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Truth. By his hands, we understand his works of creation, providence, grace, and glory: thefe are as gold rings fet with beryl, for ornament and glory; his works of creation exe nplify the glory of his wifdom and power, Pfal. xix. 1. The Heavens declare the glory of God, and the firmament fheweth his handy work, his works of providence are glorious, as there are perfect beauty and order in the preparations and fupply that he has made for man and beaft; he doth all things well; and there is a peculiar luftre in the paths of providence, as they have all a direct tendency to accomplish the grand defigns of his grace to his people, Pfal. cvii. 7, 8. And he led them forth by a right way, that they might go to the city of habita tion; O that men would praise the Lord for his goodness, and for his wonderful works to the children of men.

And as his works of creation and providence are glorious, much more are his works of grace, for he has magnified his word above all his name. Herein his wifdom, love, and power fhine confpicuoufly, like gold rings fet with beryl. Some fay the onyx, or the chryfolite, is here meant; others, precious ftones, and not confine it to any one; which denote that all the works of nature, grace, and glory, hath the bright and confpicuous glit. terings of Deity in them, like gold rings fet with precious ftones; and as precious ftones are to fet off the value and excellency of the ring, fo the perfections of the Deity enhance, with ineffable glory, the wonders of creation, depths of providence, and ways of grace, Pfal. cxi. 2, 3. The works of the Lord are great, fought out of all them that have pleasure therein. His work is honourable and glorious; and his righteousness en dureth for ever.

Chrift's belly being as bright ivory overlaid with fapphires, we may understand the heart, or affections of CHRIST, as our LORD faith, he that believeth on me out of his belly fhall flow rivers of living waters. Now the affection of CHRIST to his people is like polished ivory for brightnefs and clearness. With what brightnefs does it appear in his word, purposes, promifes, and in all the difpenfations of his providence. But when we view these affections overlaid with fapphires, I mean when we view the love of CHRIST overlaid with the gems of Deity, with what luftre does it appear! As polished ivory, enamelled with glittering fapphires, fhines with beauty, worth, and majefty, fo the love of CHRIST fhines in his life, death, and refurrection with all the beams of the Godhead; its worth becomes infinite, and its majesty so glorious, that it dazzles the

eyes of every beholder, Dan. vii. 9. his throne was like the fiery flame, Rev. xix. 12. and on his head were many crowns.

Friendly. What by his legs being compared to pillars of marble, fet upon fockets of fine gold; and his countenance being as Lebanon, excellent as the cedars?

Truth. CHRIST's legs being compared to pillars of marble, I apprehend denotes the firmness and stability of his promises, established upon the marble pillars of his oath, and divine faithfulness. And being fet upon fockets of fine gold, the value and duration of the promises; for unto us, faith the Apostle, are given exceeding great and precious promises, and these are as firm as the eternal Deity, whose faithfulness cannot fail, whofe unchanging nature is the ground-work of every promife: Hence, his promifes never fail, being fet upon sockets of fine gold, having their eftablishment in the eternal Deity, which difplay the firmness of his purposes,-the strength of his counfels, the fecurity of his covenant and the fure and unquestionable falvation of his people; because his kingdom is an everlafting kingdom, established as upon pillars of marble, and fockets of gold. And as legs are the fupport of the body, so the legs of CHRIST, which are faid to be as pillars of marble, for ftrength and beauty, are the fupport of his body, the church, because they have union with the Deity, which makes them immortal, ftrong to bear up under her burden, fafe through this labyrinth of forrows, to that happy reft where forrow fhall be no more, Ifa. xxxv. 10. They shall obtain joy and gladness, and forrow and fighing fhall flee away.

