his death and sufferings for us. Here we ought to remember the painfulness of his death, the meritoriousness of his death, the voluntariness of his death, the acceptableness of his death to God, and the advantageousness of his death to ourselves. And the manner how we should remember Christ and his death in the sacrament is various; with judgment and understanding, with reverence and humility, with sorrow and grief of heart for our sins; yet with joy and thankfulness for the sufferings of a Saviour, with faith and affiance, with love and affection, with resolutions for a new and better obedience. Learn, 2. That the command of Christ lays it as a law upon, and makes it the standing duty of, all christians, to commemorate his death at his holy table. Do this in remembrance of me. Here it deserves our notice what kind of command this is; it is a sovereign and supreme command: it is a positive and express command: it is a permament and lasting command; it is the command of a Saviour, yea, of a dying Saviour; it is a command of love; it is such a command as, if we duly observe, will be a blessed means to enable us to observe all the commands of God better. Lastly, It is such a command, as whoever lives in the wilful neglect of it, cannot be called a christian, but will be treated by Christ at the great day as an enemy and despiser of his dying love. Learn, 3. That it is a christian's duty not barely to do this, but to do it often: frequent communicating is a great duty. The primitive christians received every Lord's day, yea, it is believed oftener than every Lord's day. This is agreeable to the nature of the ordinance, which is a spiritual repast, banquet, and feast, and therefore to be received frequently. It is also agreeable to the Author of the ordinance; it is a feast of God's own providing; therefore to neglect it is to fly in the face of God: it is agreeable to the end of the ordinance, which is to renew our covenant, and that cannot be done too often. 27 Wherefore, whosoever shall eat this bread, and drink this cup of the Lord, unworthily, shall be guilty of the body and blood of the Lord. The apostle having in the foregoing verses declared the original institution of the Lord's supper, he comes now to instruct the Corinthians in the right use of it; and to excite them to a due regard in their ap- 28 But let a man examine him self, and so let him eat of that bread, and drink of that cup. Observe here, The duty required to prevent the danger of unworthy receiving, and that is, the great and necessary duty of examination. A metaphor taken from goldsmiths, who try the truth of their gold by the touch-stone, the purity of their gold by the fire, the weight of it by the scale. Observe, 2. The examinant, or person, performing this duty of examination: Let a man, that is, let every man. This stands in a double opposition: (1.) To our ex the benefit of all his members, and to knit them in the closest bonds of unity and friendship each to other: therefore it was that many were visited with sickness and weakness, and some with death; which being called sleep, some have charitably concluded from thence that they were pious persons in the main; for the death of the wicked is hardly called sleep any where in scripture and if so, then we learn that the holiness of an ordinance, or the habitual holiness of any person who approaches an ordinance, will not exempt from God's displeasure, and the infliction of temporal judg amining of others. (2.) To our resting in another's examination of us. Observe, 3. The frequency of this act; as often as we partake of the ordinance, so oft we should, if we have time, less or more, examine ourselves: Let him examine, and so let him cat. Let him pass through one duty to another. Learn hence, That it is the special duty, and ought to be the singular care and endeavour, of all those that desire safely and comfortably to approach the table of the Lord, to examine themselves before they come to examine their right unto it, and to examine their fitness for it. 29 For he that eateth and drink-ments here in this life, if they do not by aceth unworthily, cateth and drinketh damnation to himself, not discerning the Lord's body. What it is to eat and drink unworthily, we find explained before, at ver. 27. Note here farther, That many persons of honest hearts, but weak heads, have sadly misunderstood the words of St. Paul, about unworthy receiving, thinking that such an excess of reverence and preparation is required, that either they dare not come at all, or they come with so much dread and fear upon their minds, that they are more terrified than comforted. Observe farther, The unworthy person eats and drinks judgment; that is, temporal judgment will follow him in this life; and, without repentance, eternal damnation in the next. Yet note, It is judgment to himself that receives; not to another that receives with him. If a wicked man's presence at the sacrament pollutes the ordinance to a worthy receiver, then Christ and his eleven apostles were defiled by the company of Judas at the passover; for at that he certainly was, and, as many think, at the Lord's supper also. Learn then, That unworthy receivers of the Lord's supper do contract great guilt, and incur great danger, to themselves. The design of the apostle in these two last verses is this, that we should not sinfully omit the duty, because of the command; nor carelessly undertake it, because of the threatened judgment. 