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
behaviour; 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 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
explains himself in chapter viii. 1- " knowledge 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 nest two verses, it is more particularly explained how
knowledge usually puffs up, and why charity edifieth; so that
what is called charity in the first verse, is called loving God
in the third, for the very same thing is evidently spoken of in
the two places. And doubtless the apostle means the same thing by
charity in this thirteenth chapter, that he does in the eighth;
for he is here comparing the same two things together that he was
there, viz. knowledge and charity. "Though I have all
knowledge, and have not charity, I am nothing and again, "
charity never faileth, but knowledge, it shall vanish away."
So that by charity here, We are doubtless to understand Christian
love in its full extent, and whether it be exercised towards
God or our fellowcreatures.
And this charity is here spoken of as that
which is, m a distinguishing manner, the great and essential
thing: which will appear more fully when we observe,
Secondly, what things are mentioned as
being in vain without it, viz. the most excellent things that
ever belong to natural men; the most excellent privileges, and
the most excellent performances. First, the most excellent
privileges, such as preaching with tongues, the gift of prophecy,
understanding all mysteries, faith to remove mountains, &c.; and secondly,
the most excellent performances, such as giving all one's goods
to feed the poor, and the body to be burned, &c. Greater
things than these, no natural man ever had or did, and they are
the kind of things in which men are exceedingly prone to trust;
and yet the apostle declares that if we have them all, and have
not charity, we are nothing. The doctrine taught, then, is
this:
THAT ALL THE VIRTUE THAT IS SAVING, AND THAT
DISTINGUISHES TRUE CHRISTIANS FROM OTHERS, IS SUMMED UP IN CHRISTIAN
LOVE. This appears from the words of the text, because so many
other things are mentioned that natural men may have, and the things
mentioned are of the highest kind it is possible they should have, both
of privilege and performance, and yet it is said they avail
nothing without this; whereas, if any of them were saving, they
would avail something without it.
And by the apostle's mentioning so many and so
high things, and then saying of them all, that they profited
nothing without charity, we may justly conclude, that there is
nothing at all that avails anything without it. Let a man have what he
will, and do what he will, it signifies nothing without charity;
which surely implies that charity is the great thing, and that
everything which has not charity in some way contained or implied in
it, is nothing, and that this charity is the life and soul of all
religion, without which all things that wear the name of virtues
are empty and vain.
In 6peaking to this doctrine, I would first notice the nature
of this divine love, and then shew the truth of the doctrine respecting
it. And
I. I would speak of the nature of a truly Christian love. And
here 1 would observe,
1. That all true Christian love is one and
the same in it's principle. It may be various in its forms
and objects, and may be exercised either toward God or men, but
it is the same principle in the heart that is the foundation of
every exercise of a truly Christian love, whatever may be its object.
It is not with the holy love in the heart of the Christian, as it
is with the love of other men. Their love toward different
objects, may be from different principles and motives, and with
different views; but a truly Christian love is different from
this. It is one as to its principle, whatever the object about
which it is exercised; it is from the same spring or fountain in
the heart, though it may flow out in different channels and
diverse directions, and therefore it is all fitly comprehended in
the one name of charity, as in the text. That this Christian love
is one, whatever the objects toward which it may flow forth,
appears by the following things:-
First, It is all from the same Spirit influencing
the heart. It is from the breathing of the same Spirit that true Christian love
arises, both toward God and man. The Spirit of God is a Spirit of
love, and when the former enters the soul, love also enters with
it. God is love, and he that has God dwelling in him by his
Spirit, will have love dwelling in him also. The nature of the
Holy Spirit is love; and it is by communicating
himself, in his own nature, to the saints, that
their hearts are filled with divine charity. Hence we find that
the saints are partakers of the divine nature, and Christian love
is called the " love of the Spirit " (Rom. xv. 30), and
" love in the Spirit,, (Col i. 8), and the very bowels of
love and mercy seem to signify the same thing with the fellowship
of the Spirit (Phil. ii. 1). It is that Spirit, too, that infuses
love to God (Rom. v. 5); and it is by the indwelling of that
Spirit, that the soul abides in love to God and man (1 John iii.
