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Vse 6.
Judge hence how reasonable it is that believers should embrace the hardest terms of obedience unto Christ,* 1.1 who complyed with such hard terms for their salvation: they were hard and difficult terms indeed, on which Christ received you from the Fathers hand; it was as you have heard, to pour out his soul unto death, or not to enjoy a soul of you: here you may suppose the Father to say, when driving this bargain with Christ for you:
My Son,* 1.2 here be a company of poor miserable souls, that have utterly undone themselves; and now lye open to my Justice, Justice demands Satisfaction for them, or will satisfie it self in the eternal ruine of them: what shall be done for these souls? And thus Christ returns,
O my Father,* 1.3 such is my love to, and pitty for them; that rather than they shall perish eternally, I will be responsible for them, as their Surety: bring in all thy bills, that I may see what they owe thee. Lord bring them in all, that there may be no after reckonings with them; at my hand shalt thou require it. I will rather choose to suffer thy wrath, than they should suffer it. Upon me, my Father, upon me be all their debt.
But my Son,* 1.4 if thou undertake for them; thou must reckon to pay the last mite: expect no abatements, if I spare them, I will not spare thee.
Content Father,* 1.5 let it be so: charge it all upon me: I am able to discharge it; and though it prove a kind of undoing to me, though it impoverish all my riches, empty all my treasures, (for so indeed it did, 2 Cor. 8.9. though he were rich, yet for our sakes became poor) yet I am content to undertake it: blush un∣grateful believers, O let shame cover your faces. Judge in your selves now, hath Christ deserved that you should stand with him for trifles; that you should shrink at a few petty difficulties, and complain, this is hard, and that is harsh, O if you knew the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, in this his wonderful condescen∣tion for you; you could not do it.