30 For this cause many are weak and sickly among you, and many sleep. For this cause; that is, for profaning the sacrament, and not discerning the Lord's body at the Lord's table; for not approaching it as a feast of love designed equally for : tual preparation sanctify the name of God in the duties and ordinances of his worship. Besides an habitual, there is required an actual preparation, in all those that will safely duties; without it we shall meet with a and comfortably approach to God in holy blow, instead of a blessing. 31 For if we would judge ourselves, we should not be judged. That is, if we would examine, try, censure, and sentence ourselves, and so come to the Lord's table, as penitent believers, with a purity of aim, and a sincere intention; we should thereby escape the castigatory punishments, and condemnatory sentence, of God. Learn hence, That as it is our duty often to examine and judge ourselves, so self-judging in particular, before we approach the Lord's table, will preserve us from the judgment and condemnation of God; we must first summon, then examine, then convict and try, then sentence and condemn ourselves, and all this in hopes of being absolved and acquitted by God, acting our faith upon his free mercy, and the Redeemer's satisfaction. 32 But when we are judged, we are chastened of the Lord, that we should not be condemned with the world. Observe here, 1. The nature of those judgments, or afflictive evils, which do befall the children of God in this life: they are chastenings: we are chastened of the Lord. Chastenings belong properly to children who are wanton and ungovernable. To be chastened, has a double aspect; first upon our privilege, it denotes our relation as children unto God our Father. Chastenings are a part of his children's portion; yet in that we are chastened, it taxes us with weakness; we are foolish, wanton, and unruly children, and therefore so long as we are here, must always go with a rod at our backs. Christ, who was also a Son, was chastened; The chastisement of our peace was upon him. But his were judiciary chastisements: God did not chastise him as a child, but as an enemy, as a malefactor, in our stead; as we must have been chastened, who were enemies and malefactors. Our chastenings are fatherly; Christ's judiciary. Observe, 3. The merciful design of God in the chastenings of his children; it is to prevent their condemnation: We are chastened of the Lord, that we should not be condemned with the world. When therefore at any time we are under chastisement, in all we say or do let us justify God and condemn ourselves, seeing his chastisements are designed to prevent our condemnation. 33 Wherefore, my brethren, when ye come together to eat, tarry one for another. 34 And if any man hunger, let him eat at home; that ye come not together unto condemnation. And the rest will I set in order when I come. Our apostle here concludes his discourse with an exhortation to the Corinthians, to take heed for time to come that all these fore-mentioned miscarriages may be rectified; that when they come together to eat the Lord's supper, and the love-feasts, they should tarry one for another, that they may all feed and feast together. And if any man pretend to be hungry, let him eat at home before he comes, lest by these irreverent actions he bring down the judgments of God upon himself. Lastly, he tells them, that as to other points of church order, he would determine them when he came among them; The rest will I set in order when I come. Such unchristian disorders may arise in the church as will require the presence and coming of an apostle to correct and reform them. CHAP. XII. Now OW concerning spiritual gifts, brethren, I would not have you ignorant. Our apostle begins this chapter with the resolution of another case, concerning the nature and right use of spiritual gifts. Some that excelled in them, were proud of them, using them to vain ostentation: he therefore tells them he would not have them ignorant as touching spiritual gifts; not ignorant either of their Author from whence they came, the Holy Spirit of God; nor of their end and use, which is the benefit and edification of others. Gifts are for the good of others; but a man shall have the advantage and comforts of his own graces. Gifts are the gold which adorns the temple; but grace is the altar which sanctifies the gold. Lord! how many have gone laden with gifts to hell! how many have prophesied in thy name, and yet perished in thy wrath ! How many cast devils out of others, who yet were cast to the devils themselves! How many wrought miracles, and did many wonderful works, who yet perished for evil workers! Lord! let me never build upon this bottom (gifts) for eternity; these may make me glorious in the eyes of men, but grace renders me precious in the sight of God. 2 Ye know that ye were Gentiles, carried away unto these dumb