Union and agreement of 1. CORINTHIANS. 10 To another, the working of miracles; to another, pro- 12 For as the body is one, and hath many members, and all 13 For by one Spirit are we all baptized into one body, the members of the body. 14 For the body is not one member, but many. of the body; is it therefore not of the body 1 15 If the foot shall say, Because I am not the hand, I am not 16 And if the ear shall say, Because I am not the eye, I am 17 If the whole body were an eye, where were the hearing? not of the body; is it therefore not of the body? If the whole were hearing, where were the smelling? in the body, as it hath pleased him. 18 But now hath d God set the members every one of them 19 And if they were all one member, where were the body 7 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. w John. 38. Heb. 2.4-x Rom. 12.4,5. Eph.4.4, 16-y Ver.27. Gal.3.1631,59-Ver 25-e Rom. 12.3 Ch.3.5. Ver.11. 5. The working of miracles, cvspynuara Suvapeur, ver. 10. This seeins to refer to the same class as the operations, svcpynuarov, ver. 6 as the words are the saine, and to signify those powers by which they were enabled at particular times to work miraculously on others; ejecting deinons, inflicting punishments or judgments, as in the cases mentioned under verse 6. It is a hendyadis, for mighty operations. 6. Prophecy. This seems to import two things, 1st. The predicting future events, such as then particularly concerned the state of the church and the apostles; as the dearth foretold by Agabus, Acts xi. 23. and the binding of St. Paul, and delivering him to the Romans, Acts xxi. 10, &c. and St. Paul's foretelling his own shipwreck on Malta, Acts xxvii. 25, &c. And, 2dly, As implying the faculty of teaching or expounding the Scriptures, which is also a common acceptation of the word. 7. Discerning of spirits.-A gift by which the person so privileged, could discern a false miracle from a true one; or a pretender to inspiration from him who was made really partaker of the Holy Ghost. It probably extended also to the discernment of false professors from true ones; as appears in Peter, in the case of Ananias and his wife. 8. Divers kinds of tongues.-Tevn yawoowy, different languages, which they had never learned; and which God gave them, for the immediate instruction of people of different countries who attended their ministry. 9. Interpretation of tongues.-It was necessary that while one was speaking the deep things of God, in a company where several were present who did not understand, though the majority did, there should be a person who could immediately interpret what was said to that part of the congregation that did not understand the language. This power to interpret was also an immediate gift of God's Spirit: and is classed here among the miracles. 11. But all these worketh that one and the self-same Spirit] All these gifts are miraculously bestowed: they cannot be acquired by human art or industry; the different languages excepted: but they were given in such a way, and in such circumstances, as sufficiently proved that they also were miraculous gifts. 12. For as the body is one] Though the human body have many members, and though it be composed of a great variety of parts yet it is but one entire system; every part and mem136 ber being necessary to the integrity or completeness of the whole. Christ, being composed of the different officers already menSo also is Christ] That is, so is the church the body of tioned, and especially those enumerated, ver. 28 apostles, prophets, teachers, &c. It cannot be supposed that Christ is church must be understood; unless we suppose, which is not composed of many members, &c. and therefore the term improbable, that the term 'O Xpisos, Christ, is here used to express the church, or whole body of Christian believers. of man, though composed of many members, is informed and influenced by one soul; so the church of Christ, which is his 13. For by one Spirit are we all baptized, &c.] As the body body, though composed of many members, is informed and influenced by one spirit, the Holy Ghost, actuating and working by this spiritual body; as the human soul does in the body of man. partakers of the gifts and graces of the Holy Ghost, agreeably To drink into one Spirit] We are to understand being made to the words of our Lord, John vii. 37, &c. If any man thirst, let him come unto me and drink: this he spake of the Spirit which they that believed on him should receive. On this verse there is a great profusion of various readings, noticed here. which may be found in Griesbach; but cannot be conveniently church, as well as the natural body, is composed of many 14. For the body is not one member] The mystical body, the members. body are necessarily dependent on each other, and minister to 15. If the foot shall say, &c.] As all the members of the the private members are intimately connected among themselves; and also with their pastors: without which union no the general support of the system; so is it in the church. All church can subsist. of thee) The apostle goes on with his principal