When a person is dear, everything connected with him becomes dear
for his sake. Thus, so precious is the person of the Lord Jesus in
the estimation of all true believers, that everything about Him they
consider to be inestimable beyond all price. "All Thy garments smell
of myrrh, and aloes, and cassia," said David, as if the very
vestments of the Saviour were so sweetened by His person that he
could not but love them. Certain it is, that there is not a spot
where that hallowed foot hath trodden--there is not a word which
those blessed lips have uttered--nor a thought which His loving Word
has revealed--which is not to us precious beyond all price. And this
is true of the names of Christ--they are all sweet in the believer's
ear. Whether He be called the Husband of the Church, her Bridegroom,
her Friend; whether He be styled the Lamb slain from the foundation
of the world--the King, the Prophet, or the Priest--every title of
our Master--Shiloh, Emmanuel, Wonderful, the Mighty Counsellor--
every name is like the honeycomb dropping with honey, and luscious
are the drops that distil from it. But if there be one name sweeter
than another in the believer's ear, it is the name of Jesus. Jesus!
it is the name which moves the harps of heaven to melody. Jesus! the
life of all our joys. If there be one name more charming, more
precious than another, it is this name. It is woven into the very
warp and woof of our psalmody. Many of our hymns begin with it, and
scarcely any, that are good for anything, end without it. It is the
sum total of all delights. It is the music with which the bells of
heaven ring; a song in a word; an ocean for comprehension, although a
drop for brevity; a matchless oratorio in two syllables; a gathering
up of the hallelujahs of eternity in five letters.
"Jesus, I love Thy charming name,
'Tis music to mine ear."
