Casuistical morning-exercises the fourth volume /

And how dear are our Engagements to Jesus Christ? The Judge would not release the Guilty without a Ransom, nor the Surety without Satisfaction, and the Son of God most compassionately and willingly gave his precious Blood to obtain our Deliverance. If his Perfections were not most amiable and ravishing, yet that he died for us, should infinitely endear him to us. To those who believe he is precious: to those who have felt their undone Condition, and that by his Merits and Mediation, are restored to the Favour of God, he is eminently ⟨image 121⟩precious. Who can break the Constraints of such Love? If there be a spark of reason, or a grain of unfeigned Faith in us, We must judge, that if one died for all, then all were dead, and those that live, should live to his Glory who died for their Salvation.

And how dear are our Engagements to Jesus Christ? The Judge would not release the Guilty without a Ransom, nor the Surety without Satisfaction, and the Son of God most compassionately and willingly gave his precious Blood to obtain our Deliverance. If his Perfections were not most aimable and ravishing, yet that he died for us, should infinitely endear him to us. To those who believe he is precious: to those who have felt their undone Condition, and that by his Merits and Mediation, are restored to the Favour of God, he is eminently ⟨image 121⟩precious. Who can break the Constraints of such Love? If there be a spark of reason, or a grain of unfeigned Faith in us, We must judge, that if one died for all, then all were dead, and those that live, should live to his Glory who died for their Salvation.

Add to this, that in the Sufferings of Christ there is the clearest Demonstration of the Evil of […], and how hateful it is to God, if we consider the Dignity of his Person, the Greatness of his Sufferings, and the innocent recoilings of his humane Nature from such fearful Sufferings. He was the eternal Son of God, the Heir of his Fathers Love and Glory, the Lord of Angels; he suffered in his Body the most ignominious and painful Death, being nailed to the Cross in the sight of the World: The Sufferings of his Soul were incomparably more afflicting: For though heavenly Meek he endured the Derision and cruel Violence of his Enemies with a silent Patience, yet in the dark Eclipse of his Fathers Countenance, in the desolate state of his Soul, the Lamb of God opened his Mouth in that mournful Complaint, My God, my God, why hast thou forsaken me? His innocent Nature did so recoil from those fearful Sufferings, that with repeated ardency of Affection, he deprecated that bitter Cup: Abba Father, all things are possible to thee, let this cup pass from me: He addressed to the Divine Power and Love, the Attributes that relieve the Miserable, yet he drank off the dregs of the Cup of Gods Wrath. Now we may from hence conclude, how great an Evil Sin is, that could not be expiated by a meaner Sacrifice, then the offering up the Soul of Christ to atone incensed Justice; and no lower a Price, than the Blood of the Son of God, the most unvaluable Treasure could Ransom Men who were devoted to Destruction.