Secondly, He expects nothing with us, and yet bestows himfelf, and all that he hath, upon us. Our poverty cannot enrich him, but he made himself poor to enrich us, 2 Cor. viii. 9. 1 Cor. iii. 22.

Thirdly, No hufband loves the wife of his bofum, as Chrift loved his people, Eph. v. 25. He loved the church, and gave himself for it.

Fourthly, None bears with weakneffes and provocations as Chrift doth; the church is ftiled "the Lamb's wife," Rev. xix. 9.

Fifthly, No husband is fo immortal and everlasting a huf band as Chrift is; death feparates all other relations, but the foul's union with Chrift is not diffolved in the grave: yea, the day of a believer's death, is his marriage day, the day of his fullest enjoyment of Chrift. No hufband can fay to his wife, what Chrift faith to the believer, "I will never leave thee, nor "forlake thee," Heb. xiii. 5.

Sixthly, No bridegroom advanceth his bride to fuch honours by marriage, as Chrift doth; he relates them to God as their father, and from that day the mighty and glorious angels think it no dishonour to be their fervants, Heb. i. 14. they are brought in admiring the beauty and glory of the fpoufe of Chrift, Rev. xxi. 9.

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Seventhly, and lastly, No marriage was ever confummated with that triumphal folemnity, as the marriage of Chrift and believers shall be in heaven, Pfal. xlv. 14, 15. "She thall be brought to the king in raiment of needle-work, the virgins, her companions that follow her, fhall be brought unto thee; with "gladness and rejoicing fhall they be brought; they fhall enter "into the king's palace." Among the Jews the marriage-house was called Bethillula, the house of praife; there was joy upon all hands, but none like the joy that will be in heaven, when believers, the fpoufe of Chrift, fhall be brought thither: God the Father will rejoice, to behold the bleffed accomplishment and confummation of thofe glorious defigns of his love. Jefus Chrift, the Bridegroom, will rejoice, to fee the travail of his foul, the bleffed birth and iffue of all his bitter pangs and agonies, Ifa. liii. 11. The Holy Spirit will rejoice, to fee the completion and perfection of that fanctifying defign which was committed to his hand, 2 Cor. v. 5. to fee thole fouls whom he once found as rough stones, now to shine as the bright, polished stones of the fpiritual temple. Angels will rejoice: great was the joy when the foundation of this defign was laid, in the incarnation of Christ, Luke ii. 13. great therefore muft their joy be, when the

SERM. XII, top-ftone is fet up with fhouting, crying, Grace, grace. The faints themselves fhall rejoice unspeakably, when they shall enter into the King's palace, and be for ever with the Lord, I Theff. iv. 17. Indeed there will be joy on all hands, except among the devils and damned; who fhail gnash their teeth with envy, at the everlatting advancement, and glory of believers. Thus Chrift is altogether lovely, in the relation of a Bridegroom.

Thirdly, Chrift is altogether lovely, in the relation of an Advocate. 1 John ii. 1. "If any man fin, we have an advocate " with the Father, Jefus Chrift the righteous, and he is the pro"pitiation;" it is he that pleads the cause of believers in hea ven; appears for them in the presence of God, to prevent all new breaches, and continues the state of friendship and peace be twixt God and us. In this relation Chrift is altogether lovely. For,

Firft, He makes our caufe his own, and acts for us in heaven, as for himself, Heb. iv. 15. He is touched with the tender feufe of our troubles and dangers, and is not only one with us, by way of reprefentation, but also one with us in refpect of fympathy and affection.

Secondly, Chrift our Advocate, follows our fuit and bufnefs in heaven, as his great and main design and business; there fore, in Heb. vii. 25. he is faid to "live for ever to make in"terceffion for us;" as if our concernments were fo minded by him there, as to give up himself wholly to that work, as if all the glory and honour which is paid him in heaven, would not fatisfy him, or divert him one moment from our business.

