October 3

Love is the fulfilling of the law. — ROMANS xiii. 10.

On these two commandments hang all the law and the prophets. — MATT. xxii. 40.

IN this wonderful statement our Lord declares a great principle, — namely, “that love is the basis of all duty,” — the first and great commandment being, “thou shalt love,” and the second being like unto it, “thou shalt love.” And as in the Sinaitic tables the first commands relate to God and the rest to mutual duties among men, so here the first is “thou shalt love God,” the second “thou shalt love men.” All duty to God and man is thus brought into proper relations. Duty has thus twofold development. First, it regards God, who as supreme is entitled to pre-eminent consideration: our relations to him as our Creator, Preserver, Redeemer, involve certain corresponding duties of obedience, gratitude, love. These are our highest obligations: they must be first in our thoughts as controlling all our conduct. Secondly, duty has its development toward men, — we must love our neighbor as ourselves; that is, as we would have him love us, and as by the teaching of the parable of the good Samaritan he makes every man our neighbor who needs our help, he gives a practical rule as well as a precept for our conduct. We thus have practical tests for the interpretation of our religious experiences. “By this shall all men know that ye are my disciples, if ye love” (John xiii. 35).

O. H. Tiffany.

That blessed law of thine,

Jesus, to me impart;

The Spirit’s law of life divine,

Oh, write it on my heart!

C. WESLEY.