The First and Greatest Commandment

The first of all the commandments is; Hear, O Israel, the Lord our God is one Lord: and thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind, and with all thy strength. This is the first commandment. — Mark xii. 29, 30.

There are two reasons why God should be loved with all the heart: the first is his infinite excellence and loveliness in himself; the second, his goodness exercised toward us in creation, providence, and redemption. It should not seem hard to be required to love God with all the heart, soul, mind and strength. This requisition is most reasonable; for God is worthy of our highest and most constant love; and our own happiness also is consulted in this requirement; for the soul can never be completely blessed but in the perfect love of its Maker. But, in our fallen state, we cannot love God with that intensity and constancy which are required in this first commandment. True, in our fallen state we cannot love God at all, by any strength that is in us. But does this prove that it is unreasonable to love God in any degree? If the heart was right in the sight of God, it would be as easy to love God with all the heart, as to love him in the lowest degree; yea, it would be easier; for the soul would be happier in the perfect exercise of love, than in an imperfect exercise of this affection. Again, if God was satisfied with less than perfect love, he would be content that his rational creatures should possess less moral excellence, less of his own image, than they are capable of; yea, he would be satisfied that they should remain in a state of moral depravity; for every defect of perfect love is moral depravity — is sin, that " abominable thing which God hateth.', The total want of love to God is the essence and root of all depravity; and just so far as we fall short of that perfect love which this first commandment requires, just so far we are inwardly defiled with sin. But is it reasonable to require of creatures what they have no ability to perform? If they desired with all their heart to do their duty, and yet could not, for want of the proper faculties, then indeed, they would be blameless; no more could be required of them. But what is the sinner's inability? It is not the want of faculties or opportunities. The same faculties and affections with which he so ardently pursues after the world, would be sufficient for the performance of all that is required of him, if he was rightly disposed. But " the carnal mind is enmity against God; is not subject to his law, neither indeed can be." Will the sinner plead this inveterate enmity as his excuse? This is too absurd to be received by any one. Such inability as this is the essence of iniquity. Instead of excusing the sinner, it is the very ground of culpability. External acts are evil as proceeding from such a malign principle. No one truly convinced of sin can ever think of pleading this inability as an apology. If the law had required us to love God with all the powers of the highest angel, who is possessed of faculties which do not belong to human nature, it would have been unreasonable. But his requisition is to love him with all our hearts, with all our souls, with all our minds, with all our strength. The law is exactly adapted to our minds. It requires just what our faculties are capable of, when not debilitated by sin. And to holy creatures, the command to love God with all their hearts, cannot appear grievous. The holy angels would not consider it a privilege to be released from the obligation to love God with all their powers. Indeed, holy men upon earth do not view this as a hardship. They have no desire that this first and greatest of all commandments should be annulled or relaxed. They see not only a reasonableness in the requisition, but a divine beauty in conformity to it, which causes them to. hunger and thirst after perfect holiness. This then is not an arbitrary appointment, but the law of our nature.

