I have compared thee, O my love, to a company of horses in Pharaoh's chariots.
I beg the Reader to be particularly careful in his observations on the very tender appellations which pass between Jesus and his Church. It is, indeed, one of the most distinguishing features of this delightful book; and as, more or less, he will meet with such in every chapter, and many times in the same Chapter, I do desire once for all, that he will mark it down as an object of great note. Indeed the Church and her spouse seem, at times, to labour for expressions, as if to excel the commendations of one another: nor is this to be wondered at. - How dear soever to a truly awakened believer the Lord Jesus is; yet we must conclude, that in love, as well as in all other things, Jesus hath the preeminence. If we love him, it is because he first loved us. I hope, Reader, that we both love Him, on account of his Person, his love to us, his suitableness to us, the manifestations he hath made of Himself to us, our union with him, and our communion from him. But when I call to mind the source of his love, the commencement of his love, the nature of his love, the quality of his love; the extent, the power, the degree, the unchangeableness of it; and, if possible more than all, the unmerited freeness, fulness, and sovereignty of it, bestowed upon such objects as we all are by nature; I fall down under the conviction, that His love is a love that passeth knowledge. Ephesians 3:14-19. This verse affords a beautiful example of it, in the rich similitude the Lord makes of his spouse, the Church, (made up of the whole body of believers), to that of a company of horses in Pharaoh's chariots. To a mere English reader, it might seem but a coarse kind of compliment, the comparison of men to horses; but when it is considered, that the manners of the East were very different from ours; that no animals were so highly prized as their horses, which were always on gaudy days adorned with trappings of gold and the costly jewels: and yet, more particularly to our present purpose, when it be recollected, that the dressings of the horses were exactly as is said in this place of Christ concerning his Church; The neck with chains of gold, and the cheeks made comely with rows of jewels; the objection is lost in the elegance and beauty of the similitude.
And if the Reader considers for a moment, how many striking qualities may be supposed in the character of Pharoah's horses, which, by way of illustration, point out the loveliness and value of the Church in the eyes of her husband; the figure will appear very striking and instructive.
We read in 1 Kings 4:26 that Solomon had forty thousand stalls of horses for his chariots. Will not the abundance be considered as no unapt representation of Jesus's army, which no man could number. Revelation 7:9. And if we calculate the price of each, which, in another part of that same scripture we are told cost 150 shekels of silver (2 Kings 10:29), which, supposing the shekel at the lowest value to be but equal to three shillings of our coin, makes the whole stud of horses to be somewhat more than eight hundred and eighty thousand pounds of our money; although the figure falls infinitely short, because the purchase of our redemption cannot be calculated with corruptible things, such as silver and gold; yet it may serve to show the justness of the application that souls purchased with a ransom so inestimable as the blood of Christ, are more valuable in Jesus's eye than Solomon's costly horses were in his. But these are not all.
No doubt the horses in Pharaoh's chariots were picked out and selected; paired, if one may so say, in size, colour, form, shape, and strength. And is not this a beautiful allusion to the people of God, who are a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, an holy nation, a peculiar people, the objects of Almighty grace? Moreover, the qualities of horses in their order, discipline, trainment, management, and the like, bear no unapt resemblance to the regularity of Christ's household. And the distinguished place the horses in Pharaoh's chariots held beyond the common labouring horses of the field, may illustrate the peculiarity of that exalted situation believers in Christ enjoy, who wait chiefly upon the service of the Lord, and live in the presence of the King of kings. And lastly, to mention no more, when we consider what care, what attention the horses in the chariots of Pharaoh had shown them, above the ordinary run of others; we may, without violence to the figure, say, that here is represented somewhat very striking of the superintendence shown the Lord's people in the service of angels, and ministers, and providences, and grace; and above all, the care over them by the Lord himself, who watches over them night and day, lest any hurt them. Isaiah 27:3. Precious Redeemer! am I a part in this gracious view to which thou hast compared thy Church? Didst thou indeed purchase my poor soul with so great a price? Didst thou set thy love upon me at the first. Hast thou adorned me with thy coverings, and now dost thou set me apart for thyself and thy glory? Oh! for grace, not to recompense such unequalled bounty, for that is impossible; but to love and adore such matchless mercy, that being bought with a price so dear, I may glorify thee, my God, in my body and in my Spirit which are thine. 1 Corinthians 6:20.