An Exposition of Pauls Epistles, Letter 2 · Chapter 14
CHAP. XIV.
HEE PROCEEDS TO TREAT OF SPIRITUAL GIFTS, AND THEIR RIGHT USE.
THere are two parts of the Chapter. In the first hee prefers the gift of Prophesie before the gift of Tongues, to vers. 26. In the other hee gives commands concerning that order that was to bee observed in their Assemblies, to the end.
Vers. 1. Follow after Charity, and desire spiritual gifts, but rather that yee may prophesie.
Hee proved in the fore-going Chapter, that Charity was the most excellent gift: In the beginning of this Chapter hee infers an Exhortation by way of conclusion, that they would affect it, and have all both gifts and spiritual offices in honour; but because some were proud of the gift of tongues, and most despised Pastoral gifts in comparison of this gift, and too much admired the gift of tongues: Therefore hee compares these gifts together, and proves that the gift of Prophecie or Exhortation is more excellent than the gift of tongues, separated from the gift of interpretation. Hee gives thirteen Reasons.
Vers. 2. For hee that speaketh in an unknown tongue, speaketh not unto men, but unto God, for no man understandeth him: Howbeit in the Spirit he speaketh mysteries.
3. But hee that prophesieth, speaketh unto men, to edification, and exhortation, and comfort.
The first Reason; Hee that speaks in an unknown tongue, although by the gift of the Spirit, hee speaks the Mysteries of God, yet hee speaks without profit, because hee is understood by God alone, and not by men: But a Prophet or Pastor speaking in a known tongue, teaches, exhorts, comforts his hearers, and so speaks profitably: Therefore Prophecie is more excellent than the gift of tongues.
Vers. 4. Hee that speaketh in an unknown tongue, edifieth himself: but hee that prophesieth, edifieth the Church.
Reason 2. Hee that speaks in an unknown tongue, edifies none … himself; but a Prophet, the whole Church or Assembly: Therefore Prophecie is more excellent.
Vers. 5. I would that yee all spake with tongues, but rather that yee prophesied: for greater is bee that prophesieth, than hee that speaketh with tongues, except hee interpret, that the Church may receive edifying.
That hee might rightly bee understood, hee shews that hee doth not abolish tongues, though hee prefers a Prophet before him that speaks in an unknown tongue.
Vers. 6. Now, brethren, if I come unto you speaking with tongues, what shall I profit you, except I shall speak to you, either by revelation, or by knowledge, or by prophecying, or by doctrine?
Reason 3. From his own example; his Apostolical Ministery would not bee profitable to them, unless hee should speak to them in a known tongue by extraordinary Prophecie, by Revelation, or ordinary knowledge; either by Prophecying, or exhorting, as a Pastor, or instructing, as a Teacher: Therefore the gift of tongues is inferiour to the gift of Prophecie.
Vers. 7. And even things without life giving sound, whether pipe, or harp, except they give a distinction in their sounds, how shall it bee known what is piped or harped?
8. For if the Trumpet give an uncertain sound, who shall prepare himself unto the battel?
9. So likewise you, except yee utter by the tongue words easie to bee understood, how shall it bee known what is spoken? for yee shall speak into the ayr.
Reason 4. As a Trumpet, or any other instrument touched or blown, sounding confusedly, utters an unprofitable and an ungrateful sound, so also a tongue, not understood, gives no other than an uncertain and useless sound: But the Prophets in their Prophecying speak in a known tongue: Therefore the gift of tongues is inferiour to the gift of Prophecie.
Vers. 10. There are, it may bee, so many kinds of voices in the world, and none of them are without signification.
Reason 5. The voices of Brutes are many; whereof none is so inarticulate, but represents a certain species of the living creature to those that hear: It is therefore an unworthy thing, so to debase the gift of the Spirit, that it should profit no more, but should bee less valued than the blearing of a brute beast: In Prophecie it is not so: Therefore the gift of Tongues is inferiour to that of Prophecie.
