father" (1 Chron 28:9). Empty notions of this love will do nothing
but harm, wherefore, they are not empty notions that I press thee
to rest in, but that thou labour after the knowledge of the favour
of this good ointment (Song 1:3), which the Apostle calleth the
favour of the knowledge of this Lord Jesus (2 Cor 2:14). Know it,
until it becometh sweet or pleasant to thy soul, and then it will
preserve and keep thee (Prov 2:10,11). Make this love of God and
of Christ thine own, and not another's. Many there are that can
talk largely of the love of God to Abraham, to David, to Peter and
Paul. But that is not the thing, give not over until this love
be made thine own; until thou find and feel it to run warm in
thy heart by the shedding of it abroad there, by the spirit that
God hath given thee (Rom 5:5). Then thou wilt know it with an
obliging and engaging knowledge; yea, then thou wilt know it with
a soul-strengthening, and soul-encouraging knowledge.

Counsel Second, Wouldest thou improve this love? then set it
against the love of all other things whatsoever, even until this
love shall conquer thy soul from the love of them to itself.

This is Christian. Do it therefore, and say, why should any thing
have my heart but God, but Christ? He loves me, he loves me with
love that passeth knowledge. He loves me, and he shall have me:
he loves me, and I will love him: his love stripped him of all for
my sake; Lord let my love strip me of all for thy sake. I am a son
of love, an object of love, a monument of love, of free love, of
distinguishing love, of peculiar love, and of love that passeth
knowledge: and why should not I walk in love? In love to God, in
love to men, in holy love, in love unfeigned? This is the way to
improve the love of God for thy advantage, for the subduing of