may be refolved into mere selfishnefs; and if there is no harm in it, there is certainly no good. But my heavenly hope rests on my truft in an invisible God, who has promifed me certain bleffings, if I endeavour to perform the conditions required; which promises therefore, on his word, I humbly hope for.-Faith and hope are thus immediately connected; and thus connected it is, that hope becomes the anchor of the foul.

We next confider charity. As this virtue is here exalted fo highly, many commentators have conceived, that it is meant to include both the love of God and man. But if St. Paul knew his own meaning, this could not be the cafe: for in the various lights in which charity is placed in the chapter, from which the text is taken, there is not one which does not tend to confine it to our neighbour. By charity therefore, as described by the apostle, we understand, that general affection, which prompts us to avoid every thing that can injure or distress another, and do every thing which can contribute to his happinefs. In short, it is Chriftian benevolence.

Having

Having thus confidered the meaning, which I humbly conceive the apoftle affixed to the words. faith, hope, and charity, let us, fecondly, confider his argument, and fhew why he places charity fo much above the other two.

In the 12th chapter he had been reproving his Corinthian converts for that faulty zeal with which they had exercised their fpiritual gifts. At the conclufion he tells them, he would fhew them a way of proceeding much more conformable to the fpirit of the Gospel. With this view he spends the whole 13th chapter in explaining the nature of charity, which he confiders, as his argument led, entirely in the light of benevolence to our neighbour. He confiders its nature and its excellence. It must accompany, he tells his converts, all their fpiritual gifts for though, as it appears, they might exercise those spiritual gifts without it*, yet it was impoffible, that gifts foexercised, could either be of value in themselves, or pleafing to God.

*Thus Balaam exercifed the functions of a prophet though he was a bad man: and we are led to believe, from the tenor of the evangelical writings, that Judas Iscariot wrought miracles, as well as the other apostles.

Among other things, which the apostle urges in favour of charity, he speaks of its eternal nature.

All the fpiritual gifts, he tells his converts, with which they were endowed, were calculated only for this world. Prophecy fhall be completed, and at an end-various languages, no longer neceffary, fhall ceafe-the knowledge to be acquired in this imperfect ftate, will be of no use. But charity never fails. It commences on earth, and continues with us in heaven. There it is exalted beyond what this world will allow. It becomes celestial love, and unites in praise to the Creator, with the bleffed inhabitants of those regions of everlasting happiness.

It is from this eternal nature of charity the apostle, in a great degree, infers its fuperiority to faith and hope, In this world, fays he, we exercise* the three great virtues of faith, hope, and charity. But, the two former of these lofing their end, and even their existence, after our removal into another world; charity, which lafts for ever, is there fore of a nature fuperior to both.

Νυν δε μενεία

The

The great conclufion to be drawn from the whole, which was my last head, is to confider faith, and charity, or good works, in their proper light. Faith, no doubt, is the foundation of all religion: and, when firmly established, good works will naturally follow. But it must be confidered, that faith is thus a mean not an end. The Gospel was intended to purify our nature, and make up the deficiencies of the fall. The whole Scripture therefore, from one end to the other, exhorts us to good works, through faith in Christ. A heathen may be faved, we fuppofe, without faith: but no man was ever faved, fo far as we are allowed to judge, without good works. Laying a stress upon thefe works, and thinking we merit heaven by them, is a different idea, and cannot be too much difcouraged.

At the fame time, I think, we should be cautious how we lay the chief ftrefs on faith, and leave good works to follow as they may. Though this doctrine cannot mislead exalted minds; yet I fear it is a dangerous doctrine for common hearers, and liable to much mifconception and felf-deceit. There may be many, who, profeffing they have faith, which they confider as a justifying principle,

principle, are fometimes, perhaps, rather lax with regard to good works.-In fhort, though faith, when explained in its full latitude, is the most valuable doctrine of Chriftianity; yet when it is held in all its exclufive ftrictnefs, it feems, I think, to contradict the tenor of Scripture, and appears to oppose that fuperiority, given by the apoftle in the text, to charity, which is every where repre fented as the end of the commandment.

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