object in view, 21. And the eye cannot say unto the hand, I have no need to show that the gifts and graces with which their different tion, and should be collectively used; for not one of them was teachers were endowed, were all necessary for their salvaunnecessary, nor could they dispense with the least of them; the body of Christ needed the whole for its nourishment and support. The famous apologue of Menenius Agrippa, related by Livy, will serve to illustrate the apostle's reasoning. The Roman people, getting into a state of insurrection and renot only had all the honours, but all the emoluments of the bellion against the nobility, under pretext that the great mes nation; while they were obliged to bear all the burdens, and suffer all privations. Matters were at last brought to such an issue, that the senators and great men were obliged to fly from the city, and the public peace was on the point of being utterly ruined: it was then thought expedient to send Mesenius Agrippa to them, who was high in their esteem, having vanquished the Sabines and Samnites, and had the first as he was valiant, went to the Mons Sacer, to which the intriumph at Rome. This great general, who was as eloquent surgents had retired, and thus addressed them: Tempore, que in homine non, ut nunc, omnia in unum consen.iebeat, sed singulis membris suum cuique consilium, suus sermo fuerat, indignatas reliquas paries, sua cura, suo labore at nihil aliud, quam datis voluptatibus frui ministerio ventri omnia queri; ventrem, in medio quietsm inde, ne manus ad os cibum ferrent, nee os acciperet datum nec dentes conficerent. Hac ira: dum ventrem fame de Conspirasse mam tahem venisse. Inde apparuisse, ventris quoque haud mare vellent, ipsa una membra totumque corpus ad extre segne ministerium esse: nec magis ali, quam alere eum red dentem in omnes corporis partes hunc, quo rivimus rige musque, divisum pariter in venas maturum, confecta cibo, sanguinem. T. Livii, Histor. lib. ii. cap. 32. "In that time in which the different parts of the human body were not in a state of unity as they now are, but each member had its sepa tented, because whatever was procured by their care, labour, and industry, was spent on the belly; while this, lying at ease rate office and distinct language; they all became disconin the midst of the body, did nothing but enjoy whatever was provided for it. They therefore conspired among themselves, and agreed that the hands should not convey food to the to it; and that the teeth should not masticate whatever was mouth; that the mouth should not receive what was offered brought to the mouth. Acting on this principle of revenge, and hoping to reduce the belly by famine, all the members F ET Various gifts for the edification CHAPTER XII. 22 Nay, much more those members of the body which seem 23 And those members of the body, which we think to be less 25 That there should be no schism in the body; but that and the whole body itself, were at length, brought into the 22. Those members-which seem to be more feeble] These, 24. For our comely parts have no need.] It would be easy to go into great detail in giving an anatomical description of the different members and parts to which the apostle refers; but it would not, probably, answer the end of general edification-and to explain every allusion made by the apostle, would require a minuteness of description, which would not be tolerated, except in a treatise on the anatomy of the human body. My readers will therefore excuse my entering into this detail. 25. That there should be no schism in the body] That there 26. And whether one member suffer] As there is a mutual As the members in the human body; so the different mem- and salvation of the church. 27 Now, ye are the body of Christ, and i members in par- mira- 30 Have all the gifts of healing? do all speak with tongues? 31 But covet earnestly the best gifts: and yet show I unte m Acts 13.1. Rom. 12 6-n Ver. 10- Ver.9.-p Num. 11.17-q Rom. 12.8. 1 Tim. From a general acquaintance with various ministers First, apostles] Arosolovs, from ano, from, and sew, i Thirdly, teachers] Aidackaλovs, from didacxw, I teach. Pe sons whose chief business it was to instruct the people in th elements of the Christian religion, and their duty to each other. See on Rom. viii. 8. Miracles] Avvapsis. Persons endued with miraculous gifts, such as those mentioned Mark xvi. 17, 18. casting out devils, speaking with new tongues, &c. see on ver. 10. and at the end of the chapter. Gifts of healing] Χαρισματα ιαματων. Such as laying hands upon the sick and healing them, Mark xvi. 18. which, as being one of the most beneficent miraculous powers, was most fre quently conceded. See on ver. 8. Helps] Avriλners. Dr. Lightfoot conjectures that thes were the apostles' helpers; persons, who accompanied them, baptized those who were converted by them; and were sent by them to such places as they could not attend to, bein otherwise employed. The Levites are termed by the Talmudists helps of the Governments] Kußspvnosis. Dr. Lightfoot contends that priests. The word occurs Luke i. 