Songs 5:16 His mouth is most sweet: yes, he is altogether lovely. This is my beloved, and this is my friend, O daughters of Jerusalem. I. THE NEED OF THIS FRIEND. This will be evident if you reflect upon the sad state and condition in which all mankind are involved by sin. II. SOME PROOFS AND INSTANCES OF CHRIST'S FRIENDSHIP TOWARDS US. 1. His engaging in our cause as our Surety in the everlasting covenant, which is ordered in all things and sure, and entered into between the Persons of the Trinity, is a manifest proof and indication of His friendship towards us. 2. He has not only undertaken to do all this, but He has done what He undertook to do. He has paid the very last farthing for us. 3. He has proved Himself to be our Friend by having wrought out a righteousness for us, a righteousness which ensures us against all the demands both of law and of justice; a righteousness which shall be for ever, a salvation which shall not be abolished. 4. He has proved Himself to be our Friend by His dying in our stead, the Just for the unjust, that He might bring us to God. 5. He has proved Himself to be our Friend by His having purchased our persons, and procured all things needful for us. Look at the price which He has paid, His own blood. 6. He has proved Himself to be our Friend by His having risen again in our behalf; by His having ascended to His Father and to our Father, to His God, and our God; by His taking possession of heaven for us. 7. He has proved Himself to be our Friend by interceding for us. III. SOME OF THE PROPERTIES OF THIS FRIEND. Christ is a nonsuch; there is none like Him; none to be compared to Him. He is the chiefest among ten thousand, He is altogether lovely. He is all desires, and the Desire of all nations, "Whom have I in heaven but Thee? and there is none upon earth that I desire besides Thee." 1. He is a rich Friend. Such an one is often useful and needful. A man may have a friend that has the heart to help him, but who has not got the means; but Christ as He is willing, so also He is able. 2. He is a faithful Friend. You may safely trust Him with your all. He is faithful to the Father, having perfectly fulfilled HIS covenant engagements with Him, in fulfilling the law and suffering the penalty. And He is faithful to Ills people in giving them eternal life. 3. He is a tender-hearted Friend. He sympathizes with His people in all their afflictions, their trials, their difficulties, their disappointments, their sicknesses. 4. He is an unchangeable and unchanging Friend. We may grow cold to Him. He grows not cold towards us. He is ever the same. 5. He is an everlasting Friend. A man may have a friend and he may die, and then all his dependence upon him is gone; but Christ ever lives to be the Friend of His people. Death separates friends, but over Christ it hath no power. IV. WHO THAT INDIVIDUAL IS THAT CAN CLAIM CHRIST AS HIS OR HER FRIEND. And here we observe, that no person in a state of nature can make this claim, since Christ is neither beloved by such, nor are they acquainted with that friendship which dwells in His breast towards all those whom He has redeemed with His most precious blood. And as they are unacquainted with His friendship, they cannot claim Him as their Friend. Neither is it the privilege of every one who is called by grace to claim Christ as his Friend. Although every regenerate person has faith, yet every regenerate person may not have the full assurance of faith. When faith does rise to this full assurance, the possessor thereof can say as Paul did, "He loved me and gave Himself for me." Such can say with holy Job, "I know that my Redeemer liveth" not the Redeemer, but my Redeemer; "and that He shall stand, etc. Such can say as Thomas did, "My Lord and my God" Such can say as the Church does, "This is my Beloved, and this is my Friend." (W. D. Long, M. A.). Parallel Verses KJV: His mouth is most sweet: yea, he is altogether lovely. This is my beloved, and this is my friend, O daughters of Jerusalem. |
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