Put on (therefore, as the elect of God, holy and beloved) bowels of mercy, kindness, humbleness of mind, meekness, longsuffering; forbearing one another, and above all these things, put on charity, love, which is the bond of perfection. Colossians 3:12-14. Judge not. Matthew 7:1. And let none of you imagine evil in your hearts against his neighbour. Zechariah 8:17.
Therefore, let us be watchful against suspicions, always putting the best construction upon the behaviour of our neighbour. For love beareth all things, and hopeth always the best. Since we are mistaken in our judgments, a hundred to one, says Mr. Professor Francke, we ought to be exceeding cautious, not to be too quick and hasty in judging of others.
Love suffers long with patient eye,
Nor is provoked in haste,
She lets the present injury die.
And long forgets the past.
Malice and rage, those fires of hell,
She quenches with her tongue,
Hopes, and believes, and thinks no ill,
Though she endures the wrong.
She lays her own advantage by,
To seek her neighbour’s good,
So God’s own Son came down to die.
And bought our lives with blood.
Love is the grace that keeps her power
In all the realms above.
There faith and hope are known no more
But saints for ever love.