54. Rom. viii. 26. this word does not refer to the power of ruling, but to the case of a person endued with a deep and comprehensive mind, who is profoundly wise and prudent; and he thinks that it implies the same as discernment of spirits; ver. 10. where see the note. He has given several proofs of this use of the word in the Septuagint. Diversities of tongues] Tevn yλwaawv, kinds of tongues; that is, different kinds-The power to speak, on all necessary occasions, languages which they had not learned. See on 29. Are all apostles, &c.] That is, all are not apostles; all are not prophets, &c. God has distributed his various gifts among various persons, each of whom is necessary for the complete edification of the body of Christ. On these subjects see the notes on verses 7, 8, 9, 10. 31. But covet earnestly] To cocet, signifies, to desire earlaudable-towards earthly things, is deeply criminal. A man nestly. This disposition towards heavenly things is highly may possess the best of all these gifts, and yet be deficient in what is essentially necessary to his salvation; for he may be without that love or charity which the apostle here calls the more excellent way, and which he proceeds in the next chap ter to describe. Some think that this verse should be read affirmatively, Ye earnestly contend about the best gifts, but I show unto you a more excellent way; i. e. get your hearts filled with 137 love to God and man:-Love which is the principle of one51 dience; which works no ill to its neighbour, and which is the fulfilling of the law. This is a likely reading, for there was The importance of I. CORINTHIANS. certainly more contentions in the church of Corinth about to prophesy, signifying preaching, which it frequently does, the gifts, than about the graces of the Spirit. 1. After all that has been said on the different offices men- same with governments, which Dr. Lightfoot supposes to imtioned by the apostle in the preceding chapter, there are some ply a deeply comprehensive, wise, and prudent mind. 7. As to it helps is a parallel. 6. That, discernment of spirits, is the of them which, perhaps, are not understood. I confess I the gift of tongues, there is no variation in either of the three scarcely know what to make of those which we translate helps places. and governments. Bishop Pearce, who could neither see church government, nor state government in these words, ex- officers in the church should be mentioned: viz apostles, pro presses himself thus: "These two words, after all that the phets, and teachers. We do not know that miracles, gifts of 3. It is strange that in this enumeration, only three distinct commentators say about them, I do not understand; and healing, helps, governments, and diversity of tongues, were in no other part of the New Testament, is either of them, in exclusive offices; for it is probable that apostles, prophets, any sense, mentioned as the gift of the Spirit; especially it is and teachers, wrought miracles occasionally, and spoke with observable that in ver. 29, 30. where the gifts of the Spirit are divers tongues. However, in all this enumeration, where the again enumerated, no notice is taken of any thing like them, apostle gives us all the officers, and gifts necessary for the while all the other several parts are exactly enumerated. constitution of a church, we find not one word of bishops, presPerhaps these words were put in the margin to explain duva- bylers, or deacons: much less of the various officers and Ets, miracles, or powers. Some taking the meaning to be offices which the Christian church at present exhibits. Perhelps, assistances, as in 2 Cor. xii, 9. Others to be Koßepun haps the bishops are included under the apostles; the pres asis, governments, as in Rom. viii. 33. and from being mar- byters, under the prophets; and the deacons under the teach ginal explanations, they might have been at last incorporated ers.-As to the other ecclesiastical officers with which the with the text." It must, however, be acknowledged, that the Romish church teems, they may seek them who are deter omission of these words is not countenanced by any MS. or mined to and them, any where out of the New Testament. Version. One thing we may fully know, that there are some men who are peculiarly qualified for governing by either three sorts of gifts necessary to the forming Christ's mystical providence or grace; and that there are others who can nei- body. 1. Gifts of power, for the working of miracles, in re4. Mr. Quesnel observes on these passages, that there are ther govern nor direct, but are good helpers. the exercise of government and other offices with respect to the Son. 3. Gifts of knowledge for the instruction of the peo ference to the Father. 2. Gifts of labour and ministry, for ple, with relation to the Holy Ghost. 