“If I be fallen into sin that lies hard upon me, and my conscience fears, that for this there is no forgiveness. The help for a stay from utter despair is at hand: but there may, say I, for Christ loves, with a love that passeth knowledge. (Ephesians 3:18-19)
If Satan would dissuade me from praying to God, by suggesting as if Christ would not regard the stammering, and chattering prayer of mine. The answer is ready, but he may regard for aught I know; for He loves with a love that passeth knowledge.
If the tempter doth suggest that thy trials, and troubles, and afflictions, are so many, that it is to be thought thou shall never get beyond them. The answer is near, but for aught we know, Christ may carry me through them all, for He loves with a love that passeth knowledge.
Thus therefore you may see that in this prayer of Paul, there is a great deal of good. He prays, when he prays that we might know the love of Christ that passeth knowledge: that we may have a help at hand, and relief against all the horrible temptations of the devil.”
–John Bunyan, All Love’s Excelling: The Saint’s Knowledge of Christ’s Love(Carlisle, PA: Banner of Truth, 1692/1998), 102-103.
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