23, 24; and iv. 12, 13). And,
Second, Christian love, both to God and
man, is wrought in the heart by the same work of the Spirit. There
are not two works of the Spirit of God, one to infuse a spirit of
love to God, and tile other to infuse a spirit of love to men; but in
producing one, the Spirit produces the other also. In the work of
conversion, the Holy Spirit renews the heart by giving it a
divine temper (Eph. iv. 23); and it is one and the same divine temper
thus wrought in the heart, that flows out in love both to God and
man. And,
Third, When God and man are loved with a
truly Christian love, they are both loved from the same
motives. When God is loved a right, he is loved for his
excellency, and the beauty of his nature, especially the holiness
of his nature; and it is from the same motive that the saints are loved
for holiness" sake. And all things that are loved with a
truly holy love, are loved from the same respect to God. Love to
God is the foundation of gracious love to men; and men are loved,
either because they are in some respect like God, in the
possession of his nature and spiritual image, or because of the
relation they stand in to him as his children or creatures as
those who are blessed of him, or to whom his mercy is offered
red, or in some other way from regard to him. Only remarking,
that though Christian love be one in its principle, yet it is distinguished
and variously denominated in two ways, with respect to its
objects, and the kinds of its exercise; as, for example, its
degrees, &c. I now proceed,
I . To shew the truth of the doctrine, that
all virtue that is saving, or distinguishing of true Christians,
is summed 71p in Christian love. And,
1. We may argue this from what reason
teaches of the nature of love. And if we duly consider its
nature, two things will appear-
First, That love will dispose to all
proper act' of respect to troth God and man. This is evident,
because a true respect to either God or man consuls in love. If a
man sincerely loves God it will dispose him to render all proper respect
to him; and men need no other incitement to shew each other all
the respect that is due, than love. Love to God will dispose a
man to honour him, to worship and adore him, and heartily to acknowledge
his greatness and glory and dominion. And so it will dispose to
all acts of obedience to God; for the servant that loves his
master, and the subject that loves his sovereign, will be
disposed to proper subjection and obedience. Love will dispose
the Christian to behave toward God, as a child to a father; amid
difficulties, to resort to him for help, and put all his trust in
him; just as it is natural for us, in case of need or affliction,
to go to one that we love for pity and help. It will lead us,
too, to give credit to his word, and to put confidence in him;
for v. e are not apt to suspect the veracity of those we have
entire friendship for. It will dispose us to praise God for the
mercies we receive from him, just as we are disposed to gratitude
for any kindness we receive from our {allowmen that we love.
Love, again, will dispose our hearts to submission to the will of
God, for we are more willing that the will of those we love
should be done, than of others. We naturally desire that those we
love should be suited, and that we should be agreeable to them;
and true affection and love to God will dispose the heart to
acknowledge God's right to govern, and that he is worthy to do
it, and so will dispose to submission. Love to God will dispose
us to walk humbly with him, for he that loves God will be
disposed to acknowledge the vast distance between God and
himself. It will be agreeable to such an one, to exalt God, and
set him on high above all, and to lie low before him. A true
Christian delights to have God exalted on his own abasement, because
he loves him. He is willing to own that God is worthy of this,
and it is with delight that he casts himself in the dust before
the Most High, from his sincere love to him.
And so a due consideration of the nature of
love will shew that it disposes men to all duties towards their neighbours.
