Love in Christ pitcheth not itself upon undue or unlawful objects;
nor refuseth to embrace what by the eternal covenant is made
capable thereof. It always acteth according to God; nor is there
at any time the least shadow of swerving as to this.

Love in Christ requireth no taking beauteousness in the object
to be beloved, as not being able to put forth itself without such
attracting allurements (Eze 16:6-8). It can act of and from itself,
without all such kind of dependencies. This is manifest to all who
have the least true knowledge of what that object is in itself,
on which the Lord Jesus has set his heart to love them.

Love in Christ decays not, nor can be tempted so to do by anything
that happens, or that shall happen hereafter, in the object so
beloved. But as this love at first acts by, and from itself, so
it continueth to do until all things that are imperfections, are
completely and everlastingly subdued. The reason is, because Christ
loves to make us comely, not because we are so (Eze 16:9-14).

Object. But all along Christ compareth his love to ours; now, why
doth he so, if they be so much alike?

Answer. Because we know not love but by the passions of love that
work in our hearts; wherefore he condescends to our capacities,
and speaketh of His love to us, according as we find love to work
in ourselves to others. Hence he sets forth his love to us, by
borrowing from us instances of our love to wife and children (Eph
5:25). Yea, he sometimes sets forth his love to us, by calling to
our mind how sometimes a man loves a woman that is a whore, "Go,"
(saith God to the prophet) "love a woman beloved of her friend,