First—The glorious object of the desire of every one taught of God, emphatically stiled My beloved. This title is given to Jesus, nineteen or twenty times in this book; and no doubt is intended to point out the high esteem the church has of her Saviour; the clearest, the sweetest evidence of a person’s interest in Christ, is love to the dear God-Man Mediator. This principle is shed abroad in the heart; it is always in the believer as a principle; but it is not always shed abroad in the feeling sense of it, we wish it was, as it is calculated carry us above the love of sin, the love of self, the love of the creature, and the love of the world. Christ as the Christ of God, is the darling of heaven; the Father loves him, and is well pleased with him. The Holy Spirit’s principal aim in all his operations is to glorify him; the holy angels admire and adore him, as their elect head; the spirits of just men, made perfect, look on him with holy wonder, with rapture, and joy; while every poor, tried, humble believer, trusts in him, leans upon him, hopes in him, and sincerely desires to love him above all things else. And if I know any thing of experience, I must say in the behalf of the church, it is our principal grief we think on him so little, trust him so little, admire and adore him so little. This is a lamentation, and must be so to the end of our days. But our days of mourning on this subject will have an end—and
Till then I would thy love proclaim,
With every feeling breath;
And may the music of thy name,
Refresh my soul in death.
Christ is the beloved of his church for what is in himself, as God-Man Mediator. Secondly, Christ is beloved of his church for what he has done, and is now doing in heaven. If we view him as God, possessing all divine perfections, and these harmonizing and engaged in our salvation, O! how glorious do they all appear! Divine sovereignty chose us to salvation; loved moved him to make this choice; wisdom drew the wonderous plan; power executed it; goodness made provision for us; truth makes us free; faithfulness is engaged to make good his promises; pity redeemed us; compassion leads us to repentance; holiness makes him all-glorious to us; righteousness justifies; justice forgives us; and perfection renders us compleat in Christ. Thus all his sublime attributes center in our salvation, and render Jesus as equal with the Father, beloved to us, if we view him as Man and Mediator. There is, says the Apostle to us, One God and one Mediator, the Man, (i.e. the God Man) Christ Jesus. In this human nature he is the perfection of beauty; the Holy Spirit formed it, the Father provided it, and the eternal Son of God appeared in it as our Day’s Man. It was filled with the Holy Ghost—it was a sacred Temple, the residence of Deity. The word was made flesh—the word was God. All things were made by him. This human nature was holy, harmless, undefiled, and separated from sinners; and such an High Priest became us. And by virtue of the Union of the Godhead; this dear God-Man is the Beloved of the whole Church.
If we consider him in his Mediatorial capacity, sustaining his glorious offices, as Prophet, Priest, and King. These offices no doubt he refers to when he said I am the way, and the truth, and the life; to these he was called. These he executes in the church, and in the hearts of all believers. He enlightens us as a Prophet, he intercedes as a Priest, and he reigns as a King. He teaches the way to heaven as a Prophet, he opens the way as a Priest, and he brings into the way as a King. He preached glad tidings to the meek as a Prophet, he binds up the broken-hearted as a Priest, and he opens the prison doors as a king. These glorious offices he exercises in the souls of his children, and viwing him faithful in his house, he is truly lovely to his church. If we view him in his glorious titles, it appears the Holy Ghost has ransacked all the endearing ties of nature, and all the lovely instances of his creative power, to set him forth—the affectionate Husband, the constant Friend, the skilful Physician, the tender Father, the able Counsellor, the sympathizing Mother and Nurse, the wise Law-giver, the lovely Prince, the faithful Ambassador, and the Advocate with the Father; the guide of his Children, and the Captain of their salvation. He is represented as a Lamb, a Hen, a Hind; surely
All over glorious is our Lord;
To be admir’d, and yet ador’d:
His worth if all the nations knew,
Sure the whole earth would love him too.
The operations of his hands as the adorable Creator, sets him forth in his goodness, greatness, and glory—the earth is full of his praise—
He shines in the sun, refreshes in the breeze,
Glows in the stars, and blossoms in the trees.
Every drop of dew, every shower of rain, every blade of grass, every rolling peal of thunder, and every flash of lightning, loudly proclaims the eternal power and Godhead of him who lived, and loved, and died for us. The word of the eternal truth, the Scriptures, are an exhibition of his loving heart. Its histories, types, shadows, and parables—all the illustrious characters that appeared before him were only as dim stars, to usher in the glorious luminary, the Light of Life. Every promise, invitation, and declaration, all, all! proclaim the Beloved. O for hearts to love him more, and serve him without reserve, and to long to be with him, that we may behold his glory for ever.
But, Secondly, The Request made for his speedy appearance, Make hast my beloved; be thou like a Roe, or young Hart upon the mountains of spices. This may include in it the earnest wish of the Old Testament saints for the Incarnation of Jesus; it had been long foretold, and it was expected by all the saints, though nearly four thousand years rolled away before their desires were accomplished. The dear Messiah made his appearance at last, to put away sin, to honor the Law, to satisfy Justice, to glorify the attributes of Deity, bar the mouth of the bottomless Pit, and open the gates of the celestial City. How beautiful the language of the Church, (Te Deum) When thou tookest upon thee to deliver man thou didst not abhor the Virgin’s womb. When thou hadst overcome the sharpness of death, thou dist open the kingdom of heaven to all Believers. This was the subject matter of the faith of Old Testament saints. This important God-glorifying event, they anticipated, and though millions of the elect died without the sight, they all died in faith, embracing the promises, and Jesus in them.
This Chapter opens and closes with their ardent wish, O that thou wert as my brother, that sucked the breasts of my mother! Make haste my Beloved. When Believers, on any occasion, pray thus, we are not to suppose they wish for the blessing before the time, though in fact, as the Saviour said on another occasion, Your time is always ready. But there is a time for every purpose, a set time, and Christ came in the fulness of time, nor will he delay one blessing laid up for his people beyond the time. Faith is always willing to wait God’s time, but unbelief is always in a hurry, He that hasteth with his feet sinneth—he that believeth shall not make haste.