Vermont telegraph. [volume] (Brandon [Vt.]) 1828-1843, 1838-10-24


OF THE LAW.
Behold thou yonder on the crystal sea
Beneath the throne of God, an image fair,
anu IN Its hand mirror large and bright
lis Truth, immutable eternal Truth,
In hgure emblematical expressed.
Before it Virtue stands, aud smiling sees,
! We'll pleased, in her reflected soul no spot.
- Ihe sons of Heaven, Archangel, Seraph, Saint
mere daily read their own essential worth,
ana as they read, take place among the just
~ nigh or low, each as his value seems.
There each his certain interest learns, his true
capacity and going thence pursues
Cnceasingl y through all the tracts of thought,
As God ordains, best ends by wisest means.
POLLOK.
ETERNAL PRINCIPLES OF THE OWN
LAw.-These immutabe principles may
be regarded as constituting that great or
Iglnal mirror, in which the essential worth,
not on y of individual character, but OF
conflicting systems, can be justly tried
The first of these principles may be stat
ed as follows:
The substance Of all moral virtue IS
LovE.-Those to whom this sentiment
may seem startling en- account of its SIM
plicity, are reminded that the sublimest
matters are ever most simple In assign
ing this principle so lofty rank, we have
been controlled supremacy by the voice oil
Revelation. The following passa ges are
cited as specimens of the language in
which this sentiment is couched by the
Holy Spirit.
Rom. viii. 10.-Love worketh no i'll TO
his neighbor, therefore love is the fulfill
ing of the law.
Gal. v. l4.-For all theilaw is fulfilled
in one word, even in this, Thou shalt
love thy neighbor as myself.
John iv. l6-God is love: and he
that dwelleth in love, dwelleth in God,
and God in him. 9TH and 9th.-Beloved,
let us love one another, for love is of God
and every one that loveth is born of God
and knoweth God. He that loveth not,
knoweth not God.
The language of scripture is not less
full and explicit than that of our PROPOSE
ton. If the whole law is fulfilled by
love, where shall we seek for obligation
beyond it. If the character of God, with
It's Infinite moral excellence, is comprised
IN love, how shall we seek for moral vir
tue above it. Having assembled to the
Origin and End of all things, having sur
veyed the utmost metes and bounds oil
moral government, and having still found
the whole sphere declared to be perfectly
filled by lore, the argument is necessarily
terminated, even by the very majesty of
the principle.
1t is our privilege however, to inquire
respecting the nature of this love, to con-
template its infnitude of excellence in the
divine character, and the manner in which
all intelligent creatures are placed under
obligation to possess it.
l. Let as consider the nature of lore. =
From the passages quoted above, we learn
its qualities. 1t is benevolent; Love
worketh no i'll to his neighbor, therefore
love is the fulfilling of the law. 1t is I'M
PARTIAL. The law is fulfilled in one
word, even in this, Thou shalt love thv
nelghbor AS THYsELF. His interest, his
welfare, and his rights are to be regarded
as really and as much as our own, SO far
as they are in themselves of equal value.
Ii Is personal; it is regard not to an alb
stract interest, but 10 living. consc,ons
being, capable of feeling, in joy and in
woe. 1t is on our neighbor, as co-pos-
SCISSOR Of this mysterious and awful pow
er, that we are 10 look with personal af-
lection. 1t is strong-A personal affec-
ton for another, leading US to seek his in
terest as our own, must of course bestrong.
When the love of Jonathan for David is
described, 1t is said that he loved him as
his own soul. This was strong affection ::
not cold calculation of interest merely
but warm, tender, and vigorous with no.
BILE emotion. 1t is unicerSaI.-The prin.
clple OF loving a feIlow-being, as such,-
OF exercising towards him this benevolent,
impartial, personal and intense affection,
demands the bestowment Of that affection
on every being Of whose existence we
are informed, and on the universe itself.
considered as a vast assembage of such
beings. The intensity of this affection
may be enhanced, and varied, by differ
ent degrees of knowledge respecting them,
and 6y various relations. But the princi-
pie is the same,-unirersal as we'll as
personal. The language of scripture is
ing me1ghbor; not this particular neigh
Dor, or this especial friend, but simply
ting "etsAbOr. Such are some of the quail
tiles implied in the love which the Bible
commands, as the sum of all true holt
ness and virtue. These qualities imply,
as our readers have probably perceived,
that this love IS independent of any con-
Slderetlons of self-interest The love
bear for my neighbor, in fulfilling this
TAO, is LoOe for him, not for myself The
love | bear for myself, the anxiety for my
own good, which [ have as living be-
ing, is the measure by which l am to
Judge, whether my love for him, as liv-
ing being. is deficient, or whether it is am
pie. The love that have for the welfare