if you have not the same
ardor and deep intensity of love that you had at the first, you have
relaxed love.

Do not deceive yourself. Do not make any excuses. There is no necessity
of losing this fervency of love. The leaping, thrilling, bounding love
can be kept in the full blaze of its intensity in your soul as long as
you live. I can never encourage a cessation of love. No matter what the
circumstances, we can increase and abound more and more in love. You
may have works, you may have labor, you may have patience; so did the
church at Ephesus; but they had relaxed their first love.

See to it, O beloved, that you do not lose the deep fervency of love.
Keep it burning in all its brightness and warmth; and the works and
labor and patience are sure to follow. But do not let your works, and
labor, and patience deceive you. See that there is an underlying
principle of love in all you do. If your works and labor and patience be
devoid of love, there will be a secret desire in your heart to attract
attention, and a longing for a bit of praise. But if all is done in
purest sincere godly love, the joy you will find in doing is a full and
sufficient reward. And, may the Lord give you understanding.

THE LITTLE FOXES.

One little fox is, "_Some other time_." If you track him up, you come to
his hole--_never._

Another little fox is, "_I can't."_ Just set on him a plucky little "_I
can_," and he will kill him for you.

Another bad little fox is, "_Just a little_" pride, self-will, worldly
conformity, etc. That little mischief will strip the whole vine if left
go.

Another malignant little fox is "_I haven't faith."_ He slips into the
vineyard through a knot-hole called _self_. You can shut him out by
removing the self-plank and filling up with Jesus only.

Another bad little fox is, "_I haven't power."_ Be sure and catch him.
If you will take the pains to dig him up, you will find his nest some
where beyond the end of your present consecration. It will pay you to
take him, if you have to "dig deep" and work hard.

Another devouring little fox is, "_My church_." "Salt" and "fire" is the
sure and only antidote for such nasty vermin.

We will point out one more little fox, and he is able to devour all the
fruit of the vineyard and kill the very vines. His species is "_Fear_."
One good dose of "perfect love" will kill him stone-dead. And a constant
application of the blood of Christ will prevent this, with all o