三月九日

他全然可愛。（歌5:16）

耶穌美到極處，不單令人羡慕而且令人愛慕。他不單是秀麗佳美，而且是“可愛”。屬神的人必然感到這兩個字用得很恰當，因為他是他們熱愛的對象。他們愛慕他高尚的品格、他純全的德行。耶穌的門徒呀！你看你主的唇，你不說“他的口極其甘甜”嗎？當他與你一同在路上談論時，他的話不是使你的心火熱起來嗎？敬拜以馬內利的人哪！你看他的頭是否像精金，告訴我，你覺得他的意思是否最寶貴？他的形狀如黎巴嫩，佳美如香柏樹。當你謙恭地俯拜在他足前時，你心中是否生出景仰、愛慕之感？他每一處豈不都可愛，他每一點豈不都有膏油的香氣，因此眾童女都愛他嗎？他榮耀的身體哪一部分不吸引人呢？他身體的任何一部分不都是吸引我們心靈的磁石嗎？每一個的職司不都足以捆綁我們的心嗎？我們的愛不僅像印一樣印在他慈愛的心中，而且也緊系在他大能的臂膀上；他的全部都滿載著我們的愛。我們用愛的香膏膏在他整個的身體上。我們要效法他全部的生活，我們要摹仿他整個的品性。看別人或有所缺，在他裡面卻樣樣都齊全，就是他所最喜悅的聖徒的衣服上也有玷污、皺紋等類的病；他非但沒有這些，而且可愛。世界的太陽有斑點，美麗的地球有荒原；但基督耶穌卻是毫無他物摻雜的精金——光明而無黑暗——榮耀而無烏雲——“他全然可愛。”

“以何詩歌頌耶穌，遠超萬人萬代，美矣香矣勝過玫瑰百合花。……”

March 9

"Yea, He is altogether lovely." --Song of Solomon 5:16

The superlative beauty of Jesus is all-attracting; it is not so much to be admired as to be loved. He is more than pleasant and fair, He is lovely. Surely the people of God can fully justify the use of this golden word, for He is the object of their warmest love, a love founded on the intrinsic excellence of His person, the complete perfection of His charms. Look, O disciples of Jesus, to your Master's lips, and say, "Are they not most sweet?" Do not His words cause your hearts to burn within you as He talks with you by the way? Ye worshippers of Immanuel, look up to His head of much fine gold, and tell me, are not His thoughts precious unto you? Is not your adoration sweetened with affection as ye humbly bow before that countenance which is as Lebanon, excellent as the cedars? Is there not a charm in His every feature, and is not His whole person fragrant with such a savour of His good ointments, that therefore the virgins love Him? Is there one member of His glorious body which is not attractive?--one portion of His person which is not a fresh loadstone to our souls?--one office which is not a strong cord to bind your heart? Our love is not as a seal set upon His heart of love alone; it is fastened upon His arm of power also; nor is there a single part of Him upon which it does not fix itself. We anoint His whole person with the sweet spikenard of our fervent love. His whole life we would imitate; His whole character we would transcribe. In all other beings we see some lack, in Him there is all perfection. The best even of His favoured saints have had blots upon their garments and wrinkles upon their brows; He is nothing but loveliness. All earthly suns have their spots: the fair world itself hath its wilderness; we cannot love the whole of the most lovely thing; but Christ Jesus is gold without alloy-light without darkness--glory without cloud--"Yea, He is altogether lovely."