1 Corinthians 13

Good works should shine, but not blaze. If I give my body to be burned, and have not charity, it profits me nothing (1 Corinthians 13:3). The same I may say of a sincere aim; if I obey however much, and have not a sincere aim, it profits me nothing.

Secondly, he submits to God's will. If God will have him suffer for him, he does not dispute but obey (1 Corinthians 13:7). Love endures all things.

Love is a holy expansion or enlargement of soul, whereby it is carried with delight after God, as the chief good: So Aquinas defines love, Complacentia amantis in amato; love is a complacential delighting in God as in our treasure: love is the soul of religion, it is a grace hig…

Our ignorance is more than our knowledge. 2. Our divine knowledge is imperfect; we know but in part, said Paul (1 Corinthians 13:9), though he had many revelations, and was wrapped up into the third heaven. We have but dark conceptions of the Trinity (Job 11:7). Can you by searc…

Love is a lovely grace. Love thinks no evil (1 Corinthians 13:5). It makes the best interpretation of another's words.

Knowledge is the pillar of fire to give light to practice; but though knowledge is requisite, yet the knowing of God's will is not enough without doing of his will: your will be done. If one had a system of divinity in his head, if he had 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉, all knowledge…

They are to be kindly affectioned one to another with brotherly love (Romans 12:9-10), which as they are taught of God, so they are greatly exhorted thereunto (Hebrews 13:1). This love is the bond of perfection, the most excellent way and means of preserving Church order, and fu…

Qu. 50 What is the duty of the whole Church in reference to such persons? An. To consider them in love and meekness, according as their condition is known, reported, or testified to them, to approve of, and rejoice in the grace of God in them, and to receive them in love without…

Christ in the Parable calls some at the 11th hour, Matthew 20:6: and so God calls men to grace in their old age. We must therefore spare these sharp and unsavoury censures, which some unadvisedly cast upon such men; for charity thinks not evil, 1 Corinthians 13, where it may thi…

After this manner: It is the property of faith, to persuade the conscience, of God's love and favor in Christ; and upon this persuasion, the heart begins to love God again. Now, by this love does faith work, and make a man able to bear all torments that can be inflicted for reli…

Now the Church of Rome says, A man may be justified by this. But it is not so, as appears by these reasons: First, this righteousness is in this life imperfect: and that is proved by the Apostle, where he says, We do here know but in part, 1 Corinthians 13:12. Therefore, our und…

But the very truth is, that without this love, and the constant exercise of it, they are of little or no use to the true spiritual edification of the Church. This our Apostle does not only plainly affirm, but also so largely argue, as we need not further insist upon it (1 Corint…

Upon the right discharge of this duty he frequently declares that his honor in them and by them in this world does principally depend. And whatever we have besides this, our Apostle declares that it is nothing, or of no use in the Church of God (1 Corinthians 13). And the greate…

This the Apostle denies that he himself had as yet attained (Philippians 3:12): not as though I had already attained, or received, [〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉] namely, the whole of what is purchased for me by Christ, [〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉]; or were already made perfect, whic…

But to leave this: Why should the Reverend Author suggest such a thing into the minds of his readers, that the Elders in their practice do differ from their doctrine, and teach one thing in the Synod, and in their practice do contrary? Were it not more suitable to love (which th…

Though a Christian has not a perfect knowledge of the Mysteries of the Gospel, yet he has a certain knowledge. We see through a glass darkly, 1 Corinthians 13:12. therefore we have not perfection of knowledge; but we behold with open face, 2 Corinthians 3:18. therefore we have a…

Exodus 23: Moses may not see God's face, but his hinder parts. 1 Corinthians 13:12: We may see God as men do, through spectacles in his word, sacraments, and creatures. And therefore as Paul prayed for the Colossians (Colossians 1:10), that they might increase in the knowledge o…

Good words are but a cold kind of Charity; the poor cannot live as the Chameleon upon this air. Let your words be as smooth as oil, they will not heal the wounded, let them drop as the honeycomb, they will not feed the hungry, 1 Corinthians 13. 1. Though I speak with the tongue…

