world and all the defirables in it, receive what excellency they have from him; they are streams from the fountain. But as the waters in the fountain itself are more abundant, fo more pure and pleasant* than in the streams. And the farther any thing departs, and is removed from its fountain and original, the lefs excellency

there is in it.

Secondly, The loveliness and excellency of all other things, is but relative and refpective, confifting in its reference to Christ, and fubferviency to his glory; but Chrift is lovely, confidered abfo lutely in himself: He is defirable for himfelf, other things are fo for him.

Thirdly, The beauty and lovelinefs of all other things is fading and perifhing; but the loveliness of Chrift is frefh to all eternity: the fweetness of the beft creatures is a fading flower; if not be fore, yet certainly at death it must fade away. Job iv. 21. " Doth "not their excellency, which is in them, go away?" Yes, yes, whether natural excellencies of the body, or acquired endowments of the mind, lovely features, amiable qualities, attracting excellen cies; all these like pleafant flowers are withered, faded, and deftroyed by death; "but Chrift is still the fame, yesterday, to day, " and for ever," Heb. xiii. 8.

Fourthly, The beauty and loveliness of creatures are ensnaring and dangerous; a man may make an idol thereof, and dote be yond the bounds of moderation upon them, but there is no danger of excess in the love of Chrift. The foul is then in the healthieft frame and temper when it is most fick of love to Chrift, Cant, v. 8.

Fifthly, The lovelinefs of every creature is of a cloying and glut ting nature; our estimation of it abates and finks by our nearer approach to it, or longer enjoyment of it; creatures, like pictures, are faireft at a due distance, but it is not fo with Chrift; the nearer the foul approacheth him, and the longer it lives in the enjoyment of him, ftill the more fweet and defirable is he.

Sixthly, and Laftly, All other loveliness is unfatisfying and straitening to the foul of man; there is not room enough in any one, or in all the creatures for the foul of man to dilate and expatiate itself; but it still feels itself confined and narrowed within those ftrait limitst: And this comes to pafs from the inadequatenefs and unfuitableness of the creature, to the nobler and more excellent

1

Dulcius ex ipfo fonte bibuntur aquæ. Waters drink more pleasantly from the fountain itself.

Unus Pellao juveni non fufficit orbis;

fuat infalix angufto in limite mundi,

One world is not fufficient for the Macedonian youth (viz. Alexander ;) he frets at being confined within the narrow boundary of the world.

foul of man, which like a fhip in a narrow river hath not room to turn; and befides, is ever and anon ftriking ground and foundering in those fhallows. But Jefus Chrift is every way adequate to the vaft defires of the foul; in him it hath fea-room enough; there it may spread all its fails, no fear of touching the bottom. And thus you fee what is the importance of this phrase, Altogether lovely.

Secondly, Next I promised to fhew you in what refpects Jefus Chrift is altogether lovely. And,

Firft, He is altogether lovely in his perfon: a Deity dwelling in Hlefh, John i. 14. The wonderful union and perfection of the divine and human nature in Chrift, render him an object of admiration and adoration to angels and men, 1 Tim. iii. 16. God never presented to the world fuch a vifion of glory before: And then confider how the human nature of our Lord Jefus Chrift is replenifhed with all the graces of the Spirit, fo as never any of all the faints was filled; O how lovely doth this render him! John iii. 34. "God giveth not the Spirit by measure unto him." This makes him fairer than the children of men, grace being poured into his lips, Pfal. xlv. 2. If a small measure of grace in the faints make them fuch sweet and defirable companions, what must the riches and fulness of the Spirit of grace filling Jefus Chrift without meafure, make him in the eyes of believers? O what a glory and luftre must it stamp upon him!

Secondly, He is altogether lovely in his offices: for let us but confider the fuitablenefs, fulness, and comfortableness of them.

Firft, The fuitableness of the offices of Chrift to the miseries and wants of men; and we cannot but adore the infinite wifdom of God in his inveftiture with them; we are, by nature, blind and ignorant, at best but groping in the dim light of nature after God, Acts xvii. 27. Jefus Chrift is a light to lighten the Gentiles, Ifa. xlix. 6. When this great prophet came into the world, then did the day-fpring from on high vifit us, Luke i. 78. The state of nature is a state of alienation from, and enmity against God; Chrift comes into the world an atoning facrifice, making peace by the blood of his crofs, Col. i. 20. All the world, by nature, are in bondage and captivity to Satan, a lamentable thraldom; Chrift comes with kingly power, to rescue finners, as a prey from the mouth of the terrible one.