These four things may be distinguished in our love of God. 1. A high esteem of his character, and a complacency in his moral attributes, as exhibited in Holy Scripture. 2. A desire that God should be glorified, and a rejoicing in his greatness, majesty, sovereignty, independence, perfection, and blessedness. 3. Gratitude for his favours and blessings of every kind, conferred upon us. 4. A desire of the greatest possible nearness to God. The soul actuated by love, ardently seeks union with the beloved object, of the closest kind; and communion intimate and reciprocal., Love is impatient of absence, and exerts itself to remove hindrances to a near access to the person beloved. But, as in our present state of ignorance, the soul enjoys only obscure views of God, love is chiefly exercised in desire — desire of clearer knowledge — desire of greater conformity — desire of more intimate communion— desire that God may be glorified. Under each of these heads a great variety of emotions are found in experience to exist, not only different degrees of the same affection, but a variety in kind, according to the view which the rational soul is enabled to take of the attributes, works and dispensations of God. Among these is adoration, accompanied with holy wonder at the incomprehensibility of the great Creator! This emotion, we have reason to think, enters deeply into the worship of the heavenly hosts; especially of those who, like Gabriel, stand in the immediate presence of God. And this view cannot be entertained without a corresponding sense of the creature's littleness and insignificance, and a voluntary selfabasement. The heavenly worshippers are, therefore, represented as veiling their faces, and falling prostrate, and casting their crowns at the feet of the great I AM. And even in the imperfect worship among men, this holy veneration and godly fear is an essential ingredient. The holiest men, as Isaiah, Daniel, John &c, were overwhelmed when the divine majesty was clearly manifested to their view. Some of the divine attributes are adapted to produce the feeling of awe or fear; but others, complacency, or an emotion of elevated delight. Now, as the views which are obtained of the character of God, are commonly complex, the emotions experienced will also be of a mixed nature; the awful or the joyful predominating, according as the one or the other class of divine attributes is presented to the mind.

As our love to creatures includes not only complacency, but benevolence, it may be asked, how we can exercise benevolence to the infinitely glorious and ever blessed God, as he is incapable of receiving any accession to his glory or felicity. The reply to which is, that towards God this affection is exercised in desiring that his glory may be manifested to all intelligent creatures; in rejoicing m the infinitely glorious excellence of his character and in the immeasurable, felicity which he possesses in and of himself, and in his immutable independence, and eternal sovereignty over all creatures in the heavens and in the earth.

Some persons, fond of over-refinement in their speculations, have come to the abstract conclusion, that gratitude is no virtue, or no part of a holy character, because, as they allege, it is not a disinterested, but a selfish feeling. Now, whether it be selfish or disinterested, the unsophisticated moral sense of all men has determined, not only that it is a virtuous exercise, but that a large part of holiness in the creature, consists in a flow of gratitude to the Author of all good, for his multiplied and marvellous benefits, freely bestowed. And the Holy Scriptures confirm the dictates of our moral feelings. No iniquity is portrayed in darker colours than ingratitude. " The ox know- eth his owner and the ass his master's crib, but Israel doth not know, my people doth not con* sider." " Hear, O heavens, and give ear, 0 earth, for the Lord hath spoken, I have nourished and brought up children, and they have rebelled against me." A large part of the Psalms, given by divine inspiration, is taken up in expressing gratitude to God for his various mercies. Take for example Psa. ciii., "Bless the Lord, O my soul, and all that is within me bless his holy name. Bless the Lord, O my soul, and forget not all his benefits. Who forgiveth all thine iniquities, who healeth all thy diseases. Who redeemeth thy life from destruction; who crowneth thee with loving-kindness, and tendei mercies. Who satisfieth thy mouth with good things, so that thy youth is renewed like the eagle's." The expression of gratitude by praise is declared to be not only comely, but the method by which God may be glorified. And it is not confined to the earth, it is the chief employment of heaven. The redeemed of the Lord, who stand on Mount Zion, clothed in white robes, with palms in their hands, cried with a loud voice, saying, " salvation to our God who sitteth upon the throne, and to the Lamb." And the burden of the song of the redeemed, in heaven is, "Unto him that loved us, and washed us from our sins in his own blood, and hath made us kings and priests unto God and his Father; to him be glory and dominion for ever and ever."

But there is no propriety in considering religious gratitude a selfish feeling. We are incapable of a more disinterested affection. It is true, it is occa- sioned by benefits conferred upon ourselves; but it essentially consists in a desire to make some suitable return for the mercies received. Genuine gratitude would not stop short of a full return, it the thing were possible, but as it is not, it vents itself in praise and thanksgiving. Much of the spirit of true devotion in heaven and in earth consists in the lively exercise of gratitude. And when any are brought under true conviction of sin, no view of their disobedience affects them so deeply and tenderly, as their ingratitude. These are the views which melt the hard heart, and produce genuine contrition of spirit. The inferences which we may draw from what has been said, are,

1. That when all duty to God is expressed by the word love, the term must be understood in a very comprehensive sense, as including a great variety of emotions and affections, all which however, are produced by some just views of the divine character.

