DEUT. 10: 12. And now, Israel, what doth the LORD thy God require of thee, but to fear the LORD thy God, to walk in all his ways, and to love him, and to serve the LORD thy God with all thy heart and with all thy soul, to keep the commandments of the LORD, and his statutes, which I command thee this day, for thy good? 30: 15. I have set before thee this day life and good; death and evil; in that I command thee to love the LORD thy God. JOSH. 22 5. Take diligent heed to love the LORD your God. Ps. 91 14. Because he hath set his love upon me; therefore will I deliver him and honor him. 145 20. The LORD preserveth them that love him. ROM. 8: 23. All things work together for good to them that love God. 1 COR. 2 9. Eye hath not seen, nor ear heard, neither have entered into the heart of man the things that God hath prepared for those that love him, EPH. 14. He hath chosen us in him (Christ) before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy, and without blame before him in love. GAL. 5: 22. The fruit of the Spirit is love. 1 JOHN 4:20. If a man say I love God, and hateth his brother, he is a liar; for he that loveth not his brother whom he hath seen, how can he love God whom he hath not seen? And this commandment have we from God, that he who loveth God love his brother also. ROM. 55. The love of God is shed abroad in our hearts by the Holy Ghost. Evidence of Love to God. 1 JOHN 2: 5. Whoso keepeth God's word, in him verily is the love of God perfected.-15. If any man love the world, the love of the Father is not in him. 53. This is the love of God, that we keep his commandments. JOHN 14: 15. If ye love me, keep my commandments. - 21. He that hath my commandments and keepeth them, he it is that loveth me. 23. If a man love me, he will keep my words. 1 JOHN 4: 20. If a man say, I love God, and hateth his brother, he is a liar; for he that loveth not his brother whom he hath seen, how can he love God whom he hath not seen? 2:15. If any man love the world, the love of the Father is not in him. 3: 17. Whoso hath this world's goods, and seeth his brother have need, and shutteth up his bowels of compassion from him, how dwelleth the love of God in him? II. Love to Christians. : JOHN 13 34. A new commandment give I unto you, that ye love one another. As have loved you, that ye also love one another. - 35. By this shall all men know that ye are my disciples, if ye have love one to another. ROM. 12: 9. Let love be without dissimulation. EPH. 5: 2. Walk in love, as Christ hath loved us, and given himself for us. PHIL. 1: 9. I pray that your love may abound more and more. HEB. 10: 24. Let us consider one another, to provoke unto love, and to good works. 13: 1. Let brotherly love continue. 1 JOHN 4: 20. If a man say I love God, and hateth his brother, he is a liar; for he that loveth not his brother whom he hath seen, how can he love God whom he hath not seen? And this commandment have we from God, that he who loveth God, love his brother also. 1 PETER 1: 22. See that ye love one another, with a pure heart fervently. 2:17. Love the brotherhood. 1 JOHN 2: 10. He that loveth his brother abideth in the light, and there is none occasion of stumbling in him. 3: 11. This is the message that ye have heard from the beginning, that we love one another.-14. We know that we have passed from death unto life, because we love the brethren. 18. My little children, let us not love in word, neither in tongue, but in deed and in truth. 4: 10. God loved us, and gave his Son to be the propitiation for our sins. 11. Beloved, if God so loved us, we ought also to love one another. - 21. This commandment we have of God, that we love one another. ROM. 5: 8. God commendeth his love toward us, in that while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us. 8: 9. If any man have not the spirit of Christ he is none of his. 12: 10. Be kindly affectioned one to another with brotherly love. 1 THESS. 3: 12. The Lord make you to increase and abound in love, one toward another, and toward all men, even as we do toward you. 1 THESS. 4: 9. But as touching brotherly love, ye need not that I write unto you: for ye yourselves are taught of God to love one another: and indeed ye do it toward all the brethren which are in all Macedonia. But we beseech you, breth-' ren, that ye increase more and more; and that ye study to be quiet, and to do your own business, and to work with your own hands, as we commanded you; that ye may walk honestly toward them that are without, and that ye may have lack of nothing. EPH. 4: 2. Forbearing one another in love; endeavoring to keep the unity of the Spirit in the bonds of peace. PHIL. 2: 2. Be like minded haying the same love, being of one accord, of one mind. ROM. 13: 8. Owe no man any thing but to love one another. He that loveth another hath fulfilled the law. For this, thou shalt not commit adultery; thou shalt not kill; thou shalt not steal; thou shalt not bear false witness; thou shalt not covet; and if there be any other commandment, it is briefly comprehended in this saying, Thou shalt love thy neighbor as thyself. Love worketh no ill to his neighbor; therefore love is the fulfilling of the law. GAL. 5 13. By love serve one another. EPH. 4: 1. Walk worthy of the vocation wherewith ye are called; with all lowliness and meekness, with long suffering, forbearing one another in love; endeavoring to keep the unity of the spirit in the bond of peace. 