1st, Let us consider who are intended by the virgins. Some think carnal professors are here meant, who are called virgins in scripture, though foolish ones; but their, love is not real, such as this seems to be in the text: others have thought that they are the uncalled and unconverted among the Gentiles, who are not yet espoused to Christ; but they rather appear to be true believers in Christ, by their love to him, for “faith works by love;” and, perhaps, persons lately converted are intended, whose love to Christ is generally warm and lively, and their affections strong, not having as yet met with those chills, nor attended with that coldness and indifference, which too often, and too soon befall God’s children: the first love is the best and strongest, but oftentimes cloth not last tong warm and lively, being gradually chilled with the aboundings of corruption within, and the snares of the world without; though, perhaps, all true believers, whether of a later or of a longer standing, may be understood here, and may be justly called virgins,
1. For their chaste and strict adherence to Christ, their only husband, to whom they are espoused; “I have espoused you to one husband,” says the apostle, “that I might present you a chaste virgin to Christ;” (2 Cor. 11:2) these being betrothed to him in righteousness, in loving-kindness, in mercies, and in faithfulness, know, own and acknowledge him as their Lord and husband, and steadfastly adhere to him as such; he is a head, both of eminence and influence to them; to him they hold, and him alone they submit unto as such; he is the Savior of the body, the church, and they acknowledge him to be theirs, and will have no other. Their language is, “Ashur shall not save us, neither will we say any more to the works of our hands, Ye are our gods.” They make use of none, as the mediator between God and them, either as a mediator of redemption, or of intercession, but the Lord Jesus Christ; him they know and love, to him they have given up themselves, and by him they will abide, as their head and husband, their Savior and Mediator.
2. For the singleness of their love and affection to Christ. Their love is not common to all; it is not bestowed upon any creature, but purely reserved for him who alone deserves it; they can every one of them say, “Whom have I in heaven but thee? and there is none on earth that I desire besides thee,” (Ps. 73:25). Christ requires all their love, he will admit of no rival in it, and they are heartily willing to bestow it all upon him. Those who love any creature, or creature-enjoyment more than Christ, or equally with him, are not worthy of him, nor worthy to be called by the name of virgins.
3. For their incorruptness in the doctrine of faith: this is what the apostle seems to have a regard to, when he declared his fervent desire to present the Corinthians, as a chaste virgin to Christ; he was jealous, lest they should be seduced through the subtlety and craftiness of ill-designing men, and their pure minds be corrupted and drawn aside “from the simplicity that is in Christ;” lest they should be polluted with error, and so not answer the character of virgins, which they had hitherto borne, and which he earnestly wished might continue with them. Now virgins are such, who having received, “hold fast the faithful word, as they have been taught;” whose souls having been nourished up in the words of faith, and of good doctrines and established therein, cannot be moved from thence, but will earnestly contend, and strive together “for the faith once delivered to the saints.”
4. For the truth and sincerity of their worship: they are such who “worship God in spirit and in truth;” who make the word of God, and his will therein revealed, the rule to act by, in all solemn and social worship, and not the authorities, customs, and inventions of men; and when they are concerned in any part of religious worship, their desires are, that their hearts and souls may be engaged therein, they are not of those who draw near to God with their mouths, and with their lips honor him, but have removed their hearts far from him, and their fear towards him, taught by the precepts of “men;” for as they have not committed spiritual whoredom, which is idolatry, so they serve the Lord with pure spirits; they desire that whatsoever they do, more especially in divine worship, might be done in faith, from a principle of love to God, and according to his word and will: these are they who are said not to be defiled with women, for they are virgins; “these are they which follow the Lamb whithersoever he goeth;” (Rev. 14:4) in every ordinance and institution of his, which he in his word has pointed out unto them, and marked out for them.
5. For the purity of their lives and conversations; they hold “the mystery of the faith,” not merely notionally and y a profession of it, but “in a pure conscience,” and hereby “adorn the doctrine of God, our Savior;” their garments are, in some measure, kept from being spotted with the “pollutions of the world,” and which they also frequently wash and make “white in the blood of the Lamb.” Besides, that “grace of God, which bringeth salvation,” (Titus 2:11, 12) that is, the doctrines of grace, which bring the news of salvation by Christ, to poor sinners, “teach them, that denying ungodliness and worldly lusts, they should live soberly, righteously, and godly, in this present world;” which, through the mighty power of God’s grace, they are in some measure enabled to do.
