Saturday, March 14, 2015

Puritan Nuggets of Gold # 54

Love (continued)

So peculiar is this blessing of the Gospel, that Christ appoints it for the badge and cognizance by which they should not only know one another, but even strangers would be able to know them from any other sect and sort of men in the world: "By this shall all men know that ye are My disciples, that ye love one another." (William Gurnall)

Affection without action is like Rachel, beautiful but barren. (John Trapp)

Love of man necessarily arise out of the love of God. The love of the creature is but the corollary to the love of the Creator. This is what the Christian finds, as a matter of fact. His heart is overcharged with love to God. It finds its way out in love to man. His direct service of God cannot, in the nature of things, go very far. He worships God publicly in His house. He glorifies Him secretly in the constant outpourings of his heart. He gives of his substance to the maintenance of every cause which is God's cause. But here it ends. God is so mighty, so self-contained, that with all our puny efforts, much cannot be done to serve Him. So the Christian looks about to see how he is to show his love for God. He soon finds the way. Clearly, it must be by love for his fellow-man. (John Hooper)

A greater hell I would not wish any man, than to live and not love the beloved of God. (Thomas Brooks)

Think oft of heaven, and what a thing a saint will be in glory, when he shall shine as the stars, and be equal to the angels, and then you will quickly see cause to love them. (Richard Baxter)

Wicked men seem to bear great reverence to the saints departed; they canonize dead saints, but persecute living. In vain do men stand up at the creed, and tell the world they believe in God, when they abominate one of the articles of the creed, namely, the communion of saints. Surely, there is no greater sign of a man ripe for hell, than this, not only to lack grace, but to hate it. (Thomas Watson)

Of love there are two principle offices, one to give, another to forgive. (John Boys)

He loves but little who tells how much he loves. (John Boys)


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