Many have awfully deceived their precious souls by a sad perversion of these words. For they suppose that being charitable to the poor will cover the multitude of their sins from the sight of a sin-avenging God. Most fatal mistake! Hence, from such a vain, unscriptural notion, they are encouraged in their sinful practices. It is thy mercy, believer, to be delivered from such delusion by the truth as it is in Jesus. To atone for sin was his blessed work. He hath done it effectually by shedding his precious blood. And every believer in Jesus is the only blessed man whose sins are covered by his all-perfect righteousness. Here is the true source and spring of charity, or rather love, love to God and man. "We love God, because he first loved us;" (1 John 4:19;) and through the faith of this we obey his commandment, "Love one another."
Of this charity, or love, the most excellent things are spoken in 1 Cor. 13. It is in the heart of every believer. Love influences to put the best construction upon the behavior of others; to hide their faults with a veil of charity; to cast a mantle of kindness over their failings. Like the painter who drew the picture of Alexander with his finger on the scar in his face; so love would hide the scars and blemishes, and cover the sins of others.
Love sees no faults. See it exemplified in that most illustrious exemplar of charity, Jesus, in his deep and distressing agonies and conflicts in the garden, when one would have thought his dear disciples could not be so regardless of his sufferings, so deaf to his request, as not to watch with him one hour. But, instead of this, they indulged themselves with sleep. Here love covered this fault: "The spirit is willing." Love speaks what is right. Love finds an excuse for what is wrong, "The flesh is weak." And when the same most blessed pattern of love hung expiring in the greatest agonies on the cross, yet, amidst all the taunts and jeers of his enemies and murderers, love vented itself with his expiring breath, "Father, forgive them;" adding this as a veil or covering, "for they know not what they do."
Thus hath Jesus left us an example. He hath given us a new commandment, "Love one another." May the Spirit of love keep alive this heavenly temper, and blow up every spark into a fervent flame, that all men may know his disciples by this badge of charity or love, and be forced to confess, "See how these christians love one another." "Love is of God." 1 John 4:7
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