then fettled at Savannah, in Georgia, used to say, with great earneftness, "That Paul of Tarfus was one of the finest writers I have ever read. I wish the thirteenth chapter of his first letter to the Corinthians, were wrote in letters of gold. And I wish every Jew were to carry it with him wherever he went." He judged, (and herein he certainly judged right) that this fingle chapter contained the whole of true Religion. It contains whatfoever things are just, whatfoever things are pure, whatsoever things are lovely: if there be any virtue, if there be any praife, it is all contained

in this.

In order to fee this in the cleareft light, we may confider, First, What the Charity here spoken of is:

Secondly, What thofe things are which are ufually put in the place of it. We may then,

Thirdly, Obferve, that neither any of them, nor all of them put together can fupply the want of it.

I. 1. We are, first, to confider, What this Charity is? What is the nature, and what are the properties of it?

St. Paul's word is Ayan, exactly anfwering to the plain English word, Love. And accordingly it is fo rendered in all the old tranflations of the Bible. So it ftood in William Tindal's Bible, which I fuppofe was the first English tran flation of the whole Bible. So it was alfo in the Bible publifhed in London, by the authority of King Henry the Eighth; so it was likewise in all the editions of the Bible that were fucceffively published in England during the reign of King Edward the Sixth, Queen Elizabeth, and King James the First. Nay, fo it is found in the Bibles of King Charles the Firfl's reign: I believe to the period of it. The first Bibles I have seen wherein the word was changed, were thofe printed by Roger Daniel, aud John Field, Printers to the Parliament, in the year 1649. Hence it appears, that the alteration was made during the reign of the Long Parliament; then it was that the Latin VOL. VIII. word

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word Charity was put in the place of the plain English word Love. It was an unhappy hour this alteration was made; the ill effects of it remain to this day: and these may be observed not only among the poor and illiterate: not only thousands. of common men and women, no more underftand the word Charity, than they do the original Greek; but the fame miferable miftake has diffufed itself among men of education and learning. Thousands of these alfo are miflead thereby, and imagine that the Charity treated of in this chapter refers chiefly, if not wholly, to Outward Actions, and to mean little more than A'mfgiving? I have heard many Sermons preached upon this chapter: particularly before the University of Oxford. And I never heard more than one, wherein the meaning of it was not totally mifreprefented. But had the old and proper word, Love, been retained, there would have been no room for misrepresentation.

2. But what kind of Love is that whereof the Apostle is fpeaking throughout the chapter? Many perfons of eminent learning and piety, apprehend that it is the Love of God. But from reading the whole chapter numberless times, and confidering it in every light, I am thoroughly perfuaded that what St. Paul is here directly speaking of is the love of our neighbour. I believe whoever carefully weighs the whole tenor of his difcourfe, will be fully convinced of this. But it must be allowed to be fuch a Love of our neighbour, as can only fpring from the Love of God. And whence does this Love of God flow? Only from that faith which is of the operation of God: which whoever has, has a direct evidence, that God was in Chrift, reconciling the world unto himfelf. When this is particularly applied to his heart, so that he can say, with humble boldness, The life which I now live, I live by the faith of the Son of God, who loved me, and gave himself for me: then, and not till then, the love of God is hed abroad in his heart. And this love fweetly conftrains them to love every child of man with the love which is here

fpoken

fpoken of: not with a love of efteem or of complaifance; for this can have no place, with regard to thofe, who are, (if not his perfonal enemies, yet) enemies to God and their own fouls; but with a love of benevolence, of tender goodwill to all the fouls that God has made.

3. But it may be asked, "If there be no true love of our neighbours, but that which fprings from the love of God; and if the love of God flows from no other fountain than faith in the Son of God; does it not follow that the whole Heathen world is excluded from all poffibility of falvation? Seeing they are cut off from faith: for faith cometh by hearing. And how fhall they hear without a Preacher? I answer, St. Paul's words, fpoken on another occafion are applicable to this, What the law fpeaketh, it fpeaketh to them that are under the law. Accordingly that fentence, He that believeth not fhall be damned, is fpoken of them to whom the Gospel is preached. Others it does not concern, and we are not required to determine any thing touching their final state. How it will please God, the Judge of all, to deal with them, we may leave to God himfelf. Only this we know, that he is not only the God of the Chriftians only, but the God of the Heathens alfo: that he is rich in mercy to all that call upon him, according to the light they have: and that in every nation he that feareth God and worketh righteousness is accepted of him.

