1 Corinthians 13

1 Corinthians 13:1-3

In this chapter the apostle, 1. Recommend it by showing the necessity and importance of it, ver. 1—4. 2. By giving a description of the properties and fruits, ver. 4—8. 3. By showing how much it causes the best of gifts and other graces, by its continuance when they shall be no longer in being or of any size, ver. 8. to the end.

1. THOUGH I speak with the tongues of men and of angels, and have not charity, I am become as founding brass, or a tinkling symbol. 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. 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.

The more excellent way, which the apostle had been recommending, he here describes; and that is charity or love, which is the greatest of graces, shall endure for ever, when gifts are vanished away, and without it they are nothing worth.

1. Though I speak with the tongue of men, in all the various languages of the globe, or even of angels, and have not charity, or love, I am bestow as founding brass, or a tinkling symbol, so in harmonious, and a mere empty smile. Little restless therefore had the Corinthians to value themselves upon the gifts of tongues, which only afforded occasion for pride and contention. And,

2. Though I have the gift of prophecy, can foretell future events, and understand all mysteries, through divine illumination discovering the meaning of the most abstruse prophecies and figures; and have all knowledge, such as never mortal man attained before; and have not charity, or love, it signifies nothing to my salvation. Such light would only be sufficient to lead me into eternal darkness.

3. And though I had all faith, to work the most stupendous miracles, so that I could remove mountains, and have no love, I am nothing in God’s account, and utterly destitute of the Spirit of vital Christianity.

4. And though I bestow all my goods to feed the poor, it would be utterly unprofitable to myself, if divine love was not the principle from which my sinsgiving proceeded. Now, Many give largely to the poor, who never did a truly desirable act in their lives.

5. And though I give my body to be burned, for my profession of the gospel, and have not charity, or love to the Redeemer, and to men for his sake, it profiteth me nothing. The affeciation of leaving a great name, or the consent of the meritoriousness of such a sacrifice, may even lead a man to a stake. He may burn for Christ, and yet he disowned by him, it this genuine mark of discipleship be lacking.

6. Charity suffereth long, and is kind; charity envieth not; charity + vaunteth not itself, is not puffed up. 5. Doth not behave itself unseemly, seeketh not her own, is not edify provoked, thinketh no evil. 6. Rejoiceth not in iniquity, but rejoiceth in the truth. 7. Beareth all things, believeth all things, hopeth all things, endureth all things.

1 Corinthians 13:4-7

We have here the true properties of that most excellent of graces, charity, or love.

1. It suffereth long, patiently enduring provocation, unruffed with affronts, passing by offences, and suppressing every moment of resentment that would rise within the soul.

2. It is kind, courteous, affable, benevolent, and opens the lips, the hand, and heart, to every good word and work.

3. Charity reevith not the superior gifts, graces, attainments, honours, or affluence, which others enjoy; but takes pleasure in them, as if they were her own.

4. Charity concureth not itself, is not ostentatious of any excellences or superior advantages, doth not treat inferiors with contempt and insistence, nor rashly or perversely utter any thing to a brother’s disadvantage.

5. It is not puffed up, doth not fill the head with vain conceits of a man’s importance, nor suffer him to think more highly of himself than he ought to think.

