The Christian-man's calling: or, A treatise of making religion ones business. Wherein the nature…

Secondly, Meditate on the affection of Christ. We will remember thy love more then wine, saith the Spouse, when thou seest the wine; think of that love which is better then wine. Believe it, if ever there were a love-feast, this is it. Men testify their love in bestowing food on their hungry friends, but ah what love was that which gave his blessed body and precious blood to feed his starving enemies. He that considereth what Christ suffered, and for whom, may well think he was little else, but a ⟨p. 294⟩lump of love; His compassion is infinitely visible in his passion. What love was that which moved him to lay down his life for thee! Friend, if ever thou hadst hard thoughts of Christ, take a view of him in the former subject of meditation, and consider whether his heart be not set upon sinners, when he shed his heart blood for their souls. The redness of the fire discovers its heat. O how did the redness of this Rose of Sharon, the blood which issued from his head, and back, and hands, and feet, and heart, and whole body, speak his burning, his fiery love! Well might the Apostle John join and pair those Turtle-Doves; Who hath loved us and washed us in his blood, Rev. 1.5. In every drop of his blood there is an Ocean of love. Well might the Apostle Paul produce this as an undeniable testimony of the truth of his love, Who loved me, and gave himself for me, Gal. 2.20. His bleeding passion was such a full demonstration of his dearest affection, as the whole World never saw the like before, nor ever shall again. In it his love was dissected and ripped up; you may tell all its bones. Judas gave him to the Jews, out of love to money; The Jews gave him to Pilate to be condemned, out of love to envy; Pilate gives him to the Soldiers to be Crucified, out of love to self interest; but Christ gave himself out of pure love to save souls. The great and glorious God doth things that are singularly eminent for the manifestation of his attributes. When he would evidence his power, he produceth with a word the whole creation out of the barren Womb of nothing; He did ⟨p. 295⟩but will it, and the whole world presently started into a being. By this he often proves his deity,