And if any man hunger, let him eat at home; that ye come not together unto condemnation. And the rest will I set in order when I come. 1 Now concerning spiritual _gifts_, brethren, I would not have you ignorant. Ver. 1. _I would not have you ignorant_] To wit, of the only author and true end of th... [ Continue Reading ]
Ye know that ye were Gentiles, carried away unto these dumb idols, even as ye were led. Ver. 2. _Even as ye were led_] It is the misery of a natural man that hath not his heart stablished with grace, to be carried away as he is led, to be wherried about with every wind of doctrine, to have no mould... [ Continue Reading ]
Wherefore I give you to understand, that no man speaking by the Spirit of God calleth Jesus accursed: and _that_ no man can say that Jesus is the Lord, but by the Holy Ghost. Ver. 3. _Calleth Jesus accursed_] As the wicked Jews do in this day in their daily prayers and abbreviature; and as the Gent... [ Continue Reading ]
Now there are diversities of gifts, but the same Spirit. Ver. 4. _But the same Spirit_] As the divers smell of flowers come from the same influence, and the divers sounds in the organ from the same breath.... [ Continue Reading ]
And there are differences of administrations, but the same Lord. Ver. 5. _Differences of administrations_] _i.e._ Ecclesiastical functions, all of them the _dona honoraria_ of the Lord Christ, Ephesians 4:8,11 .... [ Continue Reading ]
And there are diversities of operations, but it is the same God which worketh all in all. Ver. 6. _Diversities of operations_] The Holy Ghost may use one of less grace to do more good than one of more; though he delights to honour those of most sincerity with most success, as1 Corinthians 15:10 .... [ Continue Reading ]
But the manifestation of the Spirit is given to every man to profit withal. Ver. 7. _To profit withal_] We are neither born nor born again for ourselves. If we be not fit to serve the body, neither are we fit to be of the body; he is not a saint that seeketh not communion of saints. _Pudeat illos,... [ Continue Reading ]
For to one is given by the Spirit the word of wisdom; to another the word of knowledge by the same Spirit; Ver. 8. _The word of wisdom_] "The tongue of the learned," to time a word, Isaiah 50:4, to set it upon its circumferences,Proverbs 25:11, to declare unto man his righteousness, when not one of... [ Continue Reading ]
To another faith by the same Spirit; to another the gifts of healing by the same Spirit; Ver. 9. _To another faith_] The faith of miracles, which a man may have, and yet miscarry, 1 Corinthians 13:2. So doth not any one that hath the faith of God's elect; that fails not, Luke 22:32. Some say the ap... [ Continue Reading ]
To another the working of miracles; to another prophecy; to another discerning of spirits; to another _divers_ kinds of tongues; to another the interpretation of tongues: Ver. 10. _Discerning of spirits_] They discerned not men's hearts of themselves (for to God only), but by a special work of God'... [ Continue Reading ]
But all these worketh that one and the selfsame Spirit, dividing to every man severally as he will. Ver. 11. _One and the self-same Spirit_] Who yet is called the seven spirits of God, Revelation 1:4, for his manifold and various operations. _ Dividing to every man severally, as he will_] It is re... [ Continue Reading ]
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. Ver. 12. _So also is Christ_] Mystical Christ, the Church. Christ the Saviour of his body Eph 5:23 accounts not himself complete without his Church, Ephesians 1:23. So... [ Continue Reading ]
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. Ver. 13. _For by one Spirit, &c._] By the testimony of the two sacraments, whereof we all partake, the apostle proveth that we are al... [ Continue Reading ]
For the body is not one member, but many. Ver. 14. _Not one member, but many_] As man's body curiously wrought, and as it were by the book, Psalms 139:16. Had God left out an eye or hand in his common place book (saith one) thou hadst wanted it.... [ Continue Reading ]
If the foot shall say, Because I am not the hand, I am not of the body; is it therefore not of the body? Ver. 15. _If the foot should say, &c._] Inferiors must not envy those above them, but be content, since it is God that cutteth us out several conditions; and a scavenger may honour God in his pl... [ Continue Reading ]
