our translators, we understand that as an exhortation to seek, by prayer to God, the best miraculous gifts, we may fairly infer that St. Paul intended, by that term, those gifts which were best adapted for the edification of the church (See chap. xiv. 1): "Yet (says he) I show you a more excellent way," and then proceeds, in the chapter before us, to show them that way as consisting in LOVE to God and to each other. So Doddridge remarks, the word "must be here taken in the noblest sense, for such a love to the whole church, and the whole world, as arises from principles of true piety, and ultimately centres in God."

This love is commended, 1. For its indispensable necessity: without it all other things are nothing. The eloquence of au angel would be as unmeaning as the clanging cymbal. The highest miraculous gifts are of no avail; and even the most liberal charities, or the most ardent zeal of martyrdom, are alike unacceptable to God, unless they spring from love to him. 2. Love is commended for its many amiable qualities. It is intimately connected with all the Christian graces: patience, kindness, meekness; whatever is virtuous, and whatever is of good report. Lastly, Love is praised for its durability-when all other gifts, and even graces, fail, this shall be eternal.

What is said of the failure of the extraordinary gifts here mentioned, is, by Bp. Warburton, applied to their withdrawment from the Christian Church, when it became established in the world; and thus, indeed, the fact was: but the whole tide of commentators is against him; and the latter verses seem to have an evident reference to a future state. The passage is, therefore, generally understood to refer to the cessation, not only of the extraordinary powers given for the first propagation of the Gospel; but also of all the knowledge and wisdom in the world, which we have

reason to believe will be but as nothing compared with that of heaven.

This the apostle illustrates by two comparisons. All the knowledge and wisdom attainable in this world is but like the edu cation of a child at school, previous to his application to the higher pursuits of science, literature, or public life; nor does the accomplished scholar look back with greater contempt on his first juvenile studies, than we, in a future state, shall look back on all our present attainments. Nor is this at all incredible: all Europe was struck with admiration at the scientific discoveries of Sir Isaac Newton; yet in what light did he consider them in the decline of life? "I seem (said be) like a boy who has been playing on the seashore, and amusing himself with picking up curious shells and pebbles." But with how much more contempt must such a man look down on these things, when he had launched into the ocean of eternity.

Secondly, St. Paul compares all the discoveries of the present state to looking through a medium imperfectly transparent, which gives but a very obscure view of the objects; or, rather, to viewing them in a brazen mirror (for such were the mirrors of the ancients, Exod. xxxviii. 8), by which they were imperfectly reflected. These are, indeed, the only ways in which we can now view divine truths: we see them either directly, and then obscurely, through a dense medium, as viewing the orb of day through a fog: or we see them, as it were, by reflection, in enigmas. This may be somewhat elucidated by a reference to Num. xii. 8, in which the God of Israel challenges Aaron and Miriam, "If there be a prophet among you (that is, if either of you be endowed with prophetic powers), I, the Lord, will make myself known to him in a vision, and will speak unto him in a dream." But, as to Moses, it is added, "With him I will speak mouth to mouth, even apparently (or by open vision), and

CHAP. XIV. Ver. 1. Follow after.-Doddridge, 46 pursue." The original word alludes to the action of hunters in the chace. Seek to promote love (which is the true charity), eagerly, earnestly, perpetually,

Ver. 2. Understandeth -Marg. "heareth." Ver. 4. Edifieth himself-i. e. himself only. So Mackn, Comp. 1 Peter i. 10-12.

at thy giving of thanks, seeing he understandeth not what thou sayest? 17 For thou verily givest thanks well, but the other is not edified.

18 I thank my God, I speak with tongues more than ye 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.

20 Brethren, be not children in understanding: how beit in malice be ye children, but in understanding be men. (P)

21 ¶ In the law it is written, With

[with tongues.

men of other tongues and other lips will I speak unto this people; and yet for all that will they not hear me, saith the Lord.

22 Wherefore tongues are for a sign, not to them that believe, but to them that believe not: but prophesying serveth not for them that believe not, but for them which believe.

23 If therefore the whole church be come together into one place, and all speak with tongues, and there come in those that are unlearned, or unbelievers, will they not say that ye are mad?

24 But if all prophesy, and there

CHAP. XIV.

(P) Ver. 1-20. St. Paul farther cautions the Corinthians against a vain display of their extraordinary gifts.-"From the things written in this chapter (says Dr. Macknight) it appears that the brethren at Corinth had erred in their opinion of the comparative excellence of spiritual gifts, and had been guilty of great irreguTarities in the exercise of these gifts. In particular, they preferred the gift of speaking foreign languages to all the rest, because [probably] it made them appear respectable in the eyes of the unbelieving Greeks." But by their speaking long and often, to display a talent of which they were evidently vain, they excluded other brethren from speaking, whose exercises were far better adapted to instruct the church, as they were devoted chiefly to the exposition of the Old Testament Scriptures, on which their faith was primarily founded. This exposition of the prophets, and of the prophecies concerning Christ, was called prophesying, and is held in the highest honour by our apostle, and pronounced superior to the other; from which we may learn to value spiritual gifts, not according to their splendour, but their utility. The gift of tongues was evidently designed for the conversion of the heathen, and was therefore abused when addressed to persons who could not understand them;

and the reproof given to the Corinthians on this point may be well applied to preachers, who, by their learned and eloquent discourses, shoot over the heads of their hearers-as it has sometimes been expressed.

