Saturday, December 19, 2009

Love the Sum of all Virtue

Love the Sum of all Virtue
Your Weekly Exposure to Edwards

Posted by Gregg Metcalf



Gospel Driven Disciples posts some highlights from the prolific works of Jonathan Edwards. The following excerpt is taken from his book Charity and its Fruits, edited from the original manuscripts by Tyron Edwards and published by The Banner of Truth Trust, originally published in 1852.


“When God and man are loved with a truly Christian love, they are both loved from the same motives. When God is loved aright, he is loved for his excellency, and the beauty of his nature, especially the holiness of his nature; and it is from the same motive that the saints are loved – for holiness sake. And all things that are loved with a truly holy love, are loved from the same respect to God. Love to God is the foundation of gracious love to men; and men are loved, either because they are in some respect like God, in the possession of his nature and spiritual image, or because of the relation they stand in to him as his children or creatures – as those who are blessed of him, or to whom his mercy is offered, or in some other way from regard to him. Only remarking, that though Christian love be one in its principle, yet it is distinguished and variously denominated in two ways, with respect to its objects, and the kinds of its exercise; as, for example, its degrees etc.”

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