If men have a sincere love to their neighbours, it will dispose
them to all acts of justice towards those neighbours-for real
love and friendship always dispose us to give those we love their
due, and never to wrong them (Rom. xiii. 10)-" Love worketh
no ill to his neighbor." And the same love will dispose to
truth toward neighbours, and will tend to prevent all lying and
fraud and deceit. Men are not disposed to exercise fraud and
treachery toward those they love; for thus to treat men is to
treat them like enemies, but love destroys enmity. Thus the
apostle makes use of the oneness that there ought to be among
Christians, as an argument to induce them to truth between man
and man (Eph. iv. 25). Love will dispose to walk humbly amongst
men; for a real and true love will incline us to high thoughts of
others, and to think them better than ourselves. It will dispose
men to honour one another, for all are naturally inclined to
think highly of those they love, and to give them honour; so that
by love are fulfilled those precepts, 1 Pet. xi. 17- "
Honour all men,', and Phil. ii. 3 " Let nothing be done
through strife or vainglory, but in lowliness of mind let each esteem other
better than themselves." Love will dispose to contentment in
the sphere in which God hath placed US, without. coveting any
things that our neighbor possesses, or envying him on account of any
good thing that he has. It will dispose men to meekness and
gentleness in their carriage toward their neighbours, and not to
treat them with passion or violence or heat of spirit, but with
moderation and calmness and kindness. It will check and restrain
everything like a bitter spirit; for love has no bitterness in
it, but is a gentle and sweet disposition and affection of the
soul. It will prevent broils and quarrels, and will dispose men
to peaceableness, and to forgive injurious treatment received
from others; as it is said in Proverbs x. 12, " Hatred
stirreth up strifes, but love covereth all sins."
Love will dispose men to all acts of mercy
toward their neighbours when they are under any affliction or
calamity, for we are naturally disposed to pity those that we
love, when they are afflicted. It will dispose men to give to the poor,
to bear one another's burdens, and to weep with those that weep,
as well as to rejoice with those that do rejoice. It will dispose
men to the duties they owe to one another in their several places
and relations. It will dispose a people to all the duties they
owe to their rulers, and to give them all that honour and
subjection which are their due. And it will dispose rulers to
rule the people over whom they are set, justly, seriously, and
faithfully, seeking their good, and not any byends of their
own. It will dispose a people to all proper duty to their
ministers, to hearken to their counsels and instructions, and to
submit to them in the house of God, and to support and sympathize
with and pray for them, as those that watch for their souls; and
it will dispose ministers faithfully and ceaselessly to seek the good
of the souls of their people, watching for them as those that
must give account. Love e will dispose to suitable carriage
between superiors and inferiors: it will ill dispose children to
honour their parents, and servants to be obedient to their masters,
not with eyeservice, but in singleness of heart; and it will
dispose masters to exercise gentleness and goodness toward their servants.
Thus love would dispose to all duties, both
toward God and toward man. And if it will thus dispose to all
duties, then it follows, that it is the root, and spring, and, as
it were, a comprehension of all virtues. It is a principle which,
if it be implanted in the heart, is alone sufficient to produce
all good practice; and every right disposition toward God and man is
summed up in it, and comes from it, as the fruit from tile tree,
or the stream from the fountain.
Second, Reason teaches that whatever
performances or seeming virtues there are without love, are
unsound and hypocritical. If there be no love in what men do,
then
there is no true respect to God or men in their
conduct; and if so, then certainly there is no sincerity.
Religion is nothing without proper respect to God. The very
notion of religion among mankind is, that it is the creature's exercise and
expression of such respect toward the Creator. But if there be no
true respect or love, then all that is called religion is but a
seeing show, and there is no real religion in it, but it is
unreal and vain. Thus, if a man's faith be of such a sort that
there is no true respect to God in it, reason teaches that it
must be in vain; for if there be no love to God in it, there car.
he no true respect to him From this it appears, that love is
always contained in a true and living faith, and that it is its
true and proper life and soul, without which, faith is as dead as
the e body is without its soul; and that it is that which
especially distinguishes a living faith from every other: but of
this more particularly hereafter. Without love to God, again,
there can be no true honour to him. A man is never hearty in the
honour he seems to render to another whom he does not love; so
that all the seeming honour or worship that is ever paid without love,
is but hypocritical. And so reason teaches, that there is no
sincerity in the obedience that is performed without love; for if
there be no love, nothing that at is done can be spontaneous and
free, but all must be forced. So without love, there can be no
hearty submission to the will of God, and there can be no real
and cordial trust and confidence in him. He that does not love God
will not trust him: he never will, with true acquiescence of
soul, cast himself into the hands of God, or into the arms of his
mercy.
And so, whatever good carriage there may be in
men toward their neighbours, yet reason teaches that it is all unacceptable
and in vain, if at the same time there be no real respect in the
heart toward those neighbours; if the outward conduct is not
prompted by inward love. And from these two things taken
together, viz. that love is of such a nature that it will produce
all virtues, and dispose to all duties to God and men, and that without
it there can be no sincere virtue, and no duty at all properly
performed, the truth of the doctrine follows-that all true and
distinguishing Christian virtue and grace may be summed up in
love.
