And for _this_ cause was God manifest in the flesh, that He might destroy the works of the Devil: in one word, God is LOVE; and the more of love we have within us, the nearer we are to Him and the more of His spirit we possess." '"Well, sir," I said, "if I can always think on these things, I think I might well love God: but how can I love my neighbours, when they vex me, and be so contrary and sinful as some on 'em is ?" '"It may seem a hard matter," says he, "to love our neighbours, who have so much of what is evil about them, and whose faults so often awaken the evil that lingers within ourselves; but remember that _He_ made them, and _He_ loves them; and whosoever loveth him that begat, loveth him that is begotten also.

And if God so loveth us, that He gave His only begotten Son to die for us, we ought also to love one another.

But if you cannot feel positive affection for those who do not care for you, you can at least try to do to them as you would they should do unto you: you can endeavour to pity their failings and excuse their offences, and to do all the good you can to those about you.

And if you accustom yourself to this, Nancy, the very effort itself will make you love them in some degree--to say nothing of the goodwill your kindness would beget in them, though they might have little else that is good about them.

If we love God and wish to serve Him, let us try to be like Him, to do His work, to labour for His glory--which is the good of man--to hasten the coming of His kingdom, which is the peace and happiness of all the world: however powerless we may seem to be, in doing all the good we can through life, the humblest of us may do much towards it: and let us dwell in love, that He may dwell in us and we in Him.