their mythology as Cupid, the Apostle, so well versed in Pagan philosophy, seems tacitly to correct their reigning vices, in his address to the Grecian philosophers of Corinth; as he had before exposed those of the Roman philosophers, Rom. i. 29–32. I. μакρovμεl, is "long suffering," or "slow to anger." This was recommended by the Stoic philosophy; the sum of which was comprised by Epictetus, in two words, ανεχου και απέχου, "bear and forbear." And some of the Sages and Philosophers shewed themselves remarkably patient of injuries, Lycurgus, Solon, Socrates, &c. II. xpηoreverat is "kind” or “beneficent." The Stoics placed "all the praise of virtue, in action," or active benevolence; as the best means of acquiring popularity, which is principally gained by conferring benefits, and next, by shewing a wish to serve others, even if the ability be wanting. Cicero de Officiis, ii. 5—9. But the Apostle, rejecting the motive of self interest, shews that charity is disposed to "serve" others "of her own accord," which seems to be the import of the middle verb, χρηστεύεται. These form the general outline of charity. The particulars are as follow. 1. ov Enλoi, "envieth not" the superior endowments or prosperity of others. The Roman philosophers were represented as 'full of envy," Rom. i. 29, and the Grecian, of "emulations," (¿ŋλot) and “envyings,” (p0ovot,) Gal. v. 20, 21, 1 Cor. iii. 3. 2. ου περπερεύεται, "vaunteth not herself" in all the pompous figures of heathen oratory, or enticing words of man's wisdom," 1 Cor. ii. 4. This scarce word is well defined by Basil, τι εστι περπερεύεσθαι; παν ὁ μη δια χρειαν, αλλα δια καλλωπισ pov Tapaλaμẞaverat, "all that is adventitiously introduced, not for use, but for ornament." And Cicero, who uses the word, has well illustrated its meaning by his own example, stating how he played the orator in a public speech before Pompey. Ego autem ipse, Dii boni! quo modo eveжεprepevσaμηv novo auditori Pompeio! si unquam mihi περιοδοι, η καμπαι, η ενθυμηματα, η κατασκευαι, suppeditaverunt, illo tempore. Quid multa? clamores [plaudentium]—intellexi hominem [Pompeium] moveri. Epist. ad Atticum, i. 14. Here the verb, in a compound state, evidently signifies, "to make an ostentatious display of oratory," as well explained by Casaubon, Me ostentari, res meas augendo, ornando, amplificando. 3. ου φυσιουται, "is not puffed up" with spiritual pride, on account of superior knowledge, eloquence, or spiritual gifts, like his factious opponents at Corinth, who were so puffed up, 1 Cor. iv. 6-18, 19, v. 2; and at Colosse, Col. ii. 18. 4. ουκ ασχημονεί, "is not disorderly," violating decorum or decency, like the incestuous person at Corinth, 1 Cor. v. 1—13; women praying with their heads uncovered, 1 Cor. xi. 13; the disorderly celebration of the Lord's Supper, 1 Cor. xi. 17-34; the irregular display of spiritual gifts in their assemblies, 1 Cor. xiv. 26-33; the preaching of women, 1 Cor. xiv. 34.—“ Let all things be done decently, (εvoxnμovwc,) and according to order,” (Kara тağıv,) 1 Cor. xiv. 40. 5. ου ζητει τα ἑαυτης, "seeketh not her own" gain, but rather the gain of others, 1 Cor. x. 24; Rom. xv. 2, most ready to spend and be spent in the service of her friends, with perfect disinterestedness, 2 Cor. xii. 15. 6. ov πapožvverat, "is not highly provoked," or wrathful, for wapožvoμoc signifies 66 a sharp contention" or violent quarrel, as between Paul himself and Barnabas, so that they separated, Acts xv. 39. Compare Acts xxiii. 3; Ephes. iv. 31; James i. 19. 7. ου λογίζεται το κακόν, 66 imputeth not the evil," or reckoneth not the mischief offered to her, intending to retaliate, rather imitating the generosity of Joseph to his brethren, Gen. xlv. 4–8, I. 20; and the goodness of GOD to sinners, Rom. iv. 8; VOL. III. сс Is not disorderly, seeketh not her own [gain,] Is not highly provoked, imputeth not the evil [done to her,] Covereth all things, believeth all things, Hopeth all things, endureth all things."