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21 yet but one body. And the eye cannot say to the hand, I have no need of thee; or again, the head to the feet, 22 I have no need of you. Yea, the members of the body,

which appear to be weaker, are much more necessary. 23 And those which we think to be the less honourable parts of the body, these we surround with more abundant honour, and our uncomely parts have more abundant 24 comeliness. For our comely parts have no need; but God hath tempered the body together, giving more 25 abundant honour to that which lacked: That there might

be no schism in the body, but that the members might 26 have the same care for each other; And whether one

member suffer, all the members might suffer with it: or one member be honoured, all the members might rejoice 27 with it. Now ye are the body of Christ, and members in particular.

28

And God hath set in the church, first, apostles; secondly, prophets; thirdly, teachers: afterward miracles, then gifts of healing, helps, governments, different kinds of tongues. 29 Are all apostles? Are all prophets? Are all teachers ? 30 Have all miraculous powers? Have all the gifts of

healing? Do all speak with tongues? Do all interpret ? 31 Yet covet earnestly the best gifts. But I shew unto you a more excellent way.

CHAP. XIII. 1. Though I speak with the tongues

V. 21. Nor the head-The highest part of all, to the foot-The very lowest. V. 22. The members which appear to be weaker-Being of a more delicate and tender structure. Perhaps the brain and bowels; or the veins, arteries, and other minute channels in the body.

V. 23. We surround with more abundant honour-By so carefully covering them; more abundant comeliness-By the help of dress.

V. 24. Giving more abundant honour to that which lacked-As being cared for and served by the noblest parts.

V. 27. Now ye-Corinthians, are the body and members of Christ; part of them, I mean, not the whole body.

V. 28. First, apostles-Who plant the gospel in the heathen nations: secondly, prophets-Who either foretel things to come, or speak by extraordinary inspiration, for the edification of the church: thirdly, teachers-Who precede even those that work miracles. Under prophets and teachers, are comprised evangelists and pastors, Eph. iv. 11, helps, governments-It does not appear that these mean distinct offices. Rather, any persons might be called helps, from a particular dexterity in helping the distressed; and governments, from a peculiar talent for governing, or presiding, in assemblies.

V. 31. Yet covet earnestly the best gifts-And they are worth your pursuit, though but few of you can attain them. But there is a far more excellent gift than all these; and one which all may, yea, must attain, or perish.

CHAP. XIII. The necessity of love is shewn, ver. 1-3. The nature and properties of it, ver. 4-7. The duration of it, ver. 9—13.

Ver. 1. Though I speak with all the tongues which are upon earth, and with

of men and of angels, and have not love, I am become as 2 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 as to remove 3 mountains, and have not love, I am nothing. And though

I give all my goods to feed the poor, and deliver up my body to be burned, and have not love, it profiteth me 4 nothing. Love suffereth long, and is kind; love envieth 5 not; love acteth not rashly, is not puffed up: Doth not

behave indecently, seeketh not her own, is not provoked, 6 thinketh no evil; Rejoiceth not in iniquity, but rejoiceth

the eloquence of an angel, and have not love-The love of God, and of all mankind for his sake, I am no better before God, than the sounding instruments of brass, used in the worship of some of the heathen gods. Or a tinkling cymbal This was made of two pieces of hollow brass, which, being struck together, made a tinkling, but with very little variety of sound.

V. 2. And though I have the gift of prophecy-Of foretelling future events, and understanding all the mysteries-Both of God's word and providence, and all knowledge-Of things divine and human, that ever any mortal attained to: and though I have the highest degree of miracle-working faith, and have not this love, I am nothing.

V. 3. And though I deliberately, piece by piece, give all my goods to feed the poor, yea, though I deliver up my body to be burned, rather than I would renounce my religion, and have not the love hereafter described, it profiteth me nothing. Without this, whatever I speak, whatever I have, whatever I know, whatever I do, whatever I suffer, is nothing.

V. 4. The love of God, and of our neighbour for God's sake, is patient toward all men. It suffers all the weakness, ignorance, errors, and infirmities of the children of God: all the malice and wickedness of the children of the world and all this, not only for a time, but to the end. And in every step toward overcoming evil with good, it is kind-Soft, mild, benign. It inspires the sufferer, at once, with the most amiable sweetness, and the most fervent and tender affection. Love acteth not rashly-Does not hastily condemn any one; never passes a severe sentence, on a slight or sudden view of things, Nor does it ever act or behave in a violent, headstrong, or precipitate manner. Is not puffed up-Yea, humbles the soul to the dust.