2. In three several places in this chapter the apostle sums up the gifts of the Spirit. Dr. Lightfoot thinks they answer to each other in the following order, which the reader will take on his authority. Verses 8, 9, 10. Is given The FATHER is the principle and end of all created power, let us then ultimately refer all things to Him. The Sox is the Institutor and Head of all the hierarchical ministries; let us depend upon Him. The HOLY GHOST is the fountain and fulness of all spiritual graces; let us desire and use them, only in and by Him. There is nothing good, nothing profitable to salvation, unless sus, and in that holiness of heart which is produced by his it be done in the power of God, communicated by Christ Je sitaries of the authority of Christ, and the channels by whom SPIRIT. Pastors are only the instruments of God, the deps the love and graces of the Spirit are conveyed. Let these act as receiving all from God by Christ, through the Holy Ghost; and let the church receive them as the ambassadors of the Almighty. CHAPTER XIII. Charity, or love to God and man, the sum and substance of all true religion; so that without it, the most splendid ele quence, the gift of prophecy, the most profound knowledge, faith, by which the most stupendous miracles might be orought, benevolence the most unbounded, and zeal for the truth, even to martyrdom, would all be unavailing to salva tion, 1-3. The description and praise of this grace, 4-7. Its durableness; though tongues, prophecies, and know ledge shall cease, yet this shall never fail, 8--10. Description of the present imperfect state of man, 11, 12 Of all the graces of God in man, charity, or love, is the greatest, 13. [A. M. 4060. A. D. 56. A. U. C. 809. An. Imp. Neronis Cæs. 3.] HOUGH I speak with the tongues of men and of angels, and have not charity, I become as sounding brass, or a tinkling cymbal. T A 2 And though I have the gift of prophecy, and understand lev.19.49 Deu 6.5, & 10. 12. & 30.6. Matt.21.37, 38, 39, 40. Mark 12.31. Luke 10:27. & 20.41. NOTES-Verse 1. Though I speak, &c.] At the conclusion of the preceding chapter, the apostle promised to show the Corinthians a more excellent way than that in which they were now proceeding. They were so distracted with contentions, divided by parties, and envious of each other's gifts, that unity was nearly destroyed. This was a full proof that love to God and man was wanting; and that without this, their numerous gifts and other graces were nothing in the, eyes of God; for it was evident that they did not love one another, which is a proof that they did not love God; and consequently, that they had not true religion. Having, by his advices and directions, corrected many abuses, and having shown them how, in outward things, they should walk so as to please God, he now shows them the spirit, temper, and disposition in which this should be done, and without which all the rest must be ineffectual. all mysteries, and all knowledge; and though I have all faith, so that I could remove mountains, and have not charity, 1 am nothing. 3 And though I bestow all iny goods to feed the poor, and b Ch. 12.8, 9, 10, 28. & 14.1, &c. See Matt. 7.22- Matt. 17.30. Mark 11. Luke 17 6-d Mast 5.1, 2 tates; yet if I have not charity, my utmost charity is unpro fitable." Therefore, to shun this contradiction, and the probable misapplication of the term, Love had better be substi tuted for CHARITY. the note on Matt, xxii. 37. and to that place I beg leave to refer the reader for its derivation and import. Our English word lave The word ayarn, lore, I have already considered at large in we have from the Teutonic leben, to live, because love is the would have nothing desirable, nor indeed any thing even sup portable: or it may be taken immediately from the Anglomeans, dispenser, and preserver of life; and without it, life Saxon lora and lupa, love, from lupan and lurian, to desire, to love, to favour. It would be ridiculous to look to the Greek verb piλeir for its derivation. Before I proceed to the consideration of the different parts proper in this place. Charity comes to us immediately from Having said so much about the word love, we should say of this chapter, it may be necessary to examine whether the the French charité, who borrowed it from the Latin charitas, something of the word charity, which is supposed to be ini word ayan, be best translated by charity or love. Wiclif, which is probably borrowed from the Greek xans, signifying translating from the Vulgate, has the word charity, and him grace or favour, or xapa, joy, as a benefit bestowed is a faour authorized version follows. But Coverdale, Mattheurs, vour that inspires hini who receives it with joy; and so far Cranmer, and the Genera Bible, have love; which is adopted contributes to his happiness. The proper meaning of the by recent translators and commentators in general; among word CHARUS, is dear, costly; and CHARITAS, is dearth, scarwhom the chief are Dodd, Pearce, Purver, Wakefield, and city, a high price, or dearness. Hence, as in times of dearth Wesley; all these strenuously contend that the word charity, or scarcity, many, especially the poor, must be in want, and which is now confined to almsgiving, is utterly improper; the benevolent will be excited to relieve them; the term which and that the word lore, alone expresses the apostle's sense. expressed the