To what purpose else is it revealed, made mention of, and commended
to us? We are environed with many enemies, and faith in the love
of God and of Christ, is our only succour and shelter. Wherefore
our duty and wisdom and privilege is, to improve this love for
our own advantage. Improve it against daily infirmities, improve
it against the wiles of the devil; improve it against the threats,
rage, death, and destruction, that the men of this world continually
with their terror set before you. But how must that be done? why,
set this love and the safety that is in it, before thine eyes;
and behold it while these things make their assaults upon thee.
These words, the faith of this, God loves me, will support thee
in the midst of what dangers may assault thee. And this is that
which is meant, when we are exhorted to rejoice in the Lord (Phil
3:1), to make our boast in the Lord (Psa 44:8); to triumph in
Christ (2 Cor 2:14); and to set the Lord always before our face
(Psa 16:8). For he that can do this thing stedfastly, cannot
be overcome. For in God there is more than can be in the world,
either to help or hinder; wherefore if God be my helper, if God
loves me, if Christ be my redeemer, and has bestowed his love that
passeth knowledge upon me, who can be against me? (Heb 13:6, Rom
8:31) and if they be against me, what disadvantage reap I thereby;
since even all this also, worketh for my good? This is improving
the love of God and of Christ for my advantage. The same course
should Christians also take with the degrees of this love, even
set it against all the degrees of danger; for here deep calleth
unto deep. There cannot be wickedness and rage wrought up to
such or such a degree, as of which it may be said, there are not
degrees in the love of God and of Christ to match it. Wherein
Pharaoh dealt proudly against God's people, the Lord was above
him (Exo 18:11), did match and overmatch him; he came up to him,