By his countenance being at Lebanon, excellent as the cedars, I apprehend,

Firft, That as mount Lebanon had a very graceful and ma jestic appearance, on account of its height, and the tall cedars that grew thereon, Ifa. xxvii. 24. So the light of CHRIST'S countenance, fhining upon the foul, hath fomething infinitely majestic and graceful; it commands all the powers of the foul with divine authority; and yet is fo mixed with grace and love, that whether the majesty is most commanding, or the fweetness most engaging, is hard to fay; for in the dear Meffiah there is the meeknefs of the man and the majefty of GoD, Rev: i. 16, 17. And his countenance was as the fun shineth in his ftrength; and when I faw him, I fell at his feet as dead; and be laid his right hand upon me, faying unto me, fear not, I am the firft and the laft.

Secondly, CHRIST's countenance may be compared to Lebanon for defirablenefs, which made Mofes, the King in Jefburun,

the leader of Ifrael, fo defirous to fee it, Deut. iii. 25. I pray thee, let me go over and fee the good land that is beyond Jordan, that goodly mountain and Lebanon. And nothing is more defirable to the Chriftian, than the light of his Saviour's counte nance; it is what he longs to fee, and enjoy, it removes the fears of his mind, heals the backflidings of his foul, revives his languishing affections, and invigorates all the powers of his mind to praise the LORD, which infpires him with holy longings after this enjoyment, Pfal. iv, 6. Lord, lift thou up the light of thy countenance upon us!

CHRIST'S Countenance may be compared to Lebanon, as Lebanon was a part of the land of Canaan, which was a type of Heaven; fo the light of CHRIST's countenance is part of Hea ven, it is Heaven begun, an earneft and fure pledge of it, therefore fo defirable, as it gives a prelibation of those joys that flow at his right hand for evermore, Acts ii. 28. Thou haft made known to me the ways of life; thou shalt make me full of joy with thy countenance,

Thirdly, CHRIST's countenance may be compared to Lebanon for its fragrancy and favour, it is faid of thofe happy fouls who are favoured to dwell under the fhadow of his perfon, blood, and obedience, that they shall revive as the corn, they shall grow as the vine, and their fcent fhall be as the wine of Lebanon, Hof. xiv, 7. which denotes the fragrancy of this defirable place, ver. 6. and his fmell as Lebanon. So the light of CHRIST'S Countenance diffufes the fweets of Heaven, fragrancy of joy, and all charming odours of peace through the mind. By nature we favour of nothing but fin, death, hell, guilt, fear, anguifh, and diftrefs; but as wine makes glad the heart of man, fo the light of CHRIST'S countenance as the fmell of Lebanon, diffufes fweets of peace, life, and joy to every drooping foul, as it fmells fo richly of the favour of Gop, and the fweets of his falvation: This caufes and keeps a favour of Heaven upon the mind, and makes the Chriftian fo lively and fpiritual in prayer, praife, and converfation, Pfal. Cii. 1, 2. Blefs the Lord, O my foul, and all that is within me blefs his holy name! Blefs the Lord, O my foul, and forget not all his benefits!

Friendly. What may I apprehend by CHRIST's Countenance being excellent as the cedars?

Truth. By the cedars we are to understand the wood of Lebanon, the trees which grew in great plenty upon that mount, Pfal. xcii. 12. The righteous fhall flourish like the palm tree; he hall grow like the tall cedar in Lebanon.

First, A cedar is excellent for greennefs and verdure, which it conftantly keeps, fo the fmiles of CHRIST's face, the divine attraction of his countenance, hath always life and verdure, for he never looks upon his people with a dying aspect, as though his love was withering and decaying towards them; no, it is excellent, like the cedar, it never withers, fades, or decays, for every look of his fair face has the life of love, verdure of grace, and pleasantness of glory, Pfal. xvi. 11. Iɛ thy prefence there is fulness of joy.

