Yes, He has given us, in Himself, a king who can never misgovern, a
teacher who can never mislead, a priest whose sacrifice can never be
unaccepted, a protector who can never grow weary, a friend who can never
betray. And all that this earth has in it really worth loving,--the ties
of family, of country, of universal brotherhood--the beauties and wonders
of God's mysterious universe--all true love, all useful labour, all
innocent enjoyment--the marriage bed, and the fireside circle--the
bounties of harvest, and the smiles of spring, and all that makes life
bright and this earth dear--all these things He has restored to man,
spiritual and holy, deep with new meaning, bright with purer enjoyment,
rich with usefulness, not merely for time, but for eternity, after they
had become, through the accumulated sin and folly of ages, foul, dead,
and well nigh forgotten. He has united these common duties and pleasures
of man's life to Himself, by taking them on Himself on earth; by giving
us His spirit to understand and fulfil those duties; by making it a duty
to Him to cultivate them to the uttermost.
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