should rise but very little in the scale of Christian perfection; for the love of our neighbour combines a very extensive sense, and is far from being confined to mere natural affection."
"But yet it is most certain," observed he, "that natural love is agreeable to our natural states in this world, and he who does not feel it must be regarded as a monster."
"That I willingly admit," replied she: "all that I wish to affirm is that those who have no other loves are defective. The merely natural man acknowledges no other, as witnessed in the case before us. But Christian minds, like that of my revered father, know how to keep all natural affections in subordination to higher ones, the love of the Lord and his kingdom, and all that is heavenly and eternal."
"Admirably reasoned, my dear, and therefore I will not put your defence of truth any longer to the test. To sum up your observations, they seem to amount to this, that natural love, when not grounded on a solid, that is a Scriptural base, is apt to degenerate into what may, in some degree, resemble animal instinct; and to prove your reasoning good, it is well known, I believe, that bad men, men of perverted principles, whose love of self is allowed unlimited sway, with proportionate
