another better than himself! Philip. ii. 3. "Knowledge puffeth up," says
this apostle (1 Cor. viii. 1) "but charity edifieth." It is but a
swelling and tumour of the mind, but love is solid piety and real
religion.

Then charity doth nothing unseemly, "behaveth not itself unseemly," 1 Cor.
xiii. 5. Vanity and swelling of mind will certainly break forth into some
unseemly carriage, as vain estimation, and such like, but charity keeps a
sweet decorum in all its carriage, so as not to provoke and irritate
others, nor yet to expose itself to contempt or mockery. Or the word may
be taken thus, it is not fastidious. It accounts not itself disgraced and
abused, to condescend to men of low estate. It can with its Master bow
down to wash a disciple's feet, and not think it unseemly. Whatsoever it
submits to in doing or suffering, it is not ashamed of it, as that it were
not suitable and comely.

"Charity seeketh not her own things." Self denial and true love are
inseparable. Self love makes a monopoly of all things to its own interest,
and this is most opposite to Christian affection and communion, which
puts all in one bank. If every one of the members should seek its own
things, and not the good of the whole body, what a miserable distemper
would it cause in the body? We are called into one body in Christ, and
therefore we should look not on our own things only, but every man also on
the things of others, Philip. ii. 4. There is a public interest of saints,
mutual edification in faith and love, which charity will prefer to its own
private interest. Addictedness to our own apprehension, and too much self
overweening and self pleasing is the grand enemy of that place to which we
are called into one body. Since one Spirit informs and enlivens all the
members, what a monstrosity is it for one member to seek its own things,
and attend to its own private interest only, as if it were a distinct
body!

Charity "is not easily provoked." This is the straight and solid firmness
of it, that it is not soon moved with external impressions. It is long
suffering, it suffers long and much. It will not be shaken by violent and
weighty pressures of injuries, where there is much provocation given, yet
it is not provoked. Now to complete it, it is not easily provoked at light
offences. It is strange how little a spark of injuries puts all in a flame
because our spirits are as gunpowder,--so capable of combustion through
corruption. Ho