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from Him all good things come. But what is good? All is good except
sin; for it is written, "God saw every thing that He had made, and,
behold, it was very good." Therefore, if thou lovest God, thou must love
all things, for all things are of Him, and by Him, and through Him; and
in Him all live and move and have their being. Then thou wilt truly love
God. Thou wilt be content with God; and so thy love will cast out fear.
Thou wilt trust God; thou wilt have the mind of God; thou wilt be
satisfied with God's working, from the rise and fall of great nations to
the life and death of the smallest gnat which dances in the sun; thou
wilt say for ever, and concerning all things, I know in whom I have
believed. It is the good Lord, let Him do what seemeth Him good.

Again. Thou lovest thy neighbour; thou lovest wife and child; thou
lovest thy friends; thou lovest or wishest to love all men, and to do
them good. Then thou lovest God. For what is it that thou lovest in thy
neighbour? Not that which is bad in him? No, but that which is good.
Thou lovest him for his kindliness, his honesty, his helpfulness,--for
some good quality in him. But from whom does that good come, save from
Christ and from the Spirit of Christ, from whom alone come all good
gifts? Yes, if you will receive it;--when we love our neighbours, it is
God in them, Christ in them, whom we love,--Christ in them, the hope of
glory.

What, some one will ask, when a man loves a fair face, does he love
Christ then? Ah! my friends, that is not true love, as all know well
enough if they will let their own hearts tell them truth. True love is
when two people love each other for the goodness which is in them. True
love is the love which endures after beauty has faded, and youth, and
health, and all that seems to make life worth having is gone. Have we
not seen ere now two old people, worn, crippled, diseased, yet living on
together, helping each other, nursing each other, tottering on hand in
hand to the grave, dying, perhaps, almost together,--because neither
cared to live when the other is gone before, and loving all the while as
truly and tenderly as in the days of youth? They know not why. No; but
God knows why. It is Christ in each other whom they love;--Christ, the
hope of glory. Yes, we have seen that, surely; and seen in it one of the
most beautiful, the most divine sights upon earth,--one which should
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