God so loved the world

(Thomas Brooks, "Paradise Opened" 1675)

"God so loved the world, that He gave
 His only-begotten Son." John 3:16.

Oh! what kind of love is this, for God to give . . .
  His Son—not His servant;
  His begotten Son—not His adopted Son;
  His only Son—and not one son of many.

We see here . . .
  the firstness of the Father's love, and
  the freeness of the Father's love, and
  the vehemency of the Father's love, and
  the admirableness of the Father's love, and
  the matchlessness of the Father's love!

Says God the Father to His Son, "Here is man—fallen
from his primitive purity, glory, and excellency—into a
most woeful gulf of sin and misery! He who was once
a son—has now become a slave; he who was once Our
friend—has now become Our enemy; he who was once
near Us—is now afar off; he who was once in Our favor
—is now cast off; he who was once made in Our image
—has now the image of Satan stamped upon him; he
who had once sweet communion with Us—has now
fellowship with the devil and his demons! Out of this
forlorn estate, he can never deliver himself! Neither
can all the angels in heaven deliver him! Now this
being man's woeful case and state, I make this offer
to You, O my Son: If, in the fullness of time, You will
assume the nature of man, tread the winepress of My
wrath alone, bear the curse, shed your blood, die, suffer,
satisfy My justice, fulfill My royal law—then I can, upon
the most honorable terms imaginable, save fallen man,
and put him into a safer and happier condition than he
ever was—and give You a noble reward for all Your
sufferings."

Upon this Jesus Christ replies: "O my Father! I am very
ready and willing to do, to suffer, to die—to satisfy Your
justice, to comply with You in all Your noble and gracious
inclinations—that poor sinners may be sanctified and
saved, made gracious and glorious, holy and happy;
that poor sinners may never perish, that poor sinners
may be secured from wrath to come, and be brought
into a state of light, life and love! I am willing to make
Myself an offering for their sin. Lo, I am come to do
Your will, O God."