Casuistical morning-exercises the fourth volume /

§ 1. If we examine the love of Relations, we find them all limited and bounded, and they ought to be so: The love of a Father to a child is an intense love; the love of a Father to an undutiful child, a rebellious child, may stretch the line somewhat farther, yet this will fall vastly short of the Love of Christ to sinners. The highest instance of this love that I remember was that of David to his rebellious Son Absalom, expressed 2 Sam. 18.33. O Absalom my son! my son! would ⟨image 64⟩God I had died for thee, O Absalom my Son! my Son! Here is Paternal love strained up to the highest pitch imaginable; That a King should desire to die for a Rebellious Subject; that a Father should be willing to die for the most disingenuous and rebellious of Sons: This was great; but yet we find this love extended but to a natural death; he would have been unwilling to have died a Cursed death, to have been made a Curse for him; to have been made sin for him: And yet the torrent of this impetuous love soon dried up; it was founded in passion rather than judgment, and perhaps in cool blood, he would have been unwilling to have died that such a wretch might live: I question much whether David durst deliberately, advisedly, and premeditately, have laid down his life to save that of a vicious debauched Son; yet such was the Love of Christ, who laid down his life for sinners, the greatest of sinners, 1 Tim. 1.15. And laid it down voluntarily, when none could take it away, John 10.18. and not only died against the persuasions of his friends to save his life, Mark 8.32. but against that bitter malice of his Enemies, which always sparkled, and at last flamed out in the most cruel, bloody, implacable fury that ever was in the World; nay, against the just displeasure of God as a Judge, all which he had a clear prospect into, and yet gave this great pregnant proof of his unconquerable Love, that he not only poured out his Soul in tears, Luke 19.41. his Soul in prayers,