great is his beauty! As beauty among men consists in the symmetry of parts; so in God, it is the harmony of all the divine perfections. The infinite harmony, agreeableness, suitableness of all divine perfections, I say, is this beauty. Christ is called fair, to denote his glorious perfections.

2. Comparatively; Thou art fairer than the children of men; that is, (1.) than all worldly men. There is more excellency, more desirableness in Jesus Christ, than in all the men of the world. (2.) More than in all those who were employed in the church, which is peculiarly here intended. More excellent than Moses and Aaron; than any of the kings and prophets of old, who yet were so desirable. Aaron had his garments made for beauty, and for glory. But, saith he, Christ is more beautiful, more fair, than any of the children of men.

I told you, the design of the psalm was to speak of the kingdom of Christ, and to set forth the mutual love that is between Christ and his church. But yet, in the first place, he lays down this description of his person, as the foundation, thou art fairer than the children of men.'

I say, 1. Absolutely, Christ is fair, and we may observe from hence, that, in the consideration of Jesus Christ, if we intend any interest in him, and any benefit by him, the first thing we ought to know, and consider, is his person. So the psalmist here, when he had designed the description of his kingdom, and benefits, he begins with his person. And if we know not the person of Christ, we have no interest in him. The apostle, in Phil. iii. 10. shews what our design should be, That I may know him, and the power of his resurrection, and the fellowship of his sufferings,' &c. first, know him, says he, before he speaks of the benefits of his mediation, which is consequential to the knowledge of himself. So he tells you of the subject of his preaching; 1 Cor. ii. 2. 'I determined not to know any thing among you, save Jesus Christ, and him crucified;' first, Christ, and then, him crucified; first, his person, and then his mediation.

The reasons are,

(1.) Because Jesus Christ will be loved and preferred above all for his own sake.' He tells his disciples, Matt. x. 37. He that loveth father or mother more than me, is

not worthy of me.' If we intend to have any benefit by him, he must be valued above all, for his own sake, or, for the sake of what he is in himself. He puts it as a mark upon them that followed him, because of the loaves;' John vi. 26. And if without the knowledge of Christ, without a due consideration of his person, we think to follow him only for his benefits, for the advantage which we hope to have by him, which is to follow him for the loaves, we shall be found strangers to him, when we think we are in a better state and condition.

(2.) Without this, no man can secure his love and faith from being selfish, or from beginning and ending in self. For if we regard only those things whereof we have advantage, so that we may have our sin pardoned, our iniquities done away, and our souls saved, we would not care whether there were a Christ to trust in or no. But as this tends not to the glory of God, so neither will it tend to the advantage of our own souls. So that if we intend any interest in Christ, we must begin with his person, and the knowledge of it; Thou art fairer than the children of men.'

The use of this point is,

First, To shew how few real Christians there be in the world; seeing there are so few that have an acquaintance with, and a love unto, the person of Christ. Some deny him. We have a generation among ourselves that pretend to be Christians, I mean the Quakers, who deny the person of Christ, leave him neither the perfection of the Deity, nor humanity, nor the union of his natures; and have framed to themselves a religion without Christ; a carcase without a soul, or life to quicken it, or enable it to be of any use. And there are

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others, that evidence how little it is they value Christ, 1 Cor. ii. 8. Had they known him, they would not have crucified the Lord of glory.' Do we think, if men knew Christ, whatsoever they pretend, they would so despise his ways, his ordinances, his worship? prefer their own inventions and imaginations before them, and prosecute and persecute all that truly fear him, according to the power of their hand? Had they known him, they would not have done so. And the greatest part are perfectly sottish, brutishly ignorant concerning the person of Christ; yea, many to whom he hath been preached, it is to them like the wind, they hear a sound,

but know not whence it comes, or what it means; perhaps they never had one serious thought in all their lives what Christ is, or who he is? wherein his excellencies do consist? or what they expect from him? O how few labour to have a familiar intercourse with this Saviour? How few say to wisdom, 'Thou art my sister, and call understanding their kinswoman,' as in Prov. vii. 4. speaking of Christ, who is the wisdom of God. They that know Christ, will make him as near and familiar to their souls as they can.

Secondly, This shews, what great cause they have to rejoice, unto whom God hath revealed Christ. Matt. xvi. 13, &c. Whom do men say I am,' saith Christ to his disciples? And they said, Some say thou art John the baptist: some, Elias; and others, Jeremias, or one of the prophets. He saith unto them, But whom say ye that I am? And Simon Peter answered and said, Thou art Christ, the Son of the living God. And Jesus answered and said unto him, Blessed art thou, Simon Bar-jona: for flesh and blood hath not revealed it unto thee, but my Father which is in heaven.' The world has very dark notions concerning Christ, like the blind man, that saw men like trees walking: but as for those who have the knowledge of Christ, they are blessed, for flesh and blood hath not revealed it. It is the greatest spiritual revelation, and the greatest evidence that we have received any spiritual revelation from God, when we know the person of Christ. Let us be thankful for any revelation God hath made of Christ unto our souls, that we behold his person, and know him, that he is not a stranger unto us, but that our souls have some holy acquaintance with him.

