LECTURE VI. THE SPIRIT OF CHARITY, THE OPPOSITE OF AN PAGE · 161 LECTURE VII. THE SPIRIT OF CHARITY, AN HUMBLE SPIRIT 185 LECTURE VIII. THE SPIRIT OF CHARITY, THE OPPOSITE OF A SELFISH SPIRIT LECTURE IX. THE SPIRIT OF CHARITY, THE OPPOSITE OF AN ANGRY OR WRATHFUL SPIRIT LECTURE X. THE SPIRIT OF CHARITY, THE OPPOSITE OF A CENSO- 226 268 294 318 CHARITY, OR TRUE GRACE, NOT TO BE OVERTHROWN BY OPPOSITION LECTURE XV. THE HOLY SPIRIT FOREVER TO BE COMMUNICATED TO THE SAINTS, IN CHARITY OR LOVE. LECTURE XVI. . 386 433 HEAVEN A WORLD OF CHARITY OR LOVE 463 LECTURE I CHARITY, OR LOVE THE SUM OF ALL VIRTUE. "Though I speak with the tongues of men and of angels, and have not charity, I am become as sounding brass, or a tinkling cymbal. And though I have the gift of prophesy, and understand all mysteries, and all knowledge; and though I have all faith, so that I could remove mountains, and have not charity, I am nothing. And though I bestow all my goods to feed the poor, and though I give my body to be burned, and have not charity, ît profiteth me nothing."-1 CORINTHIANS Xiii. 1–3. In these words we observe-First, that something is spoken of as of special importance, and as peculiarly essential in Christians, which the Apostle calls CHARITY. And this charity, we find, is abundantly insisted on in the New Testament by Christ, and his apostles,-more insisted on, indeed, than any other virtue. But, then, the word "charity," as used in the New Testament, is of much more extensive signification, than as it is used generally in common discourse. What persons very often mean by "charity," in their ordinary conversation, is a disposition to hope and think the best of others, and to put a good construction on their words and behavior; and sometimes the word is used for a disposition to give to the poor. But these things are only certain particular branches, or fruits of that great virtue of charity which is so much insisted on throughout the New Testament. The word properly signifies love, or that disposition or affection whereby one is dear to another; and the original (" agape"), which is here translated "charity," might better have been rendered "love," for that is the proper English of it: so that by charity in the New Testament, is meant the very same thing as Christian love; and though it be more frequently used for love to men, yet sometimes it is used to signify not only love to men, but love to God. So it is manifestly used by the Apostle in this epistle, as he ex plains himself in chapter viii. 1-"Knowl edge puffeth up, but charity edifieth," &c. Here the comparison is between knowledge and charity and the preference is given to charity, because knowledge puffeth up, but charity edifieth. And then, in the next two |