A Paraphrase on the New Testament, 1 Corinthians · Chapter 12
CHAP. XII.
1. NOw concerning ſpiritual gifts, brethren, I would not have you ignorant. 2. Ye know that ye were Gentiles carried away unto theſe dumb idols, even as ye were led.
1, 2. As to your caſe of diſcerning Spirits and Spiritual Gifts, it is of great importance that you ſhould not be ignorant, leſt you ſhould take evil Spirits for the Spirit of God, or not diſtinguiſh the various Gifts of Gods own Spirit in Believers: In your Heathen ſtate you were carried away with Idol Oracles and Worſhip.
3. 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.
3. Firſt, in general you may be ſure, that none of thoſe Idol Oracles or Blaſphemers that ſpeak againſt Chriſt, and Anathematize him, as Infidels do, do ſpeak by the Spirit of God. (For God's Spirit bore uncontrolable witneſs to Chriſt, by Propheſie, Reſurrection, Miracles, and Holineſs.) And on the contrary ſide, he that believeth and confeſſeth that Jeſus is the Lord, the true Son of God and our Mediator, hath ſurely learnt this of the holy Ghoſt, his outward teſtimony in the foreſaid evidence, and his inward teaching. (For do but truly believe the truth of Chriſt himſelf, and the truth of all his Doctrine will undeniably follow.)
4. Now there are diverſities of gifts, but the ſame Spirit. 5. And there are differences of adminiſtrations, but the ſame Lord. 6. And there are diverſities of operations, but it is the ſame God, which worketh all in all.
4, 5, 6. And as Gifts are aſcribed to the Holy Ghoſt, and Adminiſtrations to the Son, and Operations to the Father Almighty; ſo in all theſe there is great diverſities, both of kinds and of degrees.
7. But the manifeſtation of the Spirit is given to every man to profit withall.
7. But all the gifts of the Spirit are given for the Churches edification, or to do good with. (Though ſome of them are found in unholy Men, who periſh in their ſin.)
8. For to one is given by the Spirit, the word of wiſdom; to another the word of knowledge by the ſame Spirit;
8. The ſame Spirit maketh one eminently wiſe and prudent in applying ſacred Truth to the Caſe of the Hearers; and it giveth another an eminent knowledge of ſacred Myſteries.
9. To another faith by the ſame Spirit; to another the gifts of healing by the ſame Spirit;
9. Another he maketh eminently ſtrong in Faith, for extraordinary Effects; and another hath the Gift of miraculous Healing of the Sick, (when the Spirit will have it done.)
10. To another the working of miracles; to another propheſie; to another diſcerning of Spirits; to another divers kinds of tongues; to another the interpretation of tongues.
10. To another, other ſorts of powerful Miracles; to another, to ſpeak by immediate Inſpiration, either Predictions, or powerful Explications and Applications of Gods Word; to another, a quick and ſure Diſcerning whether Men pretending to the Spirit ſpeak from God or not; to another, the ſpeaking of divers Languages; to another, the Interpretation of thoſe Languages to them that underſtand them not.
11. But all theſe worketh that one and the ſelf-ſame Spirit, dividing to every man ſeverally as he will.
11. And though theſe are very various, and greatly d…fference Man from Man, yet it is the ſame Spirit that worketh them all, diverſifying as he freely and wiſely pleaſeth.
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.
12. For here One and Many well conſiſt: As the Natural Body is but One Body, but made of Many Members, differing in number, excellency, and office; ſo is Chriſt and his Church.
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.
13. F…r as Sacramentally all viſible Members are baptized into one Univerſal Church of profeſſed Chriſtian, and drink the Cap of holy Union and Communion in the Lords Supper; ſo all true, living, ſaved Members are baptized by one Spirit into one Univerſal Church of true ſpiritual Chriſtians, and drink the true uniting Spirit of Communion.
14, 15, 16, 17. For the body is not one member, but many. If the foot ſhall ſay, Becauſe I am not the hand, I am not of the body; is it therefore not of the body? 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? If the whole body were an eye, where were the hearing? if the whole were hearing, where were the ſmelling?
