BOOK 6. THE DEATH.
CHAPTER 3.
6.3.8. Of Calling on Jesus in that Respect.
Of Calling on Jesus in that Respect.
Let us call on Jesus, on God the Father, in and through Jesus.
1. We must pray, that all these transactions of Christ in his sufferings and death may be ours; if we direct our prayers immediately to Jesus Christ, let us tell him what anguish and pains he hath suffered for our sakes; and let us complain against ourselves, "Oh! what, shall we do, who by our sins have so tormented our dearest Lord? What contrition can be great enough, what tears sufficiently expressive, what hatred and detestation, equal and commensurate to those sad and heavy sufferings of our Jesus?" And then let us pray, that he would pity us, and forgive us those sins wherewith we crucified him, that he would bestow on us the virtue of his sufferings and death, that his wounds might heal us, his death might quicken us; and his blood might cleanse us from all our spiritual filth of sin: and, lastly, that he would assure us, that his death is ours, that he would persuade us, "That neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor principalities, nor powers, nor things present, nor things to come, nor height, nor depth, nor any other creature should be able to separate us from the love of God, which is in Christ Jesus our Lord," Rom. viii. 38, 39.
2. We must praise the Lord for all these sufferings of Christ. Hath he indeed suffered all these punishments for us? Oh! then what shall we render unto the Lord for all his benefits upon us? What shall we do for him, who hath done and suffered all these things? but especially, if we believe our part in the death of Christ, in all the virtues, benefits, victories, purchases, and privileges of his precious death; Oh then! what manifold cause of thankfulness and praise is here? Be enlarged, O my soul! sound forth the praises of thy Christ; tell all the world of that warmest love of Christ, which flowed with his blood out of all his wounds into thy spirit; tune thy heart strings aright, and keep consort with all the angels of heaven, and all his saints on earth; sing that Psalm of John the divine, "Unto him that loved us, and washed us from our sins in his own blood, and made us kings and priests unto God, and his Father, to him be glory and dominion for over and ever. Amen," Rev. i. 5, 6.