Charity and Its Fruits, Or, Christian Love as Manifested in the Heart and Life

Book may have numerous typos, missing text, images, or index. Purchasers can download a free scanned copy of the original book (without typos) from the publisher. 1856. Excerpt: ... LECTUKE XVL HEAVEN, A W0RLD OF CHARITY, OR LOVE. 'Chanty ne/er failcth. But whether there be prophecies, they shall fail; whether there be tongues, they shall cease; whether there be knowledge, it shall vanish away. For we know in part, and we prophesy in part. Bat when that which is perfect is come, then that which is in part shall be done away." From the first of these verses, I have already drawn the doctrine, that that great fruit of the Spirit in which the Holy Ghost shall not only for a season, but everlastingly be communicated to the church of Christ, is charity or divine love. And now I would consider the same verse in connection with the two that follow it, and upon the three verees would make two observations. First, That it is mentioned as one great excellence of charity, that it shall remain when all other fruits of the Spirit havo failed. And, Second, That this will come to pass in the perfect state of the church, when that which is in part shall be done away, and that which is perfect is come. There is a two-fold imperfect, and so a twofold perfect state of the Christian church. The church in its beginning, or in its first age, before it was strongly established in the world, and settled in its New Testament state, and before the canon of Scripture was completed, was in an imperfect state--a state, as it were, of childhood, in comparison with what it was to be in its elder and later ages when it should nave reached its state of manhood, or of comparative earthly perfection. And so, again, this comparatively perfect church of Christ, so Jong as it remains in its militant state, that is, down to the end of time, will still be in an imperfect, and as it were in a childish state in comparison with what it will be in its heavenly state, in which latter it is comparatively i...