Do I love the Holy Spirit? Do I honor him as the great Author of light and life, grace and comfort? Do I maintain a deep sense of my dependence on his agency in all my religious performances? Do I desire my heart to be his temple? Am I cautious lest I quench his holy motions, or grieve him by my sins? Am I sensible that without his influence I cannot pray, hear, read, communicate, nor examine myself as I ought?
– George Burder –
1752-1832
Do I love Christ? To those who believe, he is precious; is he precious to me? Do I see infinite beauty in his person? Is he the chief among ten thousands to me, and altogether lovely Do I admire the length and breadth and depth and height of his love? Is the language of my very soul, None but Christ, none but Christ? Is it my grief and shame that I love him no more?
– George Burder –
1752-1832
Do I love God the Father? Do I think of him, and go to him as a loving Father in Christ? Have I the Spirit of adoption, so that I cry, Abba, Father? Do I love him as the Father of mercies, the God of hope, the God of peace, the God of love?
– George Burder –
1752-1832
Do I love God’s law? Do I delight in the law of the Lord after the inward man, not wishing it less strict and holy, but loving it because it is holy? Am I as willing to take Christ for my King to rule over me, as for my Priest to atone for me? Do I hunger and thirst after righteousness? Do I pant and long and pray to be holy? Do I wish to be holy, as I wish to be happy? Do I hate all sin, especially that sin which most easily besets me, and labor daily to mortify it and to deny myself? Do I sigh for complete deliverance from remaining corruption, and rejoice in the hope of it, through a holy Jesus? Do I long for heaven, that there I may be satisfied with his likeness?
– George Burder –
1752-1832
Do I love God’s people? Can I say to Christ, as Ruth to Naomi, “Thy people shall be my people?” Do I love them because they love Christ and bear his image? Do I feel a union of spirit with them, though they may not be of my party, or think exactly as I do? Can I say, “I know that I have passed from death of life, because I love the brethren?”
– George Burder –
1752-1832