" Wondrous unity! Wondrous love!
It is for this His blessed heart eternally yearns, and it is for
this that the Holy Spirit works in the hearts of those who
receive Him. But Satan ever seeks to destroy this holy love and
divine unity. When he comes, he arouses suspicions, he stirs up
strife, he quenches the spirit of intercessory prayer, he
engenders backbitings, and causes separations.
After enumerating various Christian graces, and urging the
Colossians to put them on, Paul adds: "And above all these
things, put on charity," or love, "which is the bond of
perfectness" (Col. iii. 14). These graces were garments, and love
was the girdle which bound and held them together; and so love is
the bond that holds true Christians together.
Divine love is the great test by which we are to try ourselves
and all teachers and spirits.
Love is not puffed up. Love is not bigoted. Love is not
intolerant. Love is not schismatic. Love is loyal to Jesus and to
all His people. If we have this love shed abroad in our hearts by
the Holy Ghost, we shall discern the voice of our Good Shepherd,
and we shall not be deceived by the voice of the stranger; and so
we shall be saved from both formalism and fanaticism.
"HAVE YE RECEIVED THE HOLY GHOST SINCE YE BELIEVED?"
VIII.
GUIDANCE.
"Ye shall receive power after that the Holy Ghost is come upon
you.
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