Cant. V. 9. What is thy beloved more than another beloved, 0 thou fairest among women ? What is thy beloved more than another beloved, that thou dost so charge us ?
THOUGH zeal in every earthly pursuit is approved and commended, it is almost universally banished from the concerns of religion. The most temperate exertions are deemed excessive, and a moderate degree
of solicitude is called enthusiasm. Even they who profess godliness are too often found ready to damp the ardour, which persons, more active than them- selves, may at any time express. Thus the Bride was checked in her inquiries after her beloved. The " daughters of Jerusalem," who keep up the dialogue with the Bride and Bridegroom, seem to be either formal professors of religion, or to have made a very small progress in the divine life. And they, when the Bride, under great trouble and anxiety, requested their intercession, reflected on her as manifesting an intemperate and needless zeal. But we will answer their questions, by shewing,
I. The excellencies of our Beloved —
Who the Beloved of the Church is, we need not declare ; since it is too manifest to admit a doubt. There is not a member of that body who does not regard Jesus with supreme affection. Nor is there any apology needed for such a choice. His excel- lencies are exceeding great.
[In liim are concentrated all the glories of the Godhead^. Being the brightness of his Father's glory, and the express image of his person, he must of necessity possess all the Divine perfections''. To search out these perfections is beyond the ability of any finite being '^ ; but to love and adore him on account of them is the duty and privilege of all his people. The excellencies of his human nature may be more easily de- clared. Tliere his glory is veiled, so that we may behold and contemplate it without being blinded by its overwhelming splendour. He was not only holy, but holiness itself, without spot or blemish. His most inveterate enemies, Satan himself not excepted, could not find a flaw in him ^, and God himself has borne testimony, that in him was no sin''. As Mediator, he united both the Godhead and the Manhood in liis own per- son, and executed an office which he alone was able to sustain. In that character we behold him reconciling God to man, and man to God*^, yea, glorifying all the perfections of the Deity in the salvation of sinners s. Well may we, in this view of him, exclaim, "How great is his goodness, how great is his beauty^!"]
But the text requires us to speak of him in a com- parative view —
a Col. ii. 9. b Heb. i. 3. ^ Job xi. 7.
d John viii. 46. John xiv. 30. ^ 1 John iii. 5. f 2 Cor. v. 19. g Rom. iii. 2'), 26. '' Zech. ix. 17.
Ui CANTICLES, V. 9. [852.
[Surely there is no other object of affection in the uni- verse worthy to be compared with him. In whom is there such a marvellous combination of excellencies ? As God, as Man, and as Mediator, he not only unites in himself every perfection proper to the Divine and human nature, but exhibits a cha- racter peculiar to himself, a character that is and ever must be the admiration of the whole universe. In ■whom was there ever found any one excellence in so eminent a degree ? There have been men wise, and virtuous and loving ; but in him were hid all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge'; and he was not only virtuous, but virtue itself incarnate ; and as for his love, its heights and depths can never be explored^. Indeed, whatever excellence has at any time beamed forth in the crea- ture, it has been nothing but a ray reflected from this Sun of Righteousness ^ We may ask yet further, Whose excellencies tvere ever so beneficial to us ? Others indeed have profited us by their example ; but He, by his obedience, has wrought out a righteousness /or us; a righteousness wherein the vilest of sin- ners, if truly penitent, shall stand perfect and complete in the sight of God*". Let the contemptuous inquirer then blush for his ignorance ; and acknowledge that our Beloved infinitely transcends every thing that can be put in competition with him.]