Page:Spiritual Reflections for Every Day in the Year - Vol 3.pdf/252

 The seraphs stand, their burning sign

Traced on their banners—Love divine.

Their name, their honours, far above

E'en those to high-browed cherubs given,

Though knowing all; so far does LOVE

Transcend all knowledge, e'en in heaven."

Love, supreme love to God, is the highest and the noblest quality that dignifies the eternal state. The love of goodness and of God, as essential goodness, is celestial love,

PIRITUAL love, on the other hand, is the love of truth, and of truth for the sake of benefiting others. Persons of this quality are keen seckers after knowledge, zealous disputants in favour of truth, ready at all times to stand on the defensive against error. The celestial state enters not into warfare; the spiritual state includes all the soldiers of truth. The office of the spiritual state is to illustrate, defend, and enforce the truth. They love the truth for its own sake, and they love essentially the Lord Jesus Christ, because He is Eternal Truth itself.

But, besides these, there are minds simple and intelligent, though not highly intellectual. The man who usefully pursues the course which the Divine providence has marked out for him, who in obedience receives instruction, without disputing about doctrines, who is sincere and upright, and does what is right because he loves it, and who, without any pretensions