—1 Cor. xiii. 4-7. The permanence of this choicest fruit of the Spirit is finely contrasted by the Apostle, with the occasional and temporary gifts of the Spirit, in the sequel. "Charity never faileth; but whether there be prophecies, they shall end" when they come to be fulfilled; " whether there be tongues, they shall cease" with their necessity; "whether there be knowledge, it shall end" with the mystery of the Gos pel, in the full establishment of THE KINGDOM OF HEAVEN. "For now we know in part, and we prophesy in part," or imperfectly; "but when the perfect [revelation of THE LORD] is come, then the partial knowledge shall end." Thus, "When I was a child, (vηπιoç,) I spake as a child, I understood as a child, I reasoned as a child; but when I became a man, (avno̟,) I left off the things of a child. For now we behold [THE LORD] in a mirror enigmatically, or obscurely; but then face to face, or clearly; now I know in part, but then shall I myself know intimately, (εTIуνwσоμaι,) even as I am known intimately, [by the SEARCHER OF HEARTS."] "And now remaineth FAITH, HOPE, CHARITY, these three, 2 Cor. v. 19; Tit. iii. 4-7: Quære, Did Paul himself strictly observe this rule to Alexander the copper-smith? 2 Tim. iv. 14. 8. ου χαίρει επι τη αδικία, "rejoiceth not in iniquity," or at the success of the unjust, Psalm x. 3; Rom. i. 32. 9. ovyxaipei de ty aλŋleɩg, “but rejoiceth with the truth,” “ rejoiceth with them that rejoice," Rom. xii. 15, or shares in the joy of the righteous at their prosperity, Job xlii. 11; Luke i. 58, x. 21, xv. 6—9—32; 2 John iv. 10. παντα στέγει, "covereth all things, concealeth the frailties and infirmities of others, Gen. ix. 23; Prov. x. 12, xvii. 9; Ecclus. xxviii. 7; Matt. i. 19; 2 Pet. iv. 8. Pope, in his Universal Prayer, has well expressed this: "Teach me to feel another's woe, To hide the fault I see, That mercy I to others shew, That mercy shew to me." 11. TaνTA TIOTEVEL, "believeth all things," is disposed to credit reports favourable to the character and conduct of others, Matt. i. 20; James iii. 17; Rom. i 8. 12. maνтa eλmiεɩ, “hopeth all things" for the best, as to the intentions of others, or for their reformation or improvement, Acts xxvi. 27; 2 Cor. x. 15. 13. πavтa vñoμeveɩ, “endureth all things" with patience and resignation to the will of GOD, Matt. xxiv. 13; Rev. xiii. 10, xiv. 12. but the greatest of these is CHARITY:" for FAITH shall end in sight, when GOD shall be seen as he is, unveiled in all his glory; HOPE shall expire in fruition, or "fulness of joy in His presence, and pleasures for evermore;" but CHARITY shall then attain that "perfect love which casteth out fear," and proceeding from strength to strength, and from glory to glory, shall contemplate and adore, with ever encreasing ardour and delight, and interest, the inexhaustible FOUNTAIN OF ALL GOODNESS, the infinite ESSENCE OF ALL PERFECTION, ver. 8-13. Such is the decided superiority of the fruits of the Spirit over the gifts of the Spirit, in the judgment of a most highly gifted Apostle. May we, following his advice, " earnestly covet the best gifts, and that most excellent way of CHARITY," which he represents as infinitely preferable to all kinds of tongues, prophecy, wisdom, knowledge, miraculous faith, liberality to the poor, and even to religious zeal, 1 Cor. xii. 31, xiii. 1—3. O LORD, who hast taught us that all our doings without charity are nothing worth, send thy HOLY GHOST, and pour into our hearts that most excellent gift of charity, the very bond of peace, and of all virtues; without which, whosoever liveth, is counted dead before Thee. Grant this, for thine only Son JESUS CHRIST's sake. Amen." Quinquagesima S. Collect. SKETCH OF THE CONSTITUTION OF THE PRIMITIVE CHURCH. OUR BLESSED LORD declared to his Apostles, "Upon THIS ROCK Will I build my Church, and the gates of Hades shall not prevail against it," Matt. xvi. 18, thus intimating its genuine foundation and perpetual duration; that when built upon HIMSELF and upon HIS DOCTRINE, as upon a rock, it should resist all the efforts and brave all the storms and tempests of the powers of darkness to overthrow it, Matt. vii. 24, 25; Acts xx. 28; for it should be supported by his continual presence and protection to the end of the world, Matt. xxviii. 