2. The Scriptures teach us that love is the
sum of all that is contained in the law of God, and of all the
duties required in his word. This the Scriptures teach of the
law in general, and of each table of the law in particular.
First, The Scriptures teach this of
the law and word of God in general. By the law, in the
Scriptures, is sometimes meant the whole of the written word of
God, as in John x. 34-" Is it not written in your law, I
said, Ye are gods ? " And sometimes, by tile law, is meant
the five books of Moses, as in Acts xxiv. 14, where it is named
with the distinction of the " law " and the "
prophets." And sometimes, by the law, is meant the ten commandments,
as containing the sum of all the duty of mankind, and all that is
required as of universal and perpetual obligation. But whether we
take the law as signifying only the ten commandments, or as
including the whole written word of God, the Scriptures teach us that
the sum of all that is required in it is love. Thus, when by the
law is meant the ten commandments, it is said, in Rom. xiii. 8, "He
that loveth another hath fulfilled the law;'' and therefore
several of the commandments are rehearsed, and it is added, in
the tenth verse' that " love " (which leads us to obey
them all) "is the fulfilling of the law." Now, unless
love was the Sum of what the law requires, the law could
not be wholly fulfilled in love; for a law is fulfilled only by obedience
to the sum or whole of what it contains and enjoins. So the same
apostle again declares (1 Tim. i. 5), "Now the end of the
commandment is charity out of a pure heart, and of a good
conscience, and of faith unfeigned," &c. Or if we take
the law in a yet more extensive sense, as the whole written word
of God, the Scriptures still teach us, that love is the sum of
all required in it. In Matt. xxii. 40, Christ teaches, that on
the two precepts of loving God with all the heart, and our
neighbour as ourselves, hang all the law and the prophets, i.e. all the
written word of God; for what was then called the law and the
prophets, was the whole written word of God that was then extant.
And,
Second, The Scriptures teach the same
thing of each table of the law in particular. The command,
" Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart,', is
declared by Christ (Matt. xxii. 38) to be the sum of the first
table of the law, or the first great commandment; and in the next
verse, to love our neighbour as ourself, is declared to be the
sum of the second table; as it is also in Rom. xiii. 9, where the
precepts of the second table of the law are particularly specified: and
it is then added, " And if there be any other commandment,
it is briefly comprehended in this saying, namely, Thou shalt
love thy neighbour as thyself." And 60 in Gal. v. 14-``For
all the law is fulfilled in one word, even in this, Thou shalt love
thy neighbour as thyself." And the same seems to be stated
in James
ii. 8, '`If ye fulfill the royal law, according
to the Scripture sure, Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself,
ye do well." Hence love appears to be the sum of all
the virtue and duty that God requires of us, and therefore must
undoubtedly be the most essential thing-the sum of all the virtue that
is essential and distinguishing in real Christianity. That which
is the sum of all duty, must be the sum of all real virtue.
3. The truth of the doctrine' as shewn by
the Scripture appears from this, that the apostle teaches us (Gal. v.
