Christian Theology - Media Sabda Org

Love is the means of preserving all other graces; indeed, properly
speaking, it includes them all; and all receive their perfection from it.
Love to God and man can never be dispensed with. It is essential to social
and religious life; without it no communion can be kept up with God; nor
can any man have a preparation for eternal glory whose heart and soul are
not deeply imbued with it. Without it there never was true religion, nor
ever can be; and it not only is necessary through life, but will exist
throughout eternity. What were a state of blessedness if it did not
comprehend love to God and to human spirits in the most exquisite,
refined, and perfect degrees?
That man is no Christian who is solicitous for his own happiness
alone, and who cares not how the world goes, so that himself be
comfortable. How much good is omitted, how many evils caused, how
many duties neglected, how many innocent persons deserted, how many
good works destroyed, how many truths suppressed, and how many acts
of injustice authorized, by those timorous forecasts of what may happen,
and those faithless apprehensions concerning the future!
Where is our zeal for God? Where the sounding of our bowels over the
perishing nations who have not yet come under the yoke of the gospel?
multitudes of whom are not under the yoke, because they have never
heard of it;—and they have not heard of it, because they who enjoy the
blessings of the gospel of Jesus have not felt (or have not obeyed the
feeling) the imperious duty of dividing their heavenly bread with those
who are famishing with hunger, and giving the water of life to those who
are dying of thirst! How shall they appear in that great day when the
conquests of the Lion of the tribe of Judah are ended; when the
mediatorial kingdom is delivered up unto the Father; and the Judge of
quick and dead sits on the great white throne, and to those on his left
says, "I was hungry, and ye gave me no meat; I was thirsty, and ye gave
me no drink?" I say, how shall they appear who have made no exertions
to tell the lost nations of the earth the necessity for preparing to meet their
God; and showing them the means of doing it, by affording them the
blessings of the gospel of the grace of God? Let us beware lest the stone