Vers. 11. Therefore if I know not the meaning of the voice, I shall bee unto him that speaketh a Barbarian, and hee that speaketh shall bee a Barbarian unto mee.
Reason 6. Because to speak things not understood, makes the Teachers and the Hearers Barbarians each to other: Therefore, &c.
Vers. 12. Even so yee, for as much as yee are zealous of spiritual gifts, seek that yee may excell to the edifying of the church.
13. Wherefore let him that speaketh in an unknown tongue, pray that hee may interpret.
Hee infers an exhortation to what was fore-spoken, that they might bee zealous of the gift of Prophecie, for the good of the Church, and to that end, that hee which hath the gift of an unknown tongue might pray, that hee might have also the gift of interpreting that tongue.
Vers. 14. For if I pray in an unknown tongue, my spirit prayeth, but my understanding is unfruitful.
Reason 7. If any one speak unto God, praying publikely in an unknown tongue, hee doth ill, because though hee that prayes understands, yet the understanding of him that prays shall bee unfruitful to those that hear and do not understand, and hee doth ill much more who speaks publikely to men in a tongue not understood: Therefore the gift of Tongues is inferiour to that of Prophecie.
Vers. 15. What is it then? I will pray with the Spirit, and will pray with understanding also: I will sing with the spirit, and I will sing with the understanding also.
Hence hee draws forth his exhortation, because amongst those who had the gift of strange tongues, some had the faculty miraculously to reason in divine mysteries, some had the faculty of praying, others did sing in those strange tongues, and others gave thanks; these gifts were divers, and for divers uses; hee commands them so to use them all, that they may bee understood by the hearers; for if any one pray by the Spirit, or from the gift of the Spirit, what profit shall it bee to the Church, unless hee pray also with understanding, i. e. so that the hearers may understand him?
Vers. 16. Else, when thou shalt bless with the Spirit, how shall hee that occupieth the room of the unlearned, say Amen, at thy giving of thanks, seeing hee understandeth not what thou sayest?
This hee confirms and adds the eighth Reason, from the unprofitableness of it, because when any one shall bless by the gift of the Spirit, those that occupy the room of private men in the Church, i. e. the rest of the hearers in the Assembly, cannot joyn their prayers with him, or say Amen, unless hee speaks in a known tongue. The matter is otherwise in Prophecying, where all things are uttered in a known tongue: Therefore, &c.
Vers. 17. For thou verily givest thanks well; but the other is not edified.
Hee gives a reason, because the hearers in the Church neither understand, nor are edified, although that which is spoken is most excellent.
Vers. 18. I thank my God, I speak with tongues more than you all;
19. Yet in the Church I had rather speak five words with my understanding, that by my voice I might teach others also, than ten thousand words in an unknown tongue.
Reason 9. From his own example, who was most inabled in the gift of Tongues, and yet hee had rather speak a few words which might bee understood by the hearers, than many in a tongue unknown to the people: Therefore the gift of Prophecie excels that of Tongues.
Vers. 20. Brethren, bee not children in understanding; howbeit, in malice bee yee children, but in understanding bee men.
Reas. 10. Backed with a Precept, because this abuse of the gift of strange Tongues, being no way profitable to the hearers, is a childish and foolish ostentation; whereas it became them to bee children indeed in respect to innocency, but not in respect to knowledge.
Vers. 21. In the Law it is written, With men of other Tongues, and other Lips, will I speak unto this people; and yet for all that will they not hear mee, saith the Lord.
22. Wherefore Tongues are for a sign, not to them that beleeve, but to them that beleeve not; but prophesying serveth not for them that beleeve not, but for them which beleeve.
Reason 11. Out of Isa. 28.11. and Ier. 5.15. because to speak with Tongues not understood in the Church, is set down of God as a threatning for a punishment of unbelief; But Prophecie serves for the edification of Beleevers: Therefore let unknown Tongues bee rejected out of the Church, and let Prophecie bee preferred.
Vers. 23. If therefore the whole Church bee come together into one place, and all speak with Tongues, and there come in those that are unlearned, or unbeleevers, will they not say that yee are mad?
