A valuable piece of instruction:
"Let your recreation, O my children, be sparing, for they are but your sauce, and not your nourishment, cordial or steady diet.
"Of all books, study the Bible; of all duties, be much in prayer; of all graces, exercise faith; of all days, observe the Lord's day; and of all things in heaven and earth, be sure that you get an interest in God by Jesus Christ.
"And by any means, O children and friends, 'let brotherly love continue, for love is the fulfilling of the law.' Who can break a faggot (small stick) when sticks are joined together by the common band? But if the sticks are parted, how easily they are broken. And what is the reason that such judicial breaches are made upon us, but because of our pride and want (lack) of love makes such sinful breaches among us. Cyprian tells us that the division and dissensions of the Christians was the cause of the persecutions in the primitive times; for said he, those evils had not come to the brethren, if the brethren had been united or animated into one.
"Our Saviour Christ said, 'By this shall all men know that ye are my disciples, if ye love one another'; and John said, 'By this ye shall know that you are translated from death to life, because you love the brethren.' See, therefore, that you love the brethren, and that BECAUSE they are brethren. ...If you love others [let it not be out of] self-concern, [for then] your love will be narrowed and your affection monopolized by some only of your own persuasion or relation. ...Let your love be stated, continued, and increased towards men. But above all, be sure that you love Jesus Christ, and let the only measure of your love be to know no measure." ~William Bridge.
"Let your recreation, O my children, be sparing, for they are but your sauce, and not your nourishment, cordial or steady diet.
"Of all books, study the Bible; of all duties, be much in prayer; of all graces, exercise faith; of all days, observe the Lord's day; and of all things in heaven and earth, be sure that you get an interest in God by Jesus Christ.
"And by any means, O children and friends, 'let brotherly love continue, for love is the fulfilling of the law.' Who can break a faggot (small stick) when sticks are joined together by the common band? But if the sticks are parted, how easily they are broken. And what is the reason that such judicial breaches are made upon us, but because of our pride and want (lack) of love makes such sinful breaches among us. Cyprian tells us that the division and dissensions of the Christians was the cause of the persecutions in the primitive times; for said he, those evils had not come to the brethren, if the brethren had been united or animated into one.
"Our Saviour Christ said, 'By this shall all men know that ye are my disciples, if ye love one another'; and John said, 'By this ye shall know that you are translated from death to life, because you love the brethren.' See, therefore, that you love the brethren, and that BECAUSE they are brethren. ...If you love others [let it not be out of] self-concern, [for then] your love will be narrowed and your affection monopolized by some only of your own persuasion or relation. ...Let your love be stated, continued, and increased towards men. But above all, be sure that you love Jesus Christ, and let the only measure of your love be to know no measure." ~William Bridge.
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