Love me
I mean, first: love me. And that not only as you love all mankind; not only as you love your enemies, or the enemies of God — those who hate you, who spitefully use you and persecute you; not only as a stranger, as one of whom you know neither good nor evil. I am not satisfied with this. No. If your heart is right, as mine is with your heart, then love me with a very tender affection: as a friend who is closer than a brother (Proverbs 18:24); as a brother in Christ, a fellow citizen of the new Jerusalem, a fellow soldier engaged in the same warfare, under the same captain of our salvation (Hebrews 2:10). Love me as a companion in the kingdom and patience of Jesus (Revelation 1:9), and a joint heir of his glory (Romans 8:17).
1771 text
3. I mean, first, love me. And that not only as thou lovest all mankind; not only as thou lovest thine enemies, or the enemies of God, those that hate thee, that despitefully use thee and persecute thee: not only as a stranger, as one of whom thou knowest neither good nor evil. I am not satisfied with this. No: If thine heart be right, as mine with thy heart, then love me with a very tender affection, as a friend that is closer than a brother: as a brother in Christ, a fellow-citizen of the new Jerusalem, a fellow-soldier engaged in the same warfare, under the same captain of our salvation. Love me as a companion in the kingdom and patience of Jesus, and a joint-heir of his glory.