rite may have a kind of love to him,
because he thinks himself a peculiar object of divine favor, and because
he still expects greater blessings. But this does not lead him to
delight in the commands of God. He rather esteems them as a _task_. His
heart is not in the doing of them; and he is willing to make them as
light as possible. But, the real Christian _delights_ in the law of God;
and the chief source of his grief is, that he falls so far short of
keeping it.

Again, if we love God, we shall love the image of God, wherever we find
it. "Every one that loveth him that begat, loveth him also that is
begotten of him." Our love to Christians, if genuine, must arise from
the resemblance which they bear to Christ; and not from the comfort
which we enjoy in their society, nor because they appear friendly to us.
This hypocrites also feel. If we really exercise that love, we shall be
willing to make personal sacrifices for the benefit of our Christian
brethren. We are directed to love one another _as Christ loved us_. And
how did Christ love us? So strong was his love that he laid down his
life for us? And the apostle John says, we ought, in imitation of him,
"to lay down our lives for the brethren;" that is, if occasion require
it. Such is the strength of that love which we are required to exercise
for our Christian brethren. But, how can this exist in the heart, when
we feel unwilling to make the least sacrifice of our own feelings or
interests for their benefit?

Again; there is another kind of love required of us. This is the love of
compassion, which may be exercised even towards wicked men. And what
must be the extent of this love? There can be but one standard. We have
the example of our Lord before us. So intense was his love, that it led
him to make every personal sacrifice of ease, comfort, and worldly good,
for the benefit of the bodies and souls of men; yea, he laid down his
life for them. This is the kind of love which is required of us, and
which was exercised by the apostles and early Christians.

Another fruit of the Spirit is JOY. We are commanded to rejoice in the
Lord _at all times_. If we have a proper sense of the holiness of God's
moral character; of the majesty and glory of his power; of the infinite
wisdom which shines through all his works; the infinite rectitude of his
moral government; and especially of that amazing display of his love, in
the work of redemption--it will fill our hearts with "JO