rations, in the audience to which he spoke; which was the reason why the Spirit did usually reveal to others, who stood by, and understood not the inspired languages, the matter which was spoken. Thus are the extraordinary and miraculous gifts of the Holy Spirit enumerated by the apostle, which were bestowed upon the primitive church, whose infant state required all this extraordinary assistance; but as the church grew up, Almighty God, like a wise nurse, weaned her by degrees from these miraculous gifts, till at last arriving at her full stature, he left her, as parents leave their children when grown to be men, to subsist without these extraordinary helps and supplies. 12 For as the body is one, and hath many members, and all the members of that one body, being many, are one body; so also is Christ. 13 For by one Spirit are we all baptized into one body, whether we be Jews or Gentiles, whether we be bond or free; and have been all made to drink into one Spirit. Here our apostle acquaints us that the intent and design of God in giving these various gilts, was the profit and edification of his church, which he compares to a body that has many members; for though that one Spirit which distributes the gifts, could have given them all to the same person, yet to maintain a mutual dependence, and a charitable serviceableness of the members one among another, he gave to one one gift, to another another: by which means one member of the church would be obliged to take care of the rest. Behold here, how the wisdom of God has ordered the state of the church, like that of the natural body, to which the apostle elegantly compares the body of Christ, which is his church: As the body hath many members, so also has Christ; that is, the church of Christ. Now having assured them, that they were indeed members of one body, he tells them what it was that made them so, ver. 13, For by one Spirit, says he, we are baptized into one body, whether we be Jews or Gentiles, and have been all made to drink into one Spirit; that is, by being baptized we are all made members of the body of Christ, and united one to another under him the head; and this, whether we be Jews or Gentiles, bond or free, we are all one in Christ, who by baptism were admitted into the church; and this union of ours, one with another, is testified and declared by our communion at the Lord's table, which is here called a drinking into one Spirit. And whereas by baptism we are said by one Spirit to be baptized into one body, and at the Lord's supper are said to drink into one Spirit; we learn, That the grace of the Holy Spirit was given in baptism and in the Lord's supper to all the faithful, who do not receive unprofitable signs, but the quickening grace and Spirit of God, to make them living inembers of that one body. 14 For the body is not one member, but many. 15 If the foot shall say, Because I am not the hand, I am not of the body; is it therefore not of the body? 16 And if the ear shall say, Because I am not the eye, I am not of the body; is it therefore not of the body? 17 If the whole body were an eye, where were the hearing? If the whole were hearing, where were the smelling? Our apostle here elegantly compares the state of the mystical body, the church, with that of the natural body. As the natural body is one, so is the mystical body; as the natural body is informed and animated with one spirit or soul, so the mystical body, the church, is animated by one and the same Spirit, received from our spiritual head, Christ Jesus, and communicated to all the members of his body, to give them life and motion. As the members of the natural body are not alike, but some superior, and others inferior in excellency, yet all of indispensable use; (for the wise God hath created no member of man's body in vain; but designed all for the mutual help and benefit of one another,) in like manner is it in the church, the mystical body; there are different gifts, different offices: some are superior and more excelling in gifts, others are of meaner abilities; yet all conduce to the good of the whole. One of inferior gifts must not account himself useless, (for every one that cannot be excellent may yet be useful,) for if so, what would become of the church? Therefore there must be different gifts and offices for different uses. But every one must employ his gift, and perform his office, according to the nature of it, for the service of the whole, Learn hence, 1. That several men have their several gifts, as it pleaseth the giftgiving Spirit to give unto them. Learn, 2. That such as have the meanest talent, either of gifts or graces, ought not to esteem themselves, or be esteemed by others, as useless or unserviceable; but to employ their talent, though ever so small, for the service and benefit of the whole church. 