Secondly, Let the fulness of his offices be alfo confidered, by reafon whereof he is able to fave to the uttermoft, all that come to "God by him," Heb. vii. 25. The three offices, comprising in them all that our fouls do need, become an univerfal relief to all our wants; and therefore,

Thirdly, Unfpeakably comfortable must the offices of Christ be to

the fouls of finners. If light be pleafant to our eyes, how pleasant is that light of life fpringing from the Sun of righteoufnefs! Mal. iv. 2. If a pardon be fweet to a condemned malefactor, how sweet must the sprinkling the blood of Jefus be to the trembling conscience of a law-condemned finner? If a refcue from a cruel tyrant be fweet to a poor captive, how fweet muft it be to the ears of enflaved finners, to hear the voice of liberty and deliverance proclaimed by Jefus Chrift? Out of the several offices of Chrift, as out of fo many fountains, all the promises of the new covenant flow, as fo many foul-refreshing streams of peace and joy: all the promises of illumination, counfel and direction flow out of the prophetical office; all the promises of reconciliation, peace, pardon,! and acceptation flow out of the priestly office, with the fweet streams of joy, and fpiritual comforts depending thereupon; all the pro- C mifes of converting, increafing, defending, directing, and fupplying grace, flow out of the kingly office of Chrift; indeed, all promifes may be reduced to the three offices: fo that Jefus Chrift muft needs be altogether lovely in his offices.

Thirdly, Jefus Chrift is altogether lovely in his relations.

First, He is a lovely Redeemer, Ifa. Ixi. 1. He came to open the prifon-doors to them that are bound. Needs muft this Redeemer be a lovely one, if we confider the depth of mifery from which he re-. deemed us, even "from the wrath to come," 1 Theff. i. 10. How lovely was Titus, in the eyes of the poor enthralled Greeks, whom he delivered from their bondage! this endeared him to them to that degree, that when their liberty was proclaimed, they even trod one another to death to fee the herald that proclaimed it; and all the night following, with inftruments of mufic, danced about his tent, crying with united voices, "a Saviour, a Saviour." Or, whether we confider the numbers redeemed, and the means of their redemption. Rev, v. 9. " And they fang a new fong, faying, "Thou art worthy to take the book, and to open the feals there" of: for thou waft flain, and haft redeemed us to God by thy "blood, out of every kindred and tongue, and people, and na❝tion." He redeemed us not with filver and gold, but with his own precious blood, by way of price, 1 Pet. i. 18, 19. with his out-ftretched and glorious arm, by way of power, Col. i. 13. he redeemed us freely, Eph. i. 7. fully, Rom. viii. 1. feafonably, Gal. iv. 4. and out of fpecial and peculiar love, John xvii. 9. In a word, he hath redeemed us for ever, never more to come into bondage, 1 Pet. i. 5. John x. 28. O how lovely is Jefus Chrift in the relation of a Redeemer to God's elect!

Secondly, He is a lovely bridegroom to all that he efpoufes to himself. How doth the church glory in him, in the words following my text; "this is my Beloved, and this is my Friend,

"Oye daughters of Jerufalem !" q. d. Heaven and earth cannot fhew fuch another: which needs no fuller proof than the following particulars.

First, That he efpoufes to himself, in mercy and in loving-kindnefs, fuch deformed, defiled, and altogether unworthy fouls as we are; who have no beauty, no excellency to make us defirable in his eyes; all the fprings of his love to us are in his own breaft, Deut. vii. 7. he chufeth us, not because we were, but that he might make us lovely, Eph. v. 27. he paffed by us when we lay in our blood, and faid unto us, Live; and that was the time of love, Ezek. xvi. 5.

Secondly, He expects nothing with us, and yet beftows himself, and all that he hath, upon us. Our poverty cannot enrich him, but he made himself poor to enrich .us, 2 Cor. viii. 9. 1 Cor. iii. 22.

