arts, and perhaps we are not aware of it, but it has come up in our
hearts; then we are not qualified to work for God. The love of God is
not shed abroad in our hearts as it ought to be by the Holy Ghost.

But the work of the Holy Ghost is to impart love. Paul could say, "The
love of Christ constraineth me." He could not help going from town to
town and preaching the Gospel. Jeremiah at one time said: "I will
speak no more in the Lord's name; I have suffered enough; these people
don't like God's word." They lived in a wicked day, as we do now.
Infidels were creeping up all around him, who said the word of God was
not true; Jeremiah had stood like a wall of fire, confronting them,
and he boldly proclaimed that the word of God was true. At last they
put him in prison, and he said: "I will keep still; it has cost me too
much." But a little while after, you know, he could not keep still.
His bones caught fire; he had to speak. And when we are so full of the
love of God, we are compelled to work for God, then God blesses us. If
our work is sought to be accomplished by the lash, without any true
motive power, it will come to nought.

Now the question comes up, have we the love of God shed abroad in our
hearts, and are we holding the truth in love? Some people hold the
truth, but in such a cold stern way that it will do no good. Other
people want to love everything, and so they give up much of the truth;
but we are to hold the truth in love; we are to hold the truth even if
we lose all, but we are to hold it in love, and if we do that, the
Lord will bless us.

There are a good many people trying to get this love; they are trying
to produce it of themselves. But therein all fail. The love implanted
deep in our new nature will be spontaneous. I don't have to learn to
love my children. I can not help loving them. I said to a young miss
some time ago, in an inquiry meeting, who said that she could not love
God; that it was very hard for her to love Him--I said to her, "Is it
hard for you to love your mother? Do you have to learn to love your
mother?" And she looked up through her tears, and said, "No; I can't
help it; that is spontaneous." "Well," I said, "when the Holy Spirit
kindles love in your heart, you can not help loving God; it will be
spontaneous." When the Spirit of God comes into your heart and mine,
it will be easy to serve God.

The fruit of the Spirit, as you find it in Galatians, begins with
love. There are nine