“A new commandment I give unto you, That ye love one another; as I have loved you, that ye also love one another. By this shall all men know that ye are my disciples, if ye have love one to another.”—John 13:34, 35.

The counsels of a dying friend have peculiar weight; those especially which arise from love, and a regard to our well-being. Such was this. It was the counsel of the greatest and best Friend we have; and the advice is calculated, more than any thing else, for our good. And what better than this can I advance on the present occasion? To enter into all the particular duties of a people to a minister and to one another would be far too wide a field. If therefore I dwell on the principle, I hope it will suffice, and prove beneficial. If you ask, What are our duties to our minister? I answer, Love him. If you ask, What are our duties to each other? I answer, Love one another. Learn this lesson well, and every thing else will follow. We shall endeavour to ascertain wherein consists the nature of Christian love, and why it is called a new commandment—to consider its importance in Christian society—and to state a few means and motives to cherish it.

I. Let us endeavour to ascertain the nature of Christian love, and why it is called a new commandment.—We may remark,

1. It is not mere good neighbourhood, or civility between man and man. We may meet as neighbours, and practise the little civilities dictated by a sense of propriety, and regard each other indifferently; and yet be strangers to love.

2. It is not mere friendship.—This belongs to us as men. Heathens are capable of this. But there is no religion in it. It is not Christian love.

3. It is not mere respect on account of religion.—I never remember being without that. That was found in Saul to David, and at times in Pharaoh to Moses, and in Balaam to Israel. But there was no religion in it—no love.

4. It is not mere party attachment.—A good man will, of course, unite himself with that denomination of Christians whose sentiments he believes to be nearest the truth; but he will not limit his affection to a party, but love all who love Jesus Christ. A man may be a zealous partisan, and the party whose cause he espouses may be nearest the truth, but he, nevertheless, may be destitute of love.

5. It is not that excessive and mistaken attachment which shall lead us to idolize and flatter a minister, or to exempt each other from the exercise of faithful discipline. This, in fact, is hatred. “Thou shalt not hate thy brother in thine heart; thou shalt in any wise rebuke thy neighbour, and not suffer sin upon him.”

6. It is not mere benevolence itself.—There may be that without Christianity.

Then what is Christian love?

It is complacency in the Divine image.—It is a union of heart, like that of Ruth to her mother-in-law. Christian love is love for Christ’s sake.

This last remark, I suppose, furnishes a clue for its being called “a new commandment.” The old commandment required benevolence, or love to our neighbour; but this is complacency in Christ’s image, or the love of Christians as such. And being introductory to the New Testament or gospel dispensation, under which the church should be composed of believers only, it is suited to it. Personal religion is now to be the bond of union. This was never so expressly required before. This is more than love to our neighbour, or benevolence; this is brotherly love, or complacency in each other as brethren in Christ, Rom. 12:10; Heb. 13:1. This is genuine charity, 1 Cor. 13.

II. Let us consider the importance of this principle in Christian society. This new commandment is the most extensive of any that could be given. Love is a most comprehensive principle; it is the fulfilling of the whole law; it is the grand cement that unites the spiritual building. Without this, any wind will blow it down. More particularly,

1. With respect to the duties of social religion.—Only love your pastor, and every thing of consequence will follow. You will attend early and constantly on his ministry. You will pray for him. You will take well his brotherly admonitions. And if you see faults in him, you will not unnecessarily expose him; but if the nature of the case allow, mention them to him alone. You will, in return for your spiritual privileges, cheerfully impart to him of your natural good things. You will, in a word, treat him respectfully, tenderly, and with affectionate fidelity. Only love your brother, and you will cast in your lot with him, and the house of God will be sweet to you. You will consider yourselves as intimately united to Christians, and, after the interruptions of business or the world, you will rejoice, as did the primitive disciples, to return to “your own company.” The return of opportunities will be welcomed. You will have an interest in each other’s prayers. You will give and receive reproof. You will be kind to the poor, and particularly to those of “the household of faith.” You will sympathize with the afflicted. You will “bear one another’s burdens.” You will bear and forbear, and forgive.

2. With respect to its privileges and advantages.—These are nothing without love. To be “fellow citizens with the saints,” to unite at the Lord’s table, and a variety of other privileges, without love, will be privileges in name only. With love, the company, counsels, and prayers of Christian friends will be valued; but not otherwise.

III. Let us mention a few means and motives to cherish this Divine principle.—As means,

1. Avoid those things which tend to damp it,—as sarcastic speeches, and unkind reflections.

2. Be concerned to be spiritually-minded yourselves, or others cannot love you as Christians. If any err from this rule, let us beware that we do not make their conduct the rule of our own, returning evil for evil.

Consider as motives,

1. The love of Christ.—“As I have loved you, so love ye one another.” Let your love be ardent and self-denying.

2. This may comfort you under the worlds hatred.—If you be like Christ, the world will hate you, John 15:17–19. Then when they hate you do not be without any source of comfort; but love one another.

3. Brotherly love is the grand recommendation of religion.—Young beginners are drawn by it. But if they cannot perceive this, they will be damped and discouraged, and the Holy Spirit will be grieved.

4. All love to one another will turn to our own account.—While self-love defeats its own ends, this will be sure to benefit us. Seek another’s good, and in it you shall find your own. “By this ye shall know that ye have passed from death unto life, because ye have love one to another.”

Fuller, A. G. (1988). “Nature and Importance of Christian Love,” Sermon LXXVIII. The Complete Works of Andrew Fuller: Memoirs, Sermons, Etc. (J. Belcher, Ed.; Vol. 1, pp. 522–524). Sprinkle Publications.