Secondly, Another excellency of cedar is, it is a wood that will not rot; age, hiftorians fay, will not confume it. And this is the excellency of CHRIST's favour, it will never decay, knows no change, having loved his own that were in the world, he loveth them to the end; therefore he says, I give unto them eternal life, and they shall never perish; his love is their life, and as that can never decay, fo they can never perish; for when millions of years, and ages, have rolled on, his love will still be the fame, excellant as the cedars for duration, Jabu iv. 16. We have known and believed the love that God hath to wards us; God is love. Then if God be love, he must change in his nature before he can ceafe to love his people: And as his nature admits of no change, fo the happinefs of the Saints admits of no period.

Thirdly, Another excellency of cedar is, it drives away ferpents: as ferpents have a particular enmity against mankind, and their fting, or poifon, is often mortal; fo our grand adverfary, for his fubtilty in deftroying mankind, is tiled, the old ferpent, the devil, goes about like a roaring lion seeking whom he may devour; and though he cannot deftroy the children of GOD, yet he is perpetually harraffing them with evil fuggeftions, and fiery temptations, called Eph. vi. 16. the fry darts of the wicked one. Now the light of CHRIST'S Courtenance is excellent as the cedars, it drives away this old jerpent the Devil, and gives the Chriftian a conqueft over him; for when the enemy comes in like a flood, the LORD ifs up this ftandard against him, and he always flies before the beams of the Saviour's love; Jam. iv. 7. Refft the devil, and he will flee from you; 1 John ii. 14. because ye are firong, and the word of God abideth in you; and ye have overcome the wicked

one.

Fourthly, Another excellency of cedar is, it is of a reviv ing nature; fo the light of CHRIST'S countenance revives the foul ready to faint under a fenfe of guilt, forrows, or backAlidings, which often makes the Chriftian difconfolate and low

in his foul for fear he fhould one day fall either into the depths of defpair, or away from his profeffion; fo cold, fo low, and fo languishing is the Chriftian, at times, that he is ready to fay with the church, Lam. iii. 18. My ftrength, and my hope, is perifhed from the Lord. But CHRIST'S countenance is excellent like the cedar; it exhilarates the foul, revives its droop ing hope, and scatters all fears, by affording renewed fatisfaction of interest in the favour of the Moft High; it gives all joy and peace in believing. The foul thereby grows as the corn, and flourisheth as the vine; and the ways of the LORD are then sweet, peaceful paths of heavenly joy; the Christian becomes chearful, watchful, and full of divine alacrity; goes on from ftrength to strength, mounts up with wings, like an eagle, walks with GOD having his affections fet upon things above; he foars on high, and dwells in tbe fuburbs of glory; looks by faith within the vail, and views JESUS his forerunner there for him already entered, not with the blood of bulls, or of goats, but with his own, having obtained eternal redemption for him. This fo infpires the heart of the Chriftian with fervent love, and holy zeal, that he says, what shall I render to the Lord for his benefits bestowed upon me? Thus CHRIST'S countenance is excellent as the cedars for majefty, verdure, life, and duration.

Friendly. What may I apprehend by the Spouse faying of her beloved, his mouth is most sweet, yea, be is altogether lovely. This is my beloved, and this is my friend, O daughters of Jerufa

lem?

Truth. The Spouse's rapture denotes the fervency of her love to CHRIST, and her inability properly to fet him forth. She had ruminated through all the perfections of nature, and borrowed every thing that was precious and valuable therein, in order to fet him forth in his confummate worth, glory, lovelinefs and desirableness. As the perfection of beauty, he is white and ruddy; as the Prince, the head and chief of all, The chiefeft among ten thousand; as the repofitory of infinite wisdom, his head as most fine gold; as a wonderful counsellor, his locks being black and bushy as a raven; as full of tenderness, his eyes being. as the eyes of a dove fitly fet; in fhort, one whofe countenance was most majestic-whofe looks were full of fweetness-whose lips were flowing with kindness-whofe works fhone with glory-whofe love beamed as gems of fapphires--whofe kingdom is immoveable-whofe throne is glorious-whofe love is eternal; and yet the fpoufe, by her rapture, feems to acVOL. III.

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