e present differences in
judgment of godly men, about such matters as minister mere questions,
would soon be buried in the gulf of Christian affection.

VI. Now to complete the account of the eminence of this grace, take that
remarkable chapter of Paul's, 1 Cor. xiii., where he institutes the
comparison between it and other graces, and in the end pronounces on its
behalf, "the greatest of these is charity." I wonder how we do please
ourselves, as that we had attained already, when we do not so much as
labour to be acquainted with this, in which the life of Christianity
consists, without which faith is dead, our profession vain, our other
duties and endeavours for the truth unacceptable to God and men. "Yet I
show you a more excellent way," says he in the end of the former chapter.
And this is the more excellent way, charity and love, more excellent than
gifts, speaking with tongues, prophesying, &c. And is it not more
excellent than the knowledge and acknowledgment of some present
questionable matters, about governments, treaties, and such like, and far
more than every punctilio of them? But he goes higher. Suppose a man could
spend all his substance upon the maintenance of such an opinion, and give
his life for the defence of it, though in itself it be commendable, yet if
he want charity and love to his brethren, if he overstretch that point of
conscience to the breach of Christian affection, and duties flowing from
it, it profits him nothing. Then certainly charity must rule out external
actions, and have the predominant hand in the use of all gifts, in the
venting of all opinions. Whatsoever knowledge and ability a man hath,
charity must employ it, and use it. Without this, duties and graces make
a noise, but they are shallow and empty within. Now he shows the sweet
properties of it, and good effects of it, how universal an influence it
hath on all things, but especially how necessary it is to keep the unity
of the church.

Charity "is kind" and "suffereth long," ({~GREEK SMALL LETTER MU~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER ALPHA~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER KAPPA~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER RHO~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER OMICRON~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER THETA~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER UPSILON~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER MU~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER ETA~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER OMEGA~}), it is longanimous or
magnanimous and there is indeed no great, truly great, mind but is patient
and long suffering. It is a great weakness and pusillanimity to be soon
angry. Such a