It is also true, that bare outside religion, which has no root in the heart, is nothing worth; that God delighteth not in _such_ outward services, no more than in Jewish burnt-offerings, and that a pure and holy heart is a sacrifice, with which he is always well pleased. But he is also well pleased with all that outward service, which arises from the heart: with the sacrifice of our prayers, (whether public or private) of our praises and thanksgivings: with the sacrifice of our goods, humbly devoted to him, and employed wholly to his glory: and with that of our bodies, which he peculiarly claims; which the apostle _beseeches_ us, _by the mercies of_ God, _to present unto him, a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable to_ God. 2. A second objection, nearly related to this, is, that love is all in all: that it is _the fulfilling of the law, the end of the commandment_, of every commandment of God: that all we do and all we suffer, if we have not charity, or love, profiteth us nothing: And therefore the apostle directs us, _to follow after charity_, and terms this, _the more excellent way_. I answer, it is granted, that the love of God and man, arising from _faith unfeigned_, is all in all, the fulfilling of the law, the end of every commandment of God. It is true, that without this whatever we do, whatever we suffer profits us nothing. But it does not follow, that love is all in such a sense, as to supersede either faith or good works. It is _the fulfilling of the law_, not by releasing us from, but by constraining us to obey it. It is _the end of the commandment_, as every commandment leads to and centers in it. It is allowed, that whatever we do or suffer, without love, profits us nothing. But withal whatever we do or suffer in love, though it were only the suffering reproach for _Christ_, or the giving a cup of cold water in his name, it shall in no wise lose its reward. 3. “But does not the apostle direct us, to _follow after charity_? And does he not term it, _a more excellent way_?”――He does direct us to _follow after charity_. But not after that alone. His words are, [88]_Follow after charity; and desire spiritual gifts_. Yea, _follow after charity_; and desire to spend and to be spent for your brethren. _Follow after charity_; and as you have opportunity, do good to all men. In the same verse also, wherein he terms this, the way of love, _a more excellent way_, he directs the _Corinthians_ to desire other gifts besides it: Yea to desire them earnestly. [89]_Covet earnestly_, saith he, _the best gifts: and yet I shew unto you a more excellent way_. More excellent than what? Than the gifts of _healing_, of _speaking with tongues_, and of _interpreting_, mentioned in the preceding verse. But not more excellent than the way of obedience. Of this the apostle is not speaking. Neither is he speaking of outward religion at all. So that this text is quite wide of the present question.