We have seen how earnestly St. Paul renounced the words of human wisdom in the second chapter of this Epistle; and here, so far from glorying in the display of his extraordinary endowments, as to the knowledge of foreign languages, he solemnly declares that he had rather speak "five words" or sentences, so as to be generally understood, than ten thousand" to excite wonder and admiration.

Against this abuse the apostle urges several considerations, as, first, he that spoke in an unknown language spake to God only, and conveyed no instruction to his brethren; nor could they, when he engaged in public prayer, know when to introduce an audible Amen, as (says Macknight) was the custom from the beginning in the Christian Church, in imitation of the ancient Jewish worship. (See Deut. xxvii. 15; Neh. viii. 6.) This affords so powerful an argument against the use of prayers in an unknown tongue, as practised in the Church of Rome, that it seems wonderful such a custom should ever have been adopted by any who acknowledged the inspiration of St. Paul.

Ver. 20. In understanding be men.-Marg. "be perfect, or of ripe age."

Ver. 21. In the law-i. e in the Old Testament, Isaiah xxviii. 11, 12; which see.

Ver. 22. Tongues are for a sign-i. e. for a miraele, to convince the unbelievers.

Ver. 23. The whole church-i. e. evidently the congregation of believers, as the word implies, though used afterwards for the place of assembly as is the case with the word "Meeting," among D senters. That ye are mad-that is, from he you all talk so unintelligibly. Comp. Acts ii. I

Witnesses of]

CHAP. XV.

MOREOVER, brethren, I declare unto you the Gospel which I preached unto you, which also ye have received, and wherein ye stand;

2 By which also ye are saved, if ye keep in memory what I preached into you, unless ye have believed in rain.

3 For I delivered unto you first of All that which I also received, how that Christ died for our sins according to he Scriptures;

4 And that he was buried, and that e rose again the third day according > the Scriptures:

5 And that he was seen of Cephas, en of the twelve:

6 After that, he was seen of above ve hundred brethren at once; of hom the greater part remain unto this resent, but some are fallen asleep. 7 After that, he was seen of James; hen of all the apostles.

8 And last of all he was seen of e also, as of one born out of due

me.

[Christ's resurrection,

that am not meet to be called an apostle, because I persecuted the Church of God.

10 But by the grace of God I am what I am: and his grace which was bestowed upon me was not in vain; but I laboured more abundantly than they all: yet not I, but the grace of God which was with me.

11 Therefore whether it were I or they, so we preach, and so ye believed.

12 Now if Christ be preached that he rose from the dead, how say some among you that there is no resurrection of the dead?

13 But if there be no resurrection of the dead, then is Christ not risen:

14 And if Christ be not risen, then is our preaching vain, and your faith is also vain.

15 Yea, and we are found false witnesses of God; because we have testified of God that he raised up Christ whom he raised not up, if so be that the dead rise not.

16 For if the dead rise not, then is not Christ raised:

17 And if Christ be not raised, your faith is vain; ye are yet in your

pon both sexes, as had been predicted. Acts ii. 17, 18.) And Paul's prohibition f a woman's praying or prophesying uneiled, was certainly an acknowledgment f their right under such regulation.. In the present chapter nothing is said f women as to prophesying or praying; ut only against their speaking or talking a the churches, which we humbly coneive regards rather their interference in hurch government, which was unbecoming their subjection to the other sex. Neither were they allowed to ask quesions, which might interrupt the course of heir meetings, either for business or de

votion. "Let them ask their husbands at home" (ver. 35), but, in public, "Let all things be done decently, and in order" (ver. 40), that is, according to Doddridge, "Let all [your meetings] be conducted in a regular manner, to prevent such disturbances, disputes, and scandals for the future, as have already arisen in your society, and will proceed to greater evils, if you do not immediately set upon reforming them." If women were allowed to prophesy or preach in the public congregation, we conceive it was only on particular occasions, and under special divine influence.

CHAP. XV. Ver. 2. If ye keep in memory.— Marg. "hold fast."What I preached.-Doddr. those joyful tidings," &c.

Ver.3. First of all that, &c.-Doddr. "Among the first [things], that which," &c.

Ver. 4. Rose again the third day, according, &c. He was not to see corruption, which generally occurred before the fourth day. See John xi. 39. Ver. 5. Then of the twelve.-So they were called,

though only ten of them were present, Judas being dead, and Thomas absent. They were called the twelve, as implying their office: so the Romans spake of the Triumviri and Decemviri, whên niềaning only a part of them.

Ver. 8. As of one born out of due time.-Marg. "an abortive."

Ver. 13. Then is Christ not risen.-Doddr. " neither is Christ raised." So in verse 14.