cause of this want, was applied to the dispon As the word charity seems now to express little else than tion which was excited in behalf of the sufferer. Now, as he almsgiving, which, perforined even to the uttermost of a man's who relieves a person in distress, and preserves his life, by power, is nothing, if he lack what the apostle terms ayaan, communicating a portion of his property to him, will fee a and which we here translate charity; it is best to omit the sort of interest in the person thus preserved: hence he is said use of a word in this place, which, taken in its ordinary sig. to be dear to him: i. e. he has cost him something; and be nification, makes the apostle contradict himself; see ver. 3. Though I give all my goods to feed the poor, and have not him. Thus charity properly expresses that affectionate at charity, it profiteth me nothing.-That is, "though I have the tachment we may feel to a person whose wants we have been ralues him in proportion to the trouble or expense he has rest atinost charity, and act in every respect according to its dic-enabled to relieve; but originally it signified that want of the 138 though I give my hody to be burned, and have not charity, it profiteth ine nothing. e Prov. 10.12. 1 Pet. 4.8 necessaries of life, which produced dearth or dearness of those necessaries; and brought the poor man into that state in which he stood so much in need of the active benevolence of his richer neighbour. If the word be applied to God's benevolence towards man, it comes in with all propriety and force: we are deur to God, for we have not been purchased with silver or gold, but with the precious ripus apart (costly) blood of Christ, who so loved us as to give his life a ransom for ours. As Christians in general acknowledge that this chapter is the most important in the whole New Testament, I shall give here the first translation of it into the English language, which is known to exist, extracted from an ancient and noble Ms. in my own possession, which seems to exhibit both a text and language prior to the time of Wiclif. The reader will please to observe that there are no divisions of verses in the MS. love to God and man. 4 Charity suffereth long, and is kind; charity envieth not; f Or, is not rash. nify any thing sublime, grand, beautiful, &c. But it is more Then as the harpies, from the hills once more, The XIII. chapter of I. Corinthians, from an ancient MS. The forms obscene, dread monsters of the sea.-Pitt. namque morantes I had thought once of giving a literal translation of the whole And of angels] i. e. Though a man knew the language of the eternal world so well, that he could hold conversation with its inhabitants, and find out the secrets of their kingdom.-Or, probably the apostle refers to a notion that was common among the Jews, that there was a language by which angels might be invoked, adjured, collected, and dispersed; and, by the means of which, many secrets might be found out; and curious arts und sciences known. There is much of this kind to be found in their cabalistical Cornelius books, and in the books of many called Christians. Agrippa's occult philosophy abounds in this; and it was the main object of Dr. Dee's actions with spirits, to get a complete vocabulary of this language. See what has been published of his work by Dr. Casaubon; and the remaining manuscript parts in the Sloan library, in the British Museum. In Bara Bathra, fol. 134. mention is made of a famous rabbin, Jochanan Ben Zaccai, who understood the language of derils, trees, and angels. Some think that the apostle means only the most splendid eloquence ; as we sometimes apply the word angelic to sig. I are sufficient. Tinkling cymbal.] "The cymbal was a concavo.convex plate of brass, the concave side of which being struck against nious sound." We may understand the apostle thus: "Though another plate of the same kind, produced a tinkling inharmo possessed the knowledge of all languages, and could deliver even the truth of God in them, in the most cloquent manner; and had not a heart full of love to God and man, producing piety and obedience to the ONE, and benevolence and benef to me, were our situations reversed; my religion is no more cence to the other, doing unto all as I would wish them to do to my salvation than the sounds emitted by the brazen trum tual pleasure to the instruments which produce them. And, pet; or the jingling of the cymbals could contribute intellec in the sight of God, I am of no more moral worth than those sounds are. I have, it is true, a profession; but destitute of a heart filled with love to God and man, producing meekness, sence of religion." gentleness, long-suffering, &c. I am without the soul and es I have quoted several passages from heathens of the most cultivated minds in Greece and Rome, to illustrate passages of the sacred writers. I shall now quote one from an illiterate collier of Somerset: and, as I have named Homer, Horace, Virgil, and others, I will quote Josiah Gregory, whose mind might be compared to a diamond of the first water, whose native splendour broke