1 Pet. iv. 8. Above all things have fervent charity among yourselves : for charity shall cover the multitude of sins.
THE divine authority of our religion is fully esta- blished. Its external evidences demonstrate God to be its author ; nor are its internal evidences less convincing. The tendency of Christianity is to
assimilate us to God. All other religions have coun- tenanced a vindictive spirit ; but the religion of Jesus inculcates universal love. The New Testament lays the greatest stress upon this duty.
The injunction in the text proposes to our view,
I. The duty inculcated —
The term " charity" is to be understood of Chris- tian love —
[Many confine the sense of this term to almsgiving ; but almsgiving is a very small part of what is implied in it. Charity includes the whole of our duty towards our neigh- bours11.]
This charity or love is our indispensable duty —
[Though an old commandment, it is enjoined as a new oneb. Obedience to it is a sure test of our conversion0: it is a good evidence of conversion to ourselves d; it is a satisfactory proof to others alsoe. A want of love manifests us to be in an unregenerate state f.]
It ought to be cordial and " fervent" —
[Worldly courtesy is but a faint image of Christian love. Love, if pure, and subordinate to God, cannot be too fervent. Our love of ourselves is the rule of love to others : our Lord's love to us is the pattern also of this duty g.]
We should " above all things" cultivate this dis- position—
[Love is the greatest of all Christian graces11. If we attain to it, we fulfil the law of Christ1. But if we be destitute of it, nothing else will profit usk.]
The children of God should maintain it " among
themselves " —
[Benevolence is due even to our enemies. But there is an especial obligation in the saints to love each other1 ; their union with Christ, and with each other, demands it111.]
To promote a more uniform attention to this duty, we will consider,
II. The argument with which it is enforced —
a Rom. xiii. 9. b 1 John ii. 7, 8. c 1 John iv. 7, 8.
d 1 John iii. 14. former part. e John xiii. 35.
f 1 John iii. 14. latter part. s 1 John iii. 16.
h 1 Cor. xiii. 14. i Rom. xiii. 8, 10. k 1 Cor, xiii. 1 — 3.
1 Gal. vi. 10. m 1 Cor. xii. 25.