Thirdly, He pleads the caufe of believers by his blood; it fatisfies him not, as other advocates, to be at the expence of words and oratory, which is a cheaper way of pleading; but he pleads for us by the voice of his own blood, Heb. xii. 24, where we are faid to be come "to the blood of sprinkling, that

fpeaketh better things than that of Abel :" Every wound he received for us on earth, is a mouth opened to plead with God on our behalf in heaven; Quot vulnera, tot ora. And hence it

is, that in Rev. v. 6. he is reprefented standing before God, as a lamb that had been fain: as it were, exhibiting, and opening, in heaven, those deadly wounds received on earth, from the juftice of God, on our account. Other advocates fpend their breath, Chrift his blood.

Fourthly, He pleads the cause of believers freely. Other ad vocates plead for reward, and exhauft the purses, while they plead the causes of their clients.

Fifthly, In a word, he obtaineth for us all the mercies for which he pleads; no cause miscarries in his hand, which he undertakes, Rom. viii. 33, 34. O what a lovely Advocate is Chrift for believers !

Fourthly, Chrift is altogether lovely in the relation of a friend, for in this relation he is pleafed to own his people, Luke xii. 4, 5. There are certain things in which one friend manifefts his affection and friendship to another, but none like Christ. For,

First, No friend is fo open-hearted to his friend, as Chrift is to his peopie: he reveals the very counfels and fecrets of his heart to them. John xv. 15. "Henceforth I call you not servants, *for the fervant knoweth not what his Lord doth; but I have called you friends; for all things that I have heard of my. "Father, I have made known unto you."

Secondly, No friend in the world is fo generous and bountiful to his friend, as Jefus Chrift is to believers; John xvi. 13. he parts with his very blood for them; "Greater love (faith he) "hath no man than this, that a man lay down his life for his "friends." He hath exhausted the precious treasures of his invaluable blood, to pay our debts. O what a lovely friend is Jefus Chrift to believers !

Thirdly, No friend fympathizes fo tenderly with his friend in affliction, as Jefus Chrift doth with his friends: "In all our af"flictions he is afflicted," Heb. iv. 15. He feels all our forrows, wants, and burthens, as his own. Whence it is, that the fufferings of believers are called the fufferings of Chrift, Col.i. 24.

Fourthly, No friend in the world takes that complacency in his friend, as Jefus Chrift doth in believers. Cant. iv. y. "Thou "haft ravished my heart, (faith he to the spouse) thou hast ra"vished my heart with one of thine eyes, with one chain of "thy neck." The Hebrew, here rendered ravifhed, fignifies to puff up, or to make one proud: how is the Lord Jefus pleafed to glory in his people! how is he taken and delighted with thofe gracious ornaments, which himself bestows upon them! No friend fo lovely as Chrift.

Fifthly, No friend in the world loves his friend with fo fervent and strong affection, as Jefus Chrift loves believers. Jacob loved Rachel, and endured for her fake, the parching heat of fummer, and cold of winter: but Chrift endured the ftorms of the wrath of God, the heat of his indignation, for our fakes. David manifefted his love to Abfalom, in withing, "O that I had "died for thee!" Chrift manifefted his love to us, not in wifhes that he had died, but in death itself, in our ftead, and for our fakes. VOL. II.

Sixthly, No friend in the world is so conftant and unchangeable in friendship, as Chrift is. John xiii. 1. "Having loved his "own which were in the world, he loved them unto the end." He bears with millions of provocations and injuries, and yet will not break friendship with his people. Peter denied him, yet he will not difown him; but after his refurrection he faith, "Go, tell the difciples, and tell Peter," q. d. Let him not think he hath forfeited, by that fin of his, his intereft in me; though he have denied me, I will not difown him, Mark xvi. 7. O how lovely is Christ in the relation of a friend! I might farther fhew you the loveliness of Chrift in his ordinances, and in his provi dences, in his communion with us, and communications to us; but there is no end of the account of Chrift's lovelinefs: I will rather chufe to prefs believers to their duties towards this altogether lovely Chrift, which I fhall briefly dispatch in a few words.

