Third Title of Christ: Altogether Lovely
“Yea, he is altogether lovely.” Sone 5: 16.
Ar the ninth verse of this chapter you have an inquiry proposed to the spouse by the daughters of Jerusalem, “What is thy beloved more than another beloved?” To this question she returns her answers in the following verses, wherein she asserts his excellency. In verse 10 she declares, “He is the chiefest among fen thousand;” and she confirms that general assertion by an enumeration of his particular excellencies to verse 16, where she closes up her character and encomium of her beloved in the words we have read: “Yea, he is altogether lovely.”
The words are an affirmative proposition setting forth the transcendent loveliness of the Lord Jesus Christ, and naturally resolve themselves into three parts:
1. The swbject, He the Lord Jesus Christ, after whom she had been seeking, concerning whom these daughters of Jerusalem had inquired, whom she had endeavored so graphically to describe in his particular excellencies. This is the great and excellent subject of whom she here speaks.
2. What she affirms of him, that he is a lovely one, as in the original. The term signifies earnestly to desire, covet, or long after that which 1s most pleasant, grateful, delectable, and admirable. It is both in the abstract and 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, so Christ is the ocean in which all true delights and pleasures meet.
3. The manner of the affirmation: He is “altogether lovely,” 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 thing belonging to him, you will find him “altogether lovely;” there is nothing ungrateful in him, there is nothing lovely without him. Hence,
Jesus Christ as the loveliest person souls can set their eyes wpon.
“Thou art fairer than the children of men.” Psa. 45: 2. That is said of Jesus Christ which cannot be said of any creature, that he is ‘altogether lovely.” Let us then weigh the import of this phrase, “altogether lovely,” and then show in what respect Christ is so.
I. Ler Us WEIGH THIS EXCELLENT EXPRESSION, and particularly consider what is contained in it.
1. It excludes all wnloveliness from Jesus Christ. So says Vatablus, There is nothing in him which is not amiable. And in this respect Christ infinitely transcends the most excellent and lovely creatures; for whatsoever loveliness is found in them it is not without imperfection: the fairest pictures must have their shadows; the most transparent 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 displeasing. But it is not so in our altogether lovely Saviour; his excellencies are pure and unmixed; he is a sea of sweetness without one drop of gall.
2. “Altogether lovely.” As there is nothing unlovely found in him, so all that 1s in him is wholly lovely; as every ray of gold 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. Prov. 8: 11.
3. “Altogether lovely.” He is comprehenswe of ail things that are lovely; he seals up the sum of all loveliness. Things that shine as single stars with a particular glory all meet in Christ as a glorious constellation. “It pleased the Father that in him should all fulness dwell.” Col. 1:19. Cast your eyes among all created beings, 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. 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. 1: 30.
4. “Altogether lovely.” Nothing is lovely in opposition to him, or in separation from him. If he be altogether lovely, whatever is opposite to or separate from him can have no loveliness in it; take away Christ, and where is the loveliness of any enjoyment? The best creature-comfort out of Christ is but a broken cistern, it cannot hold one drop of true comfort. Psalm 73:26. It is with the loveliest creature as with a beautiful image in the glass — turn away the face and where is the image? Riches, honors, and comfortable relations are sweet when the face of Christ smiles upon us through them; but without him what empty trifles are they all.
5. “Altogether lovely” Transcending all created excellencees in beauty and loveliness. If you compare Christ and other things, be they never so lovely, never so excellent and desirable, Christ carries away all loveliness from them. ‘He is before all things.” Col. 1:17. Not only before all things in time, nature, and order, but in dignity, glory, and true excellence. In all things he must have the preeminence.
All other loveliness is derivative and secondary, but the loveliness of Christ original and primary. Angels and men, the world and all that is desirable in it, receive what excellence they have from him — they are streams from the fountain. But as the waters in the fountain itself are more abundant, so are they more pure and pleasant than in the streams.
The loveliness and excellence of all other things is but relative, consisting in its reference to Christ and subserviency to his glory; but Christ is lovely considered absolutely in himself: he is desirable for himself, other things are so for him.
The beauty and loveliness of all other things is perishmg, but the loveliness of Christ is fresh to all eternity: the sweetness of the best creatures is a fading flower; if not before, yet certainly at death it must. fade away. “Doth not their excellency which is in them go away?” Job 4:21. Yes, whether natural excellencies of the body, or acquired endowments of the mind, lovely features, amiable qualities, attracting excellencies, all these like pleasant flowers are withered, faded, and destroyed by death; but Christ is the same yesterday, to-day, and for ever. Heb. 13:8.
The beauty and excellence of creatures are ensnaring and dangerous: a man may make them an idol, and dote upon them beyond the bounds of moderation, but there is no danger of excess in the love of Christ.