15. Speaking the truth in love. (See Evidences of Piety.) III. Love to all Men. ISA. 2: 3. For out of Zion shall go forth the law, and the word of the LORD from Jerusalem. And he shall judge among the nations, and shall rebuke many people. And they shall beat their swords into plow-shares, and their spears into pruning-hooks. Nation shall not lift up sword against nation, neither shall they learn war any more. it hath been said, Thou shalt love thy neighbor, and hate thine enemy. But I say unto you, Love your enemies, bless them that curse you, do good to them that hate you, and pray for them which despitefully use you, and persecute you; that ye may be the children of your Father which is in heaven; for he maketh his sun to rise on the evil and on the good, and sendeth rain on the just and on the unjust. For if ye love them which love you, what reward have ye? do not even the publicans the same? and if ye salute your brethren only, what do ye more than others? do not even the publicans so? Be ye therefore perfect, even as your Father which is in heaven is perfect. 1 T MAT. 5:9. Blessed are the peace makers; for they shall be called the children of God. 1 CHRON. 22: 6. Then he called for Solomon his son, and charged him to build an house for the LORD God of Israel. And David said to Solomon, My son, as for me, it was in my mind to build an house unto the name of the LORD my God: but the word of the LORD came to me, saying, Thou hast shed blood abun-ish with the sword. dantly, and hast made great wars: thou shalt not build an house unto my name, because thou hast shed much blood upon the earth in my sight. Behold, a son shall be born to thee, who shall be a man of rest; and I will give him rest from all his enemies round about: for his name shall be Solomon, and I will give peace and quietness unto Israel in his days. He shall build an house for my name; and he shall be my son, and I will be his father; and I will establish the throne of his kingdom over Israel forever. 26: 51. And behold, one of them which were with Jesus, stretched out his hand, and drew his sword, and struck a servant of the high priest, and smote off his ear. Then said Jesus unto him, Put up again thy sword into his place: for all they that take the sword, shall per MAT. 5: 38. Ye have heard that it hath been said, An eye for an eye, and a tooth for a tooth. But I say unto you, That ye resist not evil: but whosoever shall smite thee on thy right cheek, turn to him the other also: and if any man will sue thee at the law, and take away thy coat, let him have thy cloak also. And whosoever shall compel thee to go a mile, go with him twain. Give to him that asketh thee; and from him, that would borrow of thee, turn not thou away. Ye have heard that GEN. 45: 4. And Joseph said unto his brethren, Come near to me, I pray you. And they came near. And he said, I am Joseph your brother, whom ye sold into Egypt. Now therefore be not grieved, nor angry with yourselves, that ye sold me hither: for God did send me before you to preserve life. ROM. 12: 14. Bless them which persecute you; bless, and curse not. Rejoice with them that do rejoice, and weep with them that weep. Be of the same mind one toward another. Mind not high things, but condescend to men of low estate. Be not wise in your own conceits. Recompense to no man evil for evil. Provide things honest in the sight of all men. If it be possible, as much as lieth in you, live peaceably with all men. Dearly beloved, avenge not yourselves, but rather give place unto wrath for it is written, Vengeance is mine; I will repay, saith the LORD. Therefore, if thine enemy hunger, drink: for in so doing thou shalt heap coals of fire on his head. Be not overcome of evil, but overcome evil with good. IV. Passions and Practices by which the Law of Love is violated. 1 COR. 14: 20. In malice be ye children; but in understanding be men. EPH. 4:31. Let all bitterness, and wrath, and anger, and clamor, and evil speaking, be put away from you, with all malice. COL. 3: 8. Put off all these; anger, wrath, malice, blasphemy, filthy communication out of your mouth. TITUS 3: 3. For we ourselves also, were sometimes foolish, disobedient, deceived, serving diverse lusts and pleasures, living in malice and envy, hateful and hating one another. Ps. 37: 8. Cease from anger, and forsake wrath; fret not thyself in any wise to do evil. PROV. 14: 17. He that is soon angry is foolish; and a man of wicked devices is hated. 15: 1. A soft answer turneth away wrath; but grievous words stir up anger.-18. A wrathful man stirreth up strife; but he that is slow to anger appeaseth strife. 16: 32. He that is slow to anger is better than the mighty; and he that ruleth his spirit than he that taketh a city. 21:14. A gift in secret pacifieth anger, and a reward in the bosom, strong wrath. 27: 4. Wrath is cruel and anger outrageous; but who is able to stand before envy? 29: 22. An angry man stirreth up strife, and a furions man aboundeth in transgression. 14: 29. He that is slow to wrath is of great understanding; but he that is hasty of spirit exalteth folly. 19: 19. A man of great wrath, shall suffer punishment. MAT. 5: 22. Whosoever is angry with his brother without cause, shall be in danger of the judgment. ROM. 12: 19. Avenge not your selves, but rather give place unto wrath. EPH. 4: 26. Be ye angry and sin not; let not the sun go down upon your wrath. JOHN 7: 23. Are ye angry at me, because I have made a man every whit whole on the sabbath day? ¶ PROV. 23: 17. Let not thy heart envy sinners; but be thou in the fear of the Lord, all the day long. ROM. 18: 19. Let us walk honestly, not in strife and envyings. 