6. For their fairness and beauty. Virgins being fair and beautiful, believers are therefore compared unto them; for though they are black in themselves, yet they are comely in Christ; though full of spots in themselves, yet, as considered in him, they are “all fair, and there is no spot” in them: through that comeliness, which he has put upon them, they are a perfection of beauty, and being so, are the delight of Christ, and wonder of angels.
7. For their gay and costly attire; and yet modest behavior. Virgins, in their youthful days, if modest, though their attire is gay and splendid, suitable to their age; yet are of a decent and becoming behavior. Believers are richly attired: these virgins appear in cloth of gold, “in raiment of needlework,” curiously wrought, which cannot be matched; they are decked with all kinds of ornaments, with bracelets, chains, rings, and jewels; they have on the glorious robe of Christ’s righteousness, and are adorned with the various graces of the Spirit, which make their behavior decent and modest; for they are not proud and haughty, one of their ornaments being that “of a meek and quiet spirit;” they have low, mean; and humble thoughts of themselves; suitable to their character is their carriage and deportment; for though they are so richly clothed, and so nearly related to the King of kings, yet, like their Lord, are meek and lowly.
Secondly, I shall now proceed to give some account of the love which these virgins bear to Christ: in doing which I shall,
1st, Give some account of the nature of it.
2dly, Shew from whence it arises. And,
3dly, How it manifests itself.
1st, Let us consider the nature and properties of it,
1. It is a superlative love which souls bear to Christ; it: exceeds and excels their love to all creatures, or creature-enjoyments. Christ loves them above all others, and they love him more than all persons or things besides; of all that claim a share in their love, as none deserves, so none has a greater interest therein than himself,
2. It is universal; they love all of Christ, and all that belong to him; they love him in his person, and in all his offices, relations, and characters, which he has took upon him, and by which he is pleased to manifest himself unto them: they love all his saints, be they high or low, rich or poor, and by whatsoever character or denomination, they are distinguished, if it appears that his grace is but wrought in their hearts, and they bear his image and superscription; they love all his commands, ordinances, and institutions; they “esteem his precepts concerning all things, to be right,” and are not partial in their obedience thereunto,
3. It is, or at least ought to be, constant and faithful, as his is to them, and as Jonathan’s was to David: we should love him in adversity, as well as in prosperity, at all times; nothing should separate our love from Christ, as nothing can separate his love from us.
4. It is, or ought to be, fervent and ardent; and so it is usually at first conversion, as has been already observed; and this is called in scripture, the “first love,” which the church at Ephesus was blamed for leaving: not that she had lost her love to Christ, but the fervency thereof was much abated; she began to grow cold and lukewarm in her affections, which is too often the case of God’s people, through the prevailing of corruptions, and an immoderate desire and pursuit after the things of this world; “because iniquity shall abound,” says Christ, “the love of many shall wax cold.” (Matthew 24:12)
5. Where there is true love to Christ, it is always hearty and unfeigned: the virgins, true believers, love him “with all their heart, and with all their soul;” they love him “in sincerity,” and from their very hearts can appeal to Him, who is the heart-searching and rein-trying God, as Peter did, and say, “Lord, thou knowest all things, thou knowest that I love thee,” (John 21:17). Here is no deceit, dissimulation or hypocrisy in their love; though it may be sometimes weak and languid, yet whenever it exerts and shews itself, it is real and hearty; these love not “in word only,” “neither in tongue, but in deed and in truth.”
2dly, It will be proper to enquire into the springs and causes of this love, and to observe from whence it arises. And,
1. It springs and arises from a sight of Christ’s loveliness: an unbeliever sees no beauty in Christ, wherefore he should desire him; there is nothing in him lovely to a carnal eye; but one that is “made light in the Lord,” and has but a glimpse of “the King in his beauty,” his heart is won, his soul is ravished and drawn forth in love to him; he admires and desires him above all, and cannot be easy without an interest in him.
