CHARITY IS LOVE FROM GOD. What can be so worthy of the Christian's thought, care, and heart desire, as love? Love to God as the centre and source of all excellence; love to Jesus, the Mediator of the new covenant, the personification of everything that is lovely; love to believers for His sake, and because they are His children and representatives; and love to sinners because He commands us. The law requires it, and the gospel, when applied by the power of the Holy Spirit produces it. Love is not in our hearts by nature; we are at enmity with God. Love cannot to be produced by human effort: it flows from grace. It is produced by the Holy Spirit. It is born of evangelical zeal. Its exercise is our happiness and our holiness. There is no real Christian faith without love; and only so much is true godliness as there is love. Let us follow after charity. Let us cultivate love to the Lord's people, for the Lord's sake; not merely those whom we see, who attend the same place of worship,who are our personal friends; this is the love of fellow members; but let us love all who love Jesus, though in some things they differ from us. Finally, let us love even our enemies that we may be the children of our Father in heaven.

For Meditation:
The love of God is greater far
Than tongue or pen can ever tell;
It goes beyond the highest star,
And reaches to the lowest hell;
O love of God how rich and pure!
How measureless and strong!
It shall for evermore endure,
The saints' and angels' song.