" Yet
this works in us no looseness nor favor to sin, but so much the more
an abhorrence of it: "She loveth much, for much was forgiven her;"
yea, she weeps, she washeth his feet, and wipeth them with the hairs
of her head, to the confounding of Simon the Pharisee, and all such
ignorant hypocrites.
DIVINE LOVE IMPROVED.
Empty notions of the love of God and of Christ will do nothing but
harm; wherefore they are not empty notions that I press thee to rest
in, but that thou labor after the knowledge of the savor of this
good ointment which the apostle calls "the savor of the knowledge of
this Lord Jesus." Know it until it becomes sweet or pleasant to thy
soul, and then it will preserve and keep thee. 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 has given
thee. 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.
Wouldst thou improve this love of God and of Christ? 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.
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