The Mystery of the Marriage Song, Exposition · Verse 2
Verſ.2. Thou art fairer then the Children of men: Grace is poured into thy lips, therefore God hath bleſſed thee for ever.
Thou art fairer, or fuller of beauty. Some apply this … the beauty, wiſdom and magnificence of Solomon: But … was but the Type, The Lord Jeſus is the Antitype and …bſtance; Theſe words therefore, with the following …rſes, do excellently deſcribe the Beauty and glorious …rfection of Chriſt the Son of God. The word, as Ainſworth …tes, is of a Double forme, ſignifying Double, excellent, In…mparable beauty; not ſo much of Body as of mind; not … much outward as inward beauty, conſiſting in his moſt excellent, Tranſcendent wiſdome, meekneſs, love, holineſs, &c. Thou art fairer, O King Chriſt, then the Children of …en. Hence Obſerve,
That there is no beauty among the Sons of men (though …odly and Spirituall) Comparable to the beauty of Chriſt, 1 Obſer. Chriſt is incomparably fair.… is altogether lovely, and carrieth the banner above ten …uſand, Cant. 5.10, 16.
He is Incomparably fair, in divers reſpects.
First, 1 In his Natures: 1 As God.in reſpect of his Natures, divine and humane: 1. … God Bleſſed for ever; In whom the fulneſs of the Godhead dwelleth ſubſtantially, Col. 2.9. Who is the Brightneſs the Fathers Glory, the expreſſe Image of his perſon, … 1.3. he is beauty, Wiſdome, Truth, Power, Love it ſelf. We beheld his Glory, the Glory as of the only Begotten… the Father, full of grace and Truth. Joh. 1.14.
2.2 As man. In his humane nature he is Incomparably fair, being miraculouſly conceived in the Virgins wombe by t… Holy Ghoſt, and Borne without ſin, Matt. 1.18. Heb. 4.15. … man, he hath the pre-eminence above all other men, Col. ….18. the humane nature in him being aſſumed into perſon … union with the divine.
He is incomparably Faire,
3 As he is Mediator between God and man.3 As Godman. The Bran… of the Lord ſhall be Beauty and Glory, Iſai. 4.2. In bo… natures he Tranſacts our Buſineſs as Mediator; Both in … ſpect of merit and efficacy; having ſatisfied divine Juſtice for us, and applying his merit unto us, 2 Cor 5.19. 1 C…. 2.8. Joh. 1.14. 1 Tim. 3.16. 1 Tim. 2.5. Heb. 9.14. Joh. 17.2…, 21, 24.
Secondly, 2 In his Offices. 1 Propheticall.He is incomparably faire and full of beauty in his Offices; propheticall, Prieſtly, and Regall.
1. As a Prophet he inſtructs his people in heavenly a… divine myſteries, not only morally propounding Tru… to the underſtanding in the Miniſtry of the word, B… inwardly and effectually enlightning the ſoul by the Spirit of wiſdome and revelation, Eph. 1.17. See Deut. 1.15. Act. 3.22. Matt. 23.7. Heb. 3.1. Mal. 3.1. Col. 2.3. Jo. 14.…. Joh. 16.7, 8, 13.
2. As a Prieſt,
1. He hath wholly purged away our ſins,2 Sacerdotall. and reconciled us unto God, 1 Joh. 1.7. Col. 1.20, 22. 2 Cor. 5.19. Heb. ….28. Heb. 10.11, 12, 18. Rom. 5.10.
2. As a Prieſt, he prayeth and Intercedeth for us… and ſo will ſave us to the uttermoſt, Joh. 17. Heb. 7. 2…. Zac. 3.1, 2.
3. He doth effectually Bleſſe us, Luk. 24.5…. John 14.27. Heb. 7.1, 2. Acts 3.26. … 3. In his regall office, 3 Regal.whereby … us, ſubduing our enemies, inward and outward. …al. 2.6. Dan. 2.44. Luk. 1.36. Eph. 1.21, 22. Iſai. 9.6. …b. 7.2. Joh. 5.21, 22, 23, 27. 2 Cor. 10.4, 5.
