Therefore, when the law
contributes to the injury rather than the benefit of our neighbor, it
should be ignored. The same law may at one time benefit our neighbor
and at another time injure him. Consequently, it should be regulated
according to its advantage to him. Law should be made to serve in the
same way that food and raiment and other necessaries of life serve. We
consider not the food and raiment themselves, but their benefit to our
needy neighbor. And we cease to dispense them as soon as we perceive
they no longer add to his comfort.

16. Suppose you were to come across an individual foolish enough to
act with no other thought than that food and clothing are truly good
things, and so proceed to stuff a needy one with unlimited food and
drink unto choking, and to clothe him unto suffocation, and then not
to desist. Suppose to the command, "Stop, you have suffocated, have
already over-fed and over-clothed him, and all is lost effort now,"
the foolish one should reply: "You heretic, would you forbid good
works? Food, drink and raiment are good things, therefore we must not
cease to dispense them; we cannot do too much." And suppose he
continued to force food and clothing on the man. Tell me, what would
you think of such a one? He is a fool more than foolish; he is more
mad than madness itself. But such is about the character of our
ecclesiasts today, and of those who are so blind in the exercise of
law as to act as if works were the only requisite, and to suffocate
body and soul, being ignorant that the one purpose of law is to call
forth the exercise of love. They make works superior to love, and a
maid to her matron. Such perversion prevails to an extent distressing
to think of, not to mention hearing and seeing it, or more, practicing
and permitting it ourselves.

17. The commandment of love is not a long one; it is short. It is one
injunction, not many. It is even not a commandment, and at the same
time is all commandments. Brief, and a unit in itself, its meaning is
easily comprehended. But in its exercise, it is far-reaching, for it
includes and regulates all commandments. So far as works are enjoined,
it is no commandment at all; it names no peculiar work. Yet it
represents all commandments, because properly the fulfilment of all
commandments is the fulfilment of this. The commandment of love
suspends every commandment, yet it perpetuates all. Its whole purpose
is that we may recognize no commandment, no w