The loveliness of every creature is of a sateateng nature; our estimation of it abates and sinks by our nearer approach to it, or longer enjoyment of it: creatures, like pictures, are fairest at a due distance, but it is not so with Christ; the nearer the soul approaches him, and the longer it lives in the enjoyment of him, the more sweet and desirable he is.
All other loveliness is wnsatisfying to the soul of man: there is not room enough in all created things for the soul of man to dilate and expatiate itself; it still feels itself confined and narrowed within those limits. This arises from the unsuitableness of the creature to the nobler and more excellent soul of man, which, like a ship in a narrow river, hath not room to turn, and besides, is ever and anon striking ground and foundering in those shallows. But Jesus Christ is every way adequate to the vast desires of the soul; in him it hath sea-room enough; there it may spread all its sails with no fear of touching the bottom.
II. I proceed to show 1y wuar respects Jesus Christ is altogether lovely. And,
1. He is altogether lovely 2m Avs person: a Deity dwelling in flesh, John 1:14. The wonderful union of the divine and human nature in Christ renders him an object of admiration and adoration to angels and men. 1 Tim. 3:16. God never presented to the world such a vision of glory before. And consider how the human nature of our Lord Jesus Christ is replenished with all the graces of the Spirit, so as never any of all the saints was filled. O how lovely doth this render him! ‘God giveth not the Spirit by measure unto him.” John 3: 34, This makes him fairer than the children of men, grace being poured into his lips. Psalm 45:2. If a small measure of grace in the saints makes them such desirable companions, what must the riches and fulness of the Spirit of grace, filling Jesus Christ without measure, make him in the eyes of believers?
2. He is altogether lovely in fvs offices. Let us but consider the suitableness, fulness, and comfort of them.
Consider the suztableness of the offices of Christ to the miseries and wants of men, and we cannot but adore the infinite wisdom of God in his investiture with them. We are by nature blind and ignorant, at best but groping in the dim light of nature after God. Acts 17:27. Jesus Christ is a light to lighten the Gentiles. Isa.49:6. When this great Prophet came into the world, then did the day-spring from on high visit us. Luke 1:78. The state of nature is a state of alienation from and enmity against God; Christ comes into the world an atoning sacrifice, making peace by the blood of his cross. Col. 1:20. All the world by nature are in bondage and captivity to Satan; Christ comes with kingly power to rescue sinners as a prey from the mouth of the terrible one.
Let the fulness of his offices as prophet, priest, and king be also considered, by reason whereof he is able to save to the uttermost all that come to God by him. Heb. 7: 25. The three offices, comprising in them all that our souls need, become a universal relief to all our wants; and therefore,
Unspeakably comfortable must the offices of Christ be to the souls of sinners. If light be pleasant to our eyes, how pleasant is that light of life springing from the Sun of righteousness! Mal. 4:2. If a pardon be sweet to a condemned malefactor, how sweet must the sprinkling of the blood of Jesus be to the trembling conscience of a law-condemned sinner! If a rescue from a cruel tyrant be sweet to a poor captive, how sweet must it be to the ears of enslaved sinners to hear the voice of liberty and deliverance proclaimed by Jesus Christ! Out of the several offices of Christ, as out of so many fountains, all the promises of the new covenant flow, as so many soul-refreshing streams of peace and joy. All the promises of illumination, counsel, 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 sweet streams of joy and spiritual comfort depending thereupon; all the promises of converting, increasing, defending, directing, and supplying grace flow out of the kingly office of Christ: indeed, all promises may be reduced to the three offices; so that Jesus Christ must needs be altogether lovely in his offices.
3. Jesus Christ is altogether lovely in his relations,
(1.) He is a lovely Redeemer. He came to open the prison-doors to them that are bound. Isa. 61:1. This Redeemer must be a lovely one, if we consider the depth of misery from which he redeemed us, even “from the wrath to come.” 1 Thess. 1:10. How lovely was Titus in the eyes of the poor enthralled Greeks, whom he delivered from their bondage; this so endeared him to them, that when their liberty was proclaimed they even trod one another to death to see the herald that proclaimed it; and all the night following, with instruments of music, danced about his tent, crying, with united voices, “A saviour, a saviour |”
Or whether we consider the numbers redeemed, and the means of their redemption. ‘They sung a new song, saying, Thou art worthy to take the bock, and to open the seals thereof: for thou wast slain, and hast redeemed us to God by thy blood out of every kindred, and tongue, and people, and nation.” Rev. 5:9. He redeemed us not with silver and gold, but with his own precious blood, by way of price, 1 Peter 1:18, 19; with his outstretched and glorious arm, by way of power, Col. 1: 133 he redeemed us freely, Eph. 1: 13; fully, Rom. 8: 1; seasonably, Gal. 4:4; and out of special and peculiar love, John 17:9. In a word, he hath redeemed us for ever, never more to come into bondage. 1 Peter 1:5; John 10: 28. O how lovely is Jesus Christ in the relation of a Redeemer to God’s elect.
