And we have known and believed the love that God hath to us. God is love; and he that dwelleth in love dwelleth in God, and God in him.
Ver. 16. And we have known and believed] That is, we know by believing. See Trapp on " Joh 6:69 "
God is love] Pellican tells of some in his time that used to read this piece of Scripture to their friends at their feasts. A pious practice surely, and well beseeming those that feast before the Lord. The primitive Christians had at such times their kiss of love, 1 Peter 5:14. And St Austin had these two verses written on his table,
" Quisquis amat dictis absentum rodere famam,
Hanc mensam vetitam noverit esse sibi. "