2 COR. 12: 20. I fear... lest there be envying amongst you. GAL. 5: 26. Let us not be desirous of vain glory, provoking one another. 1 PETER 2: 1. Laying aside all malice, and all guile, and hypocrisies, and envies, and all evil speakings; as new-born babes, desire the sincere milk of the word, that ye may grow thereby. MAT. 27: 18. He knew that for envy they had delivered him. ACTS 5: 17. The Jews filled with indignation laid their hands on the apostles, and put them in the common prison. 7: 9. The patriarchs moved with envy sold Joseph into Egypt. JAMES 4: 5. The spirit that dwelleth in us lusteth to envy. LEV. 19: 17. Thou shalt not hate thy brother in thy heart. Ps. 34: 21. Evil shall slay the wicked, and they that hate the righteous shall be desolate. AMOS 5: 10. They hate him that rebuketh in the gate; they abhor him that speaketh uprightly. JOHN 7: 7. The world hateth me, because I testify of it, that the works thereof are evil. 15: 18. If the world hate you, ye know that it hated me before it hated you. If ye were of the world, the world would love his own; but because ye are not of the world, but I have chosen you out of the world, therefore the world hateth you. 1 JOHN 2: 9. He that hateth his brother is in darkness. 3: 15. Whosoever hateth his brother is a murderer. 4: 20. If a man say, I love God and hateth his brother, he is a liar. 1 SAM. 18: 8. And Saul was very wroth, and the saying displeased him; and he said, They have ascribed unto David ten thousands, and to me they have ascribed but thousands: and what can he have more but the kingdom? And Saul eyed David from that day and forward. ROM. 6: 21. What fruit had ye then in those things whereof ye are ashamed? T JAMES 4: 1. Whence come wars and fightings among you? Come they not hence even of your lusts, that war in your members? PROV. 26: 21. As coals are to burning coals, so is a contentious man to kindle strife. 1 COR. 13: 1. Though I speak with the tongues of men and of angels, and have not charity, I am become as sounding brass, or а tinkling cymbal. And though I have the gift of prophecy, and understand all mysteries, and all knowledge; and though I have all faith, so that I could remove mountains, and have not charity, I am nothing. Aud though I bestow all my goods to feed the poor, and though I give my body to be burned, and have not charity, it profiteth me nothing. Charity suffereth long, and is kind; charity envieth not; charity vaunteth not itself, is not puffed up, doth not behave itself unseemly, seeketh not her own, is not easily provoked, thinketh no evil, rejoiceth not in iniquity, but rejoiceth in the truth, beareth_all things, believeth all things, hopeth all things, endureth all things. Charity never faileth: but whether there be prophecies, they shall fail; whether there be tongues, they shall cease; whether there be knowledge, it shall vanish away. For we know in part, and we prophesy in part. But when that which is perfect is come, then that which is in part shall be done away. When I was a child, I spake as a child, I understood as a child, I thought as a child: but when I became a man, I put away childish things. For now we see through a glass darkly; but then face to face: now I know in part: but then shall I know even as also I am known. And now abideth faith, hope, charity, these three; but the greatest of these is charity. 1 SAM. 22: 9. Then answered Doeg the Edomite, which was set over the servants of Saul, and said, I saw the son of Jesse coming to Nob, to Ahimelech, the son of Ahitub. And he inquired of the LORD for him, and gave him victuals, and gave him the sword of Goliath the Philistine. Then the king sent to call Ahimelech the priest, the son of Ahitub, and all his father's house, the priests that were in Nob: and they came all of them to the king. And Saul said, Hear now, thou son of Ahitub. And he answered, Here I am, my lord. And Saul said unto him, Why have ye conspired against me, thou and the son of Jesse, in that thou hast given him bread, and a sword, and hast inquired of God for him, that he should rise against me, to lie in wait, as at this day? Then Ahimelech answered the king, and said, And who is so faithful among all thy servants as David, which is the king's son-in-law, and goeth at thy bidding, and is honorable in thine house? Did I then begin to inquire of God for him? be it far from me: let not the king impute any thing unto his servant, nor to all the house of my father for thy servant knew nothing of all this, less or more. And the king said, Thou shalt surely die, Ahimelech, thou, and all thy father's house. And the king said unto the footmen that stood about him, Turn, and slay the priests of the LORD; because their hand also is with David, and because they knew when he fled, and did not show it to me. But the servants of the king would not put forth their hand to fall upon the priests of the LORD. And the king said to Doeg, Turn thou, and fall upon the priests. Aud Doeg the Edomite turned, and he fell upon the priests, and 1 TIM. 1:5. Now the end of the slew on that day fourscore-and-five | commandment is charity out of a 16: 14. Let all things be done with charity. COL. 3: 14. Above all these things put on charity, which is the bond of perfectness: and let the peace of God rule in your hearts. |