6) that "faith works by love." A truly Christian
faith is that which produces good works; but all the good works
which it produces are by love. By this, two things are evident to the
present purpose:-
First, That true love 28 an
ingredient in true and living faith, and is what is most
essential and distinguishing in it. Love is no ingredient in a
merely speculative faith, but it is the life and soul of a
practical faith. A truly practical or saving faith, is light and
heat together, or rather light and love, while that which is only
a speculative faith, is only light without heat; and, in that it
wants spiritual heat or divine love, is in vain, and good for
nothing. A speculative faith consists only in the ascent of the
understanding; but in a saving faith there is also the consent of
the heart; and that faith which is only of the former kind, is no
better than the faith of devils, for they have faith so far as it
can exist without love, believing while they tremble. Now, the
true spiritual consent of the heart cannot be distinguished from
the love of the heart. He whose heart consents to Christ as a
Saviour, has true love to him as such. For the heart sincerely to consent
to the way of salvation by Christ, cannot be distinguished from
loving that way of salvation, and resting in it. There is an act
of choice or election in true saving faith, whereby the soul chooses
Christ its Saviour and portion, and accepts of and embraces him
as such; but, as was observed before, an election or choice
whereby it so chooses God and Christ, is an act of love-the lore
of a soul embracing him as its dearest friend and portion Faith is
a duty that God requires of every one. We are commanded to
believe, and unbelief is a sin forbidden by God. Faith is a duty
required in the first table of the law, and in the first command
of that table; and therefore it will follow, that it is
comprehended in the great commandment, " Thou shalt love the
Lord thy God with all thy heart,', &c. and so it will follow
that love is the most essential thing in a true faith. That love
is the very life and spirit of a true faith, is especially
evident from a comparison of this declaration of the apostle,
that " faith works by love," and the last verse of the
second chapter of the epistle of James, which declares, that
" as the body without the spirit is dead, so faith without
works is dead also." The working active, and acting nature
of anything, is the life of it; and that which makes us call a
thing alive, is, that we observe an active nature in it. This active,
working nature in man, is the spirit which he has within him. And
as his body without this spirit is dead, so faith without works
is dead also. And if we would know what the working active thing
in true faith is, the apostle tells us in Gal v. 6, "Faith
worketh by love." So that it is love which is the active
working spirit in all true faith. This is its very soul, without
which it ; is dead as, in another form, he tells in the text,
saying that faith, without charity or love is nothing, though it
be to such a degree that it can remove mountains. And when he
says, in the seventh verse of the context, that charity "
believeth all things, and hopeth all things," he probably
refers to the great virtues of believing and hoping in the truth and
grace of God, to which he compares charity in other parts of the chapter,
and particularly in the last verse, " Now abideth faith,
hope, charity,,' &c. For in the seventh verse he gives the preference
to charity or love, before the other virtues of faith and hope,
because it includes them; for he says, "charity believeth
all things, and hopeth all things; " so that this seems to be
his meaning, and not merely, as it is vulgarly understood, that
charity believeth and hopeth the best with regard to our
neighbours. That a justifying faith, as a most distinguishing
mark of Christianity, is comprehended in the great command of
loving God, appears also, very plainly, from what Christ says to
the Jews (John v. 4043, &c.)
Second, It is further manifest from this
declaration of the apostle " that faith works by love," that
all Christian exercises of the heart, and words of the
life, are from love; for we are abundantly taught in the New
Testament that all Christian holiness begins with faith in Jesus
Christ. All Christian obedience is, in the Scriptures called the obedience
of faith; as in Rom. xvi. 26, the gospel is said to be "made
known to all nations for the obedience of faith " The
obedience here spoken of is doubtless the same with that spoken
of in the eighteenth verse of the preceding chapter, where Paul
speaks of making " the Gentiles obedient by word and
deed." And in Gal. ii. 20, he tells us, "the life which
I now dive in the flesh, I live by the faith of the Son of God,'
&c.; and we are often told that Christians, so far as they
are Christians, '`live by faith; " which is equivalent to
saying that all gracious and holy exercises and virtues of the spiritual
life are by faith. But how does faith work these things ? Why, in
this place in Galatians, it is expressly said, that it works
whatsoever it does work by love. From which the truth of
the doctrine follows, viz. that all that is saving and
distinguishing in Christianity does radically consist, and is
summarily comprehended, in love.
In the application of this subject, we may use
it in the way of selfexamination, instruction, and exhortation.
And,
1. In view of it let us examine ourselves,
and see if we have the spirit which it enjoins. From love to
God springs love to man, as says the apostle (1 John v. 1 )
Whosoever believeth that Jesus is the Christ is born of God: and
every one that loveth him that begat, loveth him also that is
begotten of him." Have we this love to all who are the
children of God ? This love also leads those who possess it to
rejoice in God, and to worship and magnify him. Heaven is made up of
such (Rev. xv. 24) "And I saw as it were a sea of glass
mingled with fire; and them that had gotten the victory over the
least, and over his image, and over his mark, and over the number
of his name, stand on the sea of glass, having the harps of God.
