cutest thou me? I am Jesus whom thou persecutest." Inasmuch as thou doest an injury unto one of the least of these my members, thou doest it unto me. The head suffers when the members suffer.

And, again, service is done to the head, as it is here Paul's purpose to show, when the members, each in their order, perform their several functions, according as God has assigned to every man his place and duty.

28. And God hath set some in the church, first apostles, secondarily prophets, thirdly teachers, after that miracles, then gifts of healings, helps, governments, diversities of tongues.

These were all different instruments, employed of God for the building up of his church; "for the perfecting of the saints, for the work of the ministry, for the edifying of the body of Christ."+

The apostles directed the whole; as Paul intimates, Acts xv. 36, saying to Barnabas, "Let us go again and visit our brethren in every city where we have preached the word of God, and see how they do." "And he went through Syria and Cilicia, confirming the churches."

Secondly, there were prophets, inspired from time to time to declare what it was expedient should be foreknown; as Agabus, or the four daughters of the evangelist Philip at Cæsarea."

Thirdly, teachers were set over special congregations, to build them up in the faith, and feed them with the "sincere milk of the word."

After that, miracles were performed by some:

6

others healed diseases; others were helps or assistants of the poor; others had governments; the affairs and charities of the church were placed under their management; like the deacons who were early appointed, that none might be "neglected in the daily ministrations."7 Others had diversities of tongues," as those on whom Paul laid hands at Ephesus, and the Holy Ghost came on them; and they spake with tongues and prophesied." "

These all performed different offices, and were endued with different qualifications. They had neither the same duties nor the same rewards. Some were obscure, and others widely known. Some had a life of greater ease, and others of heavier labour. Some were in frequent peril, and others comparatively safe. The services of some were acknowledged by popular applause and favour. Others laboured in secret, distinguished by him alone "who seeth in secret." Yet the church could spare none of them. The lowest member was as needful as the highest, that the body might be "perfect and entire, wanting nothing." It was natural that all should desire to have the foremost or the most enviable station: but all could not have it, if the general welfare was to be sustained.

29. Are all apostles? are all prophets? are all teachers? are all workers of miracles?

30. Have all the gifts of healing? do all speak with tongues? do all interpret?

31. But covet earnestly the best gifts. And yet shew I you a more excellent way.

ὁ ἀντιλήψεις.

7 Acts vi. 1-6.

8 Acts xix. 6.

They might covet, i. e. greatly desire, the best gifts. Against this there was no law. They could possess no gift except it came to them from above; and they might innocently desire that God should count them worthy of the highest honour. Without contending, like the apostles on one occasion, “who should be the greatest:" they might be thankful for any power bestowed on them which made them better able to promote the glory of God. But there was a still more excellent way, which he was about to show them; a way which the lowest in the christian church might follow, and in which the highest in the church must walk, or all his gifts, ordinary or extraordinary, would be of no value.

Paul thus prepares them for the further instruction he had to give, on a matter no less needful than the regulation of the church; namely, the regulation of their own minds; the keeping them in that frame, which should resemble Him, who was "meek and lowly in heart;" whose character it was that he did not "strive, neither did any man hear his voice in the streets;" he did not "quench the smoking flax, or break the bruised reed." This spirit of humility and charity was sadly wanting among the Corinthians. Yet what would it profit a man, if he were followed by the applause of thousands, or ruled over a whole province, and "lost his own soul?" What would he gain by preaching to others, if he himself were to "be a castaway ?" If "he has not kept his own vineyard," what would he gain by being "made keeper of the vineyards?"

1 Mark. ix. 34.

9 Ζηλουτε. Matt. xii. 18.

3 Ch. ix. 27.

+ Cant. i. 6.

To every man the care of his own eternal welfare is the thing of chief importance. And those who are raised highest in their vocation, and to whom, together with the greatest honours, the weightiest concerns of this world are entrusted, are they who have most constant need to retire into themselves, and inquire whether whilst they uphold the religion of Christ, they are also endued with "the mind of Christ," without which they are "none of his."5

LECTURE LXXXII.

THE EXCELLENCE OF CHARITY.

1 COR. xiii. 1-7.

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.

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 not charity, I am nothing.

Because these gifts are bestowed for the purpose of showing men the way of salvation. But they do not of themselves take the person who is endued with them along that way. He must be even careful that they do not make the way more difficult to him, by spoiling his temper or injuring his humility. It is one gift of the Spirit, to possess the tongues of

5 Rom. viii. 9.

men and of angels, or the power of prophecy, or the understanding of mysteries, or the exercise of faith. It is a different gift of the Spirit, to possess brotherly love or charity. And charity is needful for ourselves, whilst languages, and prophesyings, and miracles, are only profitable to others.

And so it is possible that a man might, through a spirit of rivalry or pride, sacrifice all he had, even life itself: and yet be without that pure, peaceable, holy, humble temper, which is alone of real value in the sight of God.

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.

or man.

These seem extreme examples. Yet it is clear that Ananias, in bestowing his goods to feed the poor,1 had not as his principal object either the love of God And if the three youthful Jews at the court of Nebuchadnezzar had given their bodies to be burned, out of obstinacy rather than piety, they would have done no more than the world has seen examples of, and human nature has been known to achieve.

What then is this CHARITY, this benevolence of heart, without which whatever else a man is, he is nothing whatever works he performs, it profiteth him nothing?

4. Charity suffereth long, and is kind; charity envieth not; charity vaunteth not itself, is not puffed up,

1 Acts v. 1,

2.

2 Dan. iii. 16—18.