14, 15, 16, 17. The Body is not one Member as to Number, Kind, or Office; but many united: And ſo in Chriſts Body the Church: If a miſtaken Chriſtian himſelf ſhould ſay, Becauſe I am low in place, Grace, or Gifts, I am none of the Church; this will not prove or make him none: Much leſs, if others, by falſe Cenſure or Church-tyranny, ſay he is none, or excommunicate him for diſſenting from their vain Appendages or Opinions. If all were of one Office, Stature, Complexion, or degree of Grace or Knowledge, who would be Rulers, and who Subjects? who Teachers, and who Learners? How many Offices of Piety and Charity would be unperformed? God hath not a Church on Earth where all Members are ſo wiſe, as beſides the Eſſentials of Chriſtianity, to know all the Integrals; much leſs, to know the numerous little Accidents of Forms and Ceremonies, and all that is really or pretendedly Indifferent and Lawful (which Domineerers can invent) to be ſo indeed, and ſo to be all united in ſuch things indifferent.
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.
18, 19, 20. But as the Wiſe Creator in Nature, ſo as our Redeemer, Governor, and Regenerator by Grace, God hath choſen great diverſity of Members, as to Office and Gifts; and he himſelf, as it pleaſed him, hath ſet them in his Church. (And who are they that preſume againſt him, to cenſure or caſt out the meaneſt of ſuch?) Were they all numerically, or in Office, or degree of Knowledge and Grace, but one, or equal, the Church would not be ſuch a thing as God hath made it. But now God, that freely delighteth in the variety of his Works, hath made it one Body of Chriſt, compoſed of variety of Members.
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.
21. As the principal Members of the Body need the leſs principal; ſo the Rulers, Paſtors, and wiſeſt Members of the Church need even thoſe weak and inferiour Chriſtians, whom ſurly Cenſurers, and proud or contentious Uſurpers, will caſt out.
22. Nay, much more thoſe members of the body which ſeem to be more feeble, are neceſſary.
22. Yea, the Parts which are leaſt honoured, and feeble, have a peculiar neceſſary Office, which none of the reſt is able to perform or ſupply.
23. 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.
23. And thoſe Parts which we account ſhameful, we moſt carefully clothe and cover, to hide either Deformity or Shame, (and do not reproach, neglect, or caſt away.)
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.
24, 25. Our comely Parts need not our care to adorn and cover them from Shame: But God hath ſo contempered the Parts, that we ſhould more care to ſecure from diſhonour the Parts that need our care: That Unity and Love of the Whole ſhould cauſe ſuch Love and Care for every Part, that the Parts ſhould not envy, or ſtrive againſt, or cut off, or divide from one another.
Note, 1. O how clean contrary to this are the tearing Canons and Cruelties that cut off all Members that think any of their needleſs Impoſitions unlawful!
2. And here Paul tells us the true Cauſe of Schiſm: Not Weakneſs of Chriſtians, but the Butchery of that Clergy that cut off the Weak, when they ſhould carefully hide their Diſhonour in Love; and that revile them whom they ſhould love as themſelves.
26. And whether one member ſuffer, all the members ſuffer with it: or one member be honoured, all the members rejoyce with it.
26. As all the Body condoleth or rejoiceth with the pain or welfare of every Member, even the weakeſt; ſo is it with the Living Members of Chriſt.
Note, Therefore they are but Hypocrites, like Wooden Legs, that have no ſuch ſenſe; and trayterous Enemies of Chriſt, that hate, and reproach, and deſtroy his true Members.
27. Now ye are the body of Chriſt, and members in particular.
27. Thus muſt it be with you, that are the ſeveral Members of Chriſts Church.
28. And God hath ſet ſome in the church, firſt apoſtles, ſecondarily prophets, thirdly teachers, after that miracles, then gifts of healing, helps, governments, diverſities of tongues.
28. And God hath ſet in his Church Diverſity and Diſparity, both in qualifying Gifts and Offices: As, in the firſt place, are Apoſtles, ſent immediately by Chriſt, to be the Chief Witneſſes and Recorders of his Works and Words. Next them, Prophets, immediately inſpired to reveal his W…ll: And next them, ſetled Teachers of his Record…d Word: And then, Workers of Miracles, for convi…cing Infidels, and confirming Believers: Then, extraordinary Gifts of Healing; and eminent Helpers of the Churches by Charity and ſpecial Care, eſpecially for Miniſters and the Poor; and Governments, to arbitrate Differences, and keep Order; and Languages, to ſpread and confirm the Word.
29, 30. Are all apoſtles? are all prophets? are all teachers? are all workers of miracles? Have all the gifts of healing? do all ſpeak with tongues? do all interpret? 31. But covet earneſtly the beſt gifts:
29, 30, 31. None of all theſe Gifts or Offices are common to all. But deſire moſt that which is beſt and moſt edifying.
Note, That even Apoſtles are but Chief Members, and Peter himſelf not the Head, but one of them.
31. And yet ſhew I unto you a more excellent way.
31. Yet true Chriſtian Love excelleth all theſe Gifts and Offices.