And they sing the song of Moses the servant of God, and the song
of the Lamb, saying, Great and marvelous are thy works, Lord God
Almighty; just and true are thy ways, thou King of saints. Who shall
not fear thee, O Lord, and glorify thy name ? for thou only art
holy: for all nations shall come and worship before thee; for thy judgments
are made manifest."
Do we thus delight in God, and rejoice in l is
worship, and in magnifying his holy name ? This love also leads
those who possess it, sincerely to desire, and earnestly to
endeavour to do good to their fellowmen (1 John iii. 1619) "Hereby
perceive we the love of God, because he laid down his life for
us: and we ought to lay down our lives for the brethren. But
whoso hath this world's good, and seeth his brother have need,
and shutteth up his bowels of compassion from him, how dwelleth
the love of God in him ? My little children, let us not love in
word, neither in tongue; but in deed and in truth. And hereby we
know that we are of the truth, and shall assure our hearts before
him." Is this spirit, which dwelt in Jesus Christ, tile
spirit that reigns in our hearts, and is seen in our daily life ?
The subject may, also, be of use,
2. In the way of instruction. And,
First, This doctrine shews us what is
the right Christian spirit When the disciples, on their way
to Jerusalem, desired Christ to call down fire from heaven to
consume the Samaritans who would not receive him, he told them (Luke
ix. 55), by way of rebuke, " Ye know not what manner of
spirit ye are of;', by which we are to understand, not that they
did not know their own hearts, but that they did not know and
truly feel what kind of spirit was proper and becoming to their
character and spirit as his professed disciples, and becoming
that evangelical dispensation that he had come to establish, and
under which they were now living. It might indeed be, and
doubtless was true, that in many respects they did not know their
own hearts. But what Christ here referred to was, not the want of
selfknowledge in general, but the particular spirit they had manifested
in desiring him call down fire, &c., -a desire which showed notso
much that they did not know what their own hearts or dispositions were,
as that they did not seem to know what kind of spirit and temper
was proper to the Christian dispensation that was henceforth to
be established, and to the Christian character of which they were
to be examples. They showed their ignorance of the true nature of Christ's kingdom;
that it was to be a kingdom of love and peace; and that they did
not know but that a revengeful spirit WAS a proper spirit for
them as his disciples: and for this it is that he rebukes them.
And doubtless there are many nowadays,
greatly to be rebuked for this, that though they have been so
long in the school of Christ and under the teachings of the e
gospel, yet they still remain under a great misapprehension as to what kind
of a spirit a truly Christian spirit is, and what spirit is
proper for the followers of Christ and the dispensation under which
they live. But if we attend to the text anti its doctrine, they
will teach us what this spirit is, viz. that in its very essence
and savour it is the spirit of divine and Christian love. This
may, by way of eminence be called the Christian spirit;
for it is much more insisted on in the New Testament, than
anything that concerns either our duty or our moral state. The
words of Christ whereby he taught men their duty, and gave his
counsels and commands to his disciples and others, were spent
very much on the precepts of love; and as the words that proceeded
out of his mouth were so full of this sweet divine virtue, he
thus most manifestly commends it to us. And after his ascension,
the apostles were full of the same spirit in their epistles
abundantly recommending love, peace, gentleness, goodness, bowels
of compassion and kindness, directing us by such things to
express our love to God and to Christ, as well as to our
fellowmen and especially to all that are his followers This
spirit, even a spirit of love, is the spirit that God holds forth
greater motives in the gospel to induce us to, than to any other
thing whatever. The work of redemption which the gospel makes
known, above all things affords motives to love; for that work
was the most glorious and wonderful exhibition of love that ever was
seen or heard of. Love is the principal thing that the gospel
dwells on when speaking of God, and of Christ. It brings to light
the love eternally existing between the Father and the Son, and declares
how that same love has been manifested in many things, how that
Christ is God's well beloved Son, in whom he is ever well
pleased; flow he so loved him, that he has raised him to the
throne of the mediatorial kingdom, and appointed him to be the
judge of the world, and ordained that all mankind should stand before
him in judgment. In the gospel, too, is revealed the love that Christ
has to the Father, and the wonderful fruits of that love,
particularly in his doing such great things, and suffering such
great things in obedience to the Father's w ill, and for the
honour of his justice, and law, and authority, as the great moral
governor. There it is revealed how the Father and Son are one in
love, that we might be induced, in the like spirit, to be one
with them, and with one another, agreeably to Christ's prayer in
John xvii. 2123, " '[hat they all may be one; as thou,
Father, art in me, and I in thee, that they also may be one in
us: that the world may believe that thou hast sent me. And the glory
which thou gavest me I have given them; that they may be one,
even as we are one: I in them and thou in me, that they may be
made perfect in one; and that the world may know that thou hast
sent me, and hast loved them, as thou hast loved me." The gospel
also declares to us that the love of God was from everlasting,
and reminds us that he loved those that are redeemed by Christ,
before the foundation of the world; and that he gave them to the
Son; and that the Son loved them as his own. It reveals, too, the
wonderful love of both the Father and the Son to the saints now
in glory- that Christ not only loved them while in the world, but
that he loved them to the end. And all this love is spoken of as bestowed
on us while we were wanderers, outcasts, worthless, guilty, and
even enemies. This is love, such as was never elsewhere known, or
conceived (John xv. 13) " Greater love hath no man than
this, that a man lay down his life for his friends ;" (Rom.
