Sunday, January 17, 2016

           We’ll sing of the Shepherd that died,
           That died for the sake of the flock;
           His love to the utmost was tried,
           But firmly endured as a rock.

           When blood from a victim must flow,
           This Shepherd by pity was led
           To stand between us and the foe,
           And willingly died in our stead.

           Our song, then, forever shall be,
           The Shepherd who gave Himself thus;
           No subject’s so glorious as He,
           No theme so affecting to us.

           Of Him and His love will we sing,
           His praises our tongues shall employ,
           Till heavenly anthems we bring
           In yonder bright regions of joy.
                                          Thomas Kelly


.....But none ever stooped so low as Christ, if we consider either the infinite height that he stooped from, or the great depth to which he stooped.  Such was his humility, that though he knew his infinite worthiness of honor, and of being honored ten thousand times as much as the highest prince on earth, or angel in heaven, yet he did not think it too much when called to it, to be bound as a malefactor, to become the laughing-stock of the vilest of men, to be crowned with thorns, to have a mock robe put upon him, and to be crucified like a slave and malefactor, as one of the meanest and worst of vagabonds and miscreants, and an accursed enemy of God and men, who was not fit to live.  And this was not for himself, but for some of the meanest and vilest of creatures, even some of those accursed wretches that crucified him.  Was not this a wonderful manifestation of humility, when he cheerfully and most freely submitted to this abasement?—And how did his patience shine forth under all the terrible sufferings which he endured; when he was dumb, and opened not his mouth, but went as a lamb to the slaughter!  And what contempt of the glory of this world was there, when he rather chose this meanness and suffering, than to be invested with the external glories of an earthly prince, as the multitude often solicited him!....
                                                                                                                                       Jonathan Edwards

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