SERM.all Knowledge; and though I have all XIII. Faith, fo that I could remove Mountains;

and have no Charity; I am nothing. And though I beflow all my Goods to feed the Poor, and though I give my Body to be burned, and bave not Charity; it profiteth me nothing. In St Paul's opinion therefore; though a man could preach like an Angel, and had the Knowledge of an inSpired Prophet; Though he had the Faith of an Apofile, and the Zeal of a Martyr, and gave away in Alms to the Poor, even his whole Subftance: yet, if his Religion confifted in Party and Faction, and promoted uncharitableness, imperiousness, and ill-treatment of Other men ; even notwithstanding all thofe Great Excellencies, it would profit him nothing. The Reafon of this lofty affertion, follows in the 8th verfe: For, all other excellent Gifts, and even Virtues themselves, are only of temporary continuance; But Charity Alone, never faileth: Whether there be Prophecies, they shall fail; whether there be Tongues, they shall ceafe; whether there be Knowledge it fhall vanish away: Faith fhall be swallowed up in Vifion, and Hope

I

fhall

shall terminate upon Injoyment; but the SER M.
Love of God and of our Brethren, shall, XIII.
when This world is passed away, continue
and increase for ever. That every man,

and
every Number of men, who call them-
felves Chriftians, may seriously confider
this important Truth; God of his infi-
nite Mercy grant, &c.

SERMON

SERMON XIV.

Of the Virtue of Charity.

I COR. xiii. 3.

And though I beftow all my goods to feed the poor, and though I give my Body to be burned, and have not Charity, it profiteth me nothing.

I

N difcourfing upon thefe SER M.
words of the Apostle, I pro- XIV.
pofed it, To explain What
That Virtue is, which he

here calls Charity; its oppofite Vice is: 2dly, To

VOL. III.

X

and What

confider

the

SER M. the excellent Effect, which the general XIV. Practice of this Virtue would have in the

World; and the great Stress which our Saviour and his Apoftles accordingly do conftantly lay upon it, as being the Principal Part and the Main End of Religion: 3dly, To take Notice of the incredible Mifchiefs arifing to Mankind, from the Want of the Practife of this Great Virtue: And lastly, To draw fome useful Inferences from the Whole.

THE Two Former of thefe Heads, I have already gone through: And have shown; That the word Charity here, does not fignify the particular Virtue of giving Alms to the Poor; For 'tis expreffly diftinguished from That, in the very words of the Text itself; But, that it is here made ufe of to exprefs a more general and extensive Virtue, even That Chriftian Temper and Difpofition, That general Love and Good-Will towards Mankind, which is the Great Foundation of All Virtues and good Habits; teaching men with meeknefs and Patience, with Tendernefs and Affection, with Gentleness and Kindnefs, after the Example of Chrift, to labour and be follicitous,

for