoples enemies by the power of his eternal Godhead, upon the croſs, and at his Reſurrection, Col. 2.15. Heb: 2.14. Rom: 8.34. But he doth alſo ſubdue their hearts to himſelf by the power of his grace, and cauſe them to triumph by Faith in his victories, Rom. 8.37,
Reaſ. 2 Another Reaſon may be taken from the obedience of the bleſſed Anges, Becauſe we are to be like the Angels in obedience. How Chriſt wil be worſhipped,whoſe nature is ſuperiour to, and far more excellent then ours, yet they do chearfully worſhip and obey Chriſt, when the Lord bringeth his firſt begotten into the world he ſaith, Let all the Angels of God worſhip him Heb. 1.6. Luke 2.13, 14, & we pray let thy wil be done on earth as it is in Heaven.
Quae: But how will this Lord be worſhipped by us?
Anſ. In Spirit and Truth John 4.24. Inwardly and outwardly in Soul and body, with cheerfulneſs and alacrity, Pſeln 100.1, 2. In Righteouſneſs and holineſs without fear all the dayes of our life, Luke 1.74, 75, honouring and reverencing him in our hearts, drawing nigh to him in his word and ordinances, with uprightneſs & fiacerity in the inward parts, Gen. 17.1, being circumciſed in Spirit, putting no confidence in the fleſh, having not the praiſe of men but of God, Rom: 21 23. Phil. 3.3; who weigheth the ſpirit of men in the balance of the Sanctuary, Proverbs 16.2. and knoweth perfectly from what principle, upon what motives and grounds, and for what ends we come before him, and worſhip him.
Uſe. 1 Should we worſhip Chriſt as our Lord and King? This then reproves moſt people (that are called chriſtiens) who vainly boaſt that Chriſt and Heaven is theirs, that they have beleeved ever ſince they were born and doubt not of the pardon of their ſins and the ſalvation of their Souls; yet in the mean while they are far from yeilding ſincere obedience to Chriſt, as their Lord; or giving him the honour of his regal office; they have other gods and Lords whom they ſerve, Exod: 32.4. 1 Cor. 8.5. Satan is their Lord, Covetouſneſs is their Lord, ambition is their Lord, Luſt is their Lord; and therefore when they come to dye, God may wel bid them go for peace and comfort to the gods and Lords whom they have ſerved; Let them deliver them if they can, Judg. 10.13.14. But alas, there wil be neither voice, nor any to anſwer or regard them in that day, 1 Kings 18.29. 'Tis a meer Satanical deluſion when men brag of an intereſt in Chriſt, and of peace and pardon by him, and yet know not what it is ſpiritually to worſhip the Lord; whileſt they acknowledg him in words, they deny him in works, Tit. 1.16. If I be a Father, where is mine honour? and if I be a Maſter, where is my fear (ſaith the Lord?) Mal: 1.6. We ſhould obey this Lord univerſally, both in reſpect of the object, having a regard to all his commands; & in reſpect of the ſubject, with all the powers of our ſouls, ſincerely, cheerfully, conſtantly.
Uſe. 2 Secondly, Conſidering what our Lord did and ſuffered for us, how he was obedient to the death of the Croſs, Phil. 2.8. we ought not to ſhun the meaneſt work or office that tends to his glory, and the profit of our neighbour: The Lord of glory abaſed himſelf for us, and ſhall not we condeſcend one to another; let us remember that grave exhortation of the Apoſtle, Rom. 12 10, 16. Be kindly affectioned one to another with Brotherly love, in honour preferring one another; Minde not high things, but condeſcend to men of …ow degree; and let us never forget the example of our Lord, who (knowing that the Father had given all things into his hands, and that he was come from God, and went to God) waſhed his Diſciples feet and wiped them with a Towel; if then our Lord and maſter waſhed his Diſciples feet, we alſo ought to waſh one anothers feet, John 13.3, 4, 5, 13, 14, 15. If he did thus when he was ful of the thoughts of his own glory, wel may we do ſo being compaſſed about with many weakneſſes, and our ſelves ſubject to the like infirmities with our Brethren.