Thoughts on the love of Christ

Front matter

WMiM,

THOUGHTS

ON THE

Chapter I. Introductory Essay

God designed from eternity to create this world, and people it with intelligent beings. This design was put into execution in the beginning of time. " In the beginning, God created the heavens and the earth. 55 * He spake, and this earth, with all its multifarious occupants, started into being. It required nothing but his Almighty fiat to usher a world and its inhabitants into existence. Man was created in the image of God : hence he was a holy and happy being. Uncontaminated by moral pollution, his soul was one of purity, holiness and happiness. He was

* Gen. i, %

INTRODUCTORY ESSAY.

lord of this lower creation, enjoying the smiles of his beneficent Creator, and the delight of the terrestrial paradise. Primeval beauty mantled all sublunary objects. Paradise bloomed with its richest productions; and all was peace and harmony between man and his Creator. At length man disobeyed the divine command; sinned against God, and fell from his original blessedness, by eating the forbidden fruit,

" Whose mortal taste Brought death into the world, and all our woe."

Milton.

" By one man sin entered into the world, and death by sin; and so death passed upon all men, for that all have sinned."*

When we contrast man's present deplorable condition, with his pristine state of innocence, we may w T ell exclaim with the Prophet, "Hew is the gold become dim! how is the most hit gold changed !"f "The crown is fallen from our head: woe unto us that we have sinned."J

By his fall, man lost all communion with God, and became exposed to the miseries of

INTRODUCTORY ESSAY.

this life, to death itself, and to the wrath of God through eternity. From this sinful and lost condition he could not extricate himself; he could not redeem himself, nor pay unto God a sufficient ransom for his manifold transgressions. A broken law was to be fulfilled, the justice of God to be satisfied, and a complete atonement to be made for the sins of men, or else God and the sinner could never be reconciled.

Punishment, everlasting punishment and destruction from the presence of the Lord, and from the glory of his power, awaited all mankind in the world of just retribution. All was forlorn; all was hopeless, forever hopeless with regard to man's redemption, had not God interposed on our behalf; to give unto us an expected end. It was the grand design of God, from all eternity, to exhibit a magnificent plan of salvation to a lost world.

And everlasting praise and* thanksgiving be unto his most blessed name, that the glad tidings of this precious, unspeakably precious salvation have reached our ears.

When there was no eye to pity sinners,

INTRODUCTORY ESSAY.

nor arm to save them, God's eye pitied, and his arm alone brought salvation to them. In infinite love to lost and perishing sinners, he said, " Deliver from going down to the pit; I have found a ransom."* To every redeemed sinner, God says, " When I passed by thee, and saw thee polluted in thine own blood, I said unto thee when thou wast in thy blood, Live; yea, I said unto thee when thou wast in thy blood, live. When I passed by thee and looked upon thee, behold thy time was the time of love; and I spread my skirt over thee, and covered thy nakedness : yea, I sware unto thee, and entered into a covenant with thee, saith the Lord God, and thou becamest mine. 5 'f God did not leave all mankind to perish in their fallen, miserable and polluted condition. No! his love saved them; his wisdom devised a way by which we, polluted sinners, might be raised from the horrible pit into which our iniquities had consigned us.

44 When in our blood we lay,

He would not let us die ; Because his love had fix'd a day,

To bring Salvation nigh."

*Job xxxiii, 24. tEz. xvi, 6, 8.

INTRODUCTORY ESSAY.