(2.) He is a lovely bridegroom to all that he espouses to himself. How does the church glory in him in the words following my text: ‘This is my Beloved, and this is my Friend, O ye daughters of Jerusalem.” As much as to say, heaven and earth cannot show such another; which needs no fuller proof than the following particulars:
He espouses to himself, in mercy and in loving-kindness, such defiled and altogether unworthy souls as we are, Deut. T: 1; he chooseth: us not because we were, but that he might make us lovely, Eph. 5: 27; he passed by us when we lay in ruin, and said unto us, Live; and that was the time of love. Ezek. 16:6. He expects nothing from us, and yet bestows himself and all that he has upon us. Our poverty cannot enrich him, but he made himself poor to enrich us. 2 Cor. 8:9; 1 Cor. 3: 22.
No husband loves the wife of his bosom as Christ loved his people. He loved the church, and gave himself for it. Eph. 5:25. No one bears with weakness and provocation as Christ does; the church is called ‘the Lamb’s wife.” Rev. 21:9. No husband is immortal as Christ is; death separates all other relations, but the soul’s union with Christ is not dissolved in the grave; yea, the day of a believer’s death is his marriage day, the day of his fullest enjoyment of Christ. No husband can say to his wife what Christ says to the believer, “TI will never leave thee, nor forsake thee.” Heb. 13:5. No bridegroom advances his bride to such honors by marriage as Christ does; he brings his people to God as their father, and from that day the glorious angels think it no dishonor to be their servants, Heb. 1:14; they admire the beauty and glory of the spouse of Christ. Rev. 21: 9. No marriage was ever consummated with such triumphal solemnity as the marriage of Christ and believers shall be in heaven. ‘She shall be brought to the king in raiment of needlework; the virgins her companions that follow her shall be brought unto thee. With gladness and rejoicing shall they be brought: they shall enter into the king’s palace.” Psalm 45:.14, 15. Among the Jews the marriage house was called the house of praise; there was joy in all hearts, but none like the joy that will be in heaven when believers, the spouse of Christ, shall be brought thither. God the Father will rejoice to behold. the blessed accomplishment and consummation of the glorious designs of his love. Jesus Christ the Bridegroom will rejoice to see the travail of his soul, the blessed issue of all his bitter pangs and agonies. Isaiah 53:11. The Holy Spirit will rejoice to see the perfection of the sanctifying design which was committed to his hand, 2 Cor. 5: 5; to see the souls whom he once found as rough stones, shine as the bright polished stones of the spiritual temple. Angels will rejoice: great was the joy when the foundation of this design was laid in the incarnation of Christ, Luke 2:13; great must their joy be when the top-stone is set up with shouting, crying, Grace, grace. The saints themselves shall rejoice unspeakably when they shall enter into the King’s palace, and be for ever with the Lord. 1 Thess. 4:17.
(3.) Christ is altogether lovely as an Advocate. ‘If any man sin, we have an Advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ the righteous, and he is the propitiation,” 1 John 2:1, 2; it is he who 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 between God and us. He makes our cause his own, and acts for us in heaven as for himself. Heb. 4:15. He is touched with the tender sense of our troubles and dangers, and is not only one with us by way of representation, but also in sympathy and affection. He follows our suit in heaven as his great design and business; therefore, in Heb. 7: 25, he is said to “live for ever to make intercession for us,” as if our concerns were so regarded by him there that he gives himself wholly to that work.
He pleads the cause of believers. by his blood. We are said to be come to the blood of sprinkling that speaketh better things than that of Abel., Heb. 12:24. Every wound he received for us on earth is opened to plead with God on our behalf in heaven; hence it is that, in Rey. 5:6, he is represented standing before God, as a lamb that had been slain; as it were exhibiting in heaven these deadly wounds received on earth from the justice of God on our account. Other advocates spend their breath, Christ his blood. He pleads the cause of believers freely. In a word, he obtains for us all the mercies for which he pleads; no cause which he undertakes can fail. Rom. 8:33, 34. O what a lovely Advocate is Christ for believers.
(4.) Christ is altogether lovely. in the relation of a Friend, for in this relation he is pleased to own his people. Luke 12:4. There are certain things in which one friend manifests his affection and friendship to another, but none like Christ.
No friend is so open-hearted to his friend as Christ is to his people; he reveals the very counsels and secrets of his heart to them. ‘Henceforth I call you not servants; for the servant knoweth not what his Lord doeth; but I have called you friends; for all things that I have heard of my Father I have made known unto you.” John 15:15.
No friend in the world is so bewnt:ful to his friend as Jesus Christ is to believers. ‘“‘ Greater love hath no man than this, that a man lay down his life for his friends.” John 15:13. He has exhausted the precious treasures of his invaluable blood to pay our debts. O what a lovely friend is Jesus Christ to believers.