4. But to return. This is the nature of that Love, whereof the Apostle is here fpeaking. But what are the properties of it, the fruits which are infeparable from it? The Apostle reckons up many of thefe; but the principal of them are thefe,

First, Love is not puffed up. As is the measure of love, fo is the measure of humility. Nothing humbles the foul fo deeply as love it cafts out all "high conceits, engendering pride," all arrogance and over-weaning, makes us little, and poor, and base, and vile in our own eyes. It abases us both before

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before God and man; makes us willing to be the leaft of all, and the fervants of all, and teaches us to fay, "A mote in the fun beam is little, but I am infinitely lefs in the presence of God."

5. Secondly, Love is not provoked. Our prefent English translation renders it, is not cafily provoked. But how did the word easily come in? There is not a tittle of it in the text : the words of the Apofle are fimply thefe, οἱ παροξύνεται. Is it not probable, it was inferted by the tranflators with a defign to excufe St. Paul, for fear his practice fhould appear to contradict his doctrine? For we read Acts xv. ver. 36, and feq. And fome days after, Paul faid unto Barnabas, Let us go again and visit our brethren in every city, where we have preached the word of the Lord, and fee how they do. And Barnabas determined to take with them, John, whofe firname, was Mark. But Paul thought not good, to take him with them who departed from the work. And the contention was so sharp between them that they departed afunder one from another: and fo Barnabas took Mark, and failed unto Cyprus: and Paul chofe Silas and departed: being recommended by the brethren unto the grace of God. And he went through Syria unto Cilicia, confirming the Churches.

6. Would not any one think on reading these words, that they were both equally sharp? That Paul was just as hot as Barnabas, and as much wanting in love as him? But the text fays no fuch thing, as will be plain, if we consider first the occafion. When St. Paul propofed, that they should again vifit the brethren in every city, where they had preached the word, fo far they were agreed. And Barnabas determined to take with him John, because he was his fifter's fon, without receiving or afking St. Paul's advice. But Paul thought not good to take Him with them who had departed from them from Pamphylia (whether through floth or cowardice) and went not with them to the work. And undoubtedly he thought right:

he

he had reason on his fide. The following words are zazı iyiseto #apokuoμès; literally, And there was a fit of anger. It does not fay, in St. Paul, probably it was in Barnabas alone, who thus fupplied the want of reason with paffion: So, that they departed afunder. And Barnabas refolved to have his own way, did as his nephew had done before, departed from the work, took Mark with him, and failed to Cyprus. But Paul went on in his work, being recommended by the brethren, to the grace of God: (which Barnabas feems not to have ftaid for.) And he went through Syria and Cilicia, confirming the Churches. From the whole account, it does not appear that St. Paul was in any fault: that he either felt any temper, or spoke any word, contrary to the law of love. Therefore not being in any fault, he does not need any excufe.

7. Certainly he who is full of love is gentle towards all men. He in meekness inftructs thofe that oppofe themselves, that oppose what he loves the most, even the truth of God, or that holiness without which no man fhall fee the Lord; not knowing but God peradventure may bring him to the knowledge of the truth. However provoked, he does not return evil for evil, or railing for railing. Yea, he bleffes thofe that curfe him, and does good to them that defpightfully use him and perfecute him. He is not overcome of evil, but always overcomes evil with good.

8. Thirdly, Love is long-fuffering. It endures not a few affronts, reproaches, injuries: but all things which God is pleased to permit either men or devils to inflict. It arms the foul with inviolable patience: not harfh, ftoical patience, but yielding as the air, which making no refiftance to the ftroke, receives no harm thereby. The Lover of mankind remembers him who fuffered for us, leaving us an example that we might tread in his steps. Accordingly if his enemy hunger, he feeds him, if he thirst, he gives him drink; and by

fo