þ ,!l here certaialy is not to be underſtood of every one in the Ailembly, for all were not Prophets, Chap. 12. 29. nor could the ſpeaking of a great number be judged orderly by the Light of Na- tie : ir here muſt ſignifie any, one, or more, ſucceſſively, inter- pret or apply the holy Scriprures. c The Heathens will ſee an or- der in this, and will ſtand {till to hear and be convinced. d Seeing thcir wicked life, and falſe Religion judged , and condemned by all thoſe that ſo propbehie. |
25 And thus are the ſecrets of his heart made ma-
*If. 45. nifelt e, and fo falling down on 4 face, he will worſhip God f, and report * that God is in you of a
truth g.
e Godeither, by an extraordinary Providence diſcovering to him thar propheſierh, the ſecrets of iuch a ſinner's heart, and cauſing him thar prophetierh to make chem manifeſt ; or by a moreordina- ry Providence (often experienced at this day) direQting the Preach- er to ſuch Subje&ts, and Diſcourſes, as he that cometh to hear ſhall think direQed to himſelf, and confeſs that he is the man. f And be convinced of his errovurs, and converted, and turn to Chriſtian Re. ligion, and report thar God indeed is amongſt you. So as Pro- pheſying will have theſe two great advantages of ſpeaking with Tongues, God will be more glorified, and the Souls of others will be more profited, which makes the gift of Propheſying much pre. ferable to the gift of Tongues.
25 How is it then, brethren? When ye come toge- ther, every one of you hath a pſalm , * hath a doctrine,
Verſ.6. hath a tongue, hath a revelation, hath an interpretati-
on 4: Let all things be done to edilying z.
þ By what followeth in the two next verſes, one would think that ſome of them, in their Church-meetings, were ſoabſurd,as be. iog endued with ſeveral gifts, they would be uſing them altoge- ther; one finging, another preaching, a third ſpeaking with Tongues, &c. Bur this is ſo apparent a confuſion, that one muſt | be very uncharicable to this famous Church, to preſume that they ſhould be fo abſurd. Others therefore rather think, that thoſe en- dued with ſeveral gifts, (of which he reckoneth five under which he comprehendeth all others ) were every one contending for his courſe to exerciſe his gift ; one for ſpending thetime in ſinging the Pſalm he had made another for ſpending the time in hearing his dotrinal diſcourſe; athird for the ſpending it in hearing him dif- courſe in an unknown Tongue; a fourth for the ſpending it in heaiing bis Revelation; a fifth for theſpending it in hearing his Interpretation, or atleaſt deſiring the time might be protradted , until they had been all lucceſlively heard. other diforders,the Apoſtle giveth ſeveral Rules. "The firſt is, Thar all things ſhould beſo done, as might rend beſt ro promote in men Faith and Holineſs; that 1s,Jand ought to be,the main and chief end of thoſe who any way miniſter in Sacred things.
27 Ifany man fpeak in an unknown tongue , tet it be by wo, or at the moſt by three, and that by courſe, and let one interpret &.
+ Concerning the uſe of their giſtof Tongues, he direQeth three things : 1. That every one that had it, ſhould not be ambitious to
i Toprevent this and
LCORINTHIANS.
Chap
ſhew it at all times, but two or three at moſt at a time £.
d | they ſhould do it by courſe, not together, confufeg]y © hat
without one to interpret, that people might unde;q.... 3 Nt though theſe were extraordinary gifts, homes —_ = For ordinary influence of the Spirit of God ; yer they were ide than bits, nor coming upon them at ſome certain times, by ne ng ha, for then they would not have been under kumane Governme tk; is apparent this gift of Tongues was, elſe Pas! could w_— governed himſelf in the uſe of it, as he lets us know "7 lo 19. td, «,
21 But it there be no interpreter, let him keep lence in the Church /, and let him ſpeak to himſe! Pi
to God . l and
! If he had a mind «o uſe this gifr, he may uſe irto Gyy 1 underſtands all Languages by himſelf; - but let him kee ſi w in the Aſſembly of Chriſtians, where he is nor underſtor] wo
29 Let the Prophets ſpeak two or three, and er th others judge m. ;
# That is, two or three ſucceſſively, the one beginnj | when the others have done, and two or three of the nr Ailcmbly; and if there be more preſent, let them ſit nit Judge of the truh of what he faith. mM
30 If any thing be revealed to another that Cittech by let the firſt hold his peace. o. !,
0 There were two Modes or forts of Prophecies ; the one ordi ry, when the Teachers came to thoſe Aſſemblies furniſheg Kith, | Revelation, from ſome previous impreſſion of God upon hin - bling him to give the ſenſe of ſome Scripture , or to open fon: Divine Truth ; not as we uſe, but by ſome influence of the ho Spirit upon him, withour the uſe of ſuch means as we uſe Ti other was, by ſome preſeat affatus or impreſſion: the Apoſtle foe not to ſpeak of the latter, or ifof both, he plainly lets them "ny that even ſuch a one was under the Government of natur;] Order and obliged to donothing confutedly and tumultuouſly but m; " without any offence to God, ſtay until the other ha( faiſtel Diſcourſe. :
3: Forye may all propheſie one by one, that all learn, and all may be comforted p. "7
e Ye may notall propheſie in the ſame day, *or hour, or momere of time, but orderly and ſucceſlively ; ye may all prophieliztheend of it being for the inſtcu&ion and conſolation of all , which mz
mind you ſo to govern your ſelves in the exerciſe of that gif, x not to loſe*your end, but all may learn , and may be comforted, Which lets us know, that though their receiving the gift of Pro. phecy obliged them to an exercile of it, yer ir did not oblige them co an exerciſe of it, in or at this or that particular time,
32 And the ſpirits of the prophets are ſabje& to the prophets 9.