248 Of COMMUNION with lencies and perfeftions, Ifball refleít on the defcription givenof him by the fpoufe in the Canticles, to this very end and purpofe, Cant. v. ro, 1, 12, 23, 14, r 5, 16. My beloved is white and ruddy, the chiefefi of ten thoufand. His head is ss.the moll finegold, his locks are busy and black as araven. Hu eyes are as the eyes of doves, by the rivers of waters, wafhed with milk, and fitly let. His cheeks are as a bed of fpices, his lips like Lillie dropping Tweet finelling myrrh, his hands are as gold rings, fee with beryl; his belly is as bright ivory overlaid with fapphyrs ; his legs are as pillars, fet uponfockets of fine gold, his countenance is as Lebanon, excellent as the cedars; his mouth is mofl fweet, yea he is altogether lovely. This is ny beloved, and this is ny friend,. o ye daughters of Jerufalem. The general defcription given of Trim, v. to. bath been before confider- ed; the enfuing particulars are inftances to snake good the alfertion, that he is the chiefeft of ten thoufand. [r.] The fpoufe begins with his head and face, v. t a, i 2, 13. In his head, The fpeaks firft in general, unto the fubftance of it, it is fine gold, and then in particulars, as to its ornaments, his locks are bufhy, and black as a raven. r.) His head is as the moll fine gold; or his head gold, folid gold, fo fome, made of pure gold, fo others, xsoiir nepxA3, fay the 7o retaining part of both the hebrew words it on7maffa auri. Two things are eminent in gold; fplendor or glory, and duration; this is that which the fpoufe fpeaks of the head of Chrift, his head, is his go- vernment, authority, and kingdom ; hence it is faid a crown of pure gold was on his head, Pf. xxi. 3. and his head is here faid to be gold, becaufe of the crown of gold, that adorns it. As the monarchy in Daniel, that was molt eminent for glory and duration, is,.ermedan head of gold, Dan. ii. 38. And thefe two things are eminent in the kingdom, and authority of Chrift. O. It is a glorious kingdom; he is full of glory and majefty, and in his majefty be rides profperoufly, Pfal. xlv. 3, 4. His glory is great in the fal outlets ofGod, honour and majelly are laidupon hin,, be is made blefed for ever and ever, Pfal. xxi. 5, 6. I might infft on particulars, and fhcw that there not any thing that may render a kingdom or government glorious, but it is in this of Chrift in all its excellencies. It is an heavenly, a fpiritual, an univerfal, and an unfhaken kingdom, all which render it glorious, but of this fomewhat before. (2. It is durable, yea eternal, folid gold, his throne is for ever and ever, Pf. xlv. 6. Of the increafe of bis government there is no end, upon the throne of David, and upon his kingdom to order asid eflablifli it with judgment, and ,luflice from hence forth even for ever, Ifa. ix. 7. His kingdom is an everlafi- ing kingdom, Dan. vii. 27. a kingdom that íhall never be deftroyed, ch. 2. 44. for he mull reign until all,his enemies be fubdued. This is that head of gold, the fplendor, and eternity of his government. And if you take the head in a natural fenfe; either the glory of his dei- ty is here attended to or the fulnefs, and excellency of his wifdom, which the stead is the feat of. The allegory is not to be flreightned, whilft we keep to the analogyof faith. 2.) For the ornaments of his head, his locks, they are faid to be bufhy, or curled, black as a raven. His curled locks, are black, as a raven, is ad- ded by way of illuftration, of the blacknefs, not with any allufion to the nature of the raven. Take the head fpoken of in a political fenfe; his locks or hair, faid to be curled, as Teeming to be intangled, but really fal- ling in perfe& order, and beauty, as bufhylocks, are his thoughts, and coun- fels, and ways, in the adminiftrationof his kingdom. They are black or dark, becaufe of their depth,-and unfearchablenefs ; as God is faid to dwell in
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