ing definition: It is a virtue divinely infused, by which God is sincerely loved for his own sake, and one's neighbour for God's sake. For it is the same virtue of charity, which causes us. to love God, and one's neighbour under God and for God. This love of charity is distinguished from every vicious love on account of its beginning. For charity flows from God, as a gift infused by the Holy Spirit into human hearts. Love is of God, 1 John iv. 7. God hath given to us the Spirit of love, 2 Tim. i. 7. Whence Prosper, De vita contempl. 3. 13, says, Charity is a regulated will united to God, enkindled by the fire of the Holy Spirit. But all vicious and inordinate love arises from the fountain of innate concupiscence such is the love of the avaricious, the ambitious, the lustful; and, in one word, of all the wicked.

It is distinguished also on account of its order and its object. For charity arises from God whom it loves for himself: corrupt love springs from oneself. Charity proceeds to love one's neighbour for the Lord's sake; corrupt love pretends to love one's neighbour, but pursues one's own advantage and pleasure. Therefore, they neither agree in order nor in object. But when it is said, Charity proceeds from God to one's neighbour, it is by no means to be restricted to relatives, kinsmen, or our familiar friends; but is to be extended to men universally for every man who is in want of our good offices, or our assistance, is our neighbour. Luke x. 36. Hence Augustine, on Psalm cxviii. Conc. 8, says, Every man is neighbour to every man; nor is the remoteness of family ties to be considered, where there is a common nature. With this view the Schoolmen say, Neighbour is to be understood not from nearness of blood, but fellowship in reason. Aquinas,Quæst.disp.de char. art. 7. But since we enlarged on this virtue of charity when treating the fourth verse of the first Chapter, we shall pass by the rest, and proceed with its pre-eminence.

The Apostle intimates this prerogative of Charity when he says, I aσi tõuтois, above all these, as the common translation renders it. In the figure the Apostle has taken up he seems to compare charity to some outward garment, which is worn over the others; to which comparison, however, we must attend not in regard to the order, as though

charity was to be put on last of all the virtues before-mentioned; but with regard to the comprehensiveness of the similitude.

1. As an outer garment is generally wider and larger than the rest; so does charity exceed the before-mentioned virtues.

2. As that garment which is worn outermost is generally more beautiful and costly than the rest; so does charity among the other virtues shine like the moon among the stars.

3. As the ranks and degrees of men are generally distinguished by the outer garment; so charity serves to discriminate the true disciples of Christ and sons of God from false and pretended ones. So John xiii. 35, By this shall all men know that ye are my disciples, if ye have love one to another.

Calvin reads, on account of all these things put on charity. The Greek word ε, signifies both over and because of (super et propter); and either way serves to illustrate the excellence of charity. For if the Apostle has commanded them on account of all these virtues also to put on charity, he wished to shew that neither they nor their actions could subsist without charity.

For first, they have their truth, and, consequently, their value, from charity; as the Apostle says, 1 Cor. xiii. 3, Though I bestow all my goods to feed the poor, and though I give my body to be burned, and have not charity, it profiteth me nothing. Many marvellous properties are to be found in men, says Prosper, which without having the marrow of charity, put on the appearance of piety, but have not its reality. Epist. ad Ruffin. de lib. arbit.

Secondly, they have their actions from charity: for in those points which regard our neighbour, she is as it were the mistress of the other virtues, and causes them as her servants to perform her tasks. On this account their properties and actions are attributed to charity. Charity is long-suffering, &c. 1 Cor. xiii. 4, suffereth all things, believeth all things, hopeth all things; vers. 7, ib. This is what the Schoolmen mean when they tell us that charity produces

the actions of all the other virtues, not elicitively, but imperatively.

