The Pattern of Love

“HUSBANDS, LOVE YOUR WIVES, EVEN AS CHRIST ALSO LOVKD THE CHURCH, AND GAVE HIMSELF FOR IT.” — Epk. V. 25.

THHE love of Christ to his church is the pattern -*- for husbands.

It should be a pure, fervent, constant, self-sacrificing love.

The conduct of Jesus was the best proof of his love. “He loved the church, and gave himself for it.”

Our conduct should be the genuine outcome of our love.

I. How CHRIST LOVED HIS CHURCH.

He loved his own church with —

1. A love of choice, and special regard.

2. A love of unselfishness: he loved not hers, but

her.

3. A love of complacency. He calls her “Hephzibah, my delight is in her.”

4. A love of sympathy. Her interests are his interests.

5. A love of communion. He manifests himself to

his chosen bride.

6. A love of unity. A loving, living, lasting union

is established.
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7. A love of immutable constancy. He loves unto

the end.

II. How HE PROVED HIS LOVE. “Gave himself for it.”

1. He gave himself to his church by leaving heav

en and becoming incarnate that he might
assume her nature.

2. He gave himself throughout his life on earth

by spending all his strength to bless his be loved.

3. He gave himself in death; the ransom for his

church.

4. He gave himself in his eternal life; rising, ascending, reigning, pleading; and all for the church of his choice.

5. He gave himself in all that he now is as God

and man, exalted to the throne, for the end less benefit of his beloved church.

III. HOW WE SHOULD THIXK OF IT.

It is set before us as a love which should influence our hearts.

We should think of it —

1 In a way of gratitude, wondering more and

more at such love. 2. In a way of obedience, as the wife obeys the

husband.

8. In a way of reverence. Looking up to love so

great, so heavenly, so perfect, so divine. 4. In a way of holiness. Rejoicing to be like our Holy Husband.

5. In a way of love. Yielding our whole heart to

him.

6. In a way of imitation. Loving him, and others

for his sake.

Let us enter into the love of Jesus, enjoy it in our own hearts, and then imitate it in our families.

CONCERNING LOVE.

Rowland Hill often felt much grieved at the false reports which were circulated of many of his sayings, especially those respecting his publicly mentioning Mrs. Hill. His attentions to her till the close of life were of the most gentlemanly and affectionate kind. The high view he entertained of her may be seen from the following fact: — A friend having informed Mr. Hill of the sudden death of a lady, the wife of a minister, remarked, “I am afraid our dear minister loved his wife too well, and the Lord in wisdom has removed her.” “What, sir?” replied Mr. Hill, with the deepest feeling, “can a man love a good wife too much? Impossible, sir, unless he can love her better than Christ loves the church: ‘Husbands, love your wives, even as Christ also loved the church and gave himself for it.’”

“Let all things be done in love,” said the apostle. If all thy actions towards others, then, much more all things that concern thy wife, should be done in love. Thy thoughts should be thoughts of love; thy looks should be looks of love; thy lips, like the honeycomb, should drop nothing but sweetness and love; thy instructions should be edged with love; thy reprehensions should be sweetened with love; thy carriage and whole conversation towards her should be but the fruit and demonstration of thy love. Oil, how did Christ, who is thy pattern, love his spouse! His birth, life, and death were but, as it were, a stage whereon the hottest love imaginable, from first to last, acted its part to the life, it was a known, unknown love. Tiberius Gracchus, the Ro.nan, finding two snakes in his bed, arid consulting with the soothsayers, was told that one of them must be killed; yet, if he killed the male, he him self would die shortly; if the female, his wife would die. His love to his wife, Cornelia, was so great, that lie killed the male, saith Plutarch, and died quickly. — George Swinnock.

The Spanish poet Calderon, in one of his dramas, describes a beautiful Roman girl, Daria by name, eventually a Christian convert and martyr, who declares, while yet a pagan, that she will never love until she finds some one who has died to prove his love to her, She hears of Christ, and her heart is won.