g Ps. xxvii. 13. h Heb. xi. 26, 35.
i Rom. viii. 24, 25. ^^ 1 Cor. xv. 58. Gal. vi. 9.
consequently, the existence of this grace in the soul most assi- milates us to Christ, " in whom was no sin, and in whom dwelt all the fulness of the Godhead bodily."
Nor should it be overlooked, that the production of love in the soul was the end for which all God's other mercies were vouchsafed : for that even faith and hope were given ; nor have they any value, any farther than they are conducive to this end : and consequently love, for which alone they are given, must be greater than they ; just as health, for which alone medicine is given, is better than medicine, which is valuable only as it is subservient to the preservation, or re-establish- ment, of health. The end must of necessity be greater than the mea7is.^
2. In its duration — [Faith and hope must soon cease ; the one terminating in sight, and the other being consummated in fruition. But not so the grace of love: that will endure to all eternity; the exer- cise of it being the one employment and blessedness of heaven. The other graces which have been instrumental to the forma- tion of this, will be no longer wanted, when this is perfected in the soul : they will therefore be dismissed, as having no longer any scope for exercise.
But when the scaffolding is removed, the building will appear in all its glory, the most wonderful monument of the power and grace of Christ. Then indeed will Christ " be glo- rified in his saints, and admired in all them that believe ;" for every one of them will then " be fully like him, when they shall see him as he is."
Thus, how excellent soever the graces of faith and hope may be, that of charity far excels them both: for those will find no place in heaven ; but this will remain an everlasting source of blessedness to man, and an eternal theme of honour to our God.]
Seeing, however, that during this present life " these three remain" and are to be cultivated with in- cessant care, we will close the subject with some DIRECTIONS for the exercise of them :
1. Keep them ever united in your hearts —
[No one of them can be dispensed with: if one be want- ing, we must perish. We must indeed keep each of them in its place, and assign to each its proper oifice. We must not think that faith can save us, if it do not *•' work by love ;" or that hope can benefit us, if it do not " purify us as Christ is pure;" or that love can supersede the necessity of faith in the work of our justification before God. We can be justified by