By the Rev. JAMES DURHAM, Glasgow.
(Continued from page 5.)
I am the rose of Sharon, and the lily of the valleys (Song ii. 1).
The second thing to be spoken to is the scope, which we look upon two ways. (1) More generally, and so what may be the reason why Christ so much commends Himself in this book. (2) More particularly, and so why He commends Himself thus at this time.
(1) Why does Christ commend Himself in this book?
Answer. I shall give some few reasons for it that might be doctrines.
1.
Because there is no other such excellent Subject to be spoken of. If angels, let be men, were to come to preach glad tidings it would be that in Luke ii. 10, 11 “Behold, I bring you good tidings of great joy, which shall be to all people. For unto you is born this day, in the city of David, a Saviour, which is Christ the Lord.” What is the best message that ministers can carry to people? It is Jesus Christ, a crucified Saviour. The law and the prophets bear witness of Him. Yea, what would Christ Himself preach if He was now on earth? No other thing but this, The kingdom of heaven is now near you; a greater than Solomon is here; I am the bread of life; I am the light of the world; I came to seek and save the lost.
2.
Because there is no such profitable and precious Subject to believers themselves. If ye were to search for a good subject to be spoken of to believers it would be to speak of Himself, because it is by Him, through Him, and in Him that all the blessings of the Covenant are communicated to them, and the aim of the Covenant is to point out His worth; to tell the bride what a Bridegroom she has, and what a rich dowry she may expect. And every discovered excellency in Christ is a laying forth a part of the bride’s riches.
3.
Because the worth of Jesus Christ is not soon expressed. One expression or two expressions cannot do it, therefore more are used and must be added and set together for that end, and hence it is when the bride enters to speak of Him in Chapter v., and she is gone through all the parts of His body, she must end the commendation as a thing she cannot reach and sums it up in this general, “He is altogether lovely.” And it is for this cause that He is often set out rather by what He is not, than by what He is, because no expression can sufficiently express His worth. Therefore be not satisfied with expressions of Christ that ye soon win to. Ye know the work of heaven is the praises of the Lamb.
4.
Because Christ’s worth is not soon believed therefore it must be often reported and inculcated. Isaiah was as evangelical a prophet and as large on the subject as any prophet we hear of, yet he says, “Who hath believed our report?” (Isaiah liii. 1). And what is the report? It is the report of Christ in verse 2, “For he shall grow up before him as a tender plant, and as a root out of a dry ground. If Christ’s worth was cried down in the world, for all Isaiah’s preaching of it folk are so possessed with idols and carried away with vanities that Christ gets no room in their hearts. People cast out Christ and embrace any idol, because they do not believe that Christ is able to make up the loss or want of it.
5.
It is to point out the necessity of the knowledge of Christ and His worth, 1 Cor. iii. 10. It is the foundation. The discovery of Christ’s worth is the first stepping-stone and rudiment of Christianity. Folk cannot believe in Him, love Him, delight in Him, or praise Him, except they know Him. Therefore I close all these reasons with three words of direction for use; that ye would not go about the studying to know Christ neither carelessly, nor carnally, nor selfishly. (1) Not carelessly in not making it your main task and aim, for it is life eternal to know Him (John xvii. 3). (2) Not carnally in seeking no more but a speculative knowledge to fill your head with matter to dispute or discuss of Him. (3) Not selfishly, to delight or satisfy yourself with it as with a lovely song. Folk are selfish in their study of Christ when it is not to set forth Christ and make use of Him for their own and others good, or when folk rather to hear or read of that subject than of another because it does not bite them. But in your study of Christ study to know Him. (1) As the ground and object of your faith, as the sent and sealed Son of God to save lost sinners. As the Bread of Life which comes down from heaven and gives life to the world (John vi. 33). (2) As He that has in Him all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge, and all the fulness of the Godhead for us. (John i. 16.) Know Him in these relations that are between Him and believers as your Head, Husband, Elder Brother, Advocate, Intercessor, King, Leader, Commander, Surety, etc.; and know Him in the use of all these relations to you, for hereby there is excellent worth seen in Christ, and excellent worth in all these relations to you. (3) Learn to know in experience the fruits and effects of these relations to you. Further, Christ’s relations were taken in all that Christ has done and suffered for us as Mediator, and ye would study to know the virtue of what He has done and suffered to you wards. Know that He died and overcame death, by finding the power of His death making sin die in you and giving you victory over your corruptions; and the power of His resurrection in making you rise to newness of life and the fellowship of His sufferings. These were Paul’s studies, Phil. iii. 8, 10, 11, where he is speaking of his many desires as he was a Christian. And in as far as ye know Christ, win up thus to make use of Him.
