and went beyond him; he collared with him, overcame him, and
cast him down. "The Lord is a man of war, the Lord is his name.
Pharaoh's chariots and his host hath he cast into the sea--they
sank into the bottom as a stone" (Exo 15:5). There is no striving
against the Lord that hath loved us; there is none that strive
against him can prosper. If the shields of the earth be the Lord's
(Psa 47:9), then he can wield them for the safeguard of his body
the church; or if they are become incapable of being made use of
any longer in that way, and for such a thing, can he not lay them
aside, and make himself new ones? Men can do after this manner,
much more God. But again, if the miseries, or afflictions which
thou meetest with, seem to thee to overflow, and to go beyond
measure, above measure, and so to be above strength, and begin to
drive thee to despair of life (2 Cor 1:8); then thou hast also,
in the love of God, and of Christ, that which is above, and that
goes beyond all measure also, to wit, love unsearchable, unknown,
and "that can do exceeding abundantly above all that we ask or
think." Now God hath set them one against the other, and 'twill
be thy wisdom to do so too, for this is the way to improve this
love. But, though it be easy, thus to admonish you to do, yet you
shall find the practical part more difficult; wherefore, here it
may not be amiss, if I add to these, another head of COUNSEL.

Counsel First, Then, Wouldest thou improve this love of God and
of Christ to thy advantage, Why then thou must labour after the
knowledge of it. This was it that the Apostle prayed for, for
these Ephesians, as was said before, and this is that that thou
must labour after, or else thy reading and my writing, will, as to
thee, be fruitless. Let me then say to thee, as David to his son
Solomon, "And thou Solomon, my son, know thou the God of thy