356

1 Cor. XIII.

Charity, or Love, fuffereth long, is kind, envieth not, &c.

Sect. 25. make fo high a Pretence, I fhall receive no Advantage by it; but in the Day of final Account, my Judge, instead of applauding and rewarding me, as a Saint and a Martyr, will condemn me, as a wicked and vain-glorious Hypocrite.

3.

4

5

4 Charity fuffereth long, and is kind; Charity envieth not; Charity vaunteth not itfelf, is not puffed up,

Indeed the Properties of this Love, which I am now recommending, are fuch, that one would imagine the Description of them fhould be enough to charm the whole World to purfue it. Sufficiently must that fhew how happy it renders the Soul, which is under its Influence, as well as how amiable fuch muft be both to GOD and Man. For Love fuffereth long Injuries [and] Provocations, without being tranfported into Rage, or inftigated to Revenge. On the contrary, under all this Ill-ufage, it is gentle and kind. Love envieth not the Advantages, which others enjoy; but rather takes Pleafure in them, and by friendly Participation makes them its own. Love is not infolent and over-bearing (f), does not act with fuch Precipitancy and Rafhnefs, as Pride and Illnature often hurry Men into? but engages us with Tenderness to look round on thofe about us, left we should by any Means harm them before we are aware. Love is not prefently puffed up with arrogant Self-conceit, on Account of any diftinguished Station, or peculiar Endowment, which a Man may poffefs; nor outwardly boafteth of thefe Things, or inwardly overvalueth itself upon them. Love doth not bebave indecently (g), in a Manner unbecoming a Perfon's Station, Age, unfeemly, feeketh not her or Circumstances. Love feeketh not her own

Things,

own,

(f) Is not infolent, &c.] The Greek Word repep, from whence the Verb here ufed is derived, fignifies rafb and inconfiderate; fo that the Word muft here import, " one that acts with "fuch Precipitancy and Inconfideration, as Pride and Ill-nature often hurry People into," which Charity would preferve them from, and induce that Tendernefs and Caution, which engages us to look about us, that we may do ourfelves, and others, no Harm.

(g) Does not behave indecently.] I cannot read this Paffage, without thinking of the venerable Mr. Hale's Story of the Lancet concealed in a Spunge, in order to open an impoftumated Part without giving any Alarm to the Patient, who dreaded the Operation. There is great Reafon to believe, that in all this Defcription, the Apostle had in his Mind that Contraft to this beautiful Character, which was fo prevalent among the Corinthians, as is evident from many Paflages in both thefe Epiftles.

(b) Know

And it is a Grace, which fhall never fail :

own, is not eafily provoked,

thinketh no Evil,

6 Rejoiceth not in Iniquity, but rejoiceth in the Truth.

7 Beareth all Things, believeth all Things, hopeth all Things, endureth all Things.

8 Charity never faileth: But

5.

357
Things, but makes all reafonable Conceffions in Sect. 25.
any Point of Self-intereft, where any fuperior
Intereft of others is concerned, Love is not exaf-1 Cor. XIII.
perated, and thrown into bitter and implacable
Refentments, even where the Ufage it meets with
is moft apparently unjuft; and where the Inten-
tion is dubious, it imputeth not Evil; but puts
the kindest Conftruction upon the Action itself,
or the Principle from whence it proceeds, which
the Nature of Circumftances may by any Means
allow. Love rejoiceth not at Iniquity; it takes 6
no Pleasure to see an Adversary fall into a Crime,
by which his Reputation fhould be blafted, and
his Interest ruined: But on the contrary, it re-
joiceth with others in the Truth, and is pleased,
when its greatest Enemies behave themselves in a
Reafon of Things.
Manner agreeable to the Word of God, and the
Far from delighting to 7
blaze abroad the Faults of others, it covereth all
Things that are amifs, fo far as it can lawfully
conceal them; all, which Benevolence to the
Publick, or Kindness to an Individual, does not
require them to make known. It is not apt to
fufpect the Integrity and Veracity of others; but
rather, knowing itself to be fincere, believeth all
Things, fo far as with the most candid Allow-
ances it rationally can; and where it is con-
ftrained to confefs, that many Things are wrong,
it is unwilling to treat the worst of Mankind as
utterly incorrigible; but hopeth all Things, and
with that Hope supports itself in every kind Ef-
fort it can make for their Recovery; and as it is
Long-fuffering with Regard to human Provoca-
tions, fo from the Hand of GOD it endureth all
Things, even the most sharp and heavy Afflictions,
acquiefcing in his Will, trusting in his Care, and
rejoicing, if its own Sufferings may be a Means
of Confolation and Edification to others.