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? Ver. 16. _If the ear_] A man had better be blind, lame, dumb, than deaf; because by the ear life enters into the soul, Isaiah 55:3 .... [ Continue Reading ]
If the whole body _were_ an eye, where _were_ the hearing? If the whole _were_ hearing, where _were_ the smelling? Ver. 17. _If the whole body, &c._] It is proper to God to be πανοφθαλμος, all eye; _Sic spectat universos quasi singulos, sic singulos quasi solos._... [ Continue Reading ]
But now hath God set the members every one of them in the body, as it hath pleased him. Ver. 18. _God hath set, &c._] And he, as only wise, doth all in number, weight, and measure. Shall we not rest in what he hath done as best "What can the man do that cometh after the king?" Ecclesiastes 2:12 .... [ Continue Reading ]
And if they were all one member, where _were_ the body? Ver. 19. _Where were the body?_] So the body political consisteth not of a physician and a physician (saith Aristotle), but of a physician and a husbandman, &c.... [ Continue Reading ]
But now _are they_ many members, yet but one body. Ver. 20. _But now are they many members, &c._] 1. Use; 2. Necessity; 3. Honour; 4. Comeliness, 5. Mutual consent, -commend these things. Let every man try his membership (1. If sociable with Christ and his people; 2. If useful and serviceable to th... [ Continue Reading ]
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. Ver. 21. _The eye cannot say, &c._] Superiors may not slight their inferiors, since they cannot be without them, as one time or other they will be forced to acknowledge. It was a say... [ Continue Reading ]
Nay, much more those members of the body, which seem to be more feeble, are necessary: Ver. 22. _Which seem to be, &c._] As the organs of nourishment, not so noble, but more necessary than those of the senses.... [ Continue Reading ]
And those _members_ of the body, which we think to be less honourable, upon these we bestow more abundant honour; and our uncomely _parts_ have more abundant comeliness. Ver. 23. _And those members_] As the organs of excretion and generation, called less honourable and uncomely, _non per se, sed co... [ Continue Reading ]
For our comely _parts_ have no need: but God hath tempered the body together, having given more abundant honour to that _part_ which lacked: Ver. 24. _For our comely parts_] A fair face needs no dress, is its own testimonial, a bait without a hook, said Socrates, δελεαρ ανευ αγκιστρου ..... [ Continue Reading ]
That there should be no schism in the body; but _that_ the members should have the same care one for another. Ver. 25. _Should have the same care_] As if the heel do but ache, the whole condoleth and cureth, and careth; and yet without dividing care, that there might be no schism in the body.... [ Continue Reading ]
And whether one member suffer, all the members suffer with it; or one member be honoured, all the members rejoice with it. Ver. 26. _And whether one man suffer_] This spiritual sympathy, _mirum est quam frigide tractetur inter Christianos hodie, _ saith Aretius on this text. _See Trapp on "_ 1Co 12... [ Continue Reading ]
Now ye are the body of Christ, and members in particular. Ver. 27. _Now ye are, &c._] St Cyprian's sympathy is remarkable, _Cum singulis pectus meum copulo, moeroris et funeris pondera luctuosa participo; Cum plangentibus plango, cum deflentibus defleo._ Hereby he showed himself a living member.... [ Continue Reading ]
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. Ver. 28. _Diversities of tongues_] This comes in last, either to bid check to their pride, who gloried so much in the... [ Continue Reading ]
_Are_ all apostles? _are_ all prophets? _are_ all teachers? _are_ all workers of miracles? Ver. 29. _Are all teachers?_] Yes, some would have it so, as in Alcibiades' army all were leaders, no learners.... [ Continue Reading ]
Have all the gifts of healing? do all speak with tongues? do all interpret? 31 But covet earnestly the best gifts: and yet shew I unto you a more excellent way. Ver. 31. _Covet earnestly, &c._] Ζηλουτε, _ambite._ This is the best ambition. Christians should strive to excel, and be the best at what... [ Continue Reading ]