Ver. 2.-Love and faith. St. Paul was so emphatically the apostle of faith, that it is hard to believe that he wrote anything approaching to disparagement of that great and efficacious virtue. If he devoted a great part of his chief Epistle-that to the Romans-to an exhibition of the power of faith, it is not likely that here or anywher8 he should write one word which could cast faith into the shade. And, in fact, the reference of the apostle in this passage is not to faith in Christ as a Saviour, but to that special faith in a special promise which was the means of enabling the possessor to perform great marvels-in the figurative language of Scripture, to remove mountains. I. THIS LANGUAGE IS NOT IN DISPARAGEMENT OF THE FAITH WEICH WORKS BY LOVE. It is always taught in Scripture that faith precedes love; the heart must find Christ and rest in him and live from him, in order that it may love him. Confidence in a personal Saviour revealed in his words and life, in his sacrifice and triumph, will certainly awaken affection, more or less ardent according to the temperament and history of the individual believer. Strong faith is fitted to enkindle warm love. II. WE ARE TAt;GHT THAT "GIFTS" ARE NOT ALWAYS A SIGN OF PIETY. The faith which was so much admired and coveted in the primitive Church was confidence in a certain definite promise of the Lord of supernatural aid to those whose position rendered such aid expedient. The removal of mountains is, of course, a figure for the vanquishing of difficulties, and probably for the performance of miracles. It would seem that there were in the early Churches some who possessed this gift who had not the spiritual qualifications which.were far more to be desired. And it is not to be denied that even now there are in all Christian communities men largely endowed with gifts of administration, learning, and eloquence, who yet are lacking in those first c1ualities of Christian character which are a sign of the Spirit's indwelling. Far more to b'l desired is simple faith in the Saviour than the faith which removes mountains and dazzles multitudes. III. THESE LESSONS ARE ENFORCED BY THE CONSIDERATION THAT P.AUL POSSESSED BOTH SUPERNATURAL GIFT!! AND FERVENT CIIAHITY, AND WAS WELL ABLE TO COMPARE THE TWO. Never were wonders, miracles or moral power, wrought more manifestly, more repeatedly, than in the ministry of the great apostle of the Gentiles. If nay bad reason to boast, he had more. Yet to him his love to the Saviour, and his devotion, to those for whom that Snviour died, were of far more consequence aud value than al]. his supernatural gifts. "Love is the brightest of tl1e train, And strengthens all the rest." T. Ver. 3.-Love and almsgiving. Of all tho comparisons between love and other qualities, gifts, or practices, this is the one which sounds most strange to our enrs. For m onr minds charity and almsgiving aro so closely a8sociated that it scarcely seems possible that they should be placed in contrast ono with the other. Yet ~o it is; and. every observer of human nature and ~ociety can recognize both the insight and the foresight of the apostle in this srriking, almost startling comparison. I. ALMSGIVINO MAY ORIGINATE IN INFERIOR AND UXWORTHY MOTIVES. The apostle supposes an extreme case, viz. that ono should give away nil his substance in doles to the poor; and he gives his judgment that such a course or action may be loveless, and, if loveless, then worthless. For it may proceed from: 1. Ostentation. 'l'hnt this is the explanation of many of the handsome and even munificent gifts of the wealthy, we are obliged to believe. A rich man sometimes likes his name to figure in a subscription list for an amount which no man or moderate means can afford. The publication of such a gift gratifies his vanity and self-importance. His nnmo may figure side by side with tbat of a well-known millionaire. 2. Custom. A comme_ntntor has illustrated this passa"e by reference to the crowu.s of beg~nrs who gather ID the court of a great bishop's palace in Spain or Sicily, to each of whom a coin is given, in so-called charity. Such pernicious and indiscliminate almsµ;iving is expected of those in a high position in the Church, and they give from custom. 'l'ho same priucirlo 4-J2 THE FIRST EPISTLE 'l'O THE CORINTHIANS. [cH. xm. 1-13.
expl~ins probably much of our eleemosynary bcstowment. 3. Love of power. .As in the feudal days a great lord had his retinue and his retainers, multitudes dependin•! upon his bounty, so there cm be no question that individuals and Churches often criv~ generously for the sake of the hold they thus gain upon the dependent, who bec~me in turn in many ways their adherents and supporters. II . .ALMSGIVI1'G MAY IN SOME CASES DE INJURIOUS. In fact, it often is so. 1. 'l'o the recipient. The wretch who lives in idleness on rich men's doles is degrarled in the rrocess, and becomes lost to all self-respect, and habituated to an icrnominious and base -contentedness with his position. 2. To society generally. When it is known that the man who begs is as well supported as the man who works, how can it be otherwise than that demoralization should ensue? The system of indiscriminate almscrivincr is '.1 wrong to th_e industrious poor. 3. '.1'? the giver. For such gifts as are s~ppo;ed, m~tead of callrng forth the finer qualities of the nature, awaken in the breast of the <1estower a cynical contempt of mankind. III. NEVERTHELESS, TRUE CHARTI'Y MAY EXPRESS ITSELF IN GIFTS. The man who doles away his substance in almsgiving, and has all the while no charity is nothing• but if there be love, that love sanctifieth both the giver and the gift. For be who love~ and gives resembles that Divine Being whose heart is ever filled with love, whose hands are ever filled with gifts.-T.