f his atonement, blood, and obedience; of his prefence to revive, his grace to fanctify, and his ftrength to fupport him. And being thus fenfible of the want of him, as a Deliverer and Saviour, he then takes a view of him in all his offices, rela, tions and bleffings:-Faith has only one object, that is CHRIST, and all its actings and exercife is upon this one object, viz. In looking unto Jefus. And thereby the eye of faith difcerns fuch infinite and uncreated glories in his perfon, fuch matchlefs and ftupendous love in his incarnation, fuch radiancy in his obedience, fuch unparalleled kindness in his death, fuch love in his heart, fuch grace in his promifes, fuch veracity in his word, fuch glory in all he is in himself, in all he is now doing, and in all he has promised to do, that it quite wins his heart, captivates his affections, and masters all the powers of his foul in love to him. Then the poor believer loves CHRIST, and cannot help but love him; he is then ready to break forth, in a kind of rapture, faying, "O! how "lovely is his perfon! How dear is his name! How kind is "his nature! How majestic is his countenance! How lovely "are his looks! How fweet are his fmiles! How enriching "is his prefence! How precious are his promifes! His "mouth is moft fweet, yea, he is altogether lovely! This " is my beloved, and this is my friend!" In fhort, to fuch as have felt the want of CHRIST, and have found the worth of his blood, and tafted the sweetness of his love; I fay, to fuch, there is no name fo dear; no found fo fweet; no harmony fo pleasant, as the name of CHRIST to their fouls, as his worth can never be valued, nor his glories told.

Friendly. Why does the fpoufe defcribe her beloved as the chiefest among ten thousand?

Truth. Ten is a fcripture number of perfection, and thoufand is a certain number for an uncertain one, as when it is faid, thousands ministered unto him, no doubt they were millions of thousands, as we can have no idea of a multitude but by a certain number; fo no other way could CHRIST be fet forth as the chief of all perfections, the fum of every joy, and the glory of every object, as excelling all others, but by a comparison that exceeds all. But then, my dear Friendly, let it be obferved, that in the original it is a ftandard bearer above ten thoufand; or having the banner of above ten thousand.

Friendly Wherein does this defcription fet forth the excellency of CHRIST as the Church's beloved?

. Truth. Much every way; for the defcription of CHRIST, under this martial character, is spoke in allufion to the Chil dren of Ifrael's marching through the wilderness, which was by standards and banners. And these standards were carried by the head or prince of their tribes, Numb. ii. 2. And the tribe of Judah had the chiefeft ftandard or banner. Now CHRIST prang of the tribe of Judah, and is the chieft ftandard-bearer in Ifrael. And as a banner, or standard, is emblematical of the majefty, triumphs, and trophies of an army; fo is the standard of CHRIST's love, difplayed by his almighty power, upon the pole of the everlafting gofpel, a lively prelude of the majesty of his perfon, and triumphs of his power. Hence fays the HOLY GHOST to the MESSIAH, fpeaking of his majestic marching forth, as the conquering warrior in Ifrael, Gird thy fword upon thy thigh, O moft mighty, with thy glory and thy majefty.

Friendly. What is the peculiar ufe of the banner? and wherein does it appear that CHRIST is a standard-bearer above all others?

Truth. First, The ufe of the banner, is for union and zeal, where a commander or general fets up his enfign or ftandard, there his foldiers unite together with zeal and life: fo when CHRIST fets up the triumphant ftandard of his love, in the miniftration of his word; when the word goes forth with the victorious power of love, then there is a large gathering of fouls to our dear SHILOH; then they unite with zeal and life under CHRIST's banner; when the ftandard of grace is set up in their hearts, then the fire of zeal blazes in every action; Thou haft given a banner to them that fear thee, that it may be difplaved, because of the truth, This animates the foul, invigorates the mind, and makes the followers of the LAMB to fay, We will rejoice in thy falvation; and in the name of our God we will fet up our banners.

Secondly, A banner or standard is fet up for direction where to refort; the ftandard of CHRIST's love is fet up in the miniftration of the word, as a fure direction for life and falvation. As there is the standard of his bleeding love and facrifice, for peace and fecurity; fo there is of his commifferate love for fuccour and fupply. In fhort, there is the standard of his ruling love, to direct and guide the Chriftian in all the paths of duty and obedience: for as the Ifraelites marched through the wildernets, by their ftandard, according to their tribe, fo are the fpiritual Ifrael to march through lite, by his word, the ftandard of their great leader and commander, the

LORD JESUS. Likewife they are to march by this standard at death; it is the only direction where to look, to the blood of Sprinkling within the vail;-where to, lay hold upon the Rock of Ages;-upon what to truft; CHRIST's veracity and faithfulness to his word, who has faid, I will never leave thee nor forfake thee. A view of this made the Pfalmift to say, Though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil. Thirdly, The banner, when difplayed, encourages to fight all oppofing powers and adverfaries; fo the banner of CHRIST's victorious love, when difplayed to the mind, engages the Chriftian to fight manfully against all the armies of fin and corruption; then the Chriftian waxes valiant in fight, and turns to fight the armies of the aliens. Sin and corruption in the mind may be very fitly compared to an army, for their number, ftrength, life, force, and power; fays the HOLY GHOST, What will ye fee in the Shulamite? (i. e. in the perfect one) as it were the company of two armies; an army of fin as well as of grace. But when CHRIST difplays the banner of his love, it pours life, vivacity, and spirit into the Chriftian, thereby enabling him to fight the good fight of faith. He then draws the fword of the fpirit, which is the word of God, and fays, through God I fhall yet do valiantly; he then lays hold of eternal life, and believes that he fhall be more than a conqueror through him that has loved him. Then he bids defiance to fin, death, hell, and fays, with the fweet finger of Ifrael, The Lord is my light and my falvation; whom shall I fear? the Lord is the strength of my life; of whom jhall I be afraid?

