11. ' But rejoiceth in the truth,' (Tv^'xaLpei he rfj aXrjdeia. Truth is taken for sincerity of goodness. Charity wisheth those that displease us were better than they are, and that they did nothing but what is right, just, and good ; rejoices at any good that befalleth others, especially at the holy and virtuous actions performed by them, and their integrity and sincerity. This is a good note ; for what a man really is, he desireth others should be.
12. ' It beareth all things.' The word is Travra o-reyec, covereth all things, which the Greek word also signifieth ; and so there is a tautology avoided ; for tlie last clause of this verse is ' endureth all things.' Now the meaning of this clause is, that charity doth not easily divulge the crimes of others : Prov. x. 12, ' Hatred stirreth up strife, but love covereth all sins.' None of us can expect to live in the world but we shall meet with many failings and wrongs in the best of God's children. These will need the cover of love, that we may neither shame our brethren nor disgrace our religion. Therefore one property of this grace is to hide and conceal the evil we know by another, as far as it is for his good, and not contrary to the greater
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good of others ; for tlien a greater charity obligeth us to reveal it. As if a man be a seducer, or if one profess to do religion a mischief, it is our duty to reveal it ; but otherwise it is an offence to speak all we know of others, though it be true ; for all evil must not be divulged, but sometimes covered with the cloak of love. There may be malice in reporting truth ; for an eager desire to spread a fault wanteth not sin : Jer. xx. 10, ' Report say they, and we will report it/ Nay ; if there be no ill intent, such prattle will come under the charge of idle words, unless it be for discovering a hypocrite, that others may not be deceived nor ensnared.
13. 'It belie veth all things,' iravra Tnarevei ; not such things as are apparently false, but hath no prejudice against that which others profess, if not prevalently contradicted. It desireth others should be good, and therefore easily believeth them according to the profession which they make, and whilst things are any way credible, and not manifestly false. It dareth not harbour an ill conceit of others, inter- preting all things to the best as long as the contrary appeareth not, and whatever can be said for the mitigation of a fault. It is easily persuaded, James iii. 17. It doth not indulge unwarrantable suspicions, and as long as it can taketh all things in good part that are said or done by others ; for till it hath an idoneous proof, it had rather be deceived in thinking well of others than suspecting evil. It is a malignity to fasten an evil sense on a speech or action that may bear a good one.
14. ' Hopeth all things,' iravra 'ekiri^ei. This is added because what charity cannot believe it hopeth for. When nothing is said by way of defence and excuse, it hopeth the best the matter is capable of ; if not for the present, it despaireth not that, being fallen, they will rise again ; they despair not of their repentance, nor give over the use of all probable means to reclaim them.
15. ' It endureth all things,' rrravra virofieTeL ; that is, suffereth injuries done to itself, for peace's sake, without revenging itself. They can endure much pain, and trouble, and loss to procure a greater good to others ; that is, greater than the pain we suffer ourselves ; and therefore it meditateth not revenge.
16. And lastly, ' Charity never faileth,' ovSeTrore eKirLTrrei ; that is, never ceaseth in this life to bring forth these fruits ; neither shall it cease in the life to come. There the love of God and our brethren abideth and is perfect. Men die, but charity liveth, and is exercised by us in another world. It is not a grace out of date in heaven. Here it is not weary, Gal. vi. 9 ; there it shall not cease, 1 Cor. xiii. 13. The duties are other, but the grace is the same.
Use 1. Let me beseech you, as Chrysostom did his hearers, often to ruminate on this description of charity. Remember it is a discrim- inating grace, not an arbitrary thing, that we are speaking of. The business is whether you are something in religion or nothing. They that cannot bridle their passions, but live in enmity, malice, pride, and covetousness, and have not charity, are nothing.
2. What reason we have to deprecate God's strict judgment, and clear up the business of our sincerity. Alas ! without an evangelical interpretation what would become of us ? It is true we break not into
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gross enormities, but how many infirmities sticlc to us ! Though a christian cannot wholly subdue them, he must in some measure over- come them. Anger will stir when we are provoked, but by the ordinary assistance of God's grace we may keep off from running out into furious words and actions, or cursing or swearing, or striking or reviling. An envious thought may arise against our brother because he is preferred before us, but we hate it, labour to keep it under, chide ourselves for it, do not let our envy break out into a malignant detrac- tion from their worth, or blemishing their gifts and graces. A child of God may feel the ticklings of pride, yet he will not suffer it to break cut into boasting language ; some motions of revenge, but they do not break out into mischievous contradiction.