1 Corinthians 14

1 Corinthians 14:1

DEsire] Gr. emulate.

that ye may prophesie] The Apostle speaketh not here of that gift of the Holy Ghost, whereby men that were inspired foretold things future, as the word is taken in the old Testament; but of a gift of the Spirit, whereby men were inabled to expound the Scriptures, given by divine inspiration, and apply them to the benefit of their hearers, for their edification, instruction, and comfort.

in the spirit] By that inspiration which he hath received of the Spirit, which notwithstanding he abuseth when he speaketh mysteries, vvhich none of the company can understand.

1 Corinthians 14:3

he that prophesieth speaketh unto men] He that expoundeth the Scriptures in a known tongue, he speaketh unto men; that is, speaketh in such a manner that men may understand him, and receive fruit and benefit by him. This fruit is sorted in the words following, edification, exhortation, and comfort. By edification he understandeth confirmation of faith and instruction of the ignorant; by exhoration, incitation to vertue, and reproof of the unruly; by comfort, the applying of the promises of God to the consolation of the afflicted. And these are the three uses to which all Expositours of the Word ought to applie the doctrine they deliver.

1 Corinthians 14:6

if I come unto you with tongues] I wonder whether that which you so much admire in others, vvould content you in me your Apostle; if I should come among you with the gift of tongues, which the Lord hath so largely bestowed upon me, vers. 18. Or, whether you would not rather expect at my hands that I should preach to your understanding, as is agreeable to my office of Apostleship, and profitable for you.

either by revelation, &c.] Or, in revelation. Unlesse I propound unto you some particular matter, appertaining to your faith or salvation, vvhich I had either learned of God by immediate in spiration; or discovered and deduced by the discourse of enlightned reason from the generall grounds of the Word of god. By prophesying, that is, in the generall exposition of the truth of God, whether after an extraordinary manner, which is by prophesying, or by way of treatie and discourse, by the ordinary gift of reason, vvhich is doctrine.

by knowledge] Or, in knowledge.

by prophesying] Or, in prophesying.

by doctrine] Or, in doctrine.

1 Corinthians 14:7

And even things without life] He setteth forth that which he had said, by a similitude, borrowed from instruments of musick, which though they sound not out perfectly the dittie, yet by a distinction of sounds they expresse in such sort thereby the tune, that we know after a sort what lesson is plaid upon them.

sounds] Or, tunes.

1 Corinthians 14:8

who shall propare] Gr. Tec. who prepareth.

1 Corinthians 14:9

words easie to be understood] Gr. a significant speech.

1 Corinthians 14:10

signification] Or, dumbe, or, mute.

1 Corinthians 14:11

meaning] Gr. power.

a Barbarian] This word Barbarian is derived from the Arabick word Barbar, which signfyeth a murmur or confused noise: or from Bar, which in the Arabian language signifieth a wildernesse; for those who were first styled Barbari, lived in deserts after the manner of wilde beasts: afterwards the word Barbarian was taken in a larger sense for all those who spake not the pure language of the Grecians; here it signifieth, as also in the Poet, I shall be as a stranger, whose language he understandeth not, Barbarus hic ego sum, quia non intelligor ulli; so the Grecians in old time called the Egyptians Barbarians, and the Egyptians them, because neither understood the other: so Apamensis the Platonick Philosopher called John the Evangelist, a Barbarian, not in any disgrace, as Cyrill in his eight book against Julian, sheweth; but onely 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉, because he was a Jew, and of another language, not understood of this Philosopher, to wit, the Hebrew or Syriack, which he naturally spake as his mother tongue, though he wrote his Gospell in Greek.

1 Corinthians 14:12

of spirituall gifts] Gr. of spirits.

excell] Gr. Tec. prophesie.

1 Corinthians 14:14

my spirit prayeth] The gift and inspiration which the Spirit giveth me doth his part, but only to my self: but my understanding is without fruit, because no fruit cometh to the Church by my prayer, in regard they heare the sound of my words but the understanding or meaning of them is not know to them. The Spirit of God doth indeed by a supernaturall inspiration forme, and frame the conception and words of a prayer within me, and moveth me to pronounce it, and I my selfeam therewith affected, but in the meane while the naturall facultie of the minde or understanding, whereby the ordinary and naturall word or speech is produced to communcate it self to others doth cease in me, and is unfruitfull in regard of others edification.

1 Corinthians 14:15

with the] Or, in the.

I will pray with the understanding also] That is, I will pray in such a language, whereby I may be understood of them, and they edified by my prayer.

with the spirit] Or, in.

