V. 10.— For God is not unrighteous to forget your work and labour of love, which ye have shewed toward his name, in that ye have ministered to the saints, and do minister. Here, as elsewhere, brotherly love is described as far superior to all spiritual gifts, which the Apostle had shown might be possessed by hypocrites and apostates. “Beloved,” says another Apostle, "let us love one another: for love is of God; and every one that loveth is born of God, and knoweth God. He that loveth not knoweth not God; for God is love. In this was manifested the love of God toward us, because that God sent his only begotten Son into the world, that we might live through him. Herein is love, not that we loved God, but that he loved us, and sent his Son to be the propitiation for our sins. Beloved, if God so loved us, we ought also to love one another. No man hath seen God at any time. If we love one another, God dwelleth in us, and his love is perfected in us.” 1 John 4:7-12. Christ condescends to acknowledge what is done to his brethren as having been done to himself, Matthew 25:45, and here the Apostle says God is not unrighteous. He acknowledges himself as having been laid under an obligation by their work of faith and labour of love, which he will not forget, in having in time past ministered, and still continuing to minister, to his saints. We can have no claim upon God, we have nothing but what we receive from his bounty; but he has engaged to reward the services of his people, and he is faithful who hath promised and will also do it. 1 Thessalonians 5:23-24. The same line of argument is pursued by the Apostle: "Though I speak with the tongues of men and of angels, and have not charity, I am become as sounding brass, or a tinkling cymbal. And though I have the gift of prophecy, and understand all mysteries, and all knowledge; and though I have all faith, so that I could remove mountains, and have not charity, I am nothing. And though I bestow all my goods to feed the poor, and though I give my body to be burned, and have not charity, it profiteth me nothing.” 1 Corinthians 13:1-3. Hence we learn that gifts, however great, are inferior to love; and we may observe that the Apostle supposes a man to give his goods to feed the poor and his body to be burned, for attachment to the profession which he has made, and yet to be nothing because destitute of love; he then proceeds to describe the love which he so highly commends. 1 Corinthians 13:4-7. It is the very Spirit of Christ; God is love. There is no inconsistency in this declaration with our God being a consuming fire. The God of love is described as being jealous, and revenging, and being furious; his fury is poured out like fire. Nehem. 1:3-6. Sin has brought misery and confusion into his universe; and, as he sware that he would have war with Amalek from generation to generation, he hath sworn irreconcilable war with sin. But this, so far from being inconsistent with God’ s being love, is essential to the perfection of his character as the God of love. It is in his righteous indignation against sin that his character is fully brought out. He is indeed angry with the wicked every day, he will in no wise clear the guilty; but the full manifestation of the love of God consists in his sending his only begotten Son into the world that we might live through him. 1 John 4:9. The Hebrews had shown great liberality in ministering to the saints in the beginning of the Gospel, Acts 2:45; Acts 4:34, and they had compassion of himself in his bonds, Hebrews 10:34, ministering to him when he was prisoner at Caesarea, and, not only so, but they still persevered in the same course.