Thy cheeks are comely with rows of jewels, thy neck with chains of gold.
The Bridegroom is still going on with commending the beauty and loveliness of his bride as she appeared in his eyes. For, notwithstanding the consciousness she had of her own blackness and deformity, yet to him she appeared most lovely, from the comeliness he had put upon her. Ezekiel 16:14. The Reader cannot need much recollection here to see the justness of the expressions in reference to every redeemed and truly regenerated believer. For when a soul is washed in Jesus's blood, and clothed in Jesus's righteousness, the imagination is not able to conceive how surpassingly beautiful that soul must be found! But concerning the particular parts of the believer which are here spoken of as adorned, the cheeks and the neck; perhaps it is not so easy to determine the exact reference. Some have thought, that as the neck is immediately joined to the head, it is intended by the expression to show the nearness to Jesus, the head of his body the Church. And others have thought, that it hath respect to the special grace of faith, since by faith we apprehend and lay hold of Christ. And by the adornings with jewels and gold; (though I beg the Reader to observe that these words are not in the original, but are supplied by the translator): it hath been supposed also, that the ordinances and means of grace, which certainly are highly ornamental in the Christian walk of faith, Jesus intended to convey his approbation of the Church's diligent use of them. But whether these things are intended or not, nothing can be more evident, from the whole construction of the verse, than that Jesus was looking upon his spouse with complacency and delight. As if the Lord had said, How lovely art thou in my sight! I behold thee as the purchase of my blood, and the gift of my Father. Everything about thee, which is mine, I am pleased with. The gifts and graces of my Spirit, which I have imparted to thee, give a comeliness to thy countenance, which is graceful like rows of jewels; and I have united thee to myself as with chains of gold: - such and so fair art thou in my eye. Reader! oh! how blessed is it to be thus seen by Christ, and to be loved by him from our interest in him, and our union with him!