316 BookiV. 1Lootttng unto 'jcfn.S'. Chap 5· Seer. 3. llo.!6.t, s. Omy foul, if theuwouldflbutrun through fuch palfagesas thcfe, how d'efireableare they ? well might they fing_in th•t day in the Land of [udah, - In the way of thy jRd•. mtnts, 0 Lord, h,tvelVCwazted for theel> the dejire of o~erfoul i& to rby n.ur.:e, nad to the~~~ merr.brance of thee. . 3. The ever blelfed and holy perfon of Chrifl is delireable auove all. My Beloved Cant.5.1o,t6 H white and ruddy, thech.efeft of ten thotfands ;---ye11, he is altogether foudy, or defireakle ; fo Vat'!bltlf renders lr, Chriftt'.J efl totzu de(idr;ria, Chrift is all defim. If the acbons of Chnft bedelireable, what ~ufl.h1mfelf be? If the·parings of his bread be fo fweet, what mufl the gre~t Loaf C~nfl lnmfelf beI Chrifl is admirable in action a~d perfon~ but above a!l, h1s perfon Js moft admirable; no creature in the world Hcb: ;. l• y1elds the ltke reprefentatton of God, as ~he perfon of J efus C:hri~; he ;. the expre(s Im~ge of the_per(on of ~uFather; a~ the pnnt of the s.eal on the Wax IS theexprefs image of the Seal1t felf, fo 1s Chnfl the htgheft· reprefentatton of God. be makes !imilitude to him, who otherwifeis without all fimilitude. And hence it is titat Chrift is called the Cant. 1 ; 10 • Standard-bearer of tenthcufands: all excellencies are gathered up inChrifr, as Beams in the Sun. Come, poor s~ul! thy eyes run to and fro in the world w find Comfor· and happinefs; thou delirefi after worldly Honour, worldly Pleafure, worldly Pro: fits; cafhhy eyes baclr and fee Heaven and Earth in one; look ·if thou wilt at what thy vafl thoughts can fancy , not only in this world, but in the world ro come . or if thbu canll imagine more variety·; _fee that, and infinitely rpore, lhining forti; from the perfon of the Lord Jefus Chnft: no wonder if the Samts adore him . no wonder if the Angels ftand amazed at him, no wonder if all Creatures vail all their glo– ry to him. Oh what are all things in the world to J efus Chrifl ~ Paul compares them Phi!. 3•.8. together; .,., '"""'"', all things with this one thing; And I t~cwmt all things but lofs for the excellency of the k!_wr•ledgeof Chrift..A_nd I count all t?ings] furely all things is the greatefr ~ounr that can be cafl: up; for tt mcludeth all pnces, all fums 1 it takei in Earth, and Heaven, and all therein, that are but as create!! things ; q.d. Natioas, and all Nations; Gold, and all Gold; Jewels, and all Jew~ls; Ang~ls, and all Angels; all thefe, and every all belides all tbefe; what are they m companfon of Chrifl:, but a; feathers, dung, /hadows, nothing~ If there be any thing wonby awi01, it is eminently, tranfcendently,originally in the Lord JefusChrift;there is no honour,no felicity like that whick Chrifrhath; fome are fons: Chrift is an only Son; fome are Kings, bur Chrifl is King of Kings ; fome are honourable, none above Angels, Chrift is above Angels and Archangels : To which of the Angels [11id he at any time, tholt art my Son, thu day Hcb '· ;. have I begottm thee ? Some are wealthy, Chrift hath all the ll1eep on a thoufand hills ; the very utmofl parrs of the earth are his ; fome are beautiful, Chrift is rhe faireft ofall the children of men; he is fpiritually fair, he is al1 glorious within; if the beauty of the Angels (which I believe are the beaurifullefl creatures the world has) /hould be com– pared with the beauty of Chrift, which coniifrs in the perfedion of the divine nature, and in the perfettion of his humane nature, and in the perfedion of the graces of his Spirit, they would be but as lumps of darknefs: The brightefl Cheru!J is forc'd to skrcen his face from the dazling and /hining brighrnefs of the glory of Chrifl. Alas I the Cherubims and Seraphims are but as fpangles and twinkling !lars in the canopy of Heaven,but Chrift is the Sun ofrighteoufnefs,thar at once illuminates and drowns them all. Come then, caft up thy defires after Chrift, breath, 0 my foul, after the enjoymenrs of this Chrifl:; fling up to heaven fome divine ejaculations, Oh that thu Chrift weremine! Oh th~t the allions of Chrift, and theperfon 11[ Chrift IVtre mine ! Oh that allhe [aid, and .,l/hedid, andaUhewere.fromtoptotoeweremine! Oh that I had the fi11;er wingufa Dll'lle, that inall my WAnts !might fly into the b•fom of this Chrift! Oh that !might be admitted to h;. perfon! or if that m"y not be, Oh that I may ,b11t touch the v<t'yhem ofh" Garment! If I mNft not fit at Table, Oh that I might b11t gather "P the Cmms! Swe· !)'there's Breadeno1'.?;h in my FathersHoufe; Chrij/utheBread•f Life; thisoneLoaf Chrift is enough for all the Saints in het~.ven and e~~rth to feed on ; ~nd what muft I p•ne ..way, 11 nd p<rijh with hunger ? Oh that I mrght have ene Cmtn of Chrifl! Thoufands of Jnftmllicns dropped from him whiles he Wt14 on earth; Oh that fom• of that f••d.m•tht be r~~~ ~:~~:· ;~dn;:~t;:;~L~:;~~::?.;~:~~~~r:::~;d;:;~~::: ~~~:~~'"3i::~~;;n;i;t;:::£ freely of this Wllter of life! He bath proclaimed 11 tn my ears, if any man th.rfl, let bun come unto rq,e and drink • Oh that1 might come, and ji~<d welcome! whyfure I th.rjf, I""' extteamry athirft,Ifeel in mefuch ab11rni11g drought,that either I mujt drink.or die; e~th:~'7;, 11 ghteoJJ 1 nljs
RkJQdWJsaXNoZXIy OTcyMjk=