The glorious plan of man's salvation originated in the infinite love of God the Father; and in this divine plan of redemption, the most marvellous exhibition of the love of God to hell-deserving sinners is clearly seen. Here is love, the love of God: such love as could never have been conceived of, had it not been so amply revealed and manifested in the gift of his only begotten Son. " For God so loved the world (even a world of lost sinners) that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life. 5 '* " God is love," and our salvation is from the God of love, and is a salvation planned and executed in deep unfathomable love. " In this was manifested the love of God toward us, because that God sent his only begotten Son into the world, that we might live through him. Herein is love; not that we loved God, but that he loved us, and sent his Son to be the propitiation for our sins.' 5 *

When we contemplate the greatness of God's love to sinners, we are compelled to * John iii, 16. 1 1 John iv, 9 3 10,

I*

INTRODCUTORY ESSAY.

pause, and exclaim with the admiring apostle, " Behold what manner of love the Father hath bestowed upon us, that we should be called the sons of God! " *

Oh ! the riches of divine grace ! Oh ! the depths of divine love. How vast, how glorious, and how adequate to the wants of perishing sinners, is that plan of mercy — of love — of salvation, which God has devised to save a lost world ! It manifests the wisdom, the justice, the power, but, above all, the love of God.

"Salvation! what a glorious plan 5

How suited to our need !

The grace that raises fallen man

Is wonderful indeed!

'Twas wisdom form'd the vast design,

To ransom us when lost ; And love's unfathomable mine

Provided all the cost.

Truth, Wisdom, Justice, Pow'r and Love,

In all their glory shone, When Jesus left the courts above,

And died to save his own."

Newton.

* 1 John iii, 1.

INTRODUCTORY ESSAY.

God has chosen a portion of the human family to be the monuments of his free grace — trophies of his redeeming love; and for them he has sent his own son to suffer and die.

In the profound depths of infinite love, the mercy of God to a lost world had its egress. Unsolicited and undeserved, it was nevertheless extended to lost sinners : sinners > guilty and polluted, are the objects upon which the mercy and love of God are profusely bestowed.

Love is God's darling attribute, which he delights to manifest most illustriously; for God is love.* And he has most singularly displayed all his love to sinful man, in the contrivance of his salvation.

Oh ! how immeasurably great was that love which saved a world from ruin, and raised millions of Adam's sons and daughters from eternal death and woe, to everlasting life and felicity ! Thanks be unto God for his unspeakable gift.

The promise of a Great Deliverer, who should emancipate captivated man from the * 1 John iv, 8.

INTRODUCTORY ESSAY.

thraldom of sin and death, and accomplish his salvation, was early conveyed to our first parents. Before their expulsion from Paradise, when all seemed lost, a gleam of hope shone around them. It was promised that the seed of the woman should bruise the head of the serpent; that the works of the devil should be destroyed. For this purpose, the Son of God was to be manifested in the flesh.* To the patriarchs the same promise was more amply conveyed. Abraham got a glimpse of the day of Christ, and was glad. Dying Jacob spoke of the coming of a Saviour. " The sceptre shall not depart from Judah, nor a lawgiver from between his feet, until Shiloh come."f Moses said to the children of Israel, 66 The Lord thy God will raise up unto thee a Prophet from the midst of thee, of thy brethren, like unto me : unto him ye shall hearkea.^'J

Isaiah, wrapped in prophetic vision, eloquently describes the advent and characteristics of the promised Messiah. " Unto us a child is born : unto us a son is given, and the government shall be upon his shoulder; * l John iii, 8. t Gen. xlix, 10. t Deut. xviii, 15.

INTRODUCTORY ESSAY.

and his name shall be called Wonderful, Counsellor, The Mighty God, The Everlasting Father, The Prince of Peace. 55 *

" Behold a virgin shall conceive and bear a son, and shall call his name Immanuel. 5 'f All the prophets spoke of Him who was to come into the world to accomplish our salvation; " for the testimony of Jesus is the spirit of prophecy. 5 '! As the time approached, the promises of a divine Saviour were multiplied. " But when the fulness of time was come, God sent forth his Son, made of a woman, made under the law, to redeem them that w T ere under the law, that we might receive the adoption of sons 55 ||

Love was the grand principle which

prompted the blessed God to give his Son to

die for sinners ; and love was the impelling

motive that brought Immanuel from his

throne, to this fallen world, in order to save

the lost. How great, how sublime was that

scheme of his to save a perishing world I

How vast was that love which enabled him

to execute this plan !