idols, even as ye were led. Observe here, 1. How the apostle reminds the Corinthians of what they were in their heathenish state; namely, idolatrous Gentiles, serving dumb idols ; for though the devil sometimes spake in and by the idols, yet the idols themselves had mouths and spake not: and they were carried away unto these dumb idols, coen as they were led; that is, as they were led by their idolatrous priests, who had nothing of this divine Spirit amongst them, which they, since their conversion from Gentilism to christianity, had been made partakers of. Now from this description of idolaters, that they serve and worship dumb idols, we learn, what an absurd and unreasonable sin idolatry is; the worshipper is better than the god he worships: reasonable men wor ship unreasonable creatures; sensible men adore senseless stocks and stones; and they who can speak, invocate, and call upon dumb idols, that can neither speak nor hear. And yet how prone is the nature of man to idolatry and false worship; partly, because it is a worship of our own invention, and we are fond of what is of our own finding out, and setting up ; and partly, because it is external and pompous, it courts the outward senses with glittering appearances; and men do naturally love and choose that for the object of their worship which may be seen, rather than that which is to be believed. As they walk by sight, and not by faith, so do they worship too: an invisible and unseen being is neither the object of their adoration, nor election and choice. there are diversities of operations; but it is the same God which worketh all in all. That is, there is a great variety and di 3 Wherefore I give you to under-versity of spiritual gifts, but it is the same flow; and there are different administrations Spirit from whence they all proceed and stand, 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. The great difference that was then in the world, was about Jesus. Those that were led away by dumb idols, were taught by Satan to blaspheme, and say, upon the mention of our Saviour's name, Jesus anathema, Jesus anathema; that is, let Jesus be anathema, accursed, detested, and destroyed, as the common odium of their gods. Now when the apostle says, such speak not by the Spirit of God, his meaning is, that they did it by the impulse and instinct of the devil, by the actings and instigation of the evil spirit, which ruled in those children of disobedience: on the other side, every one that believeth calleth Jesus Lord, and professeth faith in him. Now none, says the apostle, can do this but by the Holy Ghost, that is, by his help and assistance. But it may be said, we read in scripture of many who were actuated by the unclean spirit, that yet called Jesus Lord, Mark i. 23. Acts xvi. 17. Ans. 1. These acknowledgments of Christ to be Lord, were either wrested from the devil, and were a considerable part of his torment, or were overruled by God to advance the glory of Christ. But, 2. The apostle here speaks of such a calling Jesus Lord, as was accompanied with faith in him, and subjection to him. There is a double saying that Jesus is Lord; the one verbal, Ore tenus, with lip and tongue only, with out the consent of the heart, or obedience of the life; the other actual, when we do with our whole souls own and acknowledge him, love and embrace him, obey and serve him, as Lord, and vote for his government and dominion over us. No man thus calleth Jesus Lord, but by the Holy Ghost renewing and sanctifying him, assisting and enabling him so to do. 4 Now there are diversities of gifts, but the same Spirit. 5 And there are differences of administrations, but the same Lord. 6 And and offices in the church, but it is the same Lord who hath appointed all these offices; and there are diversities of operations performed by these officers in the church, but it is the same God who worketh in them all. Here gifts are ascribed to the Holy Ghost, administrations to the Lord Christ, and operations to God the Father; but in all these there are great diversities both of kinds and degrees; they differ in their nature, extent, and use. Thus it is with reference to spiritual gifts: but in the case of sanctifying graces it was far otherwise; these are all bestowed jointly, or not at all. God cannot give humility to one, purity to another, charity alone to a third; because there is such an inseparable union and alliance among the graces of the Spirit, (a concatenation of graces, as some call it,) that where one really is, there all the rest must be. Hence probably it is, why the whole of religion is sometimes expressed by one particular duty of it, sometimes by faith, sometimes by hope, sometimes by repentance, sometimes by charity; because the combination of these saving graces is such, that the mentioning of one implies and concludes all the rest. 7 But the manifestation of the Spirit is given to every man to profit withal. 