Has He not meant us to
use them? He has given us wife and child. Did He mean us not to love
them, after He has made us love them, we know not how or why? You say
that God is a jealous God. Yes, jealous He may be of our worshipping
false gods, and idols, saints, or anything or person save Himself,--
jealous of our doing wrong, and ruining ourselves, and wandering out of
the path of His commandments, in which alone is life; but jealous of our
loving our fellow creature as well as Himself, never. That sort of
jealousy is a base and wicked passion in man, and dare we attribute it to
God? What a thing to say of the loving God, that He takes away people's
children, husbands, and friends, because they love them too much!
Then the first party will say, But is it not written, "Love not the
world, neither the things that are in the world. If any man love the
world, the love of the Father is not in him?" And to that, the second
party will answer, And do you say that we are not to love this fair and
wonderful earth which God has made for our use, and put us into it? Why
did He make it lovely? Why did He put us into it, if He did not mean us
to enjoy it? That is contrary to common sense, and contrary to the whole
teaching of the Old Testament.
Pages:
183
184
185
186
187
188
189
190
191
192
193
194
195
196
197
198
199
200
201
202
203
204
205
206
207