Thirdly, No husband loves the wife of his bosom, as Chrift loved his people, Eph. v. 25. He loved the church, and gave himfelf for it.

Fourthly, None bears with weakneffes and provocations as Christ doth; the church is ftiled "the Lamb's wife," Rev. xix. 9.

Fifthly, No hufband is so immortal and everlasting a husband as Chrift is; death separates all other relations, but the foul's union with Christ is not diffolved in the grave; yea, the day of a believer's death, is his marriage day, the day of his fulleft enjoyment of Christ No husband can fay to his wife, what Chrift faith to the believer, "I will never leave thee, nor forfake thee," Heb. xiii. 5.

Sixthly, No bridegroom advanceth his bride to fuch honours by marriage, as Chrift doth; he relates them to God as their father, and from that day the mighty and glorious angels think it no difhonour to be their fervants, Heb. i. 14. they are brought in admiring the beauty and glory of the spouse of Christ, Rev. xxi. 9.

Seventhly, and laftly, No marriage was ever confummated with fuch triumphal folemnity, as the marriage of Christ and believers fhall be in heaven, Pfal. xlv. 14, 15. "She fhall be brought to "the king in raiment of needle-work, the virgins, her compani"ons that follow her, fhall be brought unto thee; with gladness " and rejoicing fhall they be brought; they fhall enter into the "king's palace." Among the Jews the marriage-houfe was called Bethillula, the house of praife; there was joy upon all hands, but none like the joy that will be in heaven, when believers, the spouse of Chrift, fhall be brought thither: God the Father will rejoice, to behold the blefied accomplishment and confummation of those glorious defigns of his love. Jefus Chrift, the Bridegroom, will rejoice

to fee the travail of his foul, the bleffed birth and iffue of all his bitter pangs and agonies, Ifa. liii. 11. The Holy Spirit will rejoice to fee the completion and perfection of that fanctifying defign which was committed to his hand, 2 Cor. v. 5. to fee thofe fouls whom he once found as rough ftones, now to fhine as the bright, polifhed ftones of the fpiritual temple. Angels will rejoice: great was the joy when the foundation of this defign was laid, in the incarnation of Chrift, Luke ii. 13. great therefore must their joy be, when the top-ftone is fet up with fhouting, crying, Grace, grace, The faints themselves fhall rejoice unfpeakably, when they fhall en ter into the King's palace, and be for ever with the Lord, 1 Thef. iv. 17. Indeed there will be joy on all hands, except among the devils and damned, who fhall gnash their teeth with envy at the everlasting advancement and glory of believers.

Thus Chrift is altogether lovely, in the relation of a Bride

groom.

Thirdly, Chrift is altogether lovely, in the relation of an Advocate. 1 John ii. 1. If any man fin, we have an advocate with "the Father, Jefus Chrift the righteous, and he is the Propitia❝tion;" it is he that pleads the cause of believers in heaven; ́appears for them in the presence of God, to prevent all new breaches, and continues the state of friendship and peace betwixt God and In this relation Chrift is altogether lovely. For,

First, He makes our caufe his own, and acts for us in heaven, as for himself, Heb. iv. 15. He is touched with the tender fenfe of our troubles and dangers, and is not only one with us, by way of representation, but alfo one with us in refpect of fympathy and affection.

Secondly, Chrift our Advocate, follows our fait and bufinefs in heaven, as his great and main defign and bufinefs; therefore, in Heb. vii. 25. he is faid to "live for ever to make interceffion for us;" as if our concernments were for minded by him there, as to give up himself wholly to that work, as if all the glory and honour which is paid him in heaven would not fatisfy him, or divert him one moment from our business.

Thirdly, He pleads the cause of believers by his blood; it fatisfies him not, as other advocates, to be at the expence of words and oratory, which is a cheaper way of pleading, but he pleads for us by the voice of his own blood, Heb. xii. 24. where we are faid to be come to the blood of sprinkling, that speaketh better things "than that of Abel:" Every wound be received for us on earth, is a mouth opened to plead with God on our behalf in heaven; Quot vulnera, tot ora. And hence it is, that in Rev. 5, 6. he is reprefented ftanding before God, as a lamb that had been flain: as it were, exhibiting and opening in heaven thofe deadly wounds re