Thirdly, they have their firmness and alacrity from charity. Whence Gregory (in cap. 28. Jobi) says, If any work be found destitute of charity, it is immediately taken away by the tempter. And Aquinas (Quæst. disp. de charit. art. 2) remarks, that it is the peculiar property of charity, that in exercising the other acts of virtue, charity forces us to act voluntarily, promptly, with delight, and with firmness. On these accounts the Apostle assigns to charity the first place among the virtues, and admonishes us to put it on either above all these or on account of them all. We come now to that encomium or eulogy of charity expressed by the Apostle in these words,

The bond of perfectness] a figurative expression. For he calls it a bond from the similitude of the effect, since it joins and combines together things differing from one another; and from this connexion and conjunction springs perfectness. Some refer this perfection to the virtues, others, to the church. The former say charity is the bond of perfectness among virtues themselves; since he who hath charity hath all the other virtues, and practises them; which the following Scriptures hint at; Rom. viii. 8, He who loveth his neighbour hath fulfilled the law. Galat. v. 14, All the law is fulfilled in one word, namely this, Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself. Whence Cyprian says, In love, are combined all the volumes of the Scriptures. In this all religion is consummated. It is consequently called the bond of perfectness, since it joins and binds together the duties of all virtues so that wherever true charity is, there is found the whole body and connexion as it were of all virtues. But when this sense is allowed, the Romanists fall upon us, and object;

If charity be the perfect fulfilling of the law, then does it justify for they who perfectly fulfil the law are justified by the works of the law, yet this is impossible according to the Apostle, Rom. iii. 20.

We reply, the fulfilling of the law may be considered in a twofold sense, concerning the parts of the righteousness

commanded, and concerning the degree. True charity fulfils the law in all its parts, but not in full degree. But justification is not had from the law unless it be fulfilled in both ways; each being included in the Divine command. We add this also, That charity if it be itself perfect, brings the perfect fulfilment of the law; for if the principle that operates be imperfect in any respect, the operations flowing from it must also be imperfect. Now we have the testimony of Augustine to shew that charity is imperfect in every mortal, Eqist. 29. ad Hiero. Entire charity exists in no individual as long as he lives here on earth: but that which is less than it ought to be, partakes of sin: from this sin there is no man free upon earth. This also Aquinas acknowledges, Quæst. disp. de charit. art. 10.

But there are others who refer this perfection to the body of the church, and affirm that charity is the bond of perfectness in the church, since it unites her members one with another, and effects a community of mutual operations for the advantage and preservation of the whole. For as the perfection of the natural body arises from the union and connexion of the parts, so much so, that we account it halt and imperfect if they be torn away or separated: so the body of the church is considered perfect and entire, as all its members are held together by the bond of charity; but weak and imperfect if they should be drawn asunder by quarrelling and malice. In this sense, therefore, charity may be called the bond of perfectness. For the Apostle teaches, Rom. xii. 5, that the church is one body; and again, in Ephes. iv. 16, that this body increases, as far as it is filly joined together and compacted by that which every joint supplieth, according to the effectual working of every part. Nothing, therefore, prevents our admitting charity, in both respects, to be the bond of perfectness. These things being explained, we must point out some general corollaries or instructions which flow from the above.

1. We hence learn to examine our acts of beneficence and mercy, in order to ascertain whether they flow from charity or not. Many persons impose upon themselves, and while they are dreaming that they perform acts of cha

rity, are doing no more than works of vanity we must, therefore, examine as to the moving principle, the order, the object, the intention, &c.

2. We may collect from the foregoing, that with however many virtues any one may seem to be adorned, he is not clothed as becomes a son of God or a true Christian, unless he shall have put on over the rest this garment of charity.

3. Hence also we see the reason why the before-mentioned virtues, mercy, humility, meekness, long-suffering, and others, appear so seldom in common life; namely, because their parent charity has perished, as it is said in Matt. xxiv. 12, Because iniquity shall abound, the love of many shall wax cold.

Hence, lastly, we perceive that they who break the bonds of charity, and afford occasion for schism, rend the integrity and perfection of their mother the Church, and, as it were, dislocate and tear her limb from limb. Thus much concerning charity.

Verse 15.

And let the peace of God rule in your hearts, to the which also ye are called in one body: and be ye thankful.

Ye have heard the Apostle's exhortation to put on charity. He now exhorts to two other virtues, which are daughters, and, indeed, handmaids of charity; for they daily attend upon their mother, and cherish and preserve her. One of these virtues he calls peace, the other is titude.

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As to the former, three things occur to be observed, 1. Whence this peace hath its origin: viz. from God:

the peace of God, &c.

2. What is its office, viz. to rule and preside in human hearts : βραβευέτω.