(1) Though I speak with the tongues of men and of angels, and have not charity, I am become as sounding brass, or a tinkling cymbal. (2) And though I have the gift of prophecy, and understand all mysteries, and all knowledge; and though I have all faith, so that I could remove mountains, and have not charity, I am nothing. (3) And 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.
For the right apprehension of the Apostle's meaning, in this short, but beautiful Chapter, our first attention must be directed, under God the Spirit's teaching, to form a full conception of the word Charity, as here used by the Apostle. Confining it, as in modern times for the most part it is, to the mere act of alms giving, which is but a branch of it, and that a small branch too instead of taking the thing itself, in the whole sum and substance of it, the greatest errors have followed. And yet, the Apostle appears to have taken every caution necessary, to prevent such an evil, in the opening of the Chapter. For he no sooner enters upon the subject, in speaking of the great excellency of charity, in describing its superiority to the gift of prophecy, to all knowledge, and even to faith itself; but, as if to guard his Readers against such a perversion, as the supposing the charity he is extolling a mere alms giving, he declares, that he might bestow all his goods to feed the poor, yea, give his body to be burned, out of compassion to his fellow-creatures; and yet be void of that principle of charity he is here speaking of. A plain proof, that the charity he had in view, and which to commend forms the whole subject of this Chapter, is of an higher nature, than mere alms-giving. It will be the first, and chief object, therefore, of our concern, at our very entrance on this Chapter, to discover, under God the Spirit's teaching, what is here meant by Charity.
Now for the clear apprehension of the subject, let it be observed by the Reader, that the word, which the Translators of our Bible have here rendered charity, is in other places, rendered by them love; and strictly, and properly speaking, ought always to be so rendered: For Agape, which is the word here translated Charity, cannot have its full sense and meaning explained, by anything but love. Love, which is a branch from the love of God, as is there evidently intended to shew, (and as by and by will appear, when we prosecute the Chapter), manifests in the Possessor, the electing love of God the Father, oneness and union with Christ; and that the regenerating power of God the Holy Ghost, hath passed upon that man's soul, who hath this love, which Paul declares to be greater than all the gifts of prophecy, knowledge, or faith. And without all question it is. For gifts of the highest nature, are but gifts; and they are but effects flowing from some cause. But the grace of love, arising out of a union with Christ, proves a oneness with Christ; and is, as our Lord told the Woman of Samaria, that water which Jesus said should be in his people, a well of water springing up into everlasting life, John 4:14. And if the Agape, or love, Paul here refers to, be accepted, as it cannot but be accepted, upon the general, and most common principles of the Gospel; the sense of the passage is at once plain and evident: and all that follows in the Chapter, becomes beautiful, and interesting. Though I could speak, with all the ability, and head-knowledge of the highest order of created Beings, angels or men; (and what intellect of the greatest degree as creatures must the fallen angels possess? Luke 4:41), and though like Balaam, or like Caiaphas, I could foretell human events, Numbers 23:24 and John 11:49-52 : and though I had a clear head-apprehension of all the mysteries of the Kingdom of Heaven; and even a speculative faith, to be convinced, that in the case of God's people, mountains I might remove did I possess what they possess: though in the conviction from head-knowledge, that the Gospel is true; and I aimed, like Simon Magus, to purchase gifts by money, in giving all my goods to feed the poor, yea, endured martyrdom of the body, to purchase the salvation of my soul; yet all these, being wholly outward things, underived from the love of God, void of all grace-union with Christ, and not an atom of the whole springing from the quickening influences of God the Spirit; all would profit me nothing!
But now reverse the case. Suppose a truly regenerated child of God possessed of this love, (and which by regeneration he doth most truly possess), this union with Christ, brings up after it, a participation in all Christ's communicable gifts, and graces; then, all the sweet and precious consequences follow, which that union begets in the soul. He that is joined unto the Lord is one Spirit, 1 Corinthians 6:17. One, and the same spirit, actuates both. Christ, as the Head of his body the Church, communicates life, and all the blessed properties, which flow from that life in Him, to his people. Yea, Christ lives in his redeemed, maintains, and keeps up that life, by fresh communications momently from Himself. The love, ever flowing, and overflowing, in His heart, (for He is love itself, 1 John 4:16) flows into theirs. And thus the love which this Chapter treats of being a stream of that River which makes glad the city of God, Psalms 46:4, rising from such a fountain produceth all those blessed effects which the Apostle here describes; and being the source and cause of those effects, cannot but transcend the gift of prophecy, all knowledge, and the understanding of all mysteries, yea, faith itself, as the act of the mind, this being the cause, from whence all these; as consequences, spring.
Reader! let you and I pause, and for a moment to consider, the vast importance of possessing this life-giving principle, without which, all head-knowledge, and all alms-giving, are nothing worth. What awful mistakes, have thousands made, and are now daily making; on the subject of charity? What commutations have been offered to bribe God, with his own gifts? What Alms-houses, Hospitals, Churches, and a long catalogue of splendid charities have been set up to purchase Heaven? Yea, what martyrdoms voluntarily entered into, in the gift of the body, for the site of the soul? And all the while; the whole as foreign to the love of God the Apostle hath here so blesssedly spoken of, as darkness to light! Reader! depend upon it, the love which comes not from God, never riseth to God. Nothing can ascend higher than its source. What begins in man; must end in man. What one of the Apostles was commissioned by the Holy Ghost to teach the Church, concerning the Lord's Wisdom, in opposition to man's wisdom; may with equal truth be applied of divine love, contrasted to man's love. This wisdom which, descendeth not from above, is earthly, sensual, devilish. But the wisdom which is from above, is first pure, then peaceable, gentle, and easy to be entreated, full of Mercy and good fruits, without partiality, and without hypocrisy, James 3:17; James 3:17.