Spirit of the age. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1849-1865, 1856-02-27

IN love; but perfect love asteth out fear
John IA, Is. Therefore fear is the rod
that drives US to repentalce, and perfect
love- is the reward for C3s0dly sorrow for
SIM Without the fear - eternal punish
ment, we should not be very apt to live So
bsrly, riighteously and god, in this present
life, when there. is preI2nderance of in
Eerior feelings, daily clanebing for gratifca-
ton. Intellect, only, is coafoimsk!e to law.
and that, even, would hsa.6s,ktIeS ,saie of in
de,gense, ,s i f.a heaTen veIs sssssssit
loved ne, as y6d y 4 40 aoC 6at suppose you
did your whole soul is filed with the ten
derest affection, with perfect confidence, with
deep respect, and this love was recirrocated
on nv part-would you not be supremely
happy? could anything make yon more so ?
YOU can give but one answer. But suppose
YOU loved me as above, but from some cause
or other, you could nevtr approach me with
out tremb bling would y,9 be as happy, in
the latter case, as in the former? By 20
means. In order to renf fer your happiness
complete, you must haveO the most implicit
confidence in me you nhst feel that | love
you too tenderly to harm you under any cir
cumstances; you must II no fear OF being
discarded by me-that nj affection for you
can never change, and thi$ knowledge coupled
with your love, will prodce in your soul,
feeling that nothing elseh this world can.
Apply this to our relatiophip with Deity
Miss S. Well, suppqf, for arguments
sake that love you. hould esteem you,
of course, have no faith love that isn't
based upon this 1 shoR confde in you,
implicitly; believe irmlt hat all your words
would be fulfilled to the tier. Suppose you
should tell me, if did TBS and so, should
incur your displeasure, pause it was not in
, your nature to look upI sin with any de-
' gree of allowance and IN the face of all
e this, should perpetrate ht act don't you
/. think / would be afrai4nd miserable? |
:: rather incline to the o5ion that I should,
h until had asked ferd deness and become
!, rcconciled to vou. If lFpt your command
# ments, it would prove sincerity of my
II love, and should hav4o cause for fear
J. therefore perfect love ould cast out all
,e fear But if you told that beyond GER
IN tain boundary it would It be in your power
re to save me from deaf that l should be
lr beyond the reach of v mercy and love,
in and /, led on by tempbn, and the pride
- of life,' should transce that line, and be
n precipitated in fearfu uulf, would you be
n my murderer, or woqI disobey myself
IS, Apply this to the crePs mercy and JUS
st. tice!
~. Mr.. N. God knew, tre he created man,
cir what his every act w9 be, and we know
,ul that no human beingl do anything with
a out the permission of + same God. Now
NJ shall be angry within for doing what
! : 9 -. s1,s slt
as you, should not have ,sufered fear. IF
,e could not have crossed the line specified,
r should not have fallen into the gulf. Itwoul
b. have been a very silly thing, had you boun
ID me hand and foot, and commanded me not
e. 90 beyond that boundary, lest | perisl
D. wouldn't it? If had obeyed you, throug
of compulson, | would not have been deservin
j. of your love, nor a whit the less guilty tba
10 if | had executed my desire to disobey.
'. we were not free agents, God would not ha,
al given ss single command that had punisl
m ment for disobedience annexed, because
10 would be absurdity in man, much less h
as Creator. Now you must deny mans FRI
ry agency, or confess that it would be just
God to be angry with US for going contral
it to HIS will, simply because He has given
I'd the power to obey or transgress.
f. Mr. n. Cannot God wrest the dagger fro
I'd my hand, when in the act of plunging it i
NJ to my brothers bosom? Then if kill tht
be brother, is it not by his permission {? al
Of am I to be punished eternally, for doir
m what 600 has permitted me to do?
m Miss S. The divine law don't permit "
90 to kill your brother, if it did, there would
N no fearful denunciations against the mu
"a derer. Your reasoning is very fimsy, for
q /, wise maE, and lawyeri
We Mr.. N. If take book from your tab
a secretly and without your permission, it
ur larceny, and punishable by the laws of t
to land but if you give me leave to take it,
al is rot even tresspass.
Miss S. To he sure But if God had n
said, thou shalt not steal,' it would make
more difference if you took it secretly tn;
~ with my Permission so far as sin is CO
!, cerned, for sin is the transgression Of t
10 law Is the law sin? God forbid. Nav
~ %, had not known sin, but by the law for l h
h not known lust, except the law had sa
~ Thog shalt not covet' Romans T. 7.
-, then, the violation of Aa,nan law is 'punisl
~ ~ ble,' how much mole the transgression Of
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