2. "This is my commandment," said Jesus, "that you love one another, as I have loved you." Had mankind nothing else than Christ's love to endear them, they are objects of esteem for that very reason. Since our Saviour has loved them, shall we refuse to do so?
3. Do we love all men as Christ has loved them? Do we thirst for their salvation as he did? Do we do by them as we would be done by?
Excite yourself to love those whom our Lord Jesus Christ has loved so tenderly: firmly purpose to promote their salvation, and never to do what may offend against charity.
"He that loveth his neighbour hath fulfilled the law."
Romans xiii.
"By charity alone, the children of God are distinguished from the children of Satan."
St. Augustine.
Twenty-eighth Day.—Love of our Enemies.
1. So essential is charity to the Christian religion, that we are obliged to love even our enemies; Christ hath given the commandment, and set the example. God orders it, and shall we find it hard to obey? A God forgives his very executioners, and shall we refuse to pardon a brother?
2. "He that will not forgive, shall not be forgiven." God will not pardon us, but on the condition that we pardon others. If we seek revenge, we call down God's anger upon us. We must either love our enemies, or hate ourselves.
3. It should seem that two Christians who hate each other, are not really professors of the same religion; for how can they approach the same altar, eat the same food, believe the same heaven, and hope to be together eternally? Mutual hatred is allowed but to devils: it belongs to them alone. There is not a more formal sign of reprobation, than that of refusing to pardon an enemy; and a soul in such a disposition may be looked on as marked for hell.