* Is. ix, 6. t Is. vii, 14. J Rev. xix, 10 a || Gal. iv, 4, 5.

Chapter II. The Love Of Christ In Coming Into The World To Save Sinners

M This is a faithful saying, and worthy of all acceptation, that Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners. — 1 Tim. xi, 15.

The gospel, as the name signifies, denotes glad tidings. This blessed gospel is sent to us : to you, reader, are these glad tidings conveyed. " That Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners," is the best news that ever fell on the ears of a dying world. Life and immortality are brought to light through the gospel. Let us now contemplate the glorious character of our blessed Redeemer, and the love which he has manifested in coming into the world to save sinners.

1. In the person of Christ, the human and divine natures are united. His divinity is clearly asserted in the Scriptures. The Redeemer of lost sinners is the eternal Son of God — equal with the Father, the Creator of the universe, the upholder of all things. Indeed, with supreme power, he reigns uni-

THE LOVE OF CHRIST.

versal Lord. All power is given to him, in heaven and earth. All worlds are his. All kingdoms are his domain. He made all things. At his command, worlds started into being. By his power all created matter is upheld in existence. He has caused the sun to shine with undiminished splendor on our globe for nearly six thousand years. It is he " that spreadeth out the heavens, and treadeth upon the waves of the sea; that maketh Arcturus, Orion, and Pleiades, and the chambers of the south."*

Open the blessed volume, and read the fundamental doctrine of Christianity, that Christ, the redeemer of sinners, is God. " In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. All things were made by him; and without him was not anything made, that was made."f It is a matter of great consolation for the believer who has intrusted his immortal concerns in the hands of his blessed Redeemer, to know that he is God over all, blessed for ever. Let him ever bear in mind that the Saviour, who loves him, is the only begotten *Jobix, 8, 9. fJohni, 1, 3.

son of God, and bears his very image. He is the brightness of his Father's glory, and the express image of his person. He is clothed with divine majesty, and possesses all divine perfections, and infinite excellences. He is equal with God in all his glorious perfections.

He is called " the Lord of glory," the "King of glory," "The mighty God," " Jehovah;" and in the Revelation he is described as having on his vesture, and on his thigh a name written, " King of kings, and Lord of lords." * Again, it is said of him that he " is the image of the invisible God, the first-born of every creature : for by him were all things created that are in heaven, and that are in earth, visible and invisible; whether they be thrones or dominions, or principalities, or powers. All things were created by him and for him : and he is before all things, and by him all things consist; and he is the head of the body, the church, who is the beginning, the first-born from the dead; that in all things he might have the

*Rev. xix, 16.

IN HIS INCARNATION.

pre-eminence. For it pleased the Father, that in him should all fullness dwell." *

There is a transcendent loveliness in Christ's person. He is " fairer than the children of men :" " the chiefest among ten thousand; yea, he is altogether lovely." Oh! what glorious and lovely attractions centre in Immanuel! Such is the character of Him who came into our sin-polluted world, to shed on Calvary his precious blood for the redemption of his people.

2. Christ came into the world by being

manifested in the flesh, yet he lost nothing of

his essential glory and dominion. He w r as

as truly " the brightness of his Father's

glory," and the ow r ner of the universe, when

in the manger, and on the cross, as he is now

at the right hand of God: " Even the Son

of man who is in heaven." Yet out of love

to sinners, he chose to suffer that glory to be

veiled in humanity, and himself to be made

under the law to redeem his people. Oh ! what

amazing love is seen here. " The Word

was made flesh, and dwelt among us."f

" God was manifest in the flesh." J Christ

Jesus was in the form of God, and thought it not robbery to be equal with God; but he " made himself of no reputation, and took upon him the form of a servant, and was made in the likeness of men." * The advent of Christ was the signal of peace on earth. His incarnation was an event of great joy to the world. To the shepherds of Bethlehem, the glad tidings of his birth were conveyed by an angel of the Lord. To them he proclaimed : " Behold I bring you good tidings of great joy, which shall be to all people. For unto you is born this day, in the city of David, a Saviour, which is Christ the Lord." f A new light then burst upon the world. The glorious Sun of Righteousness, emitting his resplendent rays upon kingdoms and nations involved in moral darkness, arose to enlighten, to gladden and to bless our benighted planet. The prince of peace made his appearance. The messenger of reconciliation came, to reconcile alienated man to the friendship of his offended Creator, and fit him for the mansions of glory. When such a momentous event had occured, when the *Phil. ii, 7. tLuke ii, 10,11.