v. 710) " Scarcely for a righteous man will one die . . .
But God commendeth his love toward us, in that, while we were yet
sinners, Christ died for us; . . . when we were enemies.,
God and Christ appear in the gospel revelation,
as being clothed with love; as sitting as it were on a throne of
mercy and grace, a seat of love, encompassed about with the sweet
beams of love. Love is the light and glory that is round about
the throne on which God is seated. This seems to be intended in
the vision the apostle John, that loving and loved disciple, had
of God in the isle of Patmos (Rev. iv. 3) "And there was a rainbow
round about the throne, in sight like unto an emerald;,' that is,
round about the throne on which God was sitting. So that God
appeared to him as he sat on his throne, as encompassed with a
circle of exceeding sweet and pleasant light, like the beautiful
colours of the rainbow, and like an emerald, which is a precious
stone of exceeding pleasant and beautiful colour-thus
representing that the light and glory with which God appears
surrounded in the gospel, is especially the glory of his love and covenantgrace, for
the rainbow was given to Noah as a token of both of these.
Therefore, it is plain that this spirit, even a spirit of love, is
the spirit that the gospel revelation does especially hold forth
motives and inducements to; and this is especially and eminently
the Christian spirit- the right spirit of the gospel.
Second, If it is indeed so, that all
that is saving and distinguishing in a true Christian, is
summarily comprehended in love, then professors of Christianity
may in this be caught as to their experiences, whether
they are real Christian experiences or not. If they
are so, then love is the sum and substance of them. If persons
have the true light of heaven let into their souls, it is not a
light without heat. Divine knowledge and divine love go together.
A spiritual view of divine things always excites love in the
soul, and dram forth the heart in love to every proper object. True
discoveries of the divine character dispose us to love God as the
supreme good; they unite the heart in love to Christ; they
incline the soul to flow out in love to God's people, and to all
mankind. When persons have a true discovery of the excellency and
sufficiency of Christ, this is the effect. When they experience a
right belief of the truth of the gospel, such a belief is
accompanied by love. They love him whom they believe to be the
Christ, the Bon of the living God. When the truth of the glorious
doctrines and promises of the gospel is seen, these doctrines and promises
are like so many cords which take hold of the heart, and draw it
out in love to God and Christ. When persons experience a true trust
and reliance on Christ, they rely on him with love, and so do it
with delight and sweet acquiescence of soul. The spouse sat under
Christ's shadow with great delight, and rested sweetly under his protection,
because she loved him (Cant. ii. 2). When persons experience true
comfort and spiritual joy, their joy is the joy of faith and
love. They do not rejoice in themselves, but it is God who is
their exceeding joy.
Third, This doctrine shows the
amiableness of a Christian spirit. A spirit of love is an
amiable spirit. It is the spirit of Jesus Christ it is the spirit
of heaven.