8 For to one is given, by the Spirit, the word of wisdom; to another the word of knowledge, by the same Spirit; 9 To another faith, by the same Spirit; to another the gifts of healing, by the same Spirit ; 10 To another the working of miracles; to another prophecy; to another discerning of spirits; to another divers kinds of tongues; to another the interpretation of tongues: 11 But all these worketh that one and the self-same Spirit, dividing to every man severally as he will. Observe here, How the apostle enumerates and reckons up the several sorts and kinds of spiritual gifts, which were at that time plentifully poured forth upon the ministers and members of the church of Christ, which begat astonishment and admiration; and of these extraordinary gifts our apostle reckons up nine sorts or kinds, which were found in the primitive church in his days, as they here follow: 1. One had the word of wisdom; that is, the revelation of the gospel, which is called the manifold wisdom of God: this was the gift of the apostles, to whom extraordinary measures of divine wisdom was first given, to reveal the mysteries of the gospel to the pagan world. 2. Another had the word of knowledge; that is, a special ability to interpret the mystical senses and veiled meanings of the scripture, and also to foretell remote and future things. Thus St. Paul told the centurion before the shipwreck, that not a man in the ship should be lost, Acts xxvii: and Agabus foretold the famine, and St. Paul's imprisonment, Acts xi. 3. To another faith; by which some understand supernatural courage and confidence, with which God did endow them, when he called them to extraordinary sufferings or services; accordingly we read, in the Acts of the Apostles, with what invincible courage and resolution poor men appeared before the Jewish and heathen tribunals, and with what astonishing presence, both of body and mind, they bore the name of Jesus before the kings and people of the earth. Others by faith here understand miraculous faith, that is, a supernatural confidence, and firm assurance, wrought by the Holy Spirit in the minds of some, in the apostle's time, by which they were certain that they could do such and such a miracle before they undertook to do it; and the greatest apostle durst never undertake to do a miracle, but when he was assured by the Spirit that he could do it: and indeed it was requisite for Almighty God, by some secret preceding impression of mind, to let the teachers of the gospel know when he would assist them in working miracles, lest they should attempt to work when they could not, and so discredit Christ's doctrine, their own authority, and dishonour the name of God: and therefore it is observable, that the gift of faith here is set immediately before the gift of healing and working miracles, because it consisted in an antecedent impulse to both. 4. The next miraculous gift is the gift of healing: that is, a power of curing all diseases both of body and mind, without the help of physic, through the name alone of Jesus Christ. 5. The gift of miracles; under which is comprehended the power of silencing and casting out devils, inflicting disease and death on the bodies of incorrigible sinners, as on Elymas and Ananias : also the more wonderful power in raising the dead. 6. The gift of prophecy; that is, (1.) The prediction or foreknowledge of things to come. Thus Agabus foretold by the Spirit a famine, Acts xii. and this gift was sometimes exercised by foretelling who would be fit persons to do God service in the church; thus, 1 Tim. i. 18. and iv. 14. According to the foregoing prophecies concerning thee, neglect not the gift that was given thee by prophecy. (2.) Others by prophecy understand preaching and expounding the scriptures by divine inspiration, praising God by inspired hymns and psalms, and also praying unto him in public assemblies by inspired prayers; for in the apostle's time there was a miraculous gift of preaching, praying, and singing, in which the spirit did in an extraordinary manner assist some persons; which with other extraordinary gifts is long since ceased. 7. The gift of discerning spirits; that is, either, First, a power of quick and sure discerning, whether men pretending to the Spirit spake from God, or not; or a supernatural sagacity to discern between the impulses of satanical spirits, and divinely-inspired persons. Or, Secondly, a spirit of discerning whether such or such persons be best qualified for such an office in the church, and accordingly choosing them out for that work. Thus, Acts xiii. 2, 3. the Holy Spirit in the prophet said, Separate me Barnabas and Saul for the work to which I have called them. Or, lastly, by this power of discerning spirits, the apostles could tell very much of the inward purposes of men's hearts and thoughts; so Peter discerned the heart of Ananias, and the thoughts of Simon Magus. 8. The gift of tongues, that is, an ability to speak divers kinds of languages, unlearned and untaught. To which was added, 9. The gift of interpreting those languages: for these two gifts did not always go together: some could speak divers languages, that could not interpret them; others could interpret them that could not speak them; for, say some, the gift of strange tongues was usually accompanied with such strange raptures, that the person affected could not use his understanding in an ordinary way, so as to interpret and explain his own inspi |