Now theſe three Offices of Chriſt are full of beauty, …wer & vertue, and they anſwer to our threefold miſery … nature, namely, our ignorance of God, alienation from …od, and our Inability to return to God. 1. Our ignorance is healed by his prophetical office. 2. Our enmity, … his prieſtly: and 3. Our inability, by his Regal of…e.
Thirdly, 3 In his relations.Chriſt is exceeding fayr and beautifull in his …lations to us. (1). As he is our Father, Iſai. 8.18. Iſai. …6. Heb. 2.13, 14. (2). Our elder brother, Cant. 5.16. Rom. …29. Heb. 2.11. (3). Our head, Eph. 1.22, 23. Col. 1.18. Col. …19. Eph. 4.15, 16. Cant. 5.11. (4). Our husband, Iſa. 54.… 2 Cor. 11.2. Hoſ. 2.7.19. Jer. 3.14. Cant. 2.16. (5). Our …riend, Iſai. 41.8. Joh. 15.14, 15. He is real and faithful … performing what belongs to theſe or any other Relation.
Fourthly, 4 In his word and ordinances.He is incomparably faire in his word and ordinances: here we ſee the King in his beauty, Iſai. 33.17. …ſal. 19.10. Pſal. 29.2. Pſal. 84.1, 2, 3, 4. Pſal. 95.1, 26. …ſal. 100. Iſai. 52.7.
Fifthly, In his adminiſtrations and works of providence; 5 In his providences.…ough we cannot find them out, from the beginning to …e end, Eccl. 3.11. he is full of beauty to a Spiritual eye, … his corrective Diſpenſations. Though ye have lyen …mong the potts, yet ſhall ye be as the wings of a dove, …vered with Silver, and her feathers with yellow Gold, …ſal. 68.13.
In his Members: the ſpouſe is altogether fair,6 In his members. Song. 4. …. Iſai. 52.1. But it is with a beauty derived from her huſband, Col. 2.10. Ezek. 16.12, 13.
Object. from Iſai. 53.2. He hath no forme nor comelineſs, no beauty that we ſhould deſire him.
Anſw. 1. Thus indeed he appeared to the world in his ſtate … abaſement and humiliation, being in the form of a …rvant, Iſai. 42.1. Phil. 2.7. Clothed with our ſhame and …proach, made ſin and a curſe for us, 2 Cor. 5.21. Gal. 3.13. … Triumphed over his and our enem… and … Gods right hand in Glory. Luk. 24.…. Eph. 4.8. … 2.15. Joh. 3.14. Phil. 2.9. By way of man… ſtation only, in reſpect of the divine Nature; and by … of real participation, in reſpect of the humane Nature.
2. 'Tis but to a Carnall eye that Chriſt appears th… without Beauty in his humiliation; the naturall man Ju… geth according to outward appearance, and knowe… Chriſt only after the fleſh, 2 Cor. 6.16. But to a beleeving Spirituall eye, Chriſt is Incomparably fair and beauti… in his Croſs and agony: ſuch an one beholdeth righteou… neſs in ſin; the bleſſing in the Curſe; life in death; a… glory in the ſhame and ignominy of the Croſs: and o… Spiritually deſcribe the beauty of Chriſt from top to to… Cant. 5.10, 11, 12, 13. &c.
