AjT the ninth verse of this chapter, you have a query propounded to the spouse, by the daughters of Jerusalem, " What is thy be- loved more than another beloved ?" To this question the spouse re- turns her answers in the following verses, wherein she asserts his excellency in general. Ver. 10. " He is the chiefest among ten thousands ;* confirms that general assertion, by an enumeration of his particular excellencies, to ver. 16. where she closes up her cha- racter and encomium of her beloved, with an elegant epiplwnema, in the words that I have read : " Yea, he is altogether lovely."
The words, vou see, are an affirmative proposition, setting forth the transcendent loveliness of the Lord Jesus Christ ; and naturally resolve themselves into three parts, viz.
3. The manner of predication.
First, The subject, He, Viz. the Lord Jesus Christ, after whom she had been seeking, for whom she was sick of love ; concerning whom these daughters of Jerusalem had enquired : whom she had endeavoured so graphically to describe in his particular excellencies. This is the great and excellent subject of whom she here speaks.
Secondly, The predicate, or what she affirmeth or saith of him, viz. That he is a lovely one, Machamaddim, desires ; according to the import of the * original, " which signifies earnestly to desire, covet, " or long after that which is most pleasant, grateful, delectable, " and admirable." The original word is both in the abstract, and
* Significat affletere, expetere quod jocundum, gratum, voluptuosum, utile et amubile est, Pag.
M£KM. XII. THE METHOD OF GRACE. 215
of the plural number, which speaks Christ to be the very essence of all delights and pleasures, the very soul and substance of them. As all the rivers are gathered into the ocean, which is the congregation or meeting-place of all the waters in the world : so Christ is that ocean in which all true delights and pleasures meet.
Thirdly, The manner of predication ; He is [altogether] lovely, Totus, totus desiderabilis ; lovely in all, and in every part ; as if she had said, Look on him in what respect or particular you will ; cast your eye upon this lovely object, and view him any way ; turn him in your serious thoughts which way you will ; consider his person, his offices, his works, or any other thing belonging to him; you will find him altogether lovely, There is nothing ungrateful in him, there is nothing lovely without him. Hence note,
Doct. That Jesus Christ is the loveliest person souls can set their eyes upon, Psal. xlv. % " Thou art fairer than the children " of men."
That is said of Jesus Christ, which cannot be said of any crea- ture ; that he is " altogether lovely." In opening this lovely point I shall,
1. Weigh the importance of this phrase "altogether lovely."
2. Shew you in what respect Christ is so.
First, Let us weigh this excellent expression, and particularly consider what is contained in it, and you shall find this expression M altogether lovely."
First, That it excludes all unloveliness and distastefulness from Jesus Christ. So * Vatablus ; " There is nothing in him which is " not amiable." The excellencies of Jesus Christ are perfectly ex- clusives of all their opposites ; there is nothing of a contrary nature or quality found in him to alloy or debase his excellency. And in this respect Christ infinitely transcends the most excellent and love- liest creatures. For whatsoever loveliness is found in them, it is not without a distasteful tang ; the fairest pictures must have their shadows : The most orient and transplendent stones must have their foils to set off their beauty ; the best creature is but a bitter sweet at best : If there be somewhat pleasing, there is also somewhat dis- tasting ; if there be gracious and natural excellencies in the same person to delight us, yet there is also some natural corruption in- termixed with it to distaste us : But it is not so in our altogether lovely Christ ; his excellencies are pure and unmixed ; he is a sea of sweetness without one drop of gall.
• Nihil in eo quod non est emabUe,
216 THE METHOD OF GRACE. SERM. XtT.
Secondly, * Altogetlier lovely, i. e. as there is nothing unlovely found in him, so all that is in him is wholly lovely ; as every ray of God is precious, so every thing that is in Christ is precious : Who can weigh Christ in a pair of balances, and tell you what his worth is ? " His price is above rubies, and all that thou canst desire " is not to be compared with him," Pro v. viii. 11.
Thirdly, Altogether lovely, i. e. He is comprehensive of all things that are lovely : he seals up the sum of all loveliness : Quwjaciunt divisa beatum, in hoc mixta fluunt : Things that shine as single stars with a particular glory, all meet in Christ as a glorious constellation. Col. i. 19. " It pleased the Father that in him should all fulness " dwell." Cast your eyes among all created beings, survey the universe, observe strength in one, beauty in a second, faithfulness in a third, wisdom in a fourth ; but you shall find none excelling in them all as Christ doth. Bread hath one quality, water another, raiment another, physic another; but none hath all in itself as Christ hath: He is bread to the hungry, water to the thirsty, a garment to the naked, healing to the wounded ; and whatever a soul can desire is found in him, 1 Cor. i. 30.
Fourthly, Altogether lovely, i. e. Nothing is lovely in opposition to him, or in separation from him. If he be altogether lovely, then whatsoever is opposite to, or separate from him can have no love- liness in it ; take away Christ, and where is the loveliness of any enjoyment ? The best creature-comfort out of Christ, is but a bro- ken cistern ; it cannot hold one drop of true comfort, Psal. lxxiii. 26. It is with the creature, the sweetest and loveliest creature, as wdth a beautiful image in the glass : turn away the face and where is the image? Riches, honours, and comfortable relations are sweet when the face of Christ smiles upon us through them ; but without him, what empty trifles are they all ?
Fifthly, Altogether lovely, i. e. Transcending all created excellen- cies in beauty and loveliness ; so much it speaks. If you compare Christ and other things, be they never so lovely, never so excel- lent and desirable ; Christ carries away all loveliness from them ; " He is (saith the apostle) before all things," Col. i. 17. Not only before all things in time, nature, and order ; but before all things in dignity, glory, and true excellency : In all things he must have the pre-eminence. For let us but compare Christ's excellency with the creature's in a few particulars, and how evidently will the transcen- dent loveliness of Jesus Christ appear ! For,
First, All other loveliness is derivative and secondary ; but the loveliness of Christ original and primary. Angels and men, the
* The more excellent he is, the more he is to be sought after, by earnest prayer and desires. Bri^htman,