Ufe. First, Is Jefus Chrift altogether lovely, then I beseech you fet your fouls upon this lovely Jefus. Methinks fuch an object as hath been here reprefented, should compel love from the coldest breast, and hardeft heart, Away with thofe empty nothings, away with this vain, deceitful world, which deferves not the thousandth part of the love you give it; let all stand afide and give way to Chrift. O did you but know his worth and ex cellency, what he is in himself, what he hath done for, and deferved from you; you would need no arguments of mine to perfuade you to love him.

Secondly, Efteem nothing lovely, but as it is enjoyed in Chrift, or improved for Chrift: Affect nothing for itself, love nothing feparate from Jefus Chrift. In two things we all fin in love of creatures, viz. in the excess of our affections, loving them above the rate and value of creatures; and in the inordinacy of our affections, (i. e.) in loving them out of their proper places.

Thirdly, Let us all be humbled for the basenefs of our hearts, that are fo free of their affections to vanities, and trifles; and fo hard to be perfuaded to the love of Chrift, who is altogether lovely. O how many pour out ftreams of love and delight upon the vain and empty creature; whilft no arguments can draw forth one drop of love from their obdurate and unbelieving hearts to Jefus Christ! I have read of one Joannes Mollius, who was observed to go often alone, and weep bitterly; and being pressed by a friend to know the cause of his troubles; O! faid he, it grieves me that I cannot bring this heart of mine to love Jefus Chrift more fervently.

Fourthly, Reprefent Chrift, as he is, to the world, by your carriage towards him. Is he altogether lovely; let all the world

fee, and know that he is fo, by your delights in him, and communion with him; zeal for him, and readiness to part with any other lovely thing upon his account; proclaim his excellencies to the world, as the fpoufe here did; convince them how much your beloved is better than any other beloved; display his glorious excellencies in your heavenly converfations; hold him forth to others, as he is in himself, altogether lovely. See that you "walk worthy of him unto all well-pleafing," Col. i. 10. "Shew forth the praifes of Chrift," Pet. ii. 19. Let not that "worthy name be blafphemed through you," James ii. 7. He is glorious in himfelf, and will put glory upon you; take heed ye put not shame and dishonour upon him: he hath committed his honour to you, do not betray that trust.

Fifthly, Never be ashamed to own Chrift: he is altogether lovely; he can never be a fhame to you; it will be your great fin, to be ashamed of him. Some men glory in their shame; be not you afhamed of your glory: if you be afbamed of Chrift 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 fin; and among other fins, be afhamed, especially for this fin, that you have no more love for him who is altogether lovely.

Sixthly, Be willing to leave every thing that is lovely upon, earth, that you may be with the altogether lovely Lord Jefus Chrift, in heaven. Lift up your voices with the spouse, Rev. xx. 20. "Come Lord Jefus, come quickly." It is true, you must pass through the pangs of death into his bofom and enjoyment; but fure it is worth fuffering much more than that, to be with this lovely Jefus. "The Lord direct your hearts into "the love of God, and the patient waiting for Jefus Christ," 2 Thef. iii. 5.

Seventhly, Strive to be Chrift-like, as ever you would be lovely in the eyes of God and man. Certainly, my brethren, it is the Spirit of Chrift within you, and the beauty of Chrift upon you, which only can make you lovely perfons; the more you refemble him in holiness, the more will you discover of true excellency and lovelinefs and the more frequent and fpiritual your converfe and communion with Chrift is, the more of the beauty and loveliness of Chrift will still be stamped upon your fpirits, changing you into the fame image from glory to glory.

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Eightly, Let the loveliness of Chrift draw all men to him. Is loveliness in the creature fo attractive? And can the tranfcepdent loveliness of Christ draw none? O the blindness of man!