Job 40:10
How worldly beauty is courted by all, and what is it? "Beauty is vain" (Prov. 31:30). The bravest features of the body and the loveliest complexion are no other than well-colored earth. But a righteous person has a celestial beauty shining in him. He is embellished with knowledge, love, and meekness, which are of such oriental splendor as to allure the very angels.
A good Christian has some idea and resemblance of that sparkling holiness which is the Deity. Christ is infinitely taken with the spiritual beauty of His church. "Thou art beautiful, O my love, as Tirzah, comely as Jerusalem" (Song 6:4). Tirzah was a map of pleasure; Jerusalem was the metropolis of Judea, the star and light of all the eastern world. This was symbolic, to set forth the radiance of the church's glory. "Turn away thine eyes from me for they have overcome me" (v. 5).
It is as if Christ had said, "Oh, My spouse, such a resplendent luster is in your visage that I can hardly bear it. I am wounded with the delightful darts of your beauty!" One eye of a believer draws Christ's heart to it: "Thou hast ravished my heart with one of thine eyes," (Song 4:9). A saint's beauty never withers; it outlives death. True grace is like colors laid in oil which cannot be washed off.
—Thomas Watson
Readings taken from Day by Day with the English Puritans
How worldly beauty is courted by all, and what is it? "Beauty is vain" (Prov. 31:30). The bravest features of the body and the loveliest complexion are no other than well-colored earth. But a righteous person has a celestial beauty shining in him. He is embellished with knowledge, love, and meekness, which are of such oriental splendor as to allure the very angels.
A good Christian has some idea and resemblance of that sparkling holiness which is the Deity. Christ is infinitely taken with the spiritual beauty of His church. "Thou art beautiful, O my love, as Tirzah, comely as Jerusalem" (Song 6:4). Tirzah was a map of pleasure; Jerusalem was the metropolis of Judea, the star and light of all the eastern world. This was symbolic, to set forth the radiance of the church's glory. "Turn away thine eyes from me for they have overcome me" (v. 5).
It is as if Christ had said, "Oh, My spouse, such a resplendent luster is in your visage that I can hardly bear it. I am wounded with the delightful darts of your beauty!" One eye of a believer draws Christ's heart to it: "Thou hast ravished my heart with one of thine eyes," (Song 4:9). A saint's beauty never withers; it outlives death. True grace is like colors laid in oil which cannot be washed off.
—Thomas Watson
Readings taken from Day by Day with the English Puritans
Posts
0 comments:
Post a Comment