ers, are they know 1 a5 fo the far greater number of people, Jreadful meditation. )
70 There are, it may be, ſo many kinds of voices 1 the world, and none of them # without fignificati- ON #4.
+ The whole Earth was originally of one Language and of one
Creech, Ger. 11, 1. But upon the building of Babel. wv. 7. God con- funded rheir Languages, fo as they did not underſtand one ano-
th ther. They being ſcatrered abroad , had different Languages ;
th & 2s now there are in the World many Languages, and the words every Language are ſignificant to thoſe that underſtand that
4 Language.
6 11 Therefore if I know not the meaning of the voice,
pe Iſhall be to him that ſpeaketh a-barbarian, and he that
y- ſpeaketh ſha/l be a barbarian unto me.
þ But if a man doth not underſtand the Language , the words jþ, are not ſignificant unto him, I ſhall neither underſtand him , nor if will he underſtand me ; for a Barbarian cannot underſtand one of at another Nation, till he hath learned the Language of that Nati- fe on : nor can a man of another Nation underſtand a Barbarian, till
he hath learned his Language.
0 12 Even fo ye, foraſmuch.as ye are zealousof -þ ſpi- n- "ritual gifts c, ſeek that ye may excel to the edifying of he. theChurch &.
py c This proves that the Members of the Church of Corinth were a very ambiriovs of ſpiritual gifts. The Particle #7, which our i Tranſlation here renders 0, plainly ſignifies therefore in this place. Th In the Greek it is becauſe, or foraſmuch as ye are zealous of Spirits, bas the Efficient is pur for the Efte& , the Spirit which is the Author w_. of thoſe gifts for the gifts themſelves. a Seek that ye may excel] in ul. them, and hat will be, if you moſt defire thoſe which tend to the of edifying the Church, and uſe thoſe with which God hath bleſſed od, you inthe beſt order and manner for that end. From whence 1t 15 th. ' obſervable, That the improvement of the people, to whom we It preach in the knowledge of God, and in Faith and Obedience, is = the great end which we ought to propoſe to our ſelves in the dif- a charge of our Office, and in che uſe of our Gifts.
us : : ;
and 13 Wherefore let him that ſpeaketh in an an&nown On tongue, pray that he may interpret e.
e To interpret here ſignifies no more, than to render that intell;- gible to people, which he firſt uttereth in an unknown Tongue. Bur what need he pray for that ? Hath not every man, that can Ipeak, a power to ſpeak his native Language as well asa Foreign Language? Some ſay therefore, that ivz in this place ſignifies alſo,
IL CORINTH#HT4 Mi [the greateſt devotion and fervour of afft&ions. þ But E will fo
pray, that my ſelf and others may underſtand what I ſy, I will neither ſo pray, that my {elf ſhall not underſand whar I ſay, ner
Chap. XIV.
yet fo, that others ſhall not underſtand me. Und:rftrnding is here taken in a Paſſive ſenſe, though the Adive ſenſe of rhe term be not to be excluded. 7 The ſame thing he alſo faith of Singing , to Jet us know, That all ourreligious Acts in publick Aflzmblics ought to be ſo performed, that others may be benefitted by chem : which they cannot be, if they do not underſtand what we ſay, whether it be in preaching, prayine, or frging.
16 Elſe, when thou ſhalt bleſs with the ſpirit &, how ſhall he that occupieth the room of the unlearned - ay
Amen to thy giving thanks /, ſeeing he underſtandeth not what thou fayeſt? *.*
k Bleſſing 1sexpound<d in the latter part of the verſe, 7ivinz of thauks to God, which is either in Prayer, ( for Thankſgiving is a part of Prayer ) or /n ſinging of Pſalms. Bl-fling with the Spirit ei- ther ſignifieth giving of thanks with the inward man, or giv:nz of !hanks in an unknown Tongue, by the extraordinary influence of the Spirit of God. / Ir is plain from hence, 1. Thar the Teachers had in the Apoſtolical Churches diſtin& places and ſeats from the common Hearers, for their better conveniency in ſpeaking, that they might ſo ſpeak, as all might hear, underſtand, and be profic- ed. 2, That in thoſe Churches there was one only who uſed to ſpeak audibly, and the work of the others was only from a devour heart toſay Ames, wiſhing or praying, that Ged would do whar it the name of al!, he th t miniſtred , had asked of Gol for them, So 1 Chron. 16. 36. Nehem. 5.13.& 8.6. Pal. 106. 48. Pe<o- ple ought not ro ſay Amen to any thing, but ro underſtand rhar Petition, or thoſe petitions to which in the Worſhip of God, rhey added their Amen, which word made the Petitions theirs, being 2 Particle of w:jh:ing, as well as affirming. |
17 For thou verily giveſt thanks well : but the other is not edified 2.
m Otherwiſe, fajrh the Apoſtle, it is poſſible, that 1hit may? give thanks well ; but others get no good by it, nor can make auy good and ſpiritual improvement of it. |
18 Ithank my God ,. I ſpeak withtongues more tlicn you all z.
7 Our Saviour, 1n the Parable of the good Shepherd, gives us | chis as his Chara&ter, Thar the jhoazp hear his woice, and follow him ; | if and we ſhall obſerve this great Apoſtle every where propounding himſelffor imitation tothem. They are bad Shepherds aver Gods Fleck, that muſt only be heard, bur not followed. The Apoſiie lets them know , That God had not left him without the gift of ſpeaking with divers Tongues; nay, he had it in a more eminenr manner than they all, pur chem all cogether, chey could nor ſpeak with ſo many Tongues as he did.
I9 Yet inthe Church I had rather ſpeak five words with my underſtanding, that by »2y voice I might teach others allo, then ten thouſand words in an unkvwn tongue 0.
0 Yethe had ſogreat a regard to the end of his Miniſtry, reach. ing others, and communicating Divine knowledgs ro them,rhar he had rather ſpeak a lictle tending tothat end, than never fo much in 2 Language, whichthoſe tro whom he tpake, did notunder{tand.
29 Brethren, * be not children in underſtanding ; howbeirt in malice * be ye children: but in underſtand ing be -þ men 9. Marr. 1.
p In underſtanding the differences of gifts, and which are more 25+ & 18.
* 4 *
Ly 3. PRLegi Aa