Fourth, This doctrine shews the
pleasantness of a Christian life.. A life of love is a
pleasant life. Reason and the Scriptures alike teach us, that "
happy is the man that findeth wisdom," and that "her
ways are ways of pleasantness, and all her paths are peace',
(Prov. iii. 13, 17).
Fifth, Hence we may learn the reason why
contention tends so much to the ruin of religion. The
Scriptures tells us that it has this tendency-" Where
envying and strife is, there is confusion and every evil
work" (James iii. 16). And 60 we find it by experience. When
contention comes into a place, it seems to prevent all good. And
if religion has been flourishing before, it presently seems to
chill and deaden it; and everything that is bad begins to
flourish. And in the light of our doctrine, we may plainly see
the reason of all this; for contention is directly against that which
is the very sum of all that is essential and distinguishing in
true Christianity, even a spirit of love and peace. No wonder, therefore, that Christianity
cannot flourish in a time of strife and contention among its
professors. No wonder that religion and contention cannot live
together.
Sixth, Hence, then, what a watch and
guard should Christian, keep against envy, and malice, and every
kind of bitterness of spirit towards their neighbours ! For
these things are the very reverse of the real essence of Christianity.
And it behooves Christians, as they would not, by their practice,
directly contradict their profession, to take heed to themselves
in this matter. They should suppress the first beginnings of illwill
and bitterness and envy; watch strictly against all occasions of
such a spirit, strive and fight to the utmost against such a
temper as tends that way; and avoid, as much as possible all
temptations that may lead to it. A Christian should at all times
keep a strong guard against everything that tends to overthrow or
corrupt or undermine a spirit of love. That which hinders love to men,
will hinder the exercise of love to God; for, as was observed
before, the principle of a truly Christian love is one. If love
is the sum of Christianity, surely those things which overthrow
love are exceedingly unbecoming Christians. An envious Christian,
a malicious Christian, a cold and hardhearted Christian, is the
greatest absurdity and contradiction. It is as if one should
speak of dark brightness, or a false truth!
Seventh, Hence it is no wonder that
Christianity so strongly requires us to love our enemies, even
the worst of enemies (as in Matt. v. 44); for love is the
very temper and spirit of a Christian: it is the sum of
Christianity. And if we consider what incitements thus to love
our enemies we have set before us in what the Gospel reveals of
the love of God and Christ to their enemies, we cannot wonder
that we are required to love our enemies, and to bless them, and
do good to them, and pray for them, "that we may be the
children of our Father which is in heaven, who maketh his sun to rise
on the evil and on the good, and sendeth rain on the just and on
the unjust."
3. Our subject exhorts us to seek a spirit of love; to grow in it more and more; and very much to abound in the works of love. If love is so great a thing in Christianity, so essential and distinguishing, yea, the very sum of all Christian virtue, then surely those that profess themselves Christians should live in love, and abound in the works of love, for no works are so becoming as those of love. If you call yourself a Christian, where are your works of love? Have you abounded, and do you abound in them? If this divine and holy principle is in you, and reigns in you, will it not appear in your life in works of love? Consider, what deeds of love have you done, Do you love God? What have you done for him, for his glory, for the advancement of his kingdom in the world! And how much have you denied yourself to promote the Redeemer's interest among men ? Do you love your fellowmen ? What have you done for them? Consider your former defects in these respects, and how becoming it is in you, as a Christian, hereafter to abound more in deeds of love. Do not make excuse that you have not opportunities to do anything for the glory of God, for the interest of the Redeemer's kingdom, and for the spiritual benefit of your neighbours. If your heart is full of love, it will find vent; you will find or make ways enough to express your love in deeds. When a fountain abounds in water, it will send forth streams. Consider that as a principle of love is the main principle in the heart of a real Christian, so the labour of love is the main business of the Christian life. Let every Christian consider these things; and may the Lord give you understanding in all things, and make you sensible what spirit it becomes you to be of, and dispose you to such an excellent, amiable, and benevolent life, as is answerable to such a spirit, that you may not love only " in word and tongue, but in deed and in truth."
Added to Bible Bulletin Board's Jonathan Edwards Collection by:
Tony Capoccia
Bible Bulletin Board
Box 119
Columbus, New Jersey, USA, 08022
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Email: tony@biblebb.com
Online since 1986