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

The cup in the Sacrament is called the Eucharistical cup, or the cup of blessing; let it be so to thee. Let thy heart and mouth say, Blessed be the Lord God of Israel, who hath visited and redeemed his people, Luk. 2.

Canst thou think of that infinite love which God manifested to thy soul without Davids return, What shall I render to the Lord for all his benefits! His heart was so set upon thy salvation, His Love was so great to thy soul, that he delighted in the very death of his Son, because it tended to thy good. It pleased the Lord to bruise him, Isa. 53.10. Valde delectatus est, Junius reads it, He was exceedingly delighted in it. Surely the mind of God was infinitely set upon the recovery of lost sinners, in that (whereas other Parents (whose love to their children in comparison of his to Christ, is but as a drop to the Ocean) follow their children to their graves with many tears, especially when they dye violent deaths) he delighted exceedingly in the barbarous death of his only Son, in the bleeding ⟨p. 320⟩of the head, because it tended to the health and eternal welfare of the members: Friend, what manner of love hath the father loved thee with? He gave his own Son to be apprehended, that thou mightest escape; his own Son to be condemned, that thou mightest be acquitted; his own Son to be whipped and wounded, that thou mightest be cured and healed; yea his own Son to dye a shameful, cursed death, that thou mightest live a glorious, blessed life for ever. Glory to God in the highest, peace on earth, and good will to men. Alas how unworthy art thou of this inestimable mercy. Thou art by nature a child of wrath as well as others, and hadst been now wallowing in sin with the worst in the World, if free grace had not renewed thee, nay thou hadst been roaring in Hell at this hour, if free grace had not reprieved thee. Thy conscience will tell thee that thou dost not deserve the bread which springeth out of the earth, and yet thou are fed with the bread which came down from heaven; with Angels food. O infinite love! Mayst not thou well say with Mephibosheth to David. What is thy servant, that thou shouldst look upon such a dead dog as I am? For all my fathers house were as dead men before my Lord, yet didst thou set thy servant among them that did eat at thine own Table; Lord, I was a lost, dead, damned sinner before thee, liable to the unquenchable fire, and yet thou hast been pleased to set me among them that eat at thine own Table, and feed on thine own Son. O what is thy servant that thou shouldst take such notice of such a dead dog as I am!