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Fourthly, The ufe of the ftandard is to retreat unto in a time of danger; fo the standard of CHRIST's love is the only refuge and fanctuary of the foul; its only afylum and fafe retreat. Is the Chriftian in danger from fin within, from the law; CHRIST's ftandard proclaims deliverance. danger of wrath, death, hell; let him retreat to the standard of CHRIST's blood and love, where there is a compleat falvation. Such is the weakness of our faith, hope, and love, that we often fear, and think our eternal ftate is in danger; but could we retreat beneath CHRIST's banner, from which all life fprings, we should still find fafety, life, and power: fays the Pfalmift, In what time I am afraid I will trust in thee. And the Prophet, fpeaking of the MESSIAH, In that day there fhall be a root of Feffe, which shall stand for an ensign of the people; to it shall the Gentiles feek and his rest shall be glorious.

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Fifthly, A banner is difplayed, and spread abroad in a time of victory over an enemy; fo is the banner of CHRIST's love under every renewed victory fpread abroad and difplayed by faith. How does the Apoftle praife this ftandard, when he fays, we are more than conquerors through him that loved us; and thanks be unto God, which giveth us the victory, through our Lord Jefus Chrift. And the Saints in glory, fing, To him that has loved them, and washed them from their fins in his precious blood; to him be glory and dominion for ever, and ever.

He was the Church's Standard-bearer from everlafting; I was (fays CHRIST) fet up from everlasting, or ever the earth was. And, O what a standard did he lift up, when he said to his FATHER, Sacrifices and offerings, and burnt-offerings, and offering for fin, thou wouldeft not; neither haft thou pleasure therein, which are offered by the law: Then faid he, Lo, I come, to do thy will, O God! And it is as though he had faid, “If "nothing but my perfon, obedience, blood, life, and death,

as a facrifice for fin, an honour to thy law, can fave thy "people, Lo, I come." This ftandard of grace was firit erected in his heart, then set up in the court of Heaven, then difplayed in the counfels of GOD. And indeed all the types and prefigurations, the Ark, Sacrifices, Incenfe, and Ricod within the Vail, were all typical of, and pointed to this great Standard of Grace, the LORD JESUS, who is the Standardbearer in Heaven with blood, now appears, before the throne, as the Lamb which which had been flain. O, what a weight and emphafis does the Apoftle lay upon CHRIST's entering in within the vail! with what energy of expreffion does he fet it forth! Not entered with the blood of bulls, nor with the blood of goats, but with his own blood, having obtained eternal redemption for us: And faith CHRIST, I am he that was dead, and am alive.

Friendly. Wherein does CHRIST appear to be a Standardbearer on earth?

Truth. In the miniftration of his word; for within the gates of Zion, by his Ambaffadors, he erects the standard of pardon, peace, and life, in his name. His Minifters are fpiritual heralds at arms, they go forth with the fweet embassy of peace, that the favour of his name may be manifeft in every place. And CHRIST, by them, erects the ftandard of his power, blood, and love; his power, to make the ftubborn heart to bow, and to bring to obedience the unwilling foul; his blood, as atonement for their guilty crimson crimes; his love, to commiferate their cafe, and fupply their wants; fays the Apoftle,

We preach Christ crucified, to the Jews a ftumbling block, and to the Greeks foolishness; but unto them which are faved, Chrift the wifdom of God, and Chrift the power of God.

Likewife CHRIST erects his ftandard in the ordinances of his houfe; in thofe of Baptifm and the Lord's Supper, his authority is lifted up, and the banner of his blood, facrifice, death and refurrection is difplayed; there CHRIST is evidently fet forth as crucified; there the KING fits at the table, and invites his guests near, while he folaces them with the provifions of life and love. Hence fays the Spoufe, He brought me to his banquetting-house, and his banner over me was love.

Laftly, CHRIST appears to be a Standard-bearer above thou. fands, with regard to the motto engraved thereon,-LOVE.— The Roman commanders had various mottos engraved on their ftandards, fome had that of Pious; another Faithful; another Thundering; another Victorious; and to this day we find that renowned warriors have their peculiar mottos or emblems on their royal ftandards; fome have the eagle to denote their swiftness and devouring nature: Others the lion, to point out their courage, rage, and power. But CHRIST's exceeds them; is the most animating, winning, and engaging of all: And this is engraved upon his heart.

Friendly. But in what other refpects is CHRIST fo defir

able?

Truth. In his perfon, and names; but upon this head I fhall be but short, having given my thoughts on this subject before.

First, His perfon is wonderful; all the glories of the GOD, the Man and Mediator meet in him. His glories are fo great, that the heaven of heavens cannot contain them, and before whom all nations are as nothing; for his riches are unfearchable, and his treasures are infinite; because in him fhines the immenfe fulness of the Deity, and all the perfections, names, and nature of JEHOVAH. Ánd O how dear and glorious muft that object be in whom all created and uncreated glories meet! in whom all human and divine beauties for ever centre! This glorious conftellation must render CHRIST infinitely dear, precious and defirable; or as the Spouse expresseth it, The chiefeft among ten thousand! For what greater glories can men or angels ever behold, than to fee the perfections of the divine nature fhine in our nature; to view the glories of the GODhead blaze through the Man? To fee all the names, wonders, works, and counfels of the God-head burft forth with glories all divine through the cafement of CHRIST's incarnation!