A Paraphrase on the New Testament, 1 Corinthians · Chapter 13
CHAP. XIII.
1. THough I ſpeak with the tongues of men and of angels, and have not charity, I am become as ſounding braſs, or a tinkling cymbal.
1. Leſt you ſhould too much truſt to any of theſe forementioned Gifts, which Chriſt giveth to ſome that periſh, you muſt know, that the true Divine Nature, proper to Saints, conſiſteth in Charity, (which is the predominant Love of God, and of Saints as Saints, and Men as Men, as God is in them, and ſerved by them.) And if I be without this, could I preach, diſcourſe, and pray in better Language and Oratory than any mortal Man, even as well as Angels, what were this Voice to God, that is a Spirit, and looketh to the Heart, but even as the tinkling of a Muſical Inſtrument?
2. And though I have the gift of prophecy, and underſtand all myſteries, and all knowledge; and though I have all faith, ſo that I could remove mountains, and have no charity, I am nothing.
2. And though I could ſpeak by Inſpiration (as Balaam did) of things preſent or things to come, and could underſtand all the deep and difficult Points in Gods Word and Works, and were the moſt excellent Philoſopher, and could truly open all the Principles and Compoſitions in Nature; and though I could believe even to the Production of the moſt miraculous Effects, and yet have not this predominant Love of God, and of Saints, and of Men, as to Gods Acceptance, and my own Salvation, I am as a meer Nothing: None of theſe Shadows will do my Work.
3. And though I beſtow all my goods to feed the poor, and though I give my body to be burned, and have not charity, it profiteth me nothing.
3. And though I give all that I have to the Poor, either to be well ſpoken of, or through fear of Hell, or a conceit of obliging God by Merit, or out of meer natural Pity, or any other Cauſe, which includeth not Love, it will not profit me to Salvation, Yea, if for theſe lower Ends I ſhould forſake Life it ſelf, without the predominant Love of God and Man, it would be as nothing to me.
4. Charity ſuffereth long and is kind; charity envieth not; charity vaunteth not it ſelf, is not puffed up,
4. Love is kind, inclining to do good, and is patient, and can bear much wrong from others, (as Self-love maketh us bear much more from our ſelves.) Love envieth▪ not the Reputation, Applauſe Precedency, or Profit of others. Love doth not vaunt and lift up a Mans ſelf in his own eſteem, or deſire to be lifted up by others, above our Worth and Place, but in Honour preferreth others.
5. Doth not behave it ſelf unſeemly, ſeeketh not her own, is not eaſily provoked, thinketh no evil,
5. Love doth not break out into injurious Reflexions, or Paſſions, or uncomely Deportment towards others: It is not ſelfiſh and ſeeketh not our own inordinately, to the injury, neglect, or greater hurt of others: Is not provoked to any uncharitable thought, word, or deed, by ſmall Injuries or Occaſions, but beareth, forbeareth, and forgiveth; and doth not think evil of any groundleſly, or till conſtrained, nor deſign evil or hurt againſt any unneceſſarily or unjuſtly.
6. Rejoyceth not in iniquity, but rejoyceth in the truth:
6. It doth not rejoice in the Sins that others commit, nor in the Wrongs they undergo, nor themſelves to do unjuſtly againſt any, or to be proſperous therein againſt them.
7. Beareth all things, believeth all things, hopeth all things, endureth all things.
7. It doth by others as we feel we do by our ſelves; that is, it b…areth with the Faults of Men ſo far as … not againſt their own or others good: It is inclined to believe the beſt of all Men, till Evidence conſtrain us to know the worſt, (not neglecting ſuch cautelous ſuſpicion, as may ſave us from raſh and fooliſh truſt.) It ſtill hopeth well of others, as far as there is any ground of hope: It endureth hurt and wrong from others, when it is for their own or others greater good.
8. Charity never faileth: but whether there be prophecies they ſhall fail; whether there be tongues they ſhall ceaſe; whether there be knowledge, it ſhall vaniſh away.
8. Holy Love is an everlaſting Quality and Employment, and ſhall not ceaſe, but be perfected at Death, and in Heaven: But Propheſying, Languages, Sciences, and all the art…ficial and imperfect ſort of Knowledge which now we have, ſhall ceaſe, as uſeleſs there.
9, 10. For we know in part, and we propheſie in part. But when that which is perfect is come, then that which is in part ſhall be done away.
