each PER s ö N difiinílly, , 237 Chrift. Chrift makes himfelf over to the foul to be his as to all the love, care, and tendernefs of an husband; and the foul gives up it felf wholly unto the Lord Chrift, to be his, as to all loving, tender obedience. And herein is the mainof Chrift and the faints efpoufals. This in the prophet is fet out under á parable of himfelf and an harlot, Hof. iii. 3. Thou fhalt abide for me, faith he unto her, thou (halt not be for another, and Iwill be for thee. Poor harlot, faith the Lord Chrift, I have bought thee unto my felf with theprice of mine own blood, and now this is that which we will confent unto, I will befor thee, and thou (halt befor me, andnot for another. (i.) Chrift gives himfelf to the foul with all his excellencies, righteouf- nefs, precioufnefs; graces and eminencies, to be its faviour, head, and hus- band, for ever to dwell with it, in this holy relation. He looks upon the fouls of his faints, likes them well, and counts them, fair, and beautiful, be- caufe he hath made them fo. Cant. 1.15. Behold thou art fair my compa- nion, beholdthou art fair, thou ball doves eyes. Let others think what they pleafe, Chrift redoubles it, that the fouls of his faints are very beautiful, even perfef thro' his comelinefs which he puts upon them, Ezek. xv. 14. Behold thouart fair,thouart fair; (a) particularly that their fpiritual light isvery, ex- cellent andglorious, like the eyes of a dove, tender, difcerning, clear and fhin- ing. Therefore headds that patheticalwith oftheenjoymentof this his fpoufe, chap. ii. 14. 0 my dove, faith he, that art in the clefts ofthe rock, in thefecret places of theftairs, let me hear thy voice, let mefee thy countenance,forfweet is thy voice, and thy countenance is comely. Do not hide thy felf as one that flies to the clefts of the rocks, be not dejetled as one that hides her felf behind the flairs, and is afraid to come forth to the company that enquires for her. Let not thyfpirit be caft down at the weaknefs of thy fupplica- tions, let meyet hear thy fight and groans, thy breathings and pantings to me, they are very fweet, verydelightful, and thy fpiritual countenance, thy appearance in heavenly things, is comely and delightful unto me. Neither loth he leave her thus, but chap. iv. 8. preffeth her hard to a clofe commu- nication with him inthis conjugal bond. Come with me, from Lebanon, my fpoufe, with site fromLebanon, look from the top ofAmana, from the top of Shenir andHermon, from the lyons dens, andthe mountains ofthe Leopards. Thou art in awandring condition, as the Ifraelites of old, among lyons and leopards, fins and troubles, come from thence unto Me, and I will givethee refrefhment, Match. xi. 27. upon this invitation the fpoufeboldly concludes, chap. vii. 1o. that the delire of Chrift is towards her, that he cloth indeed love her, and aim at taking her unto this fellowthip with himfelf: So in carrying on this union, Chrift freely beftoweth himfelf upon the foul. Pre- cious and excellent as he is, he beçometh ours. lie makes himfelf to be fo, and with him, all his graces. Hence faith the fpoufe, my beloved is mine, in all that he is, he is mine. Becaufe- he is righteoufnefs, Ifa. xlv. 24, 25. he is the Lord our righteoufnefs, jer. xxiii. 6. Becaufe "he is the wifdom of God, and the power of God, he is made unto us wifdom, &e. i.Cor. Thus the branch of the Lord is beautiful and glorious, and thefruit of the earth is excellent, and comely to them that are efcaped of Ifrael, Ifa. 1v. 2. This is the firft thing on the part of Chrift, the free donation and bellow= ingof himfelf upon us to be our Chrift,- our beloved, as to all the ends and purpofes of love, mercy, grace, and glory, whereunto in his mediation he is defigned, in a marriage covçnant, never to be broken. This is the fum of what, is intended. The Lord fefus Chrift fitted and prepared by: the aecomplifhment and furniture of his perfon as mediator, and the large (n} Repetit dou clerc ,,d20- eù eu puchca es, Mercer. p o' o púrchafè
RkJQdWJsaXNoZXIy OTcyMjk=