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tural term CHARITY has fallen into disuse, or, rather, has been reduced and confined to the sense of mere alms-giving. Charity, as our translators of the New Testament understood its meaning, describes this grace better than "love," which has so many lower associations. For the apostle does say, love to God, or love to the church, or love of our neighbour, but simply "love;" meaning not so much the acting or going forth of love, as that loving temper, or lovingness of soul, which disposes us to love whenever the proper object is presented. Thus God was love long before he had made any creatures to be the objects of his love, even from all eternity; and though, it may be said he loved his own glorious self, and delighted in his own infinitely lovely perfections, yet we may not doubt that it was his loving disposition, which led him to create beings upon whom he could bestow the riches of his goodness, and receive their love in grateful return. Adam, when he stood without human companionship in the garden of sinless de

light, had all the affections which man has now, or glorified man will have in the vast society of heaven, though doubtless not so expanded, because they were not called forth and educated. He loved his God with an entire and child-like affection. He loved all around him, the waving trees, the variegated flowers, the mellow fruits, the flowing waters, the rejoicing birds, the innocent beasts, the morning light and the evening shadow, the sun, the moon, the stars, and all that told of his Maker's love and invited to his Maker's praise. Yet there was a want in his soul, a loving tendency God had implanted in his holy nature, which needed other beings to love, and to love him. "God saw it was not good for man to be alone," and, therefore, he gave a human companion to his bosom, and formed for him that holy union from which all the relations of life are derived. He did not change and adapt the heart of man to these new ties, but ordained them because they were necessary to man's loving nature.

If it should be asked, Is not God a sufficient object of all love? Was it necessary that the human heart should have any other beside him, to call into exercise all its pure affection? there is a ready answer. Love is an active principle; and, especially when stimulated by gratitude for kindness received, as is the love of a holy being for God, it must manifest itself by some proof or return. When pent up in the heart, it produces uneasiness and pain. Indeed, experience convinces us, that the mere excitement of our sensibilities, without an opportunity of their going forth in action, has a hurtful and hardening influence upon the heart; as is seen in those who love to weep over tales and scenes of fictitious wo, yet steel themselves against sympathy with real suffering. The holy soul pours out its love in adoring thanks to God; but thanks are not enough. He would do something to prove his affection. His inquiry is, "What shall I render unto the Lord for all his benefits" towards me? And were there none in

the universe to love but God, the answer would be, Nothing but thanks. God already has all. He is infinitely above wanting any thing to increase his blessedness. All that we have is his, and what we can give him is now his own. As David sings, "O my soul, thou hast said unto the Lord, Thou art my Lord; my goodness extendeth not to thee;" (or as another translation has it, "My goods are nothing to thee;") and then adds, "but to the saints that are in the earth, and to the excellent, in whom is all my delight." He could bestow nothing upon God, but he could prove his gratitude by kindness towards the children of God. God has created other beings for us to love and serve, that in so doing we may not only prove, but cultivate and increase our love to himself. Thus holy love to God is always accompanied by loving kindness toward his creatures. The angels are holy, and their delight has ever been in loving God; yet adoration and praise is not all their employment. They are "ministers of his, who do

his pleasure;" "ministering spirits, sent forth to minister to the heirs of salvation;" and they feel a joy, above heaven's ordinary rapture, "over every sinner that repenteth." The command to man, to "love God with all his heart, and with all his mind, and with all his strength," is followed by a command to "love his neighbour as himself;" which could not be, unless love to our neighbour is included in love to God; for how else can we give all our heart to God, and love ourselves and our neighbour too? So one apostle says, "Love is the fulfilling of the law;" and another, "No man hath seen God at any time. If we love one another, God dwelleth in us, and his love is perfected in us." In the various descriptions of heaven, where the Christian will be perfectly holy and happy in the love of God, the idea of a holy society and communion with other holy intelligences, is always introduced: "the spirits of just men made perfect, and an innumerable company angels." Therefore, the apostle names "love," as

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