20. The Church of CHRIST, in this place, evidently signifies the Catholic or universal Church, comprizing the united congregation of the faithful throughout the whole world, wheresoever His Gospel should be published and embraced, Matt. xxvi. 13, in pursuance of his last commission to his Apostles, Matt. xxviii. 19; Mark xvi. 15. At first, however, the word Church was necessarily taken in a particular sense to denote the Mother Church at Jerusalem, Matt. xviii. 17; Acts ii. 47, viii. 1, &c. and her offspring, the particular Churches of Antioch, Ephesus, Philippi, Corinth, Rome, &c. It was also sometimes taken for the building or edifice where they assembled, 1 Cor. xi. 18. The constitution of these several Churches, which composed the primitive Church, was framed from the constitution of the Mother Church; and this was evidently framed upon the model of the Jewish Church, founded at Mount Sinai, Gal. iv. 25, 26. The Jewish Church was a THEOCRACY, and so was the Christian. See Vol. II. p. 238. In the Jewish the ORACLE presided, and delivered responses, either with an audible voice, or by Urim and Thummim, or by prophets. In the Christian "CHRIST was the head" of the corporation, " in all things presiding therein," Col. i. 18, appointed by THE FATHER, Eph. i. 22, 23; and also the chief corner stone, binding together the partition walls of the Jewish and Christian edifice, Eph. ii. 20-22, as foretold Psalm xviii. 43. And as the Jewish Church was administered under THE ORACLE by different orders of ecclesiastics, the prophets, Moses, &c. the high priest, the priests, chief and inferior, and the Levites; so was the Christian by THE SPIRIT, and under Him the Apostles, the bishops, priests, higher or lower, and deacons. "The twelve Apostles of THE LAMB were the twelve foundations of the Church," Eph. ii. 20; Rev. xxi. 14. Their peculiar function was to publish THE GOSPEL to all nations, as the heralds and ambassadors of CHRIST, to plant and confirm particular Churches, and to ordain the several orders of ministers therein; and to exercise a general episcopacy, or superintendance at large over the several Churches within their respective districts, to which they were ordained or appointed by the HOLY SPIRIT, as John over the seven Churches of Asia Minor, Paul over the foreign Gentile Churches of Rome, Corinth, &c. Peter over the Churches of the circumcision, or Jewish converts at Antioch, Bithynia, &c. of the dispersion; Matthew over the Churches in Parthia, Andrew in Scythia, Bartholomew in India, &c. Each, for the sake of order, confining themselves, after their separation from the Mother Church, to their allotted districts or provinces, Gal. ii. 7; Acts xiii. 2; 1 Pet. i. 1; Rom. xv. 20, &c. Before their separation, while they were all assembled together at Jerusalem, Peter acted as "first of the Apostles," or president, and by the express appointment of CHRIST himself, Luke xxii. 32; John xxi. 15. This appeared, in the first instance, at the election of a successor into "the episcopal office and apostleship" of the traitor Judas, in which he took the lead, Acts i. 15-26; and also in addressing the multitudes on the day of Pentecost, and afterwards before the Jewish council, and in the case of Ananias and Sapphira, &c. The Apostles ordained the several orders of ministers, with the consent and approbation of the Church, namely, the orders |