18 But now hath God set the members, every one of them in the body, as it hath pleased him. 19 And if they were all one member, where were the body? 20 But now are they many members, yet but one body. 21 And the eye cannot say unto the hand, I have no need of thee: nor again, the head to the feet, I have no need of you. 22 Nay much more, those members of the body which seem to be more feeble, are necessary. As if the apostle had said, Whereas our wise Creator, who made the body of man, has appointed all the members of that body for divers uses and offices, and also appointed the order in which every member shall stand; that the head shall be uppermost to guide the body, the foot lowermost to bear the body. In like manner our gracious Redeemer has appointed to the several members of his church distinct offices in his church. And as the principal members of the body, the eye and hand, do need the less principal; so the rulers, pastors, and wisest members of the church, do need even those weak and inferior christians whom the world makes small account of. The eye, that is, the man of great understanding, cannot say to the hand, the person employed in lesser services, I have no need of you; nor again the head, that is, the person placed in the highest dignity in the church, cannot say to the feet, the person employed in the lowest offices of the church, I have no need of you. Therefore the superior members of the church must not pride it over the inferior, nor the most knowing christians despise the less knowing as unuseful and unprofitable; but as fellow-members, jointly endeavour the mutual benefit and advantage of one another. 23 And those members of the body which we think to be less honour able, upon these we bestow more abundant honour; and our uncomely parts have more abundant comeliness. 24 For our comely parts have no need: but God hath tempered the body together, having given more abundant honour to that part which lacked: 25 That there should be no schism in the body; but that the members should have the same care one for another. 26 And whether one member suffer, all the members suffer with it; members rejoice with it. or one member be honoured, all the comparison betwixt the members of the boStill our apostle proceeds in that elegant dy natural and the body mystical; showing, that as there are some members in the natural body that are less honourable, and some that are more honourable; and whereas we put more abundant honour upon the less honourable members by a decent covering and modest adorning of them, but upon our comely parts, such as the face, we put no covering, being comely enough of itself, and lacking no artificial beauty; in like manner all the members of the mystical body ought to be instructed that the meanest offices in the church, and the meanest members of the church, who have least gifts, are as well of that spiritual body, the church, as those that have more excellent offices and gifts and as the meaner must not envy the more excellent, so neither must the more excellent despise the meaner, but put a due value and respect upon one another. For practising of which duty, a double reason is here assigned: 1. That there may be no schism in the body, but the members have the same care for, and regard to, one another; if the members of the natural body should strive among themselves, the whole body would come to ruin by schism; so great mischief would arise to the church, the mystical body, by divisions and dissensions amongst the particular members of it. 2. Because there ought to be a sympathy between the members of the mystical body, as there is betwixt the members of the natural body. There is a fellow-feeling with each other, both of joy and grief, in and among the natural members: they all rejoice and mourn with one another: if one member be pinched, the whole body is pained. Thus all the mystical members of Christ's body, the church, ought to have the same common interest, the same coinmon concern, the same common care, and the same mutual sympathy, with each other, both in weal and woe. 27 Now ye are the body of Christ, and members in particular. Our apostle having thus finished his ele. gant and excellent comparison between the members of the natural, and those of the mystical body; he comes now to make a particular and close application of it to the believing Corinthians, whom he acknow. ledges to be a part of the mystical body of Christ; and that it is their duty to carry themselves towards their fellow-members as the members of the body natural do towards each other, who are evermore solicitous for the good of one another. Now, says he, Ye are the members of Christ; as if he had said, Thus must it be with you who are the several members of Christ's church, which is his body. From the whole of this com parison, with the apostle's application of it, we learn, 1. That as there can be no natural body without divers members, so no mystical body without diversity of gifts and offices. 2. That as the more inferior members of the natural body are as truly mem bers as the most noble; and as necessary and serviceable to the body as the other; so are inferior christians as much the members of Christ's body, and in their place as useful and necessary, as other members of the church which are more excellent in spiritual gifts. Learn, 3. That as all the members of the natural body are placed and disposed according to the wisdom and pleasure of Almighty God; in like manner the members of Christ's mystical body are, by the unerring wisdom of God, placed in the station and condition in the church in which he has set them, and accordingly they ought to be satisfied with it, and endeavour to be useful in it. Learn, 4. That as there is no division in the members of the natural body, but all the members take care of, and are employed for, the good of the whole; so ought matters to be managed in the body mystical, that there be no divisions nor separate interests in it, but they should mutually regard the common interests of one another, sympathizing, sorrowing, and rejoicing together. O happy day! when the interests of all parties, and private concernments, shall give place to public interests. 