Quest. What kind of beauty and perfections is the beauty and are the perfections of our Lord Jesus Christ?
Answ. You have heard it is the beauty of God; the beauty of man, the perfection of those beauties, Which are in God and man. But to answer this question more distinctly;
1. He is the original of all beauties and perfections of beauty, that is in angels, the soul, the body, the face of a man, the sun, the stars, the firmament, &c.
2. His beauty is a desirable beauty, "Saw ye him whom my soul loveth?" "With my soul have I desired thee in the night," Isa. xxvi. 9. "One thing have I desired of the Lord, and that will I seek after: that I may dwell in the house of the Lord for ever that I may behold the beauty of the Lord, and enquire in his temple," Psal. xxvii. 4. And hence he is called the desire of all nations.
3. It is a holy and chaste beauty, there is no snare nor pollution in it; Joseph was a beautiful person, but it was attended with a snare; here you may look, and love, and fear no danger.
4. It is a real beauty, not a seeming beauty, a paint on a wall. What is human beauty to the beauty of the Son of God ? Prov. xxxi. 30.
5. Christ's beauty is a soul-engaging beauty, how did it make Moses to leave all, Peter and John leave all! Whoever saw him and could forbear to love him, neglect all and follow him?
6. It is a communicative beauty, he can transmit his beauty to the making others beautiful. "And thy renown went forth among the Heathen for thy beauty, for it was perfect through the comeliness which I put upon thee," &c, Ezek. xvi. 14.
7. It is a satisfying and delighting beauty, it fills and contents each soul to the full who beholds it.
8. It is a mystical and hidden beauty; carnal eyes cannot see it, they behold no beauty nor comeliness in him to desire him, Isa. liii. 2.
9. It is an admirable and wonderful beauty: angels in heaven, and saints on earth, are amazed and astonished at the sight thereof.
10. It is a lasting and never-fading beauty: the beauty of mortals is like a flower which withereth and passeth away in a moment.
You gentle youths whose chaster breasts do beat
With pleasing raptures, and love's gen'rous heat:
And virgins kind, from whose unguarded eyes
Passion oft steals your hearts by fond surprise:
Behold the object, this alone is he!
Ah none like Christ did ever mortals see!
He is all fair; in him not one ill feature:
Ten thousand times more fair than any creature,
That lives, or ever lived on the earth,
His beauty so amazingly shines forth.
Angelic nature is enamoured so.
They love him dearly, and admire him too.
His head is like unto the purest gold;
His curled tresses lovely to behold.
And such brightness sparkles from his eyes,
As when Aurora gild the morning skies:
And though so bright, yet pleasant like the doves;
Charming all hearts, where rest diviner loves.
Look on his beauteous cheeks, and thou wilt spy,
The Rose of Sharon deck'd in royalty,
His smiling lips, his speech, and words so sweet,
That all delights and joy in them do meet.
Which tend at once to ravish ear and sight,
And to a kiss all heavenly souls invite.
The image of his Father's in his face.
His inward parts excel, he's full of grace.
If heav'n and earth can make a rare complexion,
Without a spot, or the least imperfection;
here, here it is; it in this Prince doth shine:
he's altogether lovely, all divine.
If you his beauty saw, his riches weigh;
'Twill charm your eyes, your best affections sway,
And in dark minds Light up eternal day.
He's fairer than all other's; beauty such,
As none can be enamour'd of too much.
This object choose, yield him a holy kiss
That thou at last may'st sing, raptur'd in bliss,
My well-beloved's mine, and I am his.
—Benjamin Keach
