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The foregoing exhortations respected church officers in particular; these that now follow concern all Christians in general, and acquaint them with their duties in common conversation. He begins with the grace and duty of love, that being a radical grace, the root from which all other graces and duties spring and flow. This love to one another, the Holy Ghost requires that it be without dissimulation, that is, sincere love: Be kindly affectioned one to another. The word signifies such an affectionate tenderness as a mother bears to the fruit of her womb, and as creatures bear to their young; and no wonder that such a fervent love is required, when laying down our lives for the brethren is commanded, 1Jn_3:16.
Likewise, that our love to others do incline us to give preference unto others; really conceiving others to be more worthy of honour than ourselves, and rejoicing to see them placed in a more useful and honourable post than ourselves.
Yet observe, Though our love must be hot towards our neighbour, it must not hinder us from abhorring that which is sinful and evil in our neighbour: Love without dissimulation, and abhor that which is evil. When we love the persons, we must hate the vices, of men: the love of our friends must not make us in love with their faults; nor must the hatred of men's vices draw us off from delighting in, and cleaving to, that which is good in any man: Abhor that which is evil, and cleave to that which is good.