1 John 4:7

Beloved, let us love one another:— St. Jerome tells us, that when this blessed evangelist had continued at Ephesus to extreme old age, and was with difficulty carried to the church between the arms of some of the disciples, being unable to pronounce more words, he was wont, every time they assembled, to say nothing but this, "Little children, love one another." In the verse before us, the apostle assigns a strong reason why we should love one another;—for love is of God. He who planted the principle of attraction in the material world, plants the principle of benevolence in intelligent creatures; and has in particular enjoined Christians to love one another. He therefore who, through grace, possesses and cultivates this disposition, manifests that he is a Christian, born into the family of God; and that he continues to be a true child of God, resembling his heavenly Father; and that he knows the nature and will of God, so as to comply therewith. Others may pretend to great knowledge and sound faith, or just sentiments in religion; but he who does not love his Christian brethren, has not that disposition, and does not thoseactions, which are agreeable to the nature and command of God, and pleasing and acceptable in his sight. See the next note.