23 JULY (1871)
Altogether lovely
‘Yea, he is altogether lovely.’ Song of Solomon 5:16
SUGGESTED FURTHER READING: Colossians 1:28–2:3
When the old Puritan minister had delivered his discourse, and dwelt upon firstly, secondly, thirdly and perhaps upon twenty-fifthly, before he sat down he usually gave a comprehensive summary of all that he had spoken. Every one who carefully noted the summary would carry away the essence of the sermon. The summary was always looked upon by the Puritan hearer as one of the most valuable helps to memory and consequently a most important part of the discourse. In these five words the spouse here gives you her summary. She had delivered a tenfold discourse concerning her Lord; she had described in detail all his various beauties, and when she surveyed him from head to foot, she gathered up all her commendations in this sentence: ‘yea, he is altogether lovely.’
Remember these words and know their meaning, and you possess the quintessence of the spouse’s portion of the Song of Songs. Now, as in this allegorical song, the bride sums up her witness in these words, so may I say that all the patriarchs, prophets, apostles, confessors and the entire body of the church have left us no other testimony. They all spoke of Christ and commended him. Whatever the type, symbol, obscure oracle or open word in which they bore witness, that witness all amounted to this: ‘yea, he is altogether lovely’; and I will add that since the canon of inspiration has closed, the testimony of all saints, on earth and in heaven, has continued to confirm the declaration made of old. The verdict of each particular saint and of the whole elect host as a body is still this: ‘yea, he is altogether lovely.’ From the sighs and the songs which mingle on the dying beds of saints, I hear this note supreme above all others, ‘he is altogether lovely’; and from the songs unmingled with groans, which perpetually peal forth from immortal tongues before the presence of the Most High, I hear this one master note, ‘yea, he is altogether lovely.’
FOR MEDITATION: The apostle Paul instructed Christians to think about whatever is true, honest, just, pure, lovely, of good report, virtuous and praiseworthy (Philippians 4:8). There is surely no better way of covering all these than by remembering Jesus Christ (2 Timothy 2:8).
C. H. Spurgeon and Terence Peter Crosby, 365 Days with Spurgeon (Volume 3), (Leominster, UK: Day One Publications, 2005), 212.
23 JULY (1871)
Altogether lovely
‘Yea, he is altogether lovely.’ Song of Solomon 5:16
SUGGESTED FURTHER READING: Colossians 1:28–2:3
When the old Puritan minister had delivered his discourse, and dwelt upon firstly, secondly, thirdly and perhaps upon twenty-fifthly, before he sat down he usually gave a comprehensive summary of all that he had spoken. Every one who carefully noted the summary would carry away the essence of the sermon. The summary was always looked upon by the Puritan hearer as one of the most valuable helps to memory and consequently a most important part of the discourse. In these five words the spouse here gives you her summary. She had delivered a tenfold discourse concerning her Lord; she had described in detail all his various beauties, and when she surveyed him from head to foot, she gathered up all her commendations in this sentence: ‘yea, he is altogether lovely.’
Remember these words and know their meaning, and you possess the quintessence of the spouse’s portion of the Song of Songs. Now, as in this allegorical song, the bride sums up her witness in these words, so may I say that all the patriarchs, prophets, apostles, confessors and the entire body of the church have left us no other testimony. They all spoke of Christ and commended him. Whatever the type, symbol, obscure oracle or open word in which they bore witness, that witness all amounted to this: ‘yea, he is altogether lovely’; and I will add that since the canon of inspiration has closed, the testimony of all saints, on earth and in heaven, has continued to confirm the declaration made of old. The verdict of each particular saint and of the whole elect host as a body is still this: ‘yea, he is altogether lovely.’ From the sighs and the songs which mingle on the dying beds of saints, I hear this note supreme above all others, ‘he is altogether lovely’; and from the songs unmingled with groans, which perpetually peal forth from immortal tongues before the presence of the Most High, I hear this one master note, ‘yea, he is altogether lovely.’
FOR MEDITATION: The apostle Paul instructed Christians to think about whatever is true, honest, just, pure, lovely, of good report, virtuous and praiseworthy (Philippians 4:8). There is surely no better way of covering all these than by remembering Jesus Christ (2 Timothy 2:8).
C. H. Spurgeon and Terence Peter Crosby, 365 Days with Spurgeon (Volume 3), (Leominster, UK: Day One Publications, 2005), 212.