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I. The GLORY of love. We might conclude its surpassing glory from its position in the exhortation. By a sort of spiritual rhetoric it is the word of the climax. It is love which, like the sunlight, giving the landscape its sublimest glories, transfiguring it with something like the lustre of "the golden city," gives to all the landscape of character if.s beauty. It is love which, like the Shekinah that glorified the temple, alone glorifies the structure of a character built on faith, and consisting of virtue, temperance, etc., is an empty shrine till it glows there. It is love that crowns manhood.

II. The POWER of love. It is —

1. The spring of a true character. Supplying the constant and sufficient motive to lead men to live the right life. It is —

2. The sign of a true character. As in their search for nightingales, controversial naturalists discover them by their song, so in their search for Christians, men discover them by their deeds and life of love. It is —

3. The sceptre of a true character. We conquer by love.

III. The DUTY to love.

IV. The WAY to love. How can this glory be attained, this power exercised, this duty discharged?

1. Cherish lovingness. Banish pride, malignity, envy, uncharitableness.

2. Exercise love.

3. Have fellowship with Christ.

(U. R. Thomas.)

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KJV: And beside this, giving all diligence, add to your faith virtue; and to virtue knowledge;

WEB: Yes, and for this very cause adding on your part all diligence, in your faith supply moral excellence; and in moral excellence, knowledge;