Uſe. 1 Chriſt being thus incomparably faire, Thy heart a… Soul ſhould be enamored, yea raviſhed with him: his hea… (he ſaith,) is raviſhed with the beauty of the ſpou… Cant. 4.9, 10. And well may our hearts be raviſhed w… him, who is fairer then the children of men: a beautiful Soul-raviſhing object indeed: for, 1. He is a preſent good though abſent in body, yet preſent in Spirit, Matt. 28.2… Joh. 14.18, 23. 2. He is not an ordinary good, but a p… tious pearl, a moſt excellent treaſure, Matt. 13.44, 4…. Eph. 3.8. 1 Pet. 2.7. 3. A compleat, full, ſufficient goo… anſwering all eſtates and conditions, Eph. 4.10. Col. 1.1… 4. A moſt pure glorious object, without the leaſt mixture of corruption, 1 Pet. 1.19. 1 Pet. 2, 22. Heb. 7.26. 5. In Chr… there is a variety of all ſpiritual excellencies, 1 Cor. 1.3… Eph. 3.10. Col. 2.3. 6. He is a conquering victorious goo… Luk. 11.22. Joh. 12.31. 2 Tim. 1.10. Joh. 16.33. Col. 2.1… 7. He is the peculiar proper good of his owne people Cant. 6.3. Jer. 23.6.
Uſe. 2 Dote not therfore, on Creature-Beauty, which is b… periſhing: The faſhion of this world paſſeth away. Fa… is deceitful, and beauty is a vain thing, Prov. 31.30. S… mon, one of the wiſeſt men that ever lived, had experien… of the vanity of it; therfore take his adviſe: Luſt not after womans beauty in thine heart, neither let her take thee wi… her eye-lids. Pro. 6.25.
Uſe. 3 Hence let us be ſtirred up to adorne Chriſt and … Goſpel which we profeſs, with a beautifull unſpotted coverſation: The blackneſs and deformities which are in …he lives of profeſſors, do… caſt a blot on the pretious Truths of Chriſt, and cauſe his name to be blaſphemed, Rom. 2.24. Oh let us be careful to beautifie our profeſſion, with a ſutable converſation, ſuch as becomes the Goſpell, Phil. 1.27. That ſo we may give occaſion to …one to be offended with our beautifull amiable Lord and husband.
Againe: [Grace is poured into thy lips]
Theſe words are applyed to Chriſt the Bridegroom, …ho is the beſt ſpoken of any: he abounds in gratious …ords, and his doctrine is full of light, life, and ſweetneſs: His Lips are like lilies, dropping ſweet-ſmelling Myrrhe, Cant. 5.13. The people wondred at the gratious …ords which came from him, Luk. 4.22. for he taught them …s one having authority, and not as the Scribes, Matt. 7.…8, 29.
Grace is poured into Chriſts lips, or the word of grace … in his mouth; he abounds in grace; he is full of grace; …at he might convey and communicate grace to us, Joh. 1.…6. Thus we may underſtand theſe words; and thence Obſerve,
That Chriſt by his gratious Doctrine, II Obſerv. That Chriſt doth effectually give grace by the Goſpell.or the word of his …ace, doth not only diſcover to men their ſin and miſery, and …e way of peace and Salvation; but he doth alſo Miniſter …ace and power to them, to accept of pardon and Reconcilation.
Herein Chriſt excels Moſes; and the Goſpel, the Law: …. Cor. 3. the Law came by Moſes, but grace and truth by …hriſt, Joh. 1.17. abundance of grace; he came, that we …ight have life; yea, that we might have it abundantly. …h. 10.10.
The Law commands, But gives not ſtrength to per…rm; kils, but makes not alive; ſhews us our diſeaſe, …t doth not apply the remedy; Is a Schoole-maſter to In…ruct us, Gal. 3.24.This Doctrine is confirmed by reaſons. but puts not a Spiritual capacity into …; no: this is performed only by the Spirit of Chriſt, in …e miniſtry of the Goſpell: The Goſpel only is the Doctrine and word of grace: The Inſtrument of conveying …ace to poor ſinners. The Reaſons wherof are theſe that …dow.
Reaſ. 1 Firſt, Becauſe that in this Miniſtry only Chriſt Crucified is diſplayed, Zach. 12.10. Joh. 12.32. Gal. 3.1.