28 And God hath set some in the church; first, apostles; secondarily, prophets; thirdly, teachers; after that, miracles; then gifts of healings, helps, governments, diversities of tongues. the chapter reckoned up the divers gifts Our apostle having in the beginning of which God had variously bestowed upon the church, here in the close of the chapter he reckons up the particular officers that he thought fit to place in his church. 1. Apostles; persons sent forth immediately by Christ, to lay the foundation of christian churches, and upon whom the care of all the churches lay. 2. Prophets; or persons immediately inspired with the knowledge of future things. 3. Teachers; such as labour in the word and doctrine, either as itinerary preachers, going from place to place, or as settled, fixed ministers in the church, expounding the scriptures to the people. 4. Miracles; that is, some persons endued with an extraordinary power to work miracles, for convincing infidels, and confirming believers. 5. Gifts of healing: such persons as had a power conferred upon them to heal diseases, without the help of physic, in an extraordinary way. 6. Helps; deacons which took care of the poor, and assisted the church in the distribution of her charity; and also assisted in holy things, particularly in baptizing, and administering the Lord's supper. 7. Governments; the rulers of the church and spiritual guides. 8. Diversities of tongues: that is, persons enabled to speak divers languages, in order to the farther spreading of the gospel without the help of study. Behold here the wisdom of God in this various distribution of gifts and offices in his church: all which, as they are designed by him, so ought they to be managed by her, for the general good of the whole, without either pride or haughtiness on the one hand, or envy and emulation on the other. 29 Are all apostles? are all prophets? are all teachers? are all workers of miracles? 30 Have all the gifts of healing? do all speak with tongues? do all interpret? The force of the apostle's argument lies thus: As the natural body, to which he had before alluded, cannot be all eye, nor all ear, nor all hand, nor all foot; in like manner in the mystical body, the church, miracles, heal diseases; but one has this all cannot govern, prophesy, teach, work gift, and another that; one has this office in the church, and another that; all which are to be employed and improved for the common good of the church, and mutual benefit of each other. 13 But covet earnestly the best gifts and yet shew I unto you a more excellent way. He concludes the chapter with this advice, that they covet, and desire the best: that is, the most useful and excellent gifts, the most beneficial and edifying gifts, such as are most advantageous to the church; yet withal intimating to them, that though there be an excellency in gifts, yet there is a greater excellency in grace, particularly in the grace of love. Charity, or love to God and our neighbour, is more excelling than a load of gifts, though very extraordinary, though supernatural and miraculous. Yet show I unto you a more excellent way: that is, a more excellent way of ministering to the welfare of the church, and of edifying your own souls, even by true christian love one towards another. Learn hence, That as the sanctifying graces of the Holy Spirit are more excellent than the miraculous and extraordinary gifts of the Spirit, so it is the christian's duty to be much more covetous and desirous of them; for when gifts vanish away, the habits of grace shall never fail, but abide for ever, particularly the grace of love, which shall not only accompany us to heaven, but in heaven; where, from a small and little spark, it shall be improved into a seraphic and never-failing flame. CHAP. XIII. were Our apostle had in the foregoing chapter very copiously set forth the nature, the excellency, and usefulness of those gifts which found amongst the ministers and members of the church of Corinth in his time. Now lest they should trust too much to any of the forementioned gifts, either of tongues or miracles, which, alas! a man may have, and perish eternally; he proceeds in this chapter to set forth the transcendent excellency of the graces of the Holy Spirit above the most exalted and admired gifts; and, in particular, the superlative excellency of the grace of charity, that is, the unfeigned love of God and our neighbour; which is the noble subject of this chapter now before us. 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. Here our apostle begins a comparison between gifts and graces, and shows how much more excellent and desirable the saving graces of the Spirit are, than all those pompous and miraculous gifts, in which there is no real excellency, and nothing for which we should desire them, but only upon the score of usefulness and serviceableness to the church. And he instances first in the gifts of tongues: Though I speak with the tongues of men and angels; that is, though I had the gift of tongues, or speaking divers languages in the highest measure and most exalted degree; could I preach and pray like an angel, discourse and talk beyond the rate of any mortal man, and have not the grace of love and charity; alas! what is all this to God, who is not taken with a noisy sound, as children are with a musical instrument! Behold here, that the tongues of men or angels could have said nothing more plain or emphatical, to show how much more excellent the saving graces of the Spirit are than miraculous gifts, which commend us not to God, render us not like God, nor any ways qualify us