For the Second. That is the more special scope of these words, or of this commendation at this time.
And to find out this, we conceive Christ is here looking on His Church under this twofold condition. (1) Under many crosses. Therefore Christ sets her out in verse 2, as a lily among thorns. (2) Under a tried and tempted condition, for in verse 15 there are the little foxes that spoil the vines spoken of, and in relation to both these conditions Christ commends Himself as very suitable to her. Observe hence, that the study and knowledge of the worth and excellency of Christ, as it is a work meet for all times and conditions so especially in times of trial and temptation. We think these words not much proof of this. Christ’s trysting this commendation of Himself with His bride’s afflicted and tempted condition is enough to confirm it, as also all these instances we have in the Old and New Testament of the joining or mixing in somewhat of Christ with all the bride’s afflictions when they are spoken of as in Isaiah ix. 6, when speaking of sore trouble before and after, it is said, “For unto us a child is born, unto us a son is given; and the government shall be upon his shoulders, etc.” And chapter vii. 14, in the prophet’s answer to Ahaz he leaves off speaking of the temporal deliverance, and brings in a promise of Christ, “Behold a virgin shall conceive, and bear a son, and shall call his name Immanuel.” And so in the first, second and third chapters of Revelation where John is writing to the seven churches of Asia, who were under trial and temptation. In the beginning of every epistle there is some stately description of Christ. Ere He begins to speak of their trials or of their duty He lays out something of Himself as a meet plaster to any evil they were under as a sweet companion to them in their trials. The reasons of the doctrine are
(1)
Because there is no sure foundation nor solid resting to souls whether we look to the trial itself or crosses and temptations that accompany the trial, but Christ and the knowledge of His worth and excellency. Therefore there is need of some manifestation of the worth and excellency of Christ that folk may rest upon Him in such a condition. Hence it is that Christ is brought in as a consolation to His people ere ever He came into the world. When a terrible threatening of an overflowing scourge comes forth He is manifested as a foundation. “Behold, I lay in Zion for a foundation a stone, a tried stone, a precious corner stone, a sure foundation” (Isaiah xxviii. 16); and I Peter ii. 6, 7, 8, clears what the stone is—even the stone which the builders refused. This is given His people to rest upon, when judgement is laid to the line and righteousness is laid to the plummet, and the hail comes to sweep away the refuge of lies. In Isaiah xxxii. 2, He is set out as a shadow to rest under in cross dispensations; “A man shall be as an hiding place from the wind, and a covert from the tempest; as rivers of water in a dry place; as the shadow of a great rock in a weary land.” And, again, He is set out as the Captain of our Salvation who was made perfect through suffering, and must lead us through suffering and snares. Therefore at such a time when the overflowing scourge may bring down all props of outward power and carnal confidence, and also blast inherent grace in respect of its exercise, study better this sure foundation.
(2)
Because as there is no sure foundation to rest on but Christ so God would have believers contenting and satisfying themselves with Christ for their refuge and comfort under all crosses. When others run here and there for satisfaction they should be content with Him. “To whom he said, This is the rest wherewith ye may cause the weary to rest” (Isaiah xxviii. 12). And while the evil blasts all external privileges and props, it is for this end to draw His people in to Christ to make use of Him, for all these things promised but could not perform, or for that which they sought in these things but could not find, and this would make Christ’s excellency lovely. Therefore these two are put together in Isaiah lv. 1, 2, 3. “Ho, every one that thirsteth, come ye to the waters . . . Wherefore do ye spend money for that which is not bread? . . .” And then follows, “Behold, I have given him for a witness to the people, a leader and commander to the people.” As if He had said, “It is not these things that I have given you to rest on but Christ. Ye are a famished people, and He is your food.”