And farther to recommend this excellent Prin-
8
ciple of Love, give me leave to observe, that it is
a Grace, which never faileth; but will accom-
pany and adorn us to all Eternity, and indeed
makes a very effential Part of our Preparation for

I

the

358

But our prefent Means of Knowledge fhall fail in Heaven: Sect. 25. the heavenly World; in which it hath an appa- But whether there be Prorent Advantage over many of thofe Gifts, which phecies, they fhall fail; whether there be Tongues, 1 Cor. XIII. fome are fo ready to emulate and purfue to the they fhall ceafe; whether Neglect and Injury of Love. But whether Men there be Knowledge, it shall admire Prophecies, it is fit they fhould know, they vanish away.

8.

9

10

fhall be abolished, when the Faith of God's Peo-
ple fhall no longer need to be encouraged, nor
their Devotion to be affifted, by fuch Exhortation
and Inftructions, as are neceffary now: Or whe-
ther they boast themselves of the Variety of
Tongues, they fhall ceafe in thofe celeftial Regions:
One Speech and one Language fhall prevail among
all the bleffed Inhabitants, and the Languages of
Earth be forgotten, as too low and imperfect.
Yea I may add, that a great Deal of that Know-
ledge, which we now purfue with the greatest
Eagernefs, and which is very conducive to our
prefent Usefulness among Mankind, fhall then be
abolished (b) and fuperfeded, as referring to Things
altogether antiquated and paffed away; or fwal-
lowed up in Difcoveries fo much clearer, ftrong-
er, and inore. important, that it fhall appear, in
Comparison of them, as nothing. For now
we know but in Part, and we prophesy but in Part;
there is a great Deal of obvious Imperfection, at-
tending all our Knowledge, and all the Services
we can here perform for GoD, and for his Church:
But when that which is perfect is come, as in the
Heavenly State it fhall, then that [which is] only
in Part, fhall be abolished: All these flow and un-
fatisfactory Methods of obtaining Knowledge,
and all the little Stock we have here laid up, fhall
be exchanged for the most extenfive Views of
whatever it can be defirable to know, opening

upon

IO But then that which is perfect is come, then that

which is in Part shall be done away.

(b) Knowledge fhall be abolished.] This cannot refer to all Kind of Knowledge; for the nobleft shall be much improved. Some think it here fignifies, that of Old Teftament Myfteries, which will be fuperfeded in that World, where Scripture fhall be of no farther Ufe; and hence fome have farther argued for that Interpretation of the Word of Knowledge, which was spoken of above, (Chap. xii. 8.) But the Explication given the Paraphrafe, feems more natural and unexceptionable. To trace the gradual Openings of the Chriftian Scheme thro' the various Difpenfations of GOD to the Church, may be an important Part of the celeftial Happiness,

For we now fee obfcurely, but then Face to Face.

upon the Mind in the moft eafy, clear, and de- Sect. 25. lightful Manner.

