_SPIRITUAL GIFTS ARE DIVERSE, YET ALL TO PROFIT WITHAL; AND TO THAT END ARE DIVERSELY BESTOWED: THAT BY THE LIKE PROPORTION, AS THE MEMBERS OF A NATURAL BODY TEND ALL TO THE MUTUAL DECENCY, SERVICE, AND SUCCOUR OF THE SAME BODY; SO WE SHOULD DO ONE FOR ANOTHER, TO MAKE UP THE MYSTICAL BODY OF CHRIST... [ Continue Reading ]
_1 CORINTHIANS 12:1_.— The Corinthians seem to have inquired of St. Paul, what order of precedency and preference men were to have with respect to their spiritual gifts; nay, if we may guess by his answer, the question they seem more particularly to have proposed was, whether those who had the gift... [ Continue Reading ]
NO MAN, SPEAKING BY THE SPIRIT—CALLETH JESUS ACCURSED.— "No man that is inspired by the Spirit of God, can speak evil of Jesus; and no man cometh to him, and heartily owns him for his _Lord,_ except God draweth him by his Spirit," which he is willing to do for all. Some think that these words refer... [ Continue Reading ]
DIFFERENCES OF ADMINISTRATIONS.— _Diversities of offices._ These _offices_ are reckoned up, 1 Corinthians 12:28, &c. The calling them _administrations,_ or _offices,_ was a gentle manner of reminding the Corinthians of the great design of these gifts; and so, of reproving those who perverted them to... [ Continue Reading ]
OF OPERATIONS.— What these were, we learn from 1 Corinthians 12:8. They are very properly called ενεργηματα, _in-workings,_ because they were above all human power. Men of themselves could do none of them at all; but it was God, as the Apostle tells us here, who, in these extraordinary gifts of the... [ Continue Reading ]
BUT— or _Now._... [ Continue Reading ]
THE WORD OF WISDOM.— Lord Barrington, Dr. Benson, and many others, understand by the _word of wisdom,_ that extensive plan of Christianity which was revealed to the apostles by the Holy Spirit; and by the _word of knowledge,_ an extraordinaryability to understand and explain the Old Testament, and e... [ Continue Reading ]
FAITH BY THE SAME SPIRIT.— In the following chapter, where these gifts are again mentioned, the Apostle explains the nature of the faith here reckoned among the gifts of the Spirit, by calling it a faith which could _remove mountains,_ or such a faith as was attended with a power of controlling natu... [ Continue Reading ]
PROPHESY.— This plainly signifies, foretelling the future fortunes of the church, to the comfort and edification of the assembly, as St. Paul expresses it, ch. 1 Corinthians 14:3 and the effects generally attending the act of prophesy in a little time assumed its name. But the proper sense of _proph... [ Continue Reading ]
BUT ALL THESE WORKETH, &C.— _But one and the same Spirit effecteth all these things, distributing to each man in particular, according to his will._ Heylin.... [ Continue Reading ]
FOR BY ONE SPIRIT, &C.— "For all of us, who are endued with the gifts and graces of one and the self-same Spirit, (_1 Corinthians 12:11_.) are thereby incorporated into one spiritual body, according to what was signified by our being baptized with water, and _that_ without any preference of one to a... [ Continue Reading ]
IS IT THEREFORE NOT OF THE BODY?— _It is not_ for that reason _no part of the body._ Bengelius and Wetstein.... [ Continue Reading ]
IF THE WHOLE BODY WERE AN EYE.— The Apostle by this intends probably to insinuate, that were there no other gifts in the church but those which they so much extolled in some of their teachers, it would be of very great disadvantage to the body. See Doddridge and Benson.... [ Continue Reading ]
NAY, MUCH MORE THOSE MEMBERS, &C.— Some think that in the words _which seem to be more feeble,_ St. Paul refers to the _brains_ and _bowels,_ which are very tender, and liable to many disorders. Others understand it of the least muscular parts, _veins, arteries,_ and other minute channels in the bod... [ Continue Reading ]
WHICH WE THINK TO BE LESS HONOURABLE.— It seems as if he had said, "The face, in which the image of God is particularly stamped, we leave uncovered; but as for those parts which decency or custom teach us to conceal, we contrive not only to cover, but also, as far as we conveniently can, to adorn by... [ Continue Reading ]
NOW YE ARE THE BODY OF CHRIST.— Dr. Heylin renders this, _Thus ye are the body of Christ; each being a particular member, which God has placed in the church;_ (1 Corinthians 12:28.) _as, first, apostles,_ &c. Others read it, _Ye are in some sort the body and members of Christ,—aliquatenus,—in part,_... [ Continue Reading ]
GOD HATH SET SOME, &C.— "As God hath placed some members in more eminent stations in the body, so also some Christians in the church. He hath placed in the first rank _Apostles,_ who are honoured with an office of the higher distinction, and furnished with endowments peculiar to themselves. In the 2... [ Continue Reading ]
ARE ALL APOSTLES?— It appears that this invidious temper was not extirpated from among the Corinthians, even by this just and lively expostulation: for Clemens Romanus, writing to them many years after, complains of its continued prevalence, as leading them to neglect a due regard for those presbyte... [ Continue Reading ]
BUT COVET EARNESTLY THE BEST GIFTS.— _But ye contend earnestly about the best gifts._ "Ye contend one with another whose particular gift is best, and most preferable; but I will shew you a more excellent way; namely, mutual good-will, affection, and charity;" or, in one word, LOVE. That this is the... [ Continue Reading ]