And if you take the head in a natural sense, either the gloiy of his Deity is here attended to, or the fulness and excellency of his wisdom, which the head is the seat of The allegory is not to be straitened, whilst we keep to the analogy of faith.
2. For the ornaments of his head ; his locks, they are said to be "bushy," or curled, "black as a raven." His curled locks are black; " as a raven," is added by way of illustration of the blackness, not with any allusion to the nature of the raven. Take the head spoken of in a political sense : his locks of hair — said to be curled, as seem- ing to be entangled, but really falling in perfect order and beauty, as bushy locks — are Ids thoughts, and counsels, and ways, in the administration of his kingdom. They are black or dark, because of their depth and unsearchableness, — as God is said to dwell in thick darkness; and curled or bushy, because of their exact interweavings, from his infinite Avisdom. His thoughts are many as the hairs of the head, seeming to be perplexed and entangled, but really set in all comely order, as curled bushy hau-; deep and unsearchable, and
connect the term with Uiihaz, a district from which gold was procured, Jer. x. 9. Sciiultens derives tlie word from i^fs to leap, to spring up into notice, in allusion to the amount of gold discovered on the surface of the earth, through the previous disintegration of the rock in whicli it was disseminated, and when a shower has washed from it the soil hy which it was covered. There is coincidence between the etymology of the word suggested hy the Dutch critic, and the fact that the largest quantities of gold and gold ore have been discovered, not by excavation, but by tiie washing of detritus in regions of primary and transition strata where
the eruption of igneous rocks has occurred : "As for the earth, it hath dust
of gold," Job xxviii. 5, 6. — Ed.
OF COMMUNION WITH THE SON JESUS CHRIST. 73
dreadful to his enemies, and full of beauty and. comeliness to his be- loved. Such are, I say, the thoughts of his heart, the counsels of his wisdom, in reference to the administrations of his kingdom: — dark, perplexed, involved, to a carnal eye; in themselves, and to his saints, deep, manifold, ordered in all things, comely, desirable.
In a natural sense, black and curled locks denote comeliness, and vigour of youth. The strength and power of Christ, in the execution of his counsels, in all his ways, appears glorious and lovely.
The next thing described in him is his eyes. Verse 1 2, " His eyes are as the eyes of doves by the rivers of waters, washed with milk, and fitly set." The reason of this allusion is obvious : — doves are ten- der birds, not birds of prey; and of all others they have the most bright, shining, and piercing eye; their delight also in streams of water is known. Their being washed in milk, or clear, white, crystal water, adds to their beauty. And they are here said to be " fitly set;" that is, in due proportion for beauty and lustre, — as a precious stone in the foil or fulness of a ring, as the word signifies.
Eyes being for sight, discerning, knowledge, and acquaintance with the things that are to be seen ; the knowledge, the understanding, the discerning Spirit of Christ Jesus, are here intended. In the allusion used four things are ascribed to them: — 1. Tenderness; 2. Purity; 3. Discerning; and, 4. Glory: —
1. The tenderness and compassion of Christ towards his church is here intended. He looks on it with the eyes of galless doves; with tenderness and careful compassion ; without anger, fury, or thoughts of revenge. So is the eye intei-preted, Deut. xi. 12, "The eyes of the Lord thy God are upon that land." Why so? " It is a land that the Lord thy God careth for;" — careth for it in mercy. So are the eyes of Christ on us, as the eyes of one that in tenderness careth for us; that lays out his wisdom, knowledge, and understand- ing, in all tender love, in our behalf. He is the stone, that founda- tion-stone of the church, whereon "are seven eyes," Zech. iii. 9; wherein is a perfection of wisdom, knowledge, care, and kindness, for its guidance.
2. Purity; — as washed doves' eyes for purity. This may be taken either subjectively, for the excellency and immixed cleanness and purity of his sight and knowledge in himself; or objectively, for his delighting to behold purity in others. " He is of purer eyes than to behold iniquity," Hala. i. 13. " He hath no pleasure in wickedness; the foohsh shall not stand in his sight," Ps. v. 4, 5. If the righteous soul of Lot was vexed with seeing the filthy deeds of wicked men, 2 Pet. ii. 8, who yet had eyes of flesh, in which there was a mixture of impurity; how much more do the pure eyes of our dear Lord Jesus abominate all the filthiness of sinners ! But herein lies the excel-
7-i OF COMMUNION WITH THE SON JESUS CHRIST.