The soul hath sights of Christ that God shews to it, and which the soul pre- sents to itself by the help of the Spirit. The sights that God in this kind shews, are to those in afliiction especially ; as Daniel and Isaiah saw Clxrist in his glor}' in a vision. So Ezekiel had a \ision, and John, Rev. i., where Christ was presented to him gloriously. So there is a glorious description of Christ present to the church. Rev. iv. 5.
And as there are sights let down from God into the soul, so there are sights that the soul frames of Christ, such as the church here conceives of him by faith. Thus Moses saw him before he was incarnate, and Abraham saw his day and rejoiced, John viii. 56 : so should we now have spiritual sights, ideas of Christ framed to our souls. This is to bestow our souls as we should do (m). So much for general, now we come to some particulars. * His head is as fine gold ; his locks are bushy and black as a raven.'
' His head is as fine gold.' He begins to set out the excellency of the chief part, the head. The head of Christ is God, as it is 1 Cor. xi. 3. He is above all, and God only is above him. All is yours, and you are Christ's, and Christ is God's, 1 Cor. iii. 22, 23. But that is not so much intended here, as to shew Christ's headship over the chui'ch, as God and man. His head is as fine gold, that is, his government and headship is a most sweet and golden government.
Daniel ii. You have an image of the monarchies ; the first whereof had a golden head, which was the Chaldean. The best monarchy is set out by the best metal, — gold ; so Christ, the head of the church, is a precious head, a head of gold.
A head hath an eminency above all others ; an influence and motion above all other parts. It is the seat of the senses. So this golden head is more eminent than all, governs the whole church and hath influence into all. In him we live, and move, and have our being. Acts xvii. 28.
Quest. "Why is Christ as king thus resembled to an head of gold ?
A71S. Because gold is the chief, the most precious, durable metal of all * That is, ' quirks,' = tricks. — Q.
150 BOWELS OPENED. [SeEMON XVI.
others. Christ is a king for ever, and hath an everlasting government. Gold is also the most pliable metal. You may beat it out to leaves more than any other metal whatsoever. Christ is all gold indeed. His love hath beat himself out as low as may be, all for our good. What abasement like to Christ's ? That which is most precious is most communicating, as the sun, a glorious creature. What doth so much good as it ? So Christ, as he is the most excellent of all, ' the chief of ten thousand,' so is he also the most communicative. What good to the good that Christ did ? He was beaten, out of love to mankind, to lowest abasement for us. Though this be not mainly aimed at here, yet, by the way, speaking of gold, we may present to ourselves such comfortable meditations.
Use 1. Well then, is Christ such an excellent head, a golden head, ' in whom are hid all the treasures of wisdom, Col. ii. 3, to govern his church ? What need we then rjo to that triple crown, havincj such a golden head ? The apostasy of the church hath found out another golden head. Is not Christ precious enough ? Let us take heed of leaving the head Christ, as it is Col. ii. 19. It is a damnable thing to forsake him. Let the apostatical * church alone with her antichrist,
2. Again, if Christ be a golden head, let us his members labour everij one to be suitable. Though there be diflerence between the head and the mem- bers in many respects, especially in those three formerly named, eminency, government, and influence, yet for nature they are one. Head and mem- bers make but one. So that as the head of the body is gold, so should every member be. Therefore the seven churches are styled seven golden candlesticks. Everything in the tabernacle was gold, even to the snuflers, to shew that in the church everything is excellent. The tabernacle was gold, most of it, though it was covered with badgers' skins. The church indeed hath a poor covering as of badgers' skins, not gilded as hypocrites ; but it is precious within. Again, Christ, as he is gold, so he is fine gold, whole gold. He hath not only the crown on him, but his head is gold itself. Other kings, their crowns are of gold, but their heads are not so. But there is such a precious treasure of wisdom in him that his head is gold. So let the church and every Christian labour, not to be gilt, but gold ; to be thoroughly good ; to have the inside as good as the outside, the heart as good as the conversation. The church is glorious within, Ps. xlv. 13. Beloved, is Christ an excellent golden head, and shall we have a base body ? Is he fit to be united to a golden head that is a common drunkard, a swearer, that is a beast in his life and conversation ? Is this suitable ?