The life of Christianity consists very much in our love to Christ. Without love to Christ, we are as much without spiritual life as a carcass when the soul is fled from it is without natural life. Faith without love to Christ is a dead faith, and a Christian without love to Christ is a dead Christian, dead in sins and trespasses. Without love to Christ we may have the name of Christians, but we are wholly without the nature. We may have the form of godliness, but are wholly without the power. Give men thine heart is the language of God to all the children of men, Proverbs 23:26; and “Give me thy love” is the language of Christ to all His disciples.

Thomas Vincent 1634-1678 - The True Christian’s Love to the Unseen Christ