fpirit of charity appear, when we contemplate its wonderful power to soften the temper, to gentle the manners, and to render" man mild and fociable to man!" How greatly would the harmony of families and the peace of society be increased-how much more perfectly would mankind experience the pleasure and benefit of "living together in unity," if they were univerfally taught, by the law of charity, not to be " cafily pro voked !" The laft property of charity which I shall at present confider is, that it THINKETH NO EVIL. This may either denote that charity renders men difinclined to think evil concerning the character and conduct of others, or that it prevents them from thinking or defigning evil against others. The former explanation of the phrase would make it of the fame import with a fubfequent character of charity, that it "believeth all things, and hopeth all things." I there 1 I therefore understand it in the latter You You may fafely entrust your most important concerns in his hands; for his benevolence will effectually preserve him from wronging you, even in circumstances in which he might do it with perfect fecrefy and fecurity. In fine, benevolence is, in all the tranfactions of focial life, the fureft guard of justice and equity. "Love worketh no ill to his neighbour; therefore love is the fulfilling of the law." Characters Characters of Charity. I COR. xiii. 6-8. Charity rejoiceth not in iniquity, but rejoiceth in the truth; beareth all things; believeth all things; hopeth all things; endureth all things: charity never faileth. THE characters of charity which have already paffed under our notice are, that it exercises patient forbearance under injuries that it cherishes kind affections, and delights in kind actions-that it fubdues the tormenting paffion of envythat it banishes pride from the heart, and prevents indecorum and rudeness of manners-that it raifes the foul above the meanness of felfifhnefs, and dictates difinterested acts of beneficence-that it reftrains and moderates the paffion of anger 7 anger and that it renders those who are under its influence incapable of forming defigns injurious to the welfare of others. 66 Charity fuffereth long, and is kind; charity envieth not; charity vaunteth not itself, is not puffed up; doth not behave itself unseemly; feeketh not her own; is not easily provoked; thinketh no evil." It now remains, that we contemplate this divine virtue, as the admirer and friend of merit; as the candid apologist for human infirmity; as a patient and hardy fufferer for the benefit of mankind; and as poffeffing within itself a principle of immortality. Charity "rejoiceth not in iniquity, but rejoiceth in the truth; beareth all things, believeth all things, hopeth all things, endureth all things; charity never faileth." It has been ufual with moral writers to speak of virtue under the appellation of Truth: and fome moralifts have proceeded fo far as to maintain, that there is no |