You were fitter to be loathed than loved. By Thomas Boston.

Call to mind the state you were in formerly. Remember that at that time you were without Christ, having no hope, and without God in the world. Ephesians chapter 2, verse 12.

Now you are no longer a child of wrath, but an heir of God, and a joint heir with Christ. Remember that in the day our Lord first took you by the hand, you were in no better a condition than others. Oh, what moved Him to take you, when He passed by so many others who were much better than you!

He found you a child of wrath, even as others, but He did not leave you so. He came into the common prison where you lay in fetters, even as others, from among the multitude of condemned criminals. He picked you out, commanded your fetters to be taken off, put a pardon in your hand, and brought you into the glorious liberty of the children of God, while He left others in the devil's fetters.

Remember, there was nothing in you to engage him to love you. You were a child of wrath, even as others. You were fit for hell, and altogether unfit for heaven. Yet the king brought you into his palace. The king's son loved you, a condemned criminal, and espoused you to himself, on the day in which you might have been led forth to eternal execution.

Even so, father, for so it seemed good in your sight. Remember, you were fitter to be loathed than loved in that day. Be amazed and wonder that when he saw you in your blood that he did not look upon you with abhorrence and pass you by.

Remember, it was he who took off your prison garments and clothed you with robes of righteousness, garments of salvation. He took the chains from off your arms, the rope from around your neck, and put you in a spotless robe to fit you for the court of heaven, even to eat at the king's table.

Admire that matchless love which brought you out of the state of wrath. Christ's love brought your soul from the pit of corruption. He gave his life for your life. He gave his precious blood to quench the flames of wrath, which otherwise would have forever consumed you. He took you out of the horrible pit and out of the miry clay. How broad is his love, which covers such a multitude of sins!

Note the length of it, reaching from everlasting to everlasting. See the depth of it, going so low as to deliver you from the lowest hell. Ponder the height of it, raising you up to sit in heavenly places. That your soul is not overwhelmed with the wrath of God, is owing purely to the Lord Jesus. That your heart is not filled with horror and despair, is owing to Him alone. That your eyes are not now blinded with the smoke of the bottomless pit. that your hands not now fettered with adamantine chains of darkness, that your tongue is not now broiling in the fire of hell, that your feet are not now standing in the lake of fire and brimstone, is owing purely to your precious Saviour.

Walk humbly, as it befits debtors to free and sovereign grace. You have no reason to complain of your lot in the world, whatever it is. Well may you bear the cross for him, who bore your curse for you, who has freed you from eternal wrath, and who has quenched hellfire for you.