1 Corinthians 14:16

Else when thou shalt blesse with the spirit] Seeing he whole congregation must agree to him that speaketh, and witnesse this their agreement; how shall they give their assent, or agreement, who know not what is spoken? The prayers and thanksgivings to God which are made publikely in the Church, ought to be made and offered there with one heart and minde, and spirit of the whole congregation, which is impossible to be done, if they do not all of them understand the meaning.

how shall he that occupieth the room of the unlearned] That is, the common vulgar people, who it is like sate in the holy assemblies in a distinct place from the Pastours, and other Ecclesiasticall persons, such as were those also among the rest that had this gift of tongues.

say Amen] How shal he joyn the bent of his desires assenting, and intentions to that wch he hears and understands not? Amen is an adverbe of assenting and wishing: it cometh from a root in Hebrew signifying truth, and assurance, and is used in the conclusion of prayers, Romans 15:33. and else-where, thereby to declare the consenting to that which is prayed, and a desire that it may be fulfilled.

1 Corinthians 14:20

be ye children] See Matthew 18:3.

men] Gr. perfect, or of a ripe age.

1 Corinthians 14:21

In the law it is written] See Isaiah 28:11. That is, in the Scriptures of the Old Testament: as Joh. 15. 25 the booke of Psalmes: so here the prophesie of Esay is comprised under the word Law. The passage it self containing a reproofe of the people wilfull dulnesse is here applyed for some resemblance it hath to the present purpose, viz. that like as God never left to propound & declare his word unto his people, (See Isaiah 28. 11.) although they made themselves uncapable of understanding it to their salvation, thereby to convince them, and as it were to seale up their condemnation: so also when the same is brought to any without being understood, it is a sign God is not pleased to make the same a means of conversion, and illumination, but of conviction as towards obdurate unbeleevers.

other tongues and other lips, will I speake] Gr. Tec. lips of other. By men of strange and unknown language will I speake. Forasmuch then as God doth make use of unknown tongues and languages for a punishment, it is not fit the same should be used in congregations without interpreting them, in regard that otherwise it would serve more for a punishment then the edification of the hearers.

1 Corinthians 14:25

the secrets of his heart] That is, his false perswasions of god, and wicked lusts and desires, shall be discovered and convinced by the word.

1 Corinthians 14:26

How is it then] Gr. what is.

1 Corinthians 14:27

by two, or at the most by three] He setteth down the manner how to use the gift of tongues; it may be lawfull for one or two, or at the most for three, to use the gift of tongues one after another, in an assembly, so that there be some to expound the same, but if there be none to expound, let him that hath that gift speake to himself alone, and to God in his private prayers.

1 Corinthians 14:31

comforted] Or, admonished.

1 Corinthians 14:32

the spirits of the prophets are subject to the prophets] These words, according to a diverse reference may have a diverse sense; if they have reference to vers. 29. let the Prophets speak by two, or at the most by three, and let the others judge; then the meaning is, that the doctrine of every Prophet ought to be subject unto the examination and censure of the other Prophets; and therefore every Prophet may speak in publike, to the end that he may be discerned and approved by the rest. For although these prophesies were infused by the Holy Spirit, that cannot erre, yet all things are not alwayes revealed to one; and that which is not revealed to one, is oftentimes revealed to more, and sometimes in a clearer manner. There might be also something mingled with that whcih the Prophets received, and it might so fall out, that that which they added of their own, by way of confirmation, illustration or appliclation, might be justly subject to censure. Withall it must be tried and judged by others, whether the prophesies proceed from the inspiration of the Holy Spirit, and according to the rule of faith, Esay 8. 20. But if these words look not backward to the antecedents, but forwards to the consequents, then the meaning is, that the spirit of the Prophets are so farre subject to the Prophets, that when they are moved by the Holy Ghost to prophesie, they may deliver their prophesies presently, or forbear the delivery of them for a time, as shall be most expendient for the Church, and so though more be inspired at the same time, yet they may speak orderly one after another.

1 Corinthians 14:33

confusion] Gr. tumult, or, unquietnesse.

1 Corinthians 14:34

Let your women keep silence in the Churches] Gr. Tec. the women. See 1 Timothy 2:12.

it is not permitted] Gr. it hath not been permitted.

law] See Genesis 3:16.

1 Corinthians 14:38

let him be ignorant] The Church ought not to care for such as be stubbornly ignorant, and will not abide to be taught, but to go forward notwithstanding in those things that are right.

1 Corinthians 14:39

covet to prophesie] Or, zealously desire, or, seek to prophesie.

1 Corinthians 14:40

Let all things be done decently, &c.] Gr. Tec. But let. Although some conceive that the precept of decency hath reference to the habits of men and women spoken of before, and that of order to the use of spirituall gifts, that both they which speak with tongues, and prophesie, do it in that order the Apostle prescribeth, vers. 27, 29. Yet it is more probable, that the Apostle here delivereth a generall rule, by which all things which belong to the politie of the Church are to be regulated. Let all things that are done in the assemblies, whether praying and preaching, or administration of the Sacraments, or exercising Ecclesiasticall discipline, be done decently; that is, in a seemly and fit manner, and also orderly without confusion, every thing in its proper season, time, and place.