Beloved, if God so loved us, we ought also to love one another. 1 John 4:11. I say unto you, love your enemies, bless them that curse you, do good to them that hate you, and pray for them that despitefully use you and persecute you, that you may be the children of your Father which is in heaven. Matthew 5:44.
Hypocrites may counterfeit the children of God in many things, but they cannot love their enemies from their hearts; and yet by this we must try and know ourselves whether we are actually children of God or not. The world very easily but falsely supposes this; but sincere Christians find it often very hard to believe it without a divine sense and assurance of it; it costs them many a sore conflict; for if Satan disputed the sonship of Christ, much less will he spare any of us. But since a true love to the children of God and to our enemies is a sure evidence of our state of grace, we have our titles clear to it, though we should walk in darkness, and be destitute of all pleasant sensations.
Now by the bowels of my God,
His sharp distress, his sore complaints,
By his last groans, his dying blood,
I charge my soul to love the saints.
Clamour, and wrath, and war begone,
Envy and spite for ever cease:
Let bitter words no more be known
Amongst the saints, the sons of peace.
Tender and kind be all our thoughts,
Through all our lives let mercy run,
O God forgive our numerous faults,
For the dear sake of Christ thy Son.