V. 5. It doth not behave indecently-Is not rude, or willingly offensive to any. It renders to all their due, suitable to time, person, and all other circumstances. Seeketh not her own- -Ease, pleasure, honour, or temporal advantage. Nay, sometimes the lover of mankind seeketh not, in some sense, even his own spiritual advantage: does not think of himself, so long as a zeal for the glory of God and the souls of men swallows him up. But though he is all on fire for these ends, yet he is not provoked to sharpness or unkindness toward any one. Outward provocations, indeed, will frequently occur; but he triumphs over all. Love thinketh no evil-Indeed it cannot but see and hear evil things, and know that they are so: but it does not willingly think evil of any; neither infer evil, where it does not appear. It tears up, root and branch, all' imagining of what we have not proof. It casts out all jealousies, all evil surmises, all readiness to believe evil.

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V. 6. Rejoiceth not in iniquity-Yea, weeps at either the sin or folly of even an enemy, takes no pleasure in hearing or in repeating it, but desires it may be forgotten for ever. But rejoiceth in the truth-Bringing forth its proper fruit, holiness of heart and life. Good in general is its glory and joy, whereever diffused in all the world.

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7 in the truth: Covereth all things, believeth all things, 8 hopeth all things, endureth all things. Love never faileth : but whether there be prophecies, they shall fail ; whether there be tongues, they shall cease; whether there 9 be knowledge, it shall vanish away. For we know in 10 part, and we prophesy in part. And when that which is

perfect is come, then that which is in part shall vanish 11 away. When I was a child, I talked as a child; I under

stood as a child, I reasoned as a child; but when I became 12 a man, I put away childish things. And now we see by means of a glass obscurely; but then face to face: now I know in part, but then I shall know, even as also I am

V. 7. Love covereth all things-Whatever evil the lover of mankind sees, hears, or knows of any one, he mentions it to none; it never goes out of his lips, unless where absolute duty constrains to speak. Believeth all thingsPuts the most favourable construction on every thing, and is ever ready to believe whatever may tend to the advantage of any one's character. And when it can no longer believe well, it hopes whatever may excuse or extenuate the fault which cannot be denied. Where it cannot even excuse, it hopes God will at length give repentance unto life. Meantime it endureth all thingsWhatever the injustice, malice, the cruelty of men can inflict. He can not only do, but likewise suffer all things, through Christ who strengtheneth him.

V. 8. Love never faileth-It accompanies to, and adorns us in eternity; it prepares us for, and constitutes heaven: but whether there be prophecies, they shall fail-When all things are fulfilled, and God is all in all: whether there be tongues, they shall cease-One language shall prevail among all the inhabitants of heaven, and the low and imperfect languages of earth be forgotten. The knowledge likewise which we now so eagerly pursue, shall then vanish away. As star-light is lost in that of the mid-day sun, so our present knowledge, in the light of eternity.

V. 9. For we know in part, and we prophesy in part-The wisest of men have here but short, narrow, imperfect conceptions, even of the things round about them, and much more of the deep things of God. And even the prophecies which men deliver from God, are far from taking in the whole of future events, or of that wisdom and knowledge of God, which is treasured up in the Scripture-revelation.

V. 10. But when that which is perfect is come-At death and in the last day, that which is in part shall vanish away-Both that poor, low, imperfect glimmering light, which is all the knowledge we now can attain to, and these slow and unsatisfactory methods of attaining, as well as of imparting it to others. V. 11. In our present state, we are mere infants in point of knowledge, compared to what we shall be hereafter. I put away childish things-Of my own accord, willingly, without trouble.

V. 12. Now we see even the things that surround us, but by means of a glass, or mirror, which reflects only their imperfect forms, in a dim, faint, obscure manner; so that our thoughts about them are puzzling and intricate, and every thing is a kind of riddle to us. But then we shall see, not a faint reflection, but the objects themselves, face to face-Distinctly. Now I know but in part-Even when God himself reveals things to me, great part of them is still kept under the veil. But then shall I know, even as also I am known In a clear, full, comprehensive manner; in some measure like God, who penetrates the centre of every object, and sees at one glance through my soul and all things.

13 known. And now abide these three, faith, hope, love: but the greatest of these is love.