The Apostle says, they were made partakers of the Holy Ghost; that is, had some share, it may be a plentiful share of church gifts, so as to be able to carry on duties to the edification and comfort of others; but alas what is a man the better, if the heart be oppressed with sin…

There are but two ways of the soul's living known in Scripture — the life of faith and the life of vision — 2 Corinthians 5:7. Those two divide all time, both present and future, between them — 1 Corinthians 13:12. If when faith fails, sight should not immediately succeed, what…

Published at the Request of some of the Inhabitants of the Town, for the Benefit of others in the Place. (1 Corinthians 13:5) Examine yourselves whether you be in the faith: Prove your own selves: Know you not your own selves, how that Jesus Christ is in you, Except you be repro…

Had one the parts and abilities of an Ahithophel, yet these alone would not render one any better, than he who, with Judas, went and hanged himself. Knowledge is good and excellent, yet may be separated from faith and love; and then it is nothing in point of salvation (1 Corinth…

This conjunction therefore of absent from the body, and present with the Lord, falls out in no state else, but only in that interim or space of time between. And let us also view this place in the light, (by bringing the one to the other) which that passage, 1 Corinthians 13:12,…

2. Then, if ever, a man's flesh and his heart fails (Psalm 73:26). 3. And (which is worse) a man's faith fails or ceases after death, and all his spiritual knowledge as in this life — it is the express phrase used in 1 Corinthians 13:8, and which is prosecuted to the end of that…

Moses may not see God's face, but his hinder parts (Exodus 23). We may see God as men do, through spectacles, in his word, sacraments and creatures (1 Corinthians 13:12). And therefore, as Paul prayed for the Colossians (Colossians 1:10) that they might increase in the knowledge…

Yet I do not appear to have reached any other summit in this pursuit of heavenly wisdom than this: that when I discourse or speak of these things, I feel myself miserably stammering. For we are occupied with those things which we perceive only in part, and of which no one can dr…

"For those who are in the flesh cannot please God" (Romans 8:8). See (1 Corinthians 13:2). Furthermore, this knowledge of Himself that God demands, He Himself also promises (Jeremiah 31:33, 34; John 6:45).

Uprightness is, when the affection loves, desires, etc. in a single heart, only because God commands, and for that end; this is called simplicity, truth, a single heart (Deuteronomy 18:13; John 1:17; Ephesians 6:14; Ephesians 6:6; 1 Chronicles 29:5). Forbidden hypocrisy, vain gl…

Hence it is said, many shall come to me in that day, and shall say, we have cast out devils in your name, to whom he will say, depart from me you workers of iniquity. And the Apostle says (1 Corinthians 13:2), if I had all faith, and could remove mountains, if I lack charity, it…

And the reason of this is, 1. Because there is nothing that is not saving, but a natural man may have it; now, this doctrinal faith is not saving, and so a natural man may have it — yea, the devils believe and tremble; and James does not dispute with these to whom he writes on t…

Nor is that true, whatever an inferior power can do, that a superior can much more do; if there be orders in angels, a superior angel cannot determine the will of an inferior, as he himself can do. Sure my knowledge and will are inferior powers, in comparison of angels (1 Corint…

1. That our deliverance from sin in Christ is, in a devilish and hellish spirituality (as Calvin speaks); as that wicked Priest Anto Pocquius said, was in judging neither murders, adulteries, perjury, lying, oppression, to be sins, when once the pardoned and justified person com…

In blessedness there is a confluence of all good; our joys are full and eternal. 1. There is the immediate sight and presence of God, and Jesus Christ, who shall be all in all to them (1 Corinthians 13:12): Now we see through a glass darkly, but then face to face; now I know in…

In things of this world, persons are apt to grudge others any benefit by what they have stolen from others' view, but in spiritual advantages there is no envy, and if there be, it proceeds not from grace, but from corrupt nature; the more grace the less envy; and when envy is go…