6. It Or reafound. a Cor. iii. § 8. & v. 7. Cc. In a cuvile. Met. evili, sec. John let. 6. 6. It doth not behave itself unjecently, admies of no conduct unfacitable to the age, station, or circumstances, of the person; forfeits nothing mean, indecent, or dishonourable, to enter the mind, or be carried into act. 7. It forbids not her own, is influenced by no mercenary motives, nor pursues any private ends, inordinately craving honour, gain, or applause; but is generous, noble, and disinterested, facturizing her own advantage for the good of others. 8. It is not easily provoked; but, under the most exasperating insults, can preserve a holy serenity, and even be angry, and sin not; displeased at the sin, yet pitying the sinner; always rethinking just resentment within bounds, and ready to be reconciled. 9. It thinketh no evil, never forking to pry into others conduct to discover faults, but ever ready to put the best construction on their words and actions; entertains no undue suspicions; and is willing to forget as well as forgive every injury. 10. It requiseth not in iniquity, nor looks, but with grief and forrow, on the sins, perverseness, and infirmities of others. But, 11. Rejoiceth in the truth; glad of the success of the gospel; pleased with beholding its influence, where-ever it appears, and ever delighting to bear testimony to the truth, and speaking from the heart. 12. It beareth all things; covers men’s faults with the mantle of love; pities their weakness, and suffers without the thought of retaliating their perverseness. 13. It believeth all things; willing to entertain the most favourable opinion of all, averse to every ungrounded suspicion, and candidly disposed to receive the excuse and explanation where ought may have been mistaken. 14. It beareth all things; where matters appear dark, and cannot but raise doubts, still charity will not despair but that they can yet be cleared up satisfactorily, or, where the evil is evident, that the fault will be repented of and amended. 15. It believeth all things, with unshaken fortitude bearing up under every affliction, temptation, and persecution, and for the fake of Child and his people ready to undergo any sufferings. Such is this transcendent grace of charity. In the glass of which we should often look, compare our features with this perfect pattern, and daily seek that we may grow more like him whose nature and name is Love. 8. Charity never fails: but whether there be propecies, they shall fail; whether there be tongues, they shall cease; whether there be knowledge, it shall vanish away. 9. For we know in part, and we prophesy in part. 10. But when that which is perfect is come, then that which is in part shall be done away. 11. When I was a child, I spake as a child, I understood as a child, I+ thought as a child: but when I became a man, I put away childish things. 12. For now we see through a glass I darkly; but then face to face: now I know in part; but then I know even as also I am known. 13. And now abideth faith, hope, charity, these three; but the greatest of these is charity.

1 Corinthians 13:8

—13. The apostle proceeds in his commendation of charity, not only as superior to all gifts, but as the chief of all graces. 1. Charity never fails; but will continue in the heart where it hath been once planted, enduring as the days of eternity. All gifts must quickly have an end; whether they be prophecies, the gift of bestselling future events, or interpreting the Scriptures, they shall fail, and be of no farther use in the eternal world; whether there be tongues, they shall soak, when they have answered their present use of spreading the gospel through the world, and in heaven we shall have but one language; whether there be knowlledge, the extraordinary insight into divine truth, it shall vanish away; in glory this knowledge will be no longer needed. 2. All gifts are suited only to a state of imperfection; when we arrive to maturity in glory we shall be above them. For we know in part, and prophesy in part, our greatest attainments are at present defective; but when that which is perfect is come, then that which is in part shall be done away, and our nature being exalted to the highest pitch of which it is capable, all imperfection will be swallowed up in perfection of knowledge and holiness, abidious and everlasting. Our present and future state differs as much as manhood does from infancy. When I was a child, I spoke as a child, I understood as a child, I thought as a child; and such he intimates were all their highest present attainments; no better than the poor conceptions and lispings of babes: but when I became a man, I put away childish things; and in the bravency state to low thoughts shall we entertain of all our present most esteemed acquisitions, despise what in the days of childish belly we valued, and see, with a disinfected of spiritual vision, as much above our present state, as the thoughts of manhood are superior to the fancies of infancy: for now we see through a slight darkly, the mirror reflecting the object indistinctly, and, like a ridder, the truth is enveloped with obscurity; but then face to face, clearly and fully, by intuition, without any darkening medium. Now burnt I in part, and with all my singular gifts know but in part; but then shall I know even as also I am known, comprehending heavenly objects with the most distinct knowledge, and in the same way that God, who is a spirit, and his angels, know me. 3. Charity is the most excellent of graces, as well as above all gifts. And now abideth faith, hope, charity, these three cardinal graces, indispensable from the Christian character, and which till death must be in constant exercise; but the greatest of these is charity, the others being as means to this as the end. And when faith is swallowed up in sight, and hope in the fruition of the eternal blessedness, love, the bright image of the Deity, shall glow towards the eternal Thore, and the celestial tufts, in every bosom of the redeemed, and continue to burn, with unextinguished ardor, throughout the countless ages of eternity.