The Maryville times. (Maryville, Tenn.) 1884-1944, 1891-11-04

anu 0uOIc IN tHc uuV0isoO pttS0uC0
Of the Heavenly Majesty. A second
cause of . Christians thirsting after
God, Is found in his love for the
Divine Being. We do not Of course
love everything which we admire.
But in the case Of the Christian, adj
miration and affection for God al
ways co-exist. Yet the two states
Of mind are distinct, and each is a
separate chord drawing the saint
upward to the bosom of the heaven
ly Father. AS the beauty and glory
of the Divine attributes inspire a
longing after God, SO does love.
But love is much the stronger in
fiuence. Admiration Of God is the
qualification of the natural senti-
ment of taste-a pleasure like that
which we derive from viewing a
masterpieces of art; and this admi-
ration would doubtless be felt by
every human being could he be
brought to contemplate the Divine
projections apart from his relations
to the Divine government as a sin
ner. But love to God is very diff.
ferent thing. 1t has reference to nc
one property or attribute in partic'
ular, but to the whole Being of Je.
hovah. 1t is a certain sweet com.
placency in God, a delightful salts.
faction in Him as suited to the ma.
ture and wants of the soul. 1t i'm.
plies that the soul sympathizes with
God, and is happy in him as
friend whose natural and mora
qualities it approves and loves tC
contemplate. Love signifies an in
definable union to object OF affec
tion, which union, although indie
Enable, is conscious, heartfelt, vol
unfairly perpetuated and blissful
The abstract nature of the emotions
is the same in all cases of cordia
attachment between intelligent
beings, however it may differ in
intensity or in its mora, quality
II always has the property, if cir
cv,nstances admit, Of drawing the
person lowing into the society o.
the person loved. In the instance
before us the renewed man j,
hahituslly attracted toward Ri
God by the mysterious power of :
holy stfectiom, He longs for the
Divine presence that he may 81
and gaze on Him whom his sou
lOveth. lie thirsts foI communion
with God, that he may indulge ir
that free and delightful Outp0urin,
Of heart before Him, which SO re.
fresltes the spirit OF sympathetic
being. lie deeply desires smile
of love from Him whoae favor III
deems better than life. He feel.
that the society of the perfect Coo
would render him happy &c the ex
tent OF his capacity; that conlpan
ionship with God would be consu
mate bliss. Unsanctified men arr
charmed by the inferior objects o.
earth-by wealth, honor or pleasure
or some endeared fellow creature
But the Christians heart inclines
to God as his source of supreme de
light. Under the power of tempta
ton he may seem for a season t
forget his Maker and to be insensl
BILE - his most sweet attractions
But he will most assuredly break
away from the snare and arise
again to luxuriate in the presence
and fellowship of Jehovah. He
cannot be long detained from thii
fountain of pure and heavenly Joy
Absence from Him on whom hit
best affections rest, emMtters exist.
ence and makes him cry out al
David did, "My soul thirsteth fol
God, for the living God; when shall
I come in the presence of God
Under the teaching of the Word
and Spirit Of God, the Christian
learns to regard all his blessings At
the fruit of the lOving-kindness Of
God. From the same source he
also learns his utter werthlessness
and the infinite exaltatiOn and
adorablcness of God. And these
considerations all combine to form
in his mind the most enlarged idea
of Gods love to him. That such q
being as God should grant even the
smallest favor to 50 guilty erea
ture as himself, is amazing; but the
pouring of an unbroken stream o.
mercy and tenderness on him from
the cradle to the grave, is love thai
surpasses all power of description
But if the blessings strewn all along
the daily paths of life are so un
speakable, how can the gift of eter
nal salvation be adequately express
ed? Now all this goodness OF Coz
causes the Christians heart t.
swell with the loneliness of. graft