nature of the love of Christ. Now these defile it, and make it
abominable. Yea, if there were no imperfection in it, but that
which I first did mention, to wit, shortness; how could it cover
the nakedness of him that hath it, or obtain for the man, in whole
or in part, that Christ should love, and have respect unto him.

Occasions many thou hast given thee to see the emptiness of man's
own righteousness, but all will not do unless thou hast help from
heaven: wherefore thy wisdom will be, if thou canst tell where
to find it, to lie in the way of God, that when he comes to visit
the men that wait upon him in the means of his own appointing,
thou mayest be there; if perhaps he may cast an eye of pity upon
thy desolate soul, and make thee see the things above mentioned.
That thou mayest know the nature of the love of Christ.

Help Third, If thou wouldest know the nature of this love, be much
in acquainting of thy soul with the nature of the law, and the
nature of the gospel (Gal 3:21). The which though they are not
diametrically opposite one to another, yet do propound things so
differently to man, that if he knows not where, when, and how to
take them, 'tis impossible but that he should confound them, and
in confounding of them, lose his own soul (Rom 9:31,32). The law
is a servant, both first and last, to the gospel (Rom 10:3,4): when
therefore it is made a Lord, it destroyeth: and then to be sure
it is made a Lord and Saviour of, when its dictates and commands
are depended upon for life.

Thy wisdom therefore will be to study these things distinctly, and
thoroughly; for so far as thou art ignorant of the true knowledge
of the nature of these, so far thou art ignorant of the true