IN HIS INCARNATION.

eternal Son of God had invested himself with humanity, and become bone of our bone, and flesh of our flesh; well might the song of the heavenly host resound among the hills of Judea, proclaiming, " Glory be to God in the highest, and on earth peace, good will toward men." For unto us a Saviour was born. And never was human nature so highly honored and exalted as when Christ assumed it. Oh! what blessings are bestowed upon fallen man, through the incarnation of the Son of God. Eternity alone can unfold them.

Christ came most willingly into the world to do the will of his heavenly Father. His w T ords were " Lo, I come: in the volume of the book it is written of me; I delight to do thy will, 0 my God." * Christ offered himself a willing victim upon the altar of divine wrath. He came into the world. But oh! wonderful condescension and boundless love, that Christ should come into this sinful world. On the matchless condescension and kindness of Christ, as manifested by his incarnation, a pious writer f has the following beautiful *Ps. xl, 7, 8. f Thornton.

remarks: " Earthly princes are only feeble worms; their loftiest elevation is a molehill, and their brightest splendor a vain show. Yet how rarely do they descend from their thrones, to visit and relieve those who languish in the abodes of poverty and wretchedness! In our low and lost estate Jesus Christ not only saw and pitied us, but also hastened on the wings of love to bring salvation. 'He was eternally rich, yet for our sakes he became poor, that we through his poverty might be made rich.' "

He was clothed with light, and surrounded with hosts of happy, adoring spirits; yet he submitted to put on our nature, and sojourn among guilty, worthless mortals.

Herein is love! love without a parallel, love that exceeds description, and passes knowledge!

The incarnation of the only begotten Son of God is a mystery of wisdom and love, in which all our thoughts ought to be absorbed, and all our hearts with it should be enraptured. The wonders of the vast universe, could they be collected and presented

IN HIS INCARNATION.

to us in one view, would lose all their attraction and dwindle into insignificance, were we stedfastly to contemplate the marvellous condescension of the Redeemer, manifested in the humiliation to which he submitted on our account. When he exchanged his throne for the manger of Bethlehem, the shining ho^t of heaven burst into that sublime song, "Glory to God in the highest, on earth peace, and good will to men." Here is condescension which we could not have believed possible, had it not been so clearly and amply revealed. The kindness and love of God our Saviour towards man, appeared with preeminent lustre in the whole of that great work which he undertook to perform for their salvation. Oh! how ardent was that love which brought the ever blessed Son of God from heaven to earth, that he might save sinners. Oh! what but infinite love could have induced him to come into the world — to be made sin for us — to bear our sins in his own body, that we might be reconciled to God, and be brought at last into

2* the everlasting mansions of glory, to be ever with the Lord.

Jesus Christ is love itself embodied in a human form : that form once appeared on our earth, and trod the thorny pathway from the manger to the cross, till it was seen to bleed, and groan, and die, on Calvary, for sinners as vile as we are. Reader! have you an interest in that great work which Christ, by coming into the world, has finished? Are you deeply interested in his atonement, and righteousness? Is his love shed abroad in your heart? Is he unspeakably precious to you? For, says the Apostle, "unto you therefore which believe, he is precious." Can you adopt the language of the poet, and sweetly sing,

Sweeter sounds than music knows. Charm me in Immanuel's name :

All her hopes my spirit owes To his birth, and cross, and shame.

When he came, the angels sung

'Glory be to God on high ! ' Lord, unlose my stammering tongue :

Who shall louder sing than I? — Newton,

IN HIS INCARNATION.