And if God hath thus revealed Christ unto us, Let us be manifesting to all the world, that we are Christ's, when others are ashamed of him. How? By our prizing, valuing, preferring him above all other things, above the world, and all the satisfactions and enjoyments of the world, above its ways, pleasures, converse: we have better satisfaction, better acquaintance to converse with, and retire unto.

2. Observe from the words, that in the knowledge of Christ, what we should chiefly consider, are the things wherein he is fairer than the children of men, wherein he is more excellent, and to be preferred above all other persons and things whatsoever.

Now, wherein is Christ fairer than the children of men? I answer, in three things, (1). In the dignity of his person. (2.) In the excellency of his work. And, (3.) In the power and heavenliness of his doctrine. Many other instances may be given, but things may be gathered to these three heads, whereby we may make answer unto the question, that is tacitly asked of us by nominal professors in the world, which was asked of the spouse, by the daughters of Jerusalem, Cant. v. 9. What is thy beloved more than another beloved?' What is there in Christ more than in other persons and things, that there is such a stir made about him? I say, he is fairer than the children of men;'

(1.) In the dignity of his person. He is a more excellent person. Wherein consists the excellency of Christ's person? Truly not at all in the outward appearance of his human nature, especially while here in the world. It is the foundation of all devotion among some, the making of glorious pictures of Christ, by which means to represent him fine and glorious. But what doth he speak of himself in Psal. xxii. 6. 'I am a worm and no man.' He was brought to that low condition, that he was of no esteem, of no reputation. But if we could have had a sight of him, how comely would he have been? Why, he had neither form nor comeliness' in his outward appearance; that when we should see him we should desire him,' Isa. liii. 2. Wherein then consists the dignity of his person? In two things, [1.] In the glory of his divine nature. [2.] In the immeasurable fulness of his human nature with grace.

[1.] In his divine glory, Phil. ii. 6. Who was in the form of God, and thought it no robbery to be equal with God.' Here is his glory. Also in John i. 14. We behold his glory.' Wherein consists that glory? The glory of the only begotten of the Father.'

If you ask us, 'What is our beloved more than another beloved? What is there in Christ, that our souls are sick of love for him, breathe and pant after the enjoyment of him, and that continually? It is because we have seen his glory, who is God blessed for ever.

[2.] It consists in the immeasurable, unspeakable fulness of grace that was given to his human nature. It is what I have as much thought of as any one thing, concerning the

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immeasurable fulness of grace which is in the human nature of Christ. So saith the apostle, John iii. 34. 'That God gave not the Spirit unto him by measure.' How by measure? 'To every one of us is grace given according to the measure of the gift of Christ;' Eph. iv. 7. We have every one of us a measure; but it is given to him without a measure. is an immeasurable fulness of grace in the human nature of Christ, which we are partakers of; 'for of his fulness we all receive and grace for grace.' It is an infinity in the divine nature, transferred into the human nature of Christ, and through him communicated unto our souls. From the eternal fountain of the divine nature, through the human nature of Christ, which hath an immeasurable fulness, as the head of the church, it is, I say, transfused to all his members. In this he is 'fairer than the children of men.'

(2.) He is so in the excellency of his work. The work that Christ did, was such as none ever did or could do, but only he himself. It is true, 'the law was given by Moses; but grace and truth came by Jesus Christ;' John i. 17. Could not the law give grace, and do this business, so as to bring in an everlasting righteousness, pardon of sin, save the soul, make us accepted with God? No. Rom. viii. 3. What the law could not do, that God, sending his Son in the likeness of sinful flesh, did.' But there were sacrifices of the law; when men had sinned, they could make atonement: no, 'sacrifice and burnt-offerings thou wouldest not; then said I, Lo, I come to do thy will;' Psal. xl. 8. But would there not be righteousness, if men observe the law and follow after it? Alas! they could not obtain it, Rom. x. 3, 4. 'For Christ is the end of the law for righteousness to every one that believeth.' So that neither the deeds of the law, nor the sacrifices of the law, nor the righteousness of the law, will do; 'the redemption of our souls is precious,' and would have ceased for ever, if Christ had not been found' to undertake this work. When there was but a book to be opened of revelations for the church, none was found worthy to open it, until Christ prevailed, Rev. v. 2, &c. If there could be no new revelations made but only by Christ, much less could any in heaven or earth redeem the souls of men from death and hell, bring them into favour with God, and work out eternal redemption for them.