Nothing is more powerful to engage our affection than to find that we are beloved. Expressions of kindness are always pleasing and acceptable unto us, though the person should be otherwise mean and contemptible. But, to have the love of One who is altogether lovely, to know that the glorious Majesty of heaven hath any regard unto us, how must this astonish and delight us, how must it overcome our spirits and melt our hearts, and put our whole soul into a flame!
Now, as the Word of God is flail of the expressions of his love toward man, so all his works do loudly proclaim it. He gave us our being, and, by preserving us in it, doth renew the donation every moment. But, lest we should think these testimonies of his kindness less considerable, because they are the easy issues of his omnipotent power, and do not put him to any trouble or pain, he hath taken a more wonderful method to endear himself to us: he hath testified his affection to us by suffering as well as by doing; and because he could not suffer in his own nature, he assumed ours. The eternal Son of God did clothe himself with the infirmities of our flesh, and left the company of those innocent and blessed spirits, who knew well how to love and adore him, that he might dwell among men, and wrestle with the obstinacy of that rebellious race to reduce them to their allegiance and felicity, by offering himself up as a sacrifice and propitiation for them.
The account which we have of our Savior’s life in the gospel, doth all along present us with the story of his love; all the pains that he took, and troubles that he endured, were wonderful effects and uncontrollable evidences of it. But oh! that last, that dismal scene! Is it possible to remember it and question his kindness, or deny him ours? Here, here it is, my dear friend, that we should fix our most serious and solemn thoughts, “That Christ may dwell in our hearts by faith, that we being rooted and grounded in love, may be able to comprehend with all saints, what is the breadth, and length, and depth, and height: and to know the love of Christ which passeth knowledge, that we may be filled with all the fulness of God” (Eph 3:17-19).
I remember one of the poets hath an ingenious fancy to express the passion wherewith he found himself overcome after long resistance; that the God of love had shot all his golden arrows at him, but could not pierce his heart, till at length he put himself into the bow, and darted himself straight into his breast!
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