2. From a view of his suitableness, as a Savior; the believer not only sees personal and transcendent excellencies in him, which ravish him, but special blessings, which are proper for him; he beholds him as “full of grace and truth;” he smells a sweet savor in his ointments, and that name Jesus, a Savior, becomes exceeding precious to him; he views all righteousness and strength, peace and pardon, light and life, joy and comfort, grace and glory, and all things appertaining: to salvation, every thing to make him comfortable here, and. happy hereafter, in Christ; and therefore says, as David did, “I will love thee, O Lord, my strength,” (Ps. 18:1).
3. From a sense of his love and manifestation of it to their souls; “we love him,” says the apostle, “because he first loved us;” (1 John 4:19) our love is not the cause of his, but his is the cause of ours; and it is not merely his loving us, bur the shedding it abroad in our hearts by his Spirit, which draws out our love to him; for though he loved us, yet if he had not some way or other manifested it to us, and overcome our hearts with it, we should still have remained enemies to him; but his giving us the sense and perception of it in our hearts, is what has drawn us to himself, and will keep us there.
4. From a view of union and relation to him; how can persons do otherwise than love him, when they see themselves so nearly united to him, as to be “members of his body, of his flesh, and of his bones?” How can they but love him, when they view him standing in and filling up the relations of an indulgent father, a tender husband, a loving brother, and faithful friend unto them?
5. This is more and more increased by enjoying communion with him; the more intimate a believer is with Christ, the oftener he sees him, the more frequent visits he receives from him, and the greater acquaintance and fellowship he has with him, the more he loves him; every sight of him, visit from him, and enjoyment of his presence, add fresh strength and fervency to his love; John, the beloved disciple, who leaned on Christ’s bosom, and had intimate communion with him, had his heart filled with love to him, and wrote the rues; largely of it. But,
3dly, I shall now endeavor to shew how this love manifests itself: and it does so,
1. By a regard to Christ’s commands and ordinances; “If ye love me,” says Christ, keep my commandments; for he that hath my commandments and keepeth them, he it is that loveth me,” (John 14:15-21) that is, he that hath my commandments written upon his heart, by the finger of the Spirit, according to the tenor of the covenant of grace, and is enabled to keep them by the assistance of my grace and Spirit, he it is that shews his love to me; and therefore, as you say, you love me, shew it by an observance of my commands: and all that love Christ will do so, according to the measure of grace received; they will love the place of divine worship, and have a respect to all his ordinances and institutions; for all his tabernacles are amiable and lovely to them.
2. By a regard, to his truths, the doctrines of the gospel; they receive the truth in the love of it, and value it more than their “necessary food;” they highly esteem the preachers of it. and cannot bear to hear one truth of the gospel spoken against.
3. By a regard to his people; they love the saints, who love Christ, they delight in their company, and take pleasure in conversing with them; they are the “excellent in the earth, in whom is all their delight,” and indeed, where there is no love to the saints, there can be no true love to Christ; for, as the apostle John says, “he that loveth not his brother, whom he hath seen, how can he love God, whom he hath not seen?” (1 John 4:20).
4. By a regard to his presence; a soul that loves Christ, values the presence of Christ; nothing so desirable to him as that is: and when he has lost sight of Christ, cannot be easy without him, but seeks here and there until he has found him whom his soul loves: he thinks himself never more happy, than when he has Christ’s presence, and never worse than when he is without it.
5. This love manifests itself, by parting with and bearing all for Christ: a soul that truly loves Christ, will part with all that is near and clear to him, for him; he will forsake his own kindred, and his father’s house; he counts Christ “the pearl of great price,” and is therefore willing to quit all he has, that he may but enjoy that; he leaves all, as the disciples did, and follows Christ; and resolves, some what will, that Christ’s God shall be his God, and Christ’s people his people, and where Christ lodges he will lodge, and where he goes he will follow, and cleave close to him, as Ruth did to Naomi. Moreover, he is not only willing to leave and lose all for Christ, but also to bear all for him, that he is pleased to lay upon him, and call him to; he is willing to suffer reproaches, afflictions, and persecutions for the sake of him and his gospel, and to bear any cross whatever he thinks fit to enjoin him; all which he would never be willing to submit to, was not his soul filled with love to Christ; and such a love as this, which springs from such causes, and manifests itself in these ways, is exceeding grateful to Christ, as appears from chapter 4:10.