in various places through its incrustations; but whose brilliancy was not brought out, for the want of the hand of the lapidary. Among various energetic sayings of this great, unlettered man, I remember to have heard the following: "People of little religion are always noisy; he who has not the love of God and man filling his heart, is like an empty wagon coming violently down a hill: it makes a great noise, because there is nothing in it." 2. And though I have the gift of prophecy] Though I should have received from God the knowledge of future events; so world and in the church:that I could correctly foretel what is coming to pass in the And understand all mysteries] The meaning of all the types and figures in the Old Testament; and all the unexplored secrets of nature: and all knowledge; every human art and science; and though I have all faith, such miraculous faith as would enable me even to remove mountains; or had such powerful discernment in sacred things, that I could solve the greatest difficulties: see note on Matt. xxi. 21. And have not charity; this love to God and man, as the principle and motive of all my conduct, the characteristics of which are given in the following verses:-I am nothing; nothing in myself, nothing in the sight of God, nothing in the church, and good for nothing to mankind. Balaam, and several others, not under the influence of this love of God, prophesied and 139 we daily see many men, who are profound scholars, and well The importance of love to 1. CORINTHIANS. 5 Doth not behave itself unseemly, seeketh not her own, is not easi y provoked, thinketh no evil; 6 h Rejoiceth not in iniquity, but i rejoiceth in the truth; Ch. 10.24. Phil 2.4.-h Psa. 10.3. Rom. 1.32.-i 2 John 4.-k Or, with the truth. skilled in arts and sciences, and yet not only careless about religion, but downright infidels! It does not require the tongue of the inspired to say, that these men, in the sight of God, are nothing; nor can their literary or scientific acquisitions give them a passport to glory. 3. And though I bestow all my goods to feed the poor] This is a proof that charity, in our sense of the word, is not what the apostle means; for surely almsgiving can go no farther than to give up all that a man possesses, in order to relieve the wants of others. The word out, which we translate to feed the poor, signifies to divide into morsels, and put into the mouth; which implies carefulness and tenderness in applying the bounty thus freely given. And though I give my body to be burned] Iva kavoŋowpay Mr. Wakefield renders this clause thus: And though I give up my body so as to have cause of boasting; in vindication of which he first refers to Dan. iii. 23. Acts xv. 26. Rom. viii. 32. Phil. i. 20. 2. He says that there is no such word as kavŋgopar 3. That avxnowpat, that I may boast, is the reading of the Ethiopic and Coptic, and he might have added of the Codex Alexandrinus, several Greek and Latin MSS. referred to by St. Jerome, by Ephraim, and by St. Jerome himself, who translates the passage thus, Si tradidero corpus num ut glorier: i. e. "If I deliver up my body, that I may glory, or have cause of boasting." 4. He adds, that burning, though a common punishment in after times, was not prevalent when this epistle was written. Some of the foreign critics, particularly Schulzius, translate thus, Si traderem corpus, ut mihi stigma inureretur! "If I should deliver up my body, to receive a stigma with a hot iron;" which may mean, if I should, in order to redeem another, willingly give up myself to slavery, and reive the mark of my owner, by having my flesh stamped with a hot ron; and have not lore, as before specified, it profits me nothing. This gives a good sense; but will the passage bear it? In the MSS. there are several various readings, which plainly show the original copyists scarcely knew what to make of the word kavonacopat, which they found in the text generally. The various readings are av0ncopat, which Griesbach seems to prefer: kavonσerai and Kavon, all of which give little variation of meaning. Which should be preferred, I can scarcely venture to say. If we take the commonly received word, it states a possible case; a man may be so obstinately wedded to a particular opinion, demonstrably false in itself, as to give up his body to be burned in its defence, as was literally the case with Vanini, who, for his obstinate atheism, was burnt alive at Paris, February 19, A. D. 1619. In such a cause, his giving his body to be burnt, certainly profited him nothing. "We may observe," says Dr. Lightfoot, "in those instances which are compared with charity, and are as good as nothing, if charity be absent, that the apostle mentions those which were of the noblest esteem in the Jewish nation; and as also the most precious things that could be named by them, were compared with this more precious, and were of no account in comparison of it. "1. To speak with the tongues of men, among the Jewish interpreters, means to speak the languages of the seventy nations. To the praise of Mordecai, they say, that he understood all