Seeing then there are vices in every state of life and in all men, therefore Paul sets forth the law of Christ to the faithful, by which he exhorts them to bear one another's burden. They which do not so, do plainly witness that they understand not one jot of the law of Christ,…

It had been enough to have said "Love" and no more: for love extends itself to all the fruits of the Spirit. And in 1 Corinthians 13, Paul attributes to love all the fruits which are done in the Spirit, when he says: Love is patient, courteous, etc. Notwithstanding, he would set…

Who although he has done me some wrong, or hurt me by any manner of way: yet notwithstanding he has not put off the nature of man, or ceased to be flesh and blood, and the creature of God most like to myself: briefly, he ceases not to be my neighbor. As long then as the nature o…

For all judgment is God's (Romans 14:10): if this judgment be in truth: if it be in charity, for the amendment of the parties, and for the good of others. Otherwise, if these grounds fail us, we may not give judgment against any man, but must follow the judgment of charity which…

5. There is danger of God's anger, for unless we forgive, we are not forgiven, and we crave forgiveness, as we forgive. 6. It is the duty of love to suffer and bear (1 Corinthians 13). 7. It is a point of injustice, to revenge ourselves, for then we take to ourselves the honor o…

For it is not sufficient to do good to men, unless it proceed from a frank and willing mind. If I distribute all my goods to the poor, says Saint Paul, and have not love; I am nothing: (1 Corinthians 13:3). Thus then to pour out the soul, signifies nothing else but to pity our b…

And certainly, as "tongues shall then cease, and prophecies shall be abolished," (1 Corinthians 13:8,) I think that the written law, as well as the exposition of it, will come to an end; but, as I am of opinion that Christ spoke more simply, I do not choose to feed the ears of r…

Alms are called in Scripture sacrifices of a sweet smell, (Philippians 4:18;) and we learn from the mouth of Paul, that he who "spends all his substance on the poor, if he have not charity, is nothing," (1 Corinthians 13:3.) Lastly, God does not receive and acknowledge, as his s…

Besides, the half of his goods he dedicates to the poor. A man might indeed bestow all his goods on the poor, (1 Corinthians 13:3) And yet his generosity might be of no value in the sight of God; but, though no mention is here made of inward repentance, yet Luke means that the g…

And this is further to be noted, that this love covers not one or two sins only, but the multitude of sins: it cannot be drawn by any provocation to be so angry, but that it covers all. The same also has saint Paul, 1 Corinthians 13, where he does (as it were) expound this place…

So Hope in God and in the Promises of his Word, is often spoken of in the Scripture, as a very considerable Part of true Religion. 'Tis mentioned as one of the three great Things of which Religion consists, 1 Corinthians 13. 13. Hope in the Lord is also frequently mentioned as t…

It is possible that a Man might know how to interpret all the Types, Parables, Enigmas, and Allegories in the Bible and not have one Beam of spiritual Light in his Mind; because he may not have the least Degree of that spiritual Sense of the holy Beauty of divine Things which ha…

Cain's Sacrifice and Ahab's Repentance, were signal single Acts of Obedience materially; yet no Acts of Holiness formally, nor did either make or denominate them Holy. And our Apostle tells us, that men may give all their Goods to the Poor, and their Bodies to be burned, and yet…

Now has not that soul a spring of pleasure within itself, that is in these respects as God would have it be? That is conscious to itself of nothing but righteousness, goodness, benignity, candor towards any man, and is in all things acted by a spirit of love, that suffers long,…

Intimating, that a man may preach to others, and may be a means to save others, and yet not be saved himself. So (1 Corinthians 13:1), ministers in this case may be as cooks are. A cook may dress many a dish, and let them go through his hands to furnish a large and stately table…

As you are not perfect in other graces, so you are not here perfect in knowledge. You know but in part (1 Corinthians 13:9), therefore you have no need to be discouraged at this. Secondly, and more particularly, you that complain of ignorance — though you are ignorant, and canno…