1: Now he entereth into the third part of this treatise touching the right use of spiritual gifts, wherein he giveth the Corinthians to understand that they abused them: for they that excelled bragged ambitiously of them, and so robbed God of the praise of his gifts: and having no consideration of their brethren, abused them to a vain ostentation, and so robbed the Churches of the use of those gifts. On the other side the inferior sort envied the better, and went about to make a departure, so that all that body was as it were scattered and rent in pieces. So then he going about to remedy these abuses willeth them first to consider diligently that they have not these gifts of themselves, but from the free grace and liberality of God, to whose glory they ought to bestow them all. a: Ignorant to what purpose these gifts are given you. 2: he reproveth the same by comparing their former state with that wherein they were at this time, endued with those excellent gifts. b: As touching God's service and the covenant, mere strangers. 3: The conclusion: Know you therefore that you cannot so much as move your lips to honour Christ withal, but by the grace of the Holy Ghost. *: Mark 9:39 *: John 13:13 Chapter 8:6 Philippians 2:11 c: Doth curse him, or by any means whatsoever diminish his glory. 4: In the second place, he layeth another foundation, to wit, that these gifts are diverse, as the functions also are diverse and their officers diverse, but that one selfsame Spirit, Lord and God is the giver of all these gifts, and that to one end, to wit, for the profit of all. d: The Spirit is plainly distinguished from the gifts. e: So Paul calleth that inward force which commeth from the Holy Ghost, and maketh man sit to wonderful things. f: The Holy Ghost openeth and showeth himself freely in giving of these gifts. g: To the use and benefit of the church. 5: He declareth this manifold diversity, and reckoneth up the chiefest gifts, bearing that into their heads, which he said before, to wit, that all these things proceeded from one self same Spirit. h: Wisdom is a most excellent gift, very requisite, not only for them which teach, but also for them that exhort and comfort, which thing is proper to the Pastors' office: as the word of knowledge agreeth to the doctors. i: By operation he meaneth those great workings of God's mighty power, which pass and excel amongst his miracles, as the delivery of his people Israel by the hand of Moses: that which he did by Isaiah against the priests of Baal, in sending down fire from heaven to consume his sacrifice: and that which he did by Peter, in the matter of Ananias and Sapphira. j: Foretell of things to come. k: Whereby false prophets are known from true, wherein Peter passed Philip in discovering Simon Magnus, Acts 8:20 *: Romans 12:3 Ephesians 4:7 6: He addeth moreover somewhat else, to wit, that although that these gifts are unequal, yet they are most wisely divided, because the will of the Spirit of God if the rule of this distribution. 7: He setteth forth his former saying by a similitude taken from the body: This saith he, is manifestly seen in the body, whose members are diverse, but yet so knit together, that they make but one body. 8: The applying of the similitude. So must we also think, saith he, of the mystical body of Christ: for all we that believe, whether we be Jews or Gentiles, are by one selfsame baptism, joined together with our head, that by that means, there may be framed one body compacted of many members: and we have drunk one selfsame spirit, that is to say, a spiritual feeling, perseverance and motion common to us all out of one cup. l: Christ joined together with his Church. m: To become one body with Christ. n: By one quickening drink off the Lord's blood, we are made partakers of his only Spirit. 9: He amplifieth that which followed of the similitude: as if he should say, the unity of the body is not only let by this diversity of members, but also it could not be a body, if it did not consist of many, and those diverse members. 10: Now he buildeth his doctrine upon the foundations which he hath laid: and first of all he continueth in his purposed similitude, and afterward he goeth to the matter barely and simply. And first of all he speaketh unto them which would have separated themselves from those whom they envied, because they had not such excellent gifts as they: not this is, saith he, as if the foot should say, it were not of the body, because it is not the hand, of the ear, because it is not the eye. Therefore all parts ought rather to defend the unity of the body, being coupled together to serve one the other. 11: Again speaking to them, he showeth them that is that should come to pass which they desire, to wit, that all should be equal one to another, there would follow a destruction of the whole body, yea and of themselves: for it could not be a body, unless it were made of many members knit together, and diverse one from the other. And that no man might find fault with this division as unequal, he addeth that God himself hath coupled all these together. Therefore all must remain coupled together, that the body may remain in safety. 12: Now on the other side, he speaketh unto them which were indeed with more excellent gifts, willing them not to despise the inferiors as unprofitable, and as though they served to no use: for God, saith he, hath in such sort tempered this inequality, that the more excellent and beautiful members can in no wise lack the more abject and such as we are ashamed of, and that they should have more care to see unto them and to cover them: that by this means the necessity which is on both parts, might keep the whole body in peace and concord: that although if each part be considered apart, they are of diverse degrees and conditions, yet because they are joined together, they have a community both in commodities and discommodities. o: Of the smallest and vilest offices, and therefore smally accounted of, of the rest. p: We more carefully cover them. q: Should bestow their operations and offices to the profit and preservation of the whole body. 13: Now he applieth this same doctrine to the Corinthians without any allegory, warning them that seeing there are diverse functions and diverse gifts, it is their duty, not to offend one against another, either by envy or ambition, but rather that they being joined together in love and charity one with another, every one of them bestow to the profit of all, that which he hath received according as his ministry doth require. r: For all churches wheresoever they are dispersed through the whole world, are diverse members of one body. *: Ephesians 4:11 s: The offices of Deacons. t: He setteth forth the order of elders, which were the maintainers of the Churches' discipline. 14: He teacheth them that are ambitious and envious, a certain holy ambition and envy, to wit, if they give themselves to the best gifts, and such as are the most profitable to the Church, and so if they contend to excel one another in love, which far passeth all other gifts. |
Chapter 121. To draw away the Corinthians from contention and pride, he showeth that spiritual gifts are therefore diversely bestowed, 7. that the same being jointly to each other employed, 12. we may grow up together into one body of Christ in such equal proportion and measure, 20. as the members of man's body. Now 1 concerning spiritual gifts, brethren, I
would not have you a ignorant. |