“speak unto all the congregation of the children of Israel, and say unto them, Be ye holy, for I the Lord your God, am holy,” {144} does the precept concern only the people of old? Is it not equally applicable to Christians? Yea, it is urged upon us all by the mouth of an Apostle. {145} The same is true of every spiritual doctrine, every moral command recorded in the Book of Life: there is no means of grace, no measure of obedience ordained, which a Christian can safely neglect. Whatever, therefore, be meant in the text by _perfect_ love, that love it is the bounden and necessary duty of us all to attain and to cherish. And what is really meant by this expression, may be most readily and fully understood from a precept of the divine law, as confirmed and enforced by our blessed Redeemer; “Thou shalt love the Lord thy God, with all thine heart and with all thy soul and with all thy strength.” This is the love described in the text; perfect in _kind_, as admitting of no rival principle, of no competition with “the world or the things that are in the world,” with any or all of them together; imperfect in _degree_, on account of the infirmity of our faith, of the weakness and corruption of human nature. We cannot be at a loss to understand this distinction; yet it may be further illustrated by an example from ordinary life. The most affectionate and dutiful child will fail occasionally to please and obey its parent; but there will be a constant desire and endeavour to please: to have excited the parent’s displeasure, will bring uneasiness and sorrow; and therefore the violations of duty will be neither wilful nor habitual. And this sincere affection, for a kind and good parent, never ceases to produce delight; the child indeed, feeling so much respect and reverence, will be afraid of offending, afraid of the unworthiness, afraid of the dishonour; yet the service of obedience is rendered from choice, and not from constraint; with emotions of joy, with a grateful endearment of soul: slavish terror there is none; it is banished by the overpowering principle of love.