“And let us consider how to stir up one another to love and good works”
Hebrews 10:24

This life of love is the true improvement of all God’s doctrines, ordinances, mercies, afflictions, and other providences whatsoever!

For the use of them all is to lead us up to holy love, and to help us in the daily exercise of it.

What is the Bible else written for, but to teach us to love and to exercise the fruits of love?

What came Christ from heaven for, but to demonstrate and reveal God’s love and loveliness to man, by reconciling us to God, and freely pardoning all our sins, and promising us both grace and glory, to shew us those motives which should kindle love, and to shew us that God is most suitable and worthy of our love, and to fill us with the Spirit of love, which may give us that which he commandeth us.

What is it that we read books for, and hear sermons for, but to kindle and exercise holy love?

What join we for in the sacred worship of the assemblies, but that in an united flame of holy love, we might all mount up in praise to Jehovah?

What is the Lord’s-day separated to, but the tidings of love, the sufferings, victories, and triumphs of our Saviour’s love, the tastes and prospects of God’s love to us, and the lively and joyful exercise of ours to him, and to each other?

What use are the sacraments of, but that being entertained at the most wonderful feast of love, we should taste its sweetness, and pour out the grateful sense of it in holy thanksgiving and praise, and the exercise of uniting love to one another?

—Richard Baxter
The Practical Works of the Rev. Richard Baxter, vol. 15 (London: James Duncan, 1830), 250–251.

Categories:

Tags:

Comments are closed

Archives