It honoureth God and your profession, when you abound in love and in good works: loving the godly with a special love, but all men with so much love, as makes you earnestly desirous of their welfare, and to love your enemies, and put up wrongs, and to study to do good to all, and hurt to none.

To be abundant in love, is to be like to God, who is LOVE itself (1 Jn 4:7, 11); and sheweth that God dwelleth in us (1 Jn 4:12). “All men may know that we are Christ’s disciples, if we love one another” (Jn 13:35). This is the “new” and the “great commandment; the fulfilling of the law” (Rom 13:10; Jn 15:12, 17; 13:34). You will be known to be the “children of your heavenly Father, if you love your enemies, and bless them that curse you, and pray for them that hate and persecute you, and despitefully use you” (Mt 5:44).

Do all the good that possibly you can, if you would be like him that doth good to the evil, and whose mercies are over all his works. Shew the world that you “are his workmanship, created to good works in Christ Jesus, which he hath ordained for you to walk in” (Eph 2:10). “Herein is your Father glorified, that ye bring forth much fruit” (Jn 15:8). “Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father which is in heaven” (Mt 5:16). “Honour God with thy substance, and with the first fruits of all thy increase” (Pr 3:9). “And those that honour him he will honour” (1 Sam 2:30). When barren, worldly hypocrites, that honour God only with their lips, and flattering words, shall be used as those that really dishonour him.

—Richard Baxter
The Practical Works of the Rev. Richard Baxter, 2:453–454.

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