CHAP. XIV. 1. Follow after love, and desire spiri 2 tual gifts: but especially that ye may prophecy. For he that speaketh in an unknown tongue, speaketh not to men, but to God; for no one understandeth him, though 3 by the Spirit he speaketh mysteries: Whereas he that prophesieth, speaketh to men to edification, and exhor4 tation, and comfort. He that speaketh in an unknown tongue, edifieth himself; but he that prophesieth, edifieth 5 the church. I would that ye all spake with tongues, but rather that ye prophesied; for he that prophesieth is greater than he that speaketh with tongues, unless he 6 interpret, that the church may receive edification. Now, brethren, if I come to you speaking with tongues, what shall 1 profit you, unless I speak to you, either by reve lation, or by knowledge, or by prophecy, or by doctrine? 7 So inanimate things which give a sound, whether pipe or harp, unless they give a distinction in the sounds, how 8 shall it be known what is piped or harped? And if the trumpet give an uncertain sound, who will prepare him9 self for the battle? So likewise, unless ye utter by the tongue words easy to be understood, how shall it be known what is spoken? For ye will speak to the air. 10 Let there be ever so many kinds of languages in the

V. 13. Faith, hope, love-Are the sum of perfection on earth; love alone is the sum of perfection in heaven.

CHAP. XIV. Ver. 1. Follow after love-With zeal, vigour, courage, patience; else you neither can attain nor keep it. And in their place, as subservient to this, desire spiritual gifts; but especially that ye may prophesy-The word here does not mean foretelling things to come, but rather opening and applying the Scripture.

V. 2. He that speaketh in an unknown tongue, speaks, in effect, not to men, but to God, who alone understands him.

V. 4. Edifieth himself Only, on the most favourable supposition: the church-The whole congregation.

V. 5. Greater That is, more useful. By this alone are we to estimate all our gifts and talents.

V. 6. Revelation-Of some gospel-mystery, knowledge-Explaining the ancient types and prophecies. Prophecy-Foretelling some future event. Doctrine-To regulate your tempers and lives. Perhaps this may be the sense of these obscure words.

V. 7. How shall it be known what is piped or harped-What music can be made, or what end answered?

V. s. Who will prepare himself for the battle-Unless he understand what the trumpet sounds? Suppose, a retreat, or a march?

V. 9. Unless ye utter by the tongue-Which is miraculously given you, words easy to be understood-By your hearers, ye will speak to the air-(A proverbial expression,) will utterly lose your labour.

11 world, and none of them without signification: Yet if I know not the meaning of the language, I shall be a barbarian to him that speaketh, and he that speaketh 12 a barbarian to me. So ye also, seeing ye desire spiritual

gifts, seek to abound in them, to the edifying of the 13 church. Therefore let him that speaketh in an unknown 14 tongue, pray that he may interpret. For if I pray in an

unknown tongue, my spirit prayeth, but my understanding 15 is unfruitful. What then is my duty? I will pray with the Spirit; but I will pray with the understanding also: I will sing with the Spirit, but I will sing with the under16 standing also. Otherwise if thou givest thanks with the Spirit, how shall he that filleth the place of a private person, say Amen to thy thanksgiving, seeing he under17 standeth not what thou sayest? For thou verily givest 18 thanks well; yet the other is not edified. I thank God, 19 that I speak with tongues more than you all. Yet in the congregation I had rather speak five words with my understanding, that I may teach others also, than ten 20 thousand words in an unknown tongue. Brethren, be not children in understanding: in wickedness be ye as 21 infants, but in understanding be ye grown men. It is

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V. 11. I shall be a barbarian to him-Shall seem to talk unintelligible gibberish.

V. 13. That he may be able to interpret-Which was a distinct gift.

V. 14. If I pray in an unknown tongue-The apostle (as he did at the 6th verse,) transfers it to himself, my spirit prayeth-By the power of the Spirit I understand the words myself, but my understanding is unfruitful—The knowledge I have is no benefit to others.

V. 15. I will pray with the Spirit, but I will pray with the understanding also -I will use my own understanding, as well as the power of the Spirit. I will · not act so absurdly, as to utter in a congregation, what can edify none but myself.

V. 16. Otherwise, how shall he that filleth the place of a private person-That' is, any private hearer, say Amen-Assenting to and confirming your words; as it was even then usual for the whole congregation to do.

V. 19. With my understanding-In a rational manner; so as not only to understand myself, but to be understood by others.

V. 20. Be not children in understanding This is an admirable stroke of true oratory! To bring down the height of their spirits, by representing that wherein they prided themselves most, as mere folly and childishness. In wickedness be ye infants-Have all the innocence of that tender age. But in understanding be ye grown men-Knowing religion was not designed to destroy any of our natural faculties, but to exalt and improve them, our reason in particular.

V. 21. It is written in the law-The word here (as frequently,) means the Old Testament. In foreign tongues will I speak to this people-And so he did. He spake terribly to them by the Babylonians, when they had set at nought what he had spoken by the prophets, who used their own language. These words received a farther accomplishment on the day of pentecost.

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