Chapter 35.—Commendations of Love.

The Apostle Peter, likewise, says, “And, above all things, have fervent love among yourselves: for love shall cover the multitude of sins.” 3151 The Apostle James also says, “If ye p. 459 fulfil the royal law, according to the Scripture, Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself, ye do well.” 3152 So also the Apostle John says, “He that loveth his brother abideth in the right;” 3153 again, in another passage, “Whosoever doeth not righteousness is not of God, neither he that loveth not his brother; for this is the message which we have heard from the beginning, that we should love one another.” 3154 Then he says again, “This is His commandment, that we should believe on the name of His Son Jesus Christ, and love one another.” 3155 Once more: “And this commandment have we from Him that he who loveth God love his brother also.” 3156 Then shortly afterwards he adds, “By this we know that we love the children of God, when we love God, and keep His commandments; for this is the love of God, that we keep His commandments: and His commandments are not grievous.” 3157 While, in his second Epistle, it is written, “Not as though I wrote a new commandment unto thee, but that which we had from the beginning, that we love one another.” 3158

Footnotes

1 Pet. iv. 8.

Jas. ii. 8.

1 John ii. 10.

1 John 3:10, 11.

1 John iii. 23.

1 John iv. 21.

1 John 5:2, 3.

2 John 5.