for the enjoyment of him, giving him no instrinsic worth, or inherent excellency. They only proclaim God's goodness towards us, but are no ways evidential of any goodness in us towards him. Gifts are like the gold which adorns the temple, but grace is like the altar which sanctifies the gold. 2 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. Farther, Suppose I had the spirit of prophecy, and could speak by inspiration of things present, and things to come, and could understand deep and difficult points in God's word and works, what is this more than Balaam had? And suppose I have all faith, that is, the highest degree of miraculous faith, so that I could remove mountains; yet this, severed from charity, or the predominant love of God and our neighbour, is all nothing. And I am nothing, that is, nothing worth in the sight of God. Observe here, That miraculous faith may be severed from charity, but justifying faith cannot, which always worketh by love; and wherever that grace is found, it gives value and acceptance to all other graces. Faith without charity is but a dead assent; hope without charity is but like a tympany, the bigger it grows, the more dangerous it proves; and the most diffusive alms-giving, without love, is but a sacrifice to vanity. 3 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. Observe here, 1. That alms may be given without true love to God, or our neighbour for God's sake; they may be given out of mere natural pity to the poor, out of a desire to be well thought of, and well spoken of by men, out of an opinion of merit, and obliging God, or from some other cause, which includes not love either to God or man; and wherever they are thus given, they profit nothing to salvation. The Greek word for feeding the poor here, signifies to divide victuals in several pieces, and so distribute it amongst the poor. Lord! what a consideration is this, that a man may do all the external works of mercy, even the highest and most transcendent works, and yet want true love to God and his neighbour! Observe, 2. That as alms may be given, so martyrdom may be undergone, without charity. If I give my body to be burned; that is, if I have so much fortitude and courage as to lay down my life for Christ and his truth, which is such an high expression of my obedience to him as angels are not capable of performing, yet, without charity, burning is but a vain-glorious blaze; and instead of sealing the truth with our blood, we seal but our own shame and folly. Observe, 3. The apostle says not, If I be burnt, persecuted, and put to death by others: but if I give myself to be burned, if I voluntarily and freely offer up myself, not to imprisonment only, but to death itself, yea, to the most terrible kind of death, burning; yet if all this be not from a right principle and sincere end, if all this be without true love to God, and his glory, church, and truth, it will avail nothing to salvation. Learn hence, That no kind of external sufferings, though ever so grievous, either for the truth of Christ indeed, or for that which a man's conscience judges to be the truth of Christ, is a sure and infallible sign of a gracious state: a man may suffer for truth, but not for truth's sake, only for interest's sake; he may suffer from a natural strength and stoutness of spirit, and not from a spiritual fortitude wrought in him by the Spirit of God. Ah, Lord! how miserable is it to be burnt with fire here for Christ; and to hear him say afterward, Depart, ye cursed, into everlasting fire! It is indeed a great matter to suffer for Christ, but much greater to suffer with such a disposition of heart as Christ requires. 4 Charity suffereth long, and is kind; charity envieth not; charity vaunteth not itself, is not puffed up, Here the apostle enters upon the description and commendation of the grace and duty of charity, and declares several excellent effects and properties of it; namely, It suffereth long and is kind; that is, the cha ritable man is kind to all, patient towards all; he can bear injuries and reproaches very long, without either desiring or endeavouring to revenge them. It envieth not; that is, he envieth neither the power, nor profit, nor preferment, nor applause, nor precedency, of any man; but is well pleased with the happiness of every man, and laments their misfortunes. vaunteth not itself, is not puffed up; that is, it suppresses all self-applauding and admiring thoughts, all arrogancy in assuming to ourselves, and undervaluing of others. Charity 5 Doth not behave itself unseemly, seeketh not her own, is not easily provoked, thinketh no evil; That is, charity, or true love to our neighbour, will restrain us from all uncomely deportment towards him; it will not suffer us to do an ill or indecent thing to any one; it breaks not forth into violent and ungovernable passions upon any provocations, how just soever, how great soever. Secketh not her own; that is, her own praise, profit, or pleasure; it seeketh it not inordinately, it seeketh it not injuriously, either in the neglect of others, or to the hurt of others. Charity is not selfish, but generous. It is not casily provoked; that is, charity is not provoked readily to think, speak, or act, unduly, by small injuries or occasions; but beareth, forbeareth, and forgiveth. Thinketh no evil; that is, of any person groundlessly, but construes and interprets every thing in the best sense; for lightly to take up an evil report of our neighbour, to think or suspect, much more to believe and report, any evil of him, |