9, 10. For here the manner of our knowing in the Body is imperfect, and the meaſure is all inadequate: we know nothing wholly, but ſome part of things; and ſo we ſpeak, even in Propheſying and Preaching: But Perfection will end all this Imperfection.
11. When I was a child, I ſpake as a child, I underſtood as a child, I thought as a child: but when I became a man, I put away childiſh things.
11. As Manhood, and increaſe of Wit and Experience, change the Childiſh Speech, Underſtanding, and Thoughts, into that which is true and more perfect; ſo much more will the Life to come do.
12. For now we ſee through a glaſs darkly: but then face to face: now I know in part; but then ſhall I know even as alſo I am known.
12. For our Knowledge now in this Body and World, is by imperfect Media, as we ſee things in a Glaſs; and know by Riddles, Parables, or Similitudes, a ſuperficial Glimpſe: But then we ſhall know as Men that ſee each others Faces, by intuition. Now we know but little Parts, and Out-ſides, and Accidents of things, and nothing adequately: but then we ſhall know in the World of Spirits, as thoſe Spirits now know us; which is better than we know our ſelves.
13. And now abideth faith, hope, charity, theſe three; but the greateſt of theſe is charity.
13. I conclude therefore, That though now our State of Grace conſiſt of Faith, Hope, and Love, the Greateſt of theſe is Love: (For it is the Divine Nature, the Everlaſting Work, the Souls Felicity, even its Complacency in God, and in all his Sa…nts, and all his Works: and it is the End, to which Faith and Hope are but the Means.
ANNOTATIONS.
1. YEt Faith and Hope have their peculiar Offices, which Love alone cannot perform: As the Heart cannot do the Work of the Hand or Eye.
2. By Faith is meant, Believing and Truſting in God through Chriſt for Grace and Glory, And by Hope is meant a deſirous comforting Expectation of the Good promiſed and believed.
3. It followeth, That he hath the moſt excellent Knowledge, who hath moſt holly Love: And all the Learning that kindleth not this Love, is but dreaming, doating, diverting, and deceiving Vanity.
4. The Engliſh abuſe of the Word [charity] deceiveth many, as if it were nothing but Giving to the Poor; But it is the Love of God and Holineſs, and of holy Perſons, and of our Neighbours as our ſelves; and ſpecially of the holy Celeſtial Society, Chriſt, Angels, and Saints.
5. By this we ſee, that thoſe Church-Rulers, Preacher, Writers, Diſputers, and all other Malignants, who zealouſly labour to deſtroy Love, and to perſwade Chriſtians to hate, and perſecute, and deſtroy one another, for their ſelfiſh Intereſts, Opinions, or Factions, whatever they think of themſelves, are Diaboliſts and Cainnites, the Devils Slaves, and in his Image do his Work.
6. It's made a doubt by ſome, Whether Faith and Hope continue not in Heaven; becauſe, ſay they, How ſhall we know things paſt, (as the Creation, Flood, &c.) but by Believing? And ſhall we not Believe and Hope for the Perpetuity of Glory? But, 1. We know not now in what manner God will make known things to us there: Whether in ſeeing him, we ſhall ſee all things? or how? 2. However, it will not be the ſame things that are called Faith and Hope, which are exerciſed on Promiſes, and are but Means to that Perfection which is their End: So that if you call them by the ſame Names, they will be but equivocal.
7. This much tells us what Meaſure of Faith and Hope are neceſſary to Salvation, viz. ſo much as ſhall cauſe in us ſincere Love to God and Holineſs, and Heaven, to one another.
8. This tells us what thoſe Texts do mean, which promiſe the Spirit of Sanctification to penitent Believers: viz. The Holy Ghoſt doth but prepare us, and open the Door by Faith and Hope, that by them, as means, he may excite holy Love, and as a Spirit of Love dwell in us, and poſſeſs us.
9. This teacheth Miniſters how to Preach, and People what and how to hear, read, meditate, and confer, and live; and what true Religion is, viz. To do all as may moſt kindle holy Love, as we uſe the Bellows to kindle the Fire. Pure Religion, and undefiled, is to viſit the Fatherleſs and Widows in adverſity, and keep our ſelves unſpotted of the World.
10. This teacheth as what Fear or God to uſe: None that breedeth hard thoughts of God, or quencheth holy Love; but a Reverence of him, and a Fear leſt by S…n we make our ſelves unlovely to him, and fall under that Juſtice is holy and good, even when it deſtroys the wicked. Other Fear of God is ſinful Superſtition.