Reaſ. 2 Secondly, Becauſe as grace is ſupernaturall, ſo … conveyed in a way and by an Inſtrument ſupernatural and that is the Goſpell: there are ſome footſteps of the Law or old covenant, but nothing of the Goſpell in the heart of a Naturall man. A Chriſtian is like Iſaak, a child of promiſe, begotten by grace, beyond nature, Rom. ….19. Gal. 4.28.
Reaſ. 3 Is taken from thoſe Titles which are attributed to the Goſpell, beyond the Law; 'Tis expreſly called the Ministration of the Spirit, life, and Glory, 2 Cor. 3.8, …. Gal. 3.2. 1 Pet. 1.3, 22, 23, 25. Act. 10.44. The good wor… Heb. 6.5. a faithful ſaying, 1 Tim. 1.15. a good doctrine 1 Tim. 4.6. the word of life, Phil. 2.16. of Reconciliation 2 Cor. 5.19. the Goſpel of peace, Eph. 2.17. Eph. 6.15. The Goſpel of Salvation, and the word of Truth, Eph. 1.1…. Col. 1.15. The arm of God, Iſa. 53.1. The ſavor of life … life, 2 Cor. 2.16.
Obj. Yea, but the Spirit of God convinceth of ſin, Joh. 16.…. and this is in the Miniſtry of the Law.
Anſw. 1 'Tis one thing to be convinced of ſin; yea to be ou… wardly ſanctified and reformed; Heb. 10.29. Another thing to be inwardly converted, and effectually called There can be no true faith, love, humility, mortification without a Spirituall conviction, and diſcovery of Chriſt Righteouſneſs, as well as a ſenſe of ſin: now this Righteouſneſs is not revealed in the Law, but in the Goſpell Rom. 3.21. Rom. 10.6.
2. The Spirit of God in the Miniſtry of the Law, wo… as a Spirit of Bondage; but in the Goſpel only as a Spi… of adoption; Rom. 8.15. Gal. 4.6, 7. revealing to us God fatherly love in Chriſt, and ſo changing and turning o… hearts to him: Jer. 31.19. Ezek. 16.63. yet to the el… the Lord bleſſeth and ſanctifieth the terrors of the La… following the ſame with the manifeſtations of his gra… in the Goſpel; and ſo in that reſpect legall conviction… may be ſaid to be a preparative to their converſion; … as for others, notwithſtanding their legall ſorrowes a… terrors, yet they are far from true converſion.
Reaſ. 4 Fourthly, Becauſe the Goſpel is the new covenant, one …ranch or promiſe whereof is, that God will write his Law … our hearts, Heb. 8.10. namely, the Law of faith, Rom. ….27, whereby we come to be the Epiſtle of Chriſt: This …riting of the Law in the heart being oppoſed to the …riting of it in tables of ſtone, 2 Cor. 3.3. The Goſpel is … Transforming glaſſe, 2 Cor. 3.18. So is not the Law: in …he Goſpel, the grace that brings Salvation, Tit. 2.12. …nd the righteouſneſs of Chriſt from faith to faith, is revealed, Rom. 1.16, 17. and by the promiſes of the Goſpel …ur hearts are purified, and we made partakers of the …ivine nature; 2 Cor. 7.16. 1 Pet. 1.22, 25. 2 Pet. 1.4. Joh. …7.17.
Uſe. 1 Firſt, Doth Chriſt by his Gratious doctrine communicate grace to ſinners? Oh then, thou graceleſs Soul, look …p to him in the word and promiſe of Grace; he is full of Grace, grace is poured into his lips, that he might pour …t out upon us, who by Nature are enemies to grace: he hath erected a throne of grace for ſinners; whereon we may find grace to help in time of need, Heb. 4.16. he received Spirituall gifts, even for the Rebellious, that the Lord God might dwell with them, Pſa. 68.18. And when we our ſelves find an unſpirituall ungratious frame of heart, as we often do; let us have recourſe to God upon this Throne of grace.