2?

By his coming into the world and accomplishing our salvation, Christ has opened the gates of the celestial city, through which redeemed sinners may now pass into mansions of eternal bliss. 0 sinner, the gates of Paradise are now wide open for your reception; enter in and be saved. The arms of Christ are now stretched from heaven for your relief. Look up, then, with confidence to your loving Saviour. He now calls upon you from his eternal throne, "Look unto me and be ye saved, all the ends of the earth; for I am God, and there is none else; a just God, and a Saviour."* Sinner, have you looked to Christ for salvation? Jn him you will find an everlasting salvation. Everlasting salvation! precious words! It is the gift of God, through Jesus Christ our Lord. In the incarnation of the Son of God, we behold immeasurably great love manifested to sinners. With love unparelleled, he descends to this sinful world, and lives and dies for the redemption of his people. Love led him to forsake the regions of glory, for this dark abode of sin and suffering.

"Nothing brought him from above, Nothing but redeeming love."

0, what love is here manifested to a guilty, rebellious world! "Ye know the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, that though he was rich, for your sakes he became poor, that ye through his poverty might be rich."

But why did he thus veil his glory in humanity, and come into this world? It was to save sinners. "This is a faithful saying, and worthy of all acceptation, that Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners." *

3. To save sinners w T as the very object, for which Messiah left his throne; for which the Son of God became incarnate. "I am not come to call the righteous, but sinners to repentance."! "The Son of man is come to seek and to save that which was lost." J When Christ veiled his glory, and left the regions of bliss, it was to save sinners. When he assumed mortal flesh, and became a suffering man, it was to save sinners. When he bled and died on the cross, it was to save sinners. When he burst the fetters of death, *1 Tim. i, 15. tMat. ix, 13. JLuke xix, 10.

IN SAVING SINNERS.

and in a glorified form ascended to heaven, it was to save sinners; and now that he is set down at the right hand of the throne of God, he is still carrying on his blessed work of saving sinners.

It was infinite love that brought Christ into the world to save sinners. What amazing love is here displayed ! In man's redemption, the love of Christ shines with pre-eminer,t lustre. In his love, Christ came to save sin ners, and most willingly does he receive even the vilest sinner that comes to him for salvation.

Reader, have you yet fled for refuge to the world's Redeemer? There is but one refuge provided for a lost world : Christ is that refuge. He shelters all that come to him. In him is eternal safety. Happy are they, whose hopes are fixed on him : they are safe; though all around them are changes and fluctuations, yet their rest is pitched aloft, far above this sphere of changing and perishing mortality. Onward and heavenward will be their course, and glorious will be their destiny ! When Christ shall appear, they shall appear with him in glory.

Animated by the hope of immortality, look with holy contempt upon the world and all its delusive pleasures. Let a joyful eternity be ever in your view. Choose Christ as your Saviour and portion, and heaven will be your home. You will quickly glide over the tempestuous sea of life, and land on

"the peaceful shore

Of blest eternity."

Come, 0 sinner ! come and intrust your salvation to the blessed Jesus, who came to save sinners. He will not cast you out. Hear his own words : "Him that cometh to me, 1 will in no wise cast out."* He has a willing ear to hear your cry; a willing heart to receive you; willing arms to embrace you; almighty power to save you. 0 do not refuse the Lord of glory ! Do not contemn the gospel message of love.

Behold your loving Saviour ! See what an interest he has taken in your eternal welfare. See him laying aside the robes of his

* John vi, 37.