II.

when compared with that of feeble Infancy. Juft
It fhall indeed be like a State of adult Age, 1 Cor. XIII.
as when I was a Child, I fpake as a Child would
naturally do, a few imperfect Words, hardly at
first articulate and intelligible, and often in them-
selves unmeaning; I was affected as a Child,
thrown into Tranfports of Joy, or Grief on tri-
fling Occafions, which manly Reason foon taught
me to defpife; I reasoned as a Child, in a weak,
inconclufive, and fometimes ridiculous Manner.
But when my Faculties ripened, and I became a
Man, 1 put away the Things of the Child, and
felt Sentiments, and engaged in Pursuits, corref
pondent to fuch Advancements of Age and Rea-
fon. Such fhall be the Improvements of the 12
Heavenly State, in Comparison with thofe, which
the moft eminent Chriftian can attain here. For
we now fee the most noble Objects of our intel-
lectual View in an ambiguous and obscure Manner,
as we discern diftant Objects by Means of a Glafs
or Mirror (i), which reflects only their imperfect
Forms, fo that, (as when Riddles are propofed
to us,) our Understandings are often confounded
with the uncertain and indeterminate Appearances
of Things. But then we shall fee, not the faint
Reflection, but the Objects themselves, Face to
Face, in as diftinct a Manner as we could wish.
Now I know [but] in Part, and tho' the Light of
an immediate Revelation from Heaven has been
imparted to me in many Inftances, and in an ex-
traordinary Manner, I am fenfible how great a
Part is ftill kept under the Vail. But then it fhall
be taken off, and I shall know, even as also I am
known, in an intuitive and comprehenfive Manner;
fo that my Knowledge fhall bear fome fair Refem-
blance to that of the Divine Being, which, while
our Notices of Things hover about their Surface,

pene

(i) By Means of a Mirror.] This is the exact Rendering of drops. It is well known, that the Ufe of Dioptrick Glaffes in Tellefcopes, did not prevail till many Ages after the Date of this Epiftle. And the Seventy ufe this Word for the Women's Looking-glaffes, or Mirrors of Metal, out of which Mofes made the Laver. Exod. xxxviii. 8.

360
Sect. 25. penetrates to the very Centre of every Object, and
fees thro' my Soul, and all Things, as at one

Reflections on the Apoftle's Defcription of Charity, or Love.

1 Cor. XIII. fingle Glance.

13.

And thus upon the whole it appears, and I hope you will remember and confider it; that there now abide these three moft excellent Graces, Faith, Hope, and Love; each of them far to be ferred to the most fhining Gifts, about which you can contend. But the greatest of thefe Graces [is] Love; which moft directly transforms us into the Image of GOD, and which fhall continue to exert all its Influence, when Faith is fuperfeded by Sight, and Hope by Enjoyment.

SURE

13 And Faith, Hope, Charity, thefe

three; but the greatest of thefe is Charity.

IMPROVEMENT.

URELY after having attentively furveyed the beautiful Description, which the Apostle gives us of this Divine Grace, Love, it cannot be neceffary that its Caufe fhould be farther pleaded. It fpeaks for itself; speaks to our very Hearts. But oh, who that enters into the Defcription, muft not mourn, that its Angelick Form is fo much a Stranger to Multitudes who bear the Christian Name! So that in many Inftances it can hardly pass uncenfured; while thefe Extreams which moft evidently violate it, are often confecrated under honourable Names, and Men build Ver. 4, &c. much of their Hopes of Heaven, or breathing what is indeed the Temper of Hell. How many that ftile themfelves Chriftians, can endure no Provocations, can cover no Faults of their Brethren, can keep themselves within no Bounds, can believe nothing to their Advantage, against whom, on Party-principles, they have entertained Prejudices! They vaunt themfelves, they are puffed up with the Conceit of their own Wisdom, they behave unfeemly, they feek only their own Reputation and Profit, they believe the worst they can hear of others, and fufpect more than they hear; they envy thofe whofe Endowments and Stations are fuperior to their own, and inftead of labouring themfelves to excel, they affect by Calumny and Slander to bring down their Brethren to their own Level, or rather, as far as poffible, below it. Alas, that the Dictates of our Divine Mafter, and the Genius of our Religion, are fo little understood, are no more regarded! and that we fo entirely forget the Precepts of Chriftianity, as not to remember even thofe of common Humanity!

Yet furely, if these Precepts are wholly forgotten, it is in vain, that we remember, or contend for any of its Doctrines and Principles. As

all