What They Said

"From the manner in which we habitually treat the Bible, we may learn what are our feelings and dispositions towards God;  for as we treat the word of God, so should we treat God himself, were he to come and reside among us, in a human form, as he once dwelt on earth in the form of his Son.  The contents of Scripture are a perfect transcript of the divine mind.  If, then, God should come to dwell among us, he would teach the same things that the Scriptures teach, and pronounce upon us the same sentence which they pronounce. We should therefore feel towards him as we now feel towards them. If we reverence, and love, and obey the Scriptures, then we should reverence, love, and obey God. But if we dislike or disbelieve the Scriptures, if we seldom study them, or read them only with indifference and neglect, we should treat God in the same manner. Never would he be a welcome Guest in a family where his word is neglected."

Edward Payson