Still less can he who is not loving fulfil the law; for the law of
God is the very pattern and picture of God's character; and if a man
does not know what God is like, he will never know what God's law is
like; and though he may read his Bible all day long, he will learn no
more from it than a dumb animal will, unless his heart is full of
love. For love is the light by which we see God, by which we
understand his Bible; by which we understand our duty, and God's
dealings, in the world. Love is the light by which we understand our
own hearts; by which we understand our neighbours' hearts. So it is.
If you hate any man, or have a spite against him, you will never know
what is in that man's heart, never be able to form a just opinion of
his character. If you want to understand human beings, or to do
justice to their feelings, you must begin by loving them heartily and
freely, and the more you like them the better you will understand
them, and in general the better you will find them to be at heart,
the more worthy of your trust, at least the more worthy of your
compassion.

At least, so St. John says, 'He that saith he is in the light, and
hates his brother, is in darkness even till now, and knoweth not
whither he goeth. But he that loveth his brother abideth in the
light, and there is no occasion of stumbling in him.'

No occasion of stumbling. That is of making mistakes in our
behaviour to our neighbours, which cause scandal, drive them from us,
and make them suspect us, dislike us--and perhaps with too good
reason. Just think for yourselves. What does half the misery, and
all the quarrelling in the world come from, but from people's loving
themselves better than their neighbours? Would children be
disobedient and neglectful to their parents, if they did not love