Riches of mercy to men in misery, or, Certain excellent treatises concerning the dignity…

Besides, consider what he hath done for thee, and see if he have not deserved it? When thou wert subject to death, he hath taken thee out of the jaws of death, and hath given thee life: when thou wert loathsome, he washed thee, and put beauty upon thee, when thou wert a bondslave ⟨p. 227⟩he made thee a King, &c. And not only these standing favours, but consider that every day he gives thee meat, and drink, and clothes, is it not he that takes the care of thee? Consider what thou art that he doth this for; art thou not in thy self, and every man a more vile wretch then the dust thou treadest on? a vile, condemned person, a lump and heap of sin and misery? Now that the Lord should respect such a creature as this, to be crucified for him, to deny himself, to lay aside his glory, to do so much for him when he stood in such a condition.

Besides, consider what he hath done for thee, and see if he have not deservedit? When thou wert subject to death, he hath taken thee out of the jawes of death, and hath given thee life: when thou wert loathsom, he washed thee, and put beauty upon thee, when thou wert a bondslave ⟨p. 227⟩he made thee a King, &c. And not onely these standing favours, but consider that every day he gives thee meat, and drink, and cloathes, is it not he that takes the care of thee? Consider what thou art that he doth this for; art thou not in thy self, and every man a more vile wretch then the dust thou treadest on? a vile, condemned person, a lump and heap of sin and misery? Now that the Lord should respect such a creature as this, to be crucified for him, to deny himself, to lay aside his glory, to do so much for him when he stood in such a condition.

Besides all this, he hath done it out of love, as the Apostle expresseth it, he loved me, and gave himself for me. ¹Love begets love, as fire begets fire, and makes a man ready to do any thing. If a man consider that Jesus Christ abounded in love, there is no creature in the world that ever loved another so much as Christ loves his Church. He loved thee with all impediments, he loved thee though thou didst forget him, and recompense him evil for good, and dishonouredst him again and again, yet his love continued the same to thee. Thou feest by experience he abounds in love to thee; he hath all the properties of love, he is not easily provoked, he is long suffering, he is bountiful; he takes a small thing in good part. Let all this work on thy heart, and say Christ is worthy, he deserves it: And besides all this, if thou stir up thy strength, and put it forth with loss to thy self for his sake, to his use, consider, he regards it, and looks on all thy works and sufferings,