(3)
Because only Jesus Christ and the study of His worth and excellency is profitable in times of straits. Scare any other thing or any other doctrine can profit folk under crosses except in so far as it leads to Christ. Disputing about questions and seeking out of learning is needless but as they lead to Christ. This is pointed out in the Epistles to Timothy and Titus. “Remember that Jesus Christ of the seed of David was raised from the dead according to my gospel” II Tim. ii. 8). “It is a faithful saying: for if we be dead with him we shall also live with him: if we suffer, we shall also reign with him,” verses 10, 11. “But shun profane and vain babblings; for they will increase unto more ungodliness” verse 16. “Of these things put them in remembrance, charging them before the Lord that they strive not about words to no profit, but to the subverting of the hearers,” verse 14. He thus means that words in as far as they are not subordinate to Christ in affliction could not profit, and, hinting at a fault in that time, the turning matters of faith into curious and sophistical disputations which the Apostle in I Cor. iii. 12 calls a building of wood, hay and stubble on the golden foundation, when they should have built gold, silver and precious stones, or wasting of the time in compliments and general truths that were unprofitable for the condition of the people of God in a time of trial and temptation.
(4)
Because Christ knew no doctrine could be so comfortable, refreshing, encouraging and strengthening to His afflicted bride and people as to know that they had a king so excellent, lovely and of much worth. And look through all the prophets and apostles, and there is not a cordial comparable to this for upholding the saints in time of trouble. “For I know that my Redeemer liveth,” Job xix. 25; and “I know whom I have believed, and am persuaded that he is able to keep that which I have committed unto him against that day” (II Tim. i. 12).
The consideration of Christ’s excellency and worth helps folk exceedingly in time of trial. They care not what they meet with for the Bridegroom can make it all up, and they know all the afflictions they can meet with is short of that worth that is in Him. Besides it gives a believer expectations of an outgate and carrying through, and it gives a savouriness in the meantime of affliction. There is a sweetness in Christ’s worth that will make believers sing in the fire, and though a believer was being stoned to death with Stephen, Acts vii., it puts a heavenly stamp upon him that he will be in heaven ere his soul be out of the body through the sense of joy that the Bridegroom makes known to Him.
Use 1. For direction.
What folk should study in such a time wherein folk are dwelling as among thorns. They slide off their feet, ready to be anxious and know not how to find. Let your labour and care be how to know practically and experimentally the worth of Christ, and then a temptation of a present world will not trouble you, or if it be any snare or thorny question that ye know not how to confer. Christ savingly known will teach you how to lay it by or come by it, and ye would have a comfortable life and would not be a reproach to the gospel, and a burden to yourself in an evil day. Seek Christ’s worth and that He may put the stamp of His beauty on your heart that ye may believe not because such a man spoke so of Christ but because ye have seen and heard Him yourselves and found the word of life. Take this for your daily task, and study to know Him in His person, offices, administrations and afflictions and application of His offices, and in the privileges He bestows on believers. And think it were just with God to give over many of you over to error because ye have not studied Christ this way. For it is the fruit of a despised and mis-kent Christ when folk drink in such errors. If folk knew Christ savingly and experimentally they must seal it with their blood that He were God, from the Majesty of His work and the sweetness of His love shed abroad in their hearts though all the world would swear the contrary.
Use 2. For caution.
Not to let other things draw you off this study. “Of these things put them in remembrance, charging them before the Lord that they strive not about words to no profit” (II Tim. ii. 14). We speak it with tenderness but hear it with fear. Satan is labouring to draw folk off Christ to striving about words which tend to no profit but to the breaking of the unity of His body and the burdening of their spirits. Dissertations of this kind have been rife about you. Beware of making this and that vain question your task, whereof folk may be ignorant and yet go to heaven. Ye may be given up to an endless wrangling, and wearying of yourselves and at length turn sceptics and seekers after knowledge, and never come to a knowledge of the truth. But spend your time in studying the main thing. Get wisdom, for that is the principal thing. And then if there be any other thing wherein ye and others differ God will reveal it in His own time.
Use 3. For trial and reflection on your own condition
that ye may see if ye be provided for a storm, if ye have been laying this sure foundation in getting experimental knowledge of Christ’s worth, if ye have got much of Him that ye might be able to encounter with temptations. That there is so little of this knowledge makes us fear the sliding of many. Mend it, ere ye may repent it when ye will not get time.