No friend sympathzes so tenderly with his friend in affliction. In all our afflictions he is afflicted. Heb. 4:15. He feels all our sorrows, wants, and burdens as his own. Whence it is that the sufferings of believers are called the sufferings of Christ. Col. 1: 24.
No friend in the world takes the complacency y in his friend that Jesus Christ does in believers. How is the Lord Jesus pleased to glory in his people; how is he delighted with those gracious ornaments which himself bestows upon them!
No friend in the world loves his friend with so fervent and strong affection as Jesus Christ loves believers. Jacob loved Rachel, and endured for her sake the parching heat of summer and cold of winter; but Christ endured the storms of the wrath of God, the heat of his indignation, for our sakes. David manifested his love to Absalom in wishing, ‘‘O that I had died for thee!” Christ manifested his love to us in death itself, in our stead and for our sake,
No friend in the world is so constant and unchangeable in friendship as Christ. ‘Having loved his own which were in the world, he loved them unto the end.” John 13:1. He bears with millions of provocations and injuries, and yet will not break friendship with his people. Peter denied him, yet he did not disown him.
I might farther show the loveliness of Christ in his ordinances and in his providences, in his communion with us and communications to us, but there is no end to the account of Christ’s loveliness; I will rather choose to press believers to their duties towards this altogether lovely Saviour.
Inrerence 1. Is Jesus Christ altogether lovely, then I beseech you set your souls wpon him. Methinks such an object as here represented should compel love from the coldest and hardest heart. Away with this vain, deceitful world, which deserves not the thousandth part of the love you give it; let all stand aside and give way to Christ. O did you but know his worth and excellency, what he is in himself, what he has done for and deserved from you, you would need no arguments of mine to persuade you to love him.
2. Esteem nothing lovely but as it 1s enjoyed in Christ, or improved for him. Love nothing for itself, as separate from Jesus Christ. We all sin in the excess of our affections towards earthly objects, and in transferring to them the love which we owe to Christ alone.
3. Let us all be hwmbled for the baseness of owr hearts, that are so free m their affections to trifles, and so hard to be perswaded to the love of Christ. O how many pour out streams of love and delight upon earthly objects, while no arguments can draw forth one drop of love from their obdurate and unbelieving hearts to Jesus Christ. I have read of one Joannes Mollius, who was observed to go often alone and to weep bitterly; and being pressed by a friend as to the cause of his troubles, “Oh,” said he, “it grieves me, that I cannot bring this heart of mine to love Jesus Christ more fervently.”
4. Represent Chrast as he is to the world, by your conduct towards kum. Is he altogether lovely; let all the world see and know that he is so, by your delight in him and communion with him, your zeal for him, and readiness to part with any other lovely thing upon his account; convince them how much your beloved is better than any other beloved; display his glorious excellencies in your heavenly conversation; hold him forth to others as he is in himself, altogether lovely. See that you “walk worthy of the Lord unto all pleasing.” Col. 1:10. Show forth the praises of Christ. 1 Pet. 2:9. Let not that worthy name be blasphemed through you. James 2:7. He is glorious in himself, and will put glory upon you: take heed ye put not shame and dishonor upon him; he hath committed his honor to you, do not betray that trust.
5. Never be ashamed to own Christ, He can never be a shame to you; it will be your great sin to be ashamed of him. Some men glory in their shame; be not you ashamed of your glory: if you are ashamed of Christ now, he will be ashamed of you when he shall appear in his own glory and the glory of all his holy angels. Be ashamed of nothing but sin; and among other sins, be ashamed especially for this sin, that you have no more love for him who is altogether lovely.
6. Be willing to leave every thing that rs lovely wpon earth, that you may be with the altogether lovely Lord Jesus Christ in heaven. Lift up your voices with the church, Rev. 20: 20, “Come, Lord Jesus, come quickly.” It is true, you must pass through the pangs of death into his bosom and enjoyment; but it is worth suffering much more than that to be with Jesus. ‘The Lord direct your hearts into the love of God, and into the patient waiting for Christ.” 2 Thes. 3:5.
T. As you would be lovely in the sight of God and man, strive to be like Christ. Certainly it is the Spirit of Christ within you, and the beauty of Christ upon you, which only can make you lovely; the more you resemble him in holiness, the more will you manifest of true excellence; and the more frequent and spiritual your communion with Christ, the more of the loveliness of Christ will be stamped upon your spirits, changing you into the same image, from glory to glory.
8. Let the loveliness of Christ draw ail men to him. Is loveliness in the creature so attractive? And can the transcendent loveliness of Christ draw none? O the blindness of man! If you see no beauty in Christ that you should desire him, it is because the god of this world hath blinded your minds.