We will not pretend to what we do not feel.
My friends, there is, as usual, truth on both sides,--both are partly
right, and both are partly wrong. And both may go on arguing against
each other, and quoting texts of Scripture against each other till the
last day; if they will not listen to St John's message in the text. One
party will say, It is written, Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all
thy heart, and soul, and strength, and mind; and if thou doest that, and
thy soul is filled with love for the Creator, thou canst have no love
left for the creature; or if thy heart is filled with love for the
creature, there is no room left for love to God. And then thou wilt find
that God is a jealous God, and will take from thee what thou lovest,
because He will not have His honour given to another.
And to that the other party will answer, Has not God said, "Thou shalt
love thy neighbour as thyself?" Has He not commanded us to love our
wives, our children? And even if He had not, would not common sense tell
us that He intended us to do so? Do you think that God is a tempter and
a deceiver? He has given us feelings and powers.
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