IN SAVING SINNERS.

glory for you. See him, though high, becoming low, though rich, becoming poor for you; and see him coming into this world to save you. Attend to his gracious calls. Seek him instantly. May the sweet influences of Christ's redeeming love constrain you to come and partake of the joys of salvation. Salvation by Christ ! Blessed gospel; well mayest thou be styled glad tidings of great

In a word, I beseech you, dear reader, as you value the happiness of your immortal soul and the bliss of eternity, to make sure of your salvation. " Behold, now is the accepted time; behold, now is the day of salvation.' 5 To-morrow may be too late. To-morrow's sun may set upon your grave. Now " Seek ye the Lord while he may be found, call ye upon him while he is near : let the wicked forsake his way, and the unrighteous man his thoughts; and let him return unto the Lord, and he will have mercy upon him; and to our God, for he will abundantly pardon."* t{ Come, lepers, seize the present hour, The Saviour's grace to prove :

He can relieve, for he has pow f r< He will, for he is love." — Newton.

Chapter III

TliE LOVE OF CHRIST, AS MANIFESTED IN HIS SUFFERINGS AND DEATH.

" Greater love bath no man than this, that a man lay down his life for his friends."— John xv, 13.

" Religion! thou the soul of happiness-,

And groaning Calvary, of thee! There shine

There sacred violence assaults the soul;

There nothing but compulsion is forborne.

— Thou my all !

My theme ! my inspiration, and my crown !

My strength in age ! my rise in low estate !

My soul's ambition, pleasure, wealth-, my world!

My light in darkness, and my life in death!

My boast through time ! bliss through eternity !

Eternity too short to speak thy praise,

Or fathom thy profound of love to man !

To man of men the meanest, ev'n to me !

My sacrifice! my God! What things are these?

Talk they of morals? 0 thou bleeding Love!

Thou maker of new morals to mankind !

The grand morality is love to thee ! "

In the death of Christ, we behold the most astonishing exhibition of divine love that has ever been manifested to a lost world. 3

Such love as is here displayed is without a precedent — without a parallel in the annals of time or in the records of eternity. To behold the Son of God, the Maker of worlds, bowing his head on the cross, and yielding up his immaculate soul amid the agonies of death, is the most wonderful, the most affecting, the most melting sight that mortals ever witnessed. Around the cross of Christ there shine the most resplendent rays of divine love that ever beamed from the Sun of Righteousness — that ever emanated from the Deity.

Here then is the brightest display of love, that Christ has manifested to a world of perishing sinners. " Greater love hath no man than this, that a man lay down his life for his friends."* But, oh ! amazing love ! that Christ breathed out his precious life, poured out his holy soul unto death, for his enemies, for the ungodly, for sinners. " For when we were yet without strength, in due time Christ died for the ungodly. For scarcely for a righteous man will one die : yet perad venture for a good man some would even dare * John xv, 13, to die. But God commendeth his love toward us, in that while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us."* Christ died to save sinners : without his death, their salvation could not have been accomplished. Without the shedding of blood, there is no remission;! and without the shedding of Christ's precious blood, not a single sinner could have been saved. The salvation of countless millions was suspended on the death of Christ; but, in love, he died to save them.

Here we may behold a little of the vastness of that love which cannot be measured, which cannot be told. The Saviour's love met death itself in the face, and triumphed over the grave. 0, my soul, look and wonder ! Behold thy Saviour bleeding on the cross; bleeding from every pore, that thy sins might be washed away in the flowing stream ! See him pouring out his soul unto death, for thy salvation; and ask, Is not this a manifestation of unparalleled love to thee?

O, blessed Jesus ! we come far short of comprehending the greatness of thy dying love. It is a great deep. It is a fathomless * Rom. v, 6 - 8. f Heb. ix, 22.

THE LOVE OP CHRIST, ocean. 0, may we contemplate more and more this mystery of divine love !

Christ's suffering and dying for us is a great mystery, a mystery of unfathomable love. Oh ! how vehement was the love of Christ, that led him to endure death in its most terrible form, even the death of the cross. " Love is strong as death : the coals thereof are coals of fire, which hath a most vehement flame. Many waters can not quench love; neither can the floods drown it."* Such is the love of Christ. All the waters of affliction and suffering ; all the billows of divine wrath that rolled over our blessed Redeemer, were not sufficient to quench the ardency of that love which he felt for a dying world of sinners. It will endure through time. It will shine with undiminished splendor, and glow brighter and brighter through eternity.