Reason 12. Taken from the avoiding of Scandal: Unbeleevers, or Professors of a private condition, will bee estranged from the Faith, and they will say that both the Preacher and the People are mad, if the time appointed for publick worship bee spent in the hearing of an unknown Tongue: Therefore the gift of Tongues is inferiour to the gift of Prophesying.
Vers. 24. But if all prophesie, and there come in one that beleeveth not, or one unlearned; hee is convinced of all, hee is judged of all.
25. And thus are the secrets of his heart made manifest, and so falling down on his face, hee will worship God, and report that God is in you of a truth.
Reason 13. From the special fruit which would ensue, If laying aside the use of strange Tongues, all the Prophets (for hee denies that all the faithful in the Church were Prophets, Chap. 12.29.) should prophesie, i. e. should propose the Oracles of the Prophets, and their Doctrine, to the edification of the Church: For in this case, if any unbeleever should come in, or a private Christian one of their hearers, should hear them prophesying, hee is convinced of sin, and condemned according to the sentence of the Law, by all that prophesie, and the secret sins of his heart are manifest unto him, which when the hearer sees, and observes the Grace of God laid open by the Prophets in the Gospel, hee falls upon his face, adores God, and seriously gives testimony of Gods presence with the Prophets in the Church: Therefore Prophecie is more excellent than the gift of Tongues.
The second Part.
Vers. 26. How is it then, Brethren? when yee come together▪ every one of you hath a Psalm, hath a Doctrine, hath a Tongue, hath a Revelation, hath an Interpretation; let all things bee done unto edifying.
The other part of the Chapter, in which hee gives seven Precepts concerning good order.
The first is, that if the Spirit shall suggest to any one of the Prophets any godly Psalm to the praise of God, or any Doctrine, or expression of a strange Tongue for the use of the Church, or revelation of a thing to come, or of a mystery not observed before, or the interpretation of a strange Tongue, or of the Scripture; Hee commands that the exercise of all these bee fitted to the edification of the Church, that all may go out of the Assembly better than they came.
Vers. 27. If any man speak in an unknown Tongue, let it bee by two, or at the most by three, and that by course, and let one interpret.
Vers. 28. But if there bee no Interpreter, let him keep silence in the Church, and let him speak to himself, and to God.
The second Precept. That of those who were enabled with the gift of Tongues, should not speak in one Assembly more than two or three, and that in order, one after another, and unless there were some Interpreter present, who could expound their sayings, otherwise they were to bee silent in the Church.
Vers. 29. Let the Prophets speak two or three, and let the other judge.
The third Precept. That the ordinary Prophets, i. e. the Pastors should speak in one Assembly, two or three, of whose doctrine the other Prophets should Judge, examining it by the rule of the Word.
Vers. 30. If any thing bee revealed to another that sitteth by, let the first hold his peace.
The fourth Precept. If (as in those times it might usually come to pass) any other Prophet being inspired by the Spirit, desired to bee heard out of order, hee commands that hee bee silent, that time bee granted to the other to speak.
Vers. 31. For yee may all prophesie one by one, that all may learn, and all may bee comforted.
Hee subjoyns five Reasons of the Precept. 1. Because in such a case many, yea all the Prophets may bee heard (hee doth not here understand beleevers promiscuously, but the Prophets, and those that were truly extraordinarily inspired by the Spirit) in which case all are to bee heard, but order is to bee observed.
That all] The second Reason. Because so the knowledge and consolation of the Church, and also of their Prophets might bee promoted, if many by …urns were heard.
Vers. 32. And the Spirits of the Prophets are subject to the Prophets.
Reason 3. Because the Spirits of the Prophets are to bee examined and judged of by the other Prophets, who might afterwards give their opinions concerning those things which were heard, whether any one hath seasonably interrupted another, and whether it were agreeable to the Word of God, which was delivered by him; and therefore there was no danger, if hee that spoke before, should give place to him that modestly interrupted him, and so more might speak in their order. When hee refers to the Prophets, the judging of the Spirit, or the Doctrine which the Prophet utters by the Spirit, hee does not exclude Spiritual men, i. e. the other Governours of the Church, who were skilful in spiritual knowledge and judgement, such as all ought to bee in an Ecclesiastical Senate: For hee commands these, vers. 37. together with the Prophets, or Ministers of the Word, that according to their Ecclesiastical authority, they acknowledge and defend their doctrine in the Church, that according thereunto they would judge and determine concerning those that were disorderly.