2. If this commandment is still in force, and God's moral law never changes, then undoubtedly, all men who ever lived in the world are sinners; for sin is a transgression of the law. All have failed to love God with all the heart and soul and mind and strength.

3. It hence appears, that not only have all men failed to come up to the perfection which this commandment requires; but, by nature, all have utterly and totally come short; for by nature, all men love the creature more than the Creator. " They are lovers of pleasure, more than lovers of God." Indeed, they do not love God at all, but are at en mity with him. They are " alienated from the life of God, through the ignorance that is in them. There is none that doeth good, no not one. There is no fear of God before their eyes, and the way of peace have they not known. The heart is deceitful above all things and desperately wicked. The carnal mind is; enmity against God."

4. We see from a consideration of this subject, that the want of love to God is the corrupt fountain from which all other sins, as so many streams, flow. The first sin, and every other sin have had their source in this defect. All evil actions, even the worst, may be traced up to this corrupt source. As the sum of obedience was love, so the germ of all sin is the defect of this holy principle. And where the defect is total, there is total depravity.

5. From this subject, Christians may learn how much iniquity still remains in their hearts. Just so far as you come short of loving God with all the heart, soul, mind, and strength, just so far are your hearts evil in the sight of God. Here, two things deserve consideration; the first is, that when we do love God, the affection falls very far short of that intensity which this commandment requires. It is cold, and feeble, when it should glow with sacred fire. And again, there is often an interruption of the exercise of our love. We fail in constancy, as well as in intensity. We forget God, or we forget his benefits. The objects of the world, too often steal away our hearts from God. 0 how little veneration do we feel, when we pronounce the awful name of Jehovah! or when we enter into his house, and professedly engage in his solemn worship. How little zeal have we for the glory of God! How little delight in contemplating his character! How little gratitude for his marvellous loving-kindness; especially for his redeeming love! When we hold up this mirror before us, how dreadful our deformity! How innumerable our sins! Truly " they are more than the hairs of our head."

6. From this subject, we learn the blindness of those, who depend for salvation on their own goodness of heart, on their innocence of life, on the morality of their conduct; or, on a scrupulous and exact performance of external duties, whether ceremonial or moral.

7. And hence, we see the absolute necessity of a radical change of heart. If the moral image of God in man is defaced, none but God himself can renew us again in this image. In the first creation, it was the noblest production of the Almighty, and in the new creation, God must be the efficient agent. By him alone, can we be "created in Christ Jesus unto good works."

8. But although we see nothing in mere man but disconformity to this holy commandment; yet in Jesus Christ, who was made under the law, we observe obedience to this commandment perfectly exemplified. He obeyed both internally and externally, for " he was holy, harmless, undefiled, and separate from sinners." He never had a thought or desire which in the least deviated from this rule. And this perfect righteousness of our Mediator, was not only for our example, but for our justification, by being made over to us by imputation.

9. "The end of the commandment is charity out of a pure heart." " If ye love me," says Christ, " keep my commandments." " Love," says Paul, M is the fulfilling of the law." As all holy obedience flows from love, and is its natural expression; if we wish to glorify God by doing good works, we must keep ourselves in the love of God, by the Holy Ghost. Good works are the fruits which the Christian must bring forth; but the savour and sweetness of these fruits is nothing else but love to God.

10. Finally, we should be constantly endeavouring to approach nearer and nearer to the perfection which the law requires. We should be engaged daily, in cleansing ourselves from all filthiness of the flesh and spirit, and perfecting holiness in the fear of God. The more conformable we are to this commandment, in heart and life, the greater will be our felicity and glory in the world to come.