those languages; and they require that the fathers of the Sanhedrim, should be skilled in many languages, that they may not be obliged to hear any thing by an interpreter. Maim. in Sanh. c. 2. "2. To speak with the tongues of angels, they thought to be not only an excellent gift, but to be possible and highly extol Jochanan ben Zaccai, because he understood them: see the note on ver. 1. "3. To know all mysteries and all knowledge, was not only prized but affected by them. Of Hillel, the elder, they say, he had eighty disciples: thirty who were worthy to have the Holy Spirit dwell upon them, as it did upon Moses; thirty who were worthy that the sun should stop his course for them, as it did for Joshua; and there were twenty between both, The greatest of all was Jonathan ben Uzziel; the least was Jochanan ben Zaccai. He omitted not, i, e. (perfectly under stood,) the Scripture, the Mishna, the Gemara, the idiotisins of the law, and the scribes, traditions, illustrations, comparisons, equalities, gematries, parables, &c. "4. The moring or rooting up of mountains, which, among them, signified the removing of the greatest difficulties, especially from the sacred text, they considered also a high and glorious attainment: see the note on Matt. xxi. 21. And of his salvation who had it, they could not have formed the slightest doubt. But the apostle says, a man might have and enjoy all those gifts, &c. and be nothing in himself, and be nothing profited by them." it out. The reader will consider, that the charity or love, concerning which the apostle speaks, is that which is described from ver, 4. to 7. inclusive: it is not left to the conjectures of men to find What the apostle means, is generally allowed to be true religion; but if he had not described it, this true religion would have been as various as the parties are who sup pose they have it. Let the reader also observe, that not only to God and men 7 Beareth all things, believeth all things, hopeth all things, endureth all things. 8 Charity never faileth: but whether there be prophecies, the things which are in the highest repute among the Jews, The charity or love which God recommends, the apostle de- (2) Is kind) Xprseveraι, it is tender and compassionate in itself, and kind and obliging to others: it is mild, gentle, and benign; and, if called to suffer, inspires the sufferer with the most amiable sweetness, and the most tender affection. It is also submissive to all the dispensations of God; and creates trouble to no one. (3.) Charity envieth not] Ov (not: is not grieved because another possesses a greater portion of earthly, intellectual, or spiritual blessings. Those who have this pure love, rejoice as much at the happiness, the honour, and comfort of others, as they can do in their own. They are ever willing that thera should be preferred before them. (4.) Charity vaunteth not itself] Ov prepeverat: This word is variously translated; acteth not rashly, insolently, is not inconstant, &c. It is not agreed by learned men whether it be Greek, Latin, or Arabic, Bishop Pearce derived it from the latter language, and translates it is not inconstant. There is a phrase in our own language that expresses what I think to be the meaning of the original, does not set itself forward; does not desire to be noticed or applauded; but wishes that God may be all in all. (5.) Is not puffed up] On procvrat: is not inflated with a sense of its own importance; for it knows it has nothing bri what it has received; and that it deserves nothing that it has got. Every man whose heart is full of the love of God, is full of humility; for there is no man so hurable as he whose heart is cleansed from all sin. It has been said that indwelling sis humbles us; never was there a greater falsity: PRIDE is the very essence of sin; he who has sin has pride, and pride tro in proportion to his sin; this is a mere Popish doctrine; and strange to tell, the doctrine in which their doctrine of merit is founded! They say, God leaves concupiscence in the heart of every Christian, that in striving with, and overcoming it from time to time, he may have an accumulation of merit rious acts. Certain Protestants say, it is a true sign of a very gracious state, when a man feels and deplores his inbred cor ruptions. How near do these come to the Papists, whose doetrine they profess to detest and abhor! The truth is, it is no sign of grace whatever; it only argues, as they use it, that the man has got light to show him his corruptions; but he has not yet got grace to destroy them. He is convinced that be should have the mind of Christ, but he feels that he has the mind of Satan; he deplores it: and, if his bad doctrine do not prevent him, he will not rest till he feels the blood of Christ cleansing him from all sin. True humility arises from a sense of the fulness of God in the soul; abasement from a sense of corruption. is a widely different thing; but this has been put in the place of bumility and even called grace; u any, very many, verify the saying of the poet :— "Proud I am, my wants to see: Proud of my humility." |