Vers. 33. For God is not the author of confusion, but of peace, as in all Churches of the Saints.
Reason 4. Because otherwise a tumult would arise, (which is hateful to God) while many should speak: Therefore in the case abovesaid let one speak after another in order. As in] Reason 5. Because this is the custome in all the Churches of the Saints; and therefore it ought to bee thus amongst them, that one speak in order after another.
Vers. 34. Let your Women keep silence in the Churches: for it is not permitted unto them to speak; but they are commanded to bee under obedience: as also saith the Law.
Precept 5. Whereby hee forbids that Women should speak in the Church, i. e. teach publickly, or propound questions, because subjection is appointed in the Word of God, for the Sex of Women, Gen. 3.16. requires.
Vers. 35. And if they will learn any thing, let them ask their Husbands at home: for it is a shame for Women to speak in the Church.
That hee might prevent an Objection, hee commands them to learn at home privately of their Husbands, or elsewhere, that which they would demand publickly, adding another reason of the Precept, because it is unseemly that a Woman should speak in the Church.
Vers. 36. What? came the Word of God out from you? or came it unto you onelyonly?
Because hee knew that they who knew little, would take it ill, that they should bee kept within the compass of these Precepts, hee staies them, being ready to answer four waies. 1 By shewing, that they who do not submit to these Precepts, so behave themselves, as if they would equal themselves with the Apostles, by whom the Will of Christ came into the world. 2 Because they so carry themselves, as if they onelyonly were Christians, to whom the Apostles were sent, and to whom onelyonly belonged judgement concerning order and decency.
Vers. 37. If any man think himself to bee a Prophet, or spiritual, let him acknowledge, that the things that I write unto you, are the Commandements of the Lord.
Thirdly, By affirming that these Precepts are the Lords, and by commanding, that not onelyonly they who are true Prophets in the Church, or truly spiritual, i. e. who are such, both by office and desert, acknowledge that they are divine; but also that they, who for an office, and certain gifts of the Spirit, seem to themselves to bee Prophets, or spiritual, or skilful in discerning spiritual things, or who are esteemed to bee such in the Church, by reason of their office in regarding spiritual things, acknowledge according to the reason, viz. of their office, that these Precepts are divine, and by consequence, that the Churches censure bee passed upon the contemners of these Precepts, as upon those who are disobedient to God. But that under the name of spirituals the Governours of Ecclesiastical Discipline was noted, it is plain, Gal. 6.1. and 1 Cor. 12.1. where hee comprehends all Ecclesiastical Offices and gifts under the name of spiritual.
Vers. 38. But if any man bee ignorant, let him bee ignorant.
Fourthly, By rejecting the judgement of affected ignorance, and after a Precept now given to the Governours of the Church, that they would acknowledge these Precepts to bee divine, by referring the ignorant and contemners of these Precepts to the Moderators of Discipline, that according to the judgement of the Apostle, and of their Church (judging according to the Rule of the Apostle) they might bee ignorant of their own danger, who contemn these Precepts.
Vers. 39. Wherefore Brethren, covet to prophesie, and forbid not to speak with Tongues.
Precept 6. Shewing the use of the former Doctrine, that they should embrace by all means, and desire the gift of Prophecie, but not contemn or neglect the gift of Tongues.
Vers. 40. Let all things bee done decently, and in order.
Precept 7. That decency should bee observed by persons comming to the publick Assembly of the Church, and in things necessary for publick worship, that all things bee performed with gravity and modesty, without superstition and undecency, and that the parts of divine worship bee so ordered and disposed in their times, as they most serve for the glory of God, and the edification of the Church.