Jonas, lovest thou me more than these?" Herein a true weanedness from the world, differs from a false weanedness. The latter is not from love to God and heavenly things, but commonly either from fear and distress of conscience, or perhaps from some outward affliction, whereby persons have their minds drawn off for a time from the world to something that they are constrained to feel is better, though it is not really sweeter to them; and they are only drawn, or beaten, or torn off from the world, while their hearts would still cleave to it just as much as ever, if they could but enjoy it, free from these terrors and afflictions. But they, on the other hand, that have a true weanedness from the world, are not wedded to worldly things even in their best and most inviting forms, because their hearts are drawn off by the love of something better. They are so in love with God, and with spiritual things, that their affections cannot fasten on the things of the world.

In the same way, persons should try their love to God, by their love to the people of God; and also, their love to their fellow Christians, by their love to God. False grace is like a defective or monstrous picture or image,

wherein some essential part is wanting. There is, it may be, an appearance of some good disposition toward God, while at the same time there is a destitution of Christian dispositions toward men. Or if there appears to be a kind, just, generous, good-hearted disposition toward man, there is a want of right feeling toward God. On this account, we find God complains of Ephraim, that "he is a cake not turned," Hosea vii. 8; that is, that his goodness is par tial and not consistent; that he is good in one thing, and bad in another, like a cake not turned, which is generally burnt on one side, and raw on the other, and good for nothing on either. Such a character we should studi ously avoid, and endeavor that each grace that we have may testify to the genuineness of all our other graces, so that we may be proportioned Christians, growing in the unity of the faith, and of the knowledge of the Son of God, unto perfect men, unto the measure of the stature of the fulness of Christ.

LECTURE XIV.

CHARITY, OR TRUE GRACE, NOT TO BE OVERTHROWN BY OPPOSITION.

"Endureth all things."-1 Cor. xiii. 7.

In these words, and in saying previously that "charity suffereth long," and again, that it "beareth all things," the Apostle is commonly understood as making statements of substantially the same signification, as though the three expressions were synonymous, and all of them only said the same things in different words.

But this idea is doubtless from a misunderstanding of his meaning. For if we closely consider these various expressions, and the manner in which they are used, we shall find that every one of them signifies or points to a different fruit of charity. Two of these expressions have already been considered, viz.: that "charity suffereth long," and that it

"beareth all things;" and the former was shown to have reference to the bearing of injuries received from men, and the latter, to the spirit that would lead us to undergo all sufferings to which we might be called for Christ's sake, and rather than to forsake him or our duty. And this expression of the text, that charity "endureth all things," signifies something different from either of the other statements. It expresses the lasting and abiding nature of the principle of charity, or true grace in the soul, and declares that it will not fail, but will continue and endure, notwithstanding all the opposition it may meet with, or that may be brought against it. The two expressions, "beareth all things," and "endureth all things," as in our English translation, and as commonly used, are indeed very much of the same import. But the expression of the original, if literally translated, would be, “charity remains under all things ;" that is, it still remains, or still remains constant, and persevering, under all opposition that may come against it. Whatever assaults may be made upon it, yet it still remains, and endures, and does not cease, but bears up, and bears onward with constancy, and persever

ance, and patience, notwithstanding them all.

According to the explanation that has been given of the four expressions of this verse "beareth," "believeth," "hopeth," and " endureth all things," the meaning of the Apostle appears easy, natural, and agreeable to the context. He is endeavoring to set forth the universal benefit of charity, or a spirit of Christian love. And to show how it is the sum of all good in the heart, he first shows how it disposes to all good behavior towards men, and sums up that matter by saying that charity rejoiceth not in iniquity but rejoiceth in the truth. And then he proceeds, and declares that charity not only disposes to doing and suffering in the cause of Christ, but that it includes a suffering spirit, so that it beareth all things; and that it does this by promoting the two graces of faith and hope, which are mainly occupied in sufferings in the cause of Christ; for such sufferings are the trials of our faith, and what upholds the Christian under them is the hope of a far more exceeding and eternal weight of glory to be given to the faithful in the end; and charity cherishes this faith and hope; and as the fruit of