Uſe. 2 Secondly, It may Incourage and ſupport the faithfull preachers of the Goſpell. They cannot perſwade the people to accept the Offer of grace, But Chriſt can: In the day of his power, when he lifts up a ſtandard by his Spirit, They ſhall be willing, Pſa. 110.3. The Gentiles ſhall Truſt in him, Rom. 15.12. he is a quickning life-giving head and principle, 1 Cor. 15.45. Col. 2.19. and he gives grace in and by this deſpiſed Miniſtry. Let not the moſt powerfull Spirituall preacher imagine that he can work effectually upon his hearers, by the Spirituall vigor and inlargedneſs of his affections; he himſelf may have intimate Communion with the Lord, when it is not ſo with thoſe that heare him: he cannot communicate grace to them, as Chriſt can; and yet he ought to imitate Chriſt, in declaring the word of grace with much ſpirituall vigor and zeal, and not in a cold, formal manner. Chriſt is able to work upon the moſt ſtubborn graceleſs heart, and he ordinarily doth it by the miniſtry of weake men; that our Faith might not ſtand in the wiſdom of men, but i… the power of God, 1 Cor. 2.5. We have this Treaſure i… earthen veſſels, that the excellency of the power might be of God, and not of us, 2 Cor. 4.7.
It followeth in the laſt place [Therfore God hath bleſſing thee for ever.]
Upon this deſigne the Father ſent his Son, and for this very end, he hath bleſſed and exalted him, that he might inrich us with grace, and with Spirituall bleſſings Obſerve therefore,
That Chriſt in our nature is exalted by God, III Obſer. Chriſt is furniſhed with power to doe us good.and furniſhed abundantly, with grace and power, and authority to doe our Souls good.
He hath power enough in his hands to make his word effectuall, and to give life to them that are dead in ſin, Joh. 17.2. Becauſe he liveth, we ſhall live alſo, Joh. 14.19. God hath bleſſed our Head Chriſt, that we who are his members might through him be bleſſed and made happy Eph. 1.3. God hath made that ſame Jeſus that was Crucified, both Lord and Chriſt: who being exalted at his right-hand, ſheddeth abroad the Holy Ghoſt, Act. 2.33, 36. and giveth repentance and remiſſion of ſins, Act. 5.31. Being the Author and finiſher of Faith; the Captain o… our Salvation, Heb. 12.2. Head over all things for the Church his body, Eph. 1.22.
Uſe. 1 Let us ſeriouſly minde Gods deſigne and end in anointing Chriſt, and pouring out grace upon him; it was not for himſelfe, but for us, Luk. 4.18, 43. that of his fulneſ… we might receive grace for grace, Joh. 1.16. that the water of Spirituall life and Conſolation might flow unto us from him, as from a fountain or well-ſpring, Joh. 4.14. O therefore why ſhouldſt thou be barren, dead, hearted, unfruitful? Why ſhouldſt thou ſtarve in a Cooks ſhop? Ho every one that thirſteth, come ye to the waters, and he that hath no mony; come ye, buy and eat, yea come buy wine & milk without mony and without price, Iſa. 55.1. Eat Oh friends, Drink, yea drink abundantly; be drunken with loves, as the word is, Cant. 5.1. He that beleeveth on Chriſt, out of his belly ſhall flow rivers of living water, Joh. 7.37, 38, 39. In the wilderneſs, ſhall waters break out, and ſtreames in the …eſert. In the thirſty Land ſhall be Springs of water, Iſa. 35.6, 7.
Uſe. 2 Admire the love of God in ſending Chriſt, and furni…ing him with Treaſures of grace and with all Spirituall …erfections, for the comfort and ſalvation of our ſouls. In his was manifeſted the love of God towards us, Joh. 3.16. … Joh. 4.9, 10. Behold, what manner of love the Lord hath …eſtowed upon us! we are poor, but Chriſt was rich for …s; we are empty and naked, but he was filled and clothed …ith riches of Glory for us; and he freely Emptied himſelf, and layd afide his glorious robes for a while, Phil. 2.…. and became poor, that he might make us rich, 2 Cor. ….9.