1 COR. 13. 3.
THe Apostle his scope in the former part of this Chapter is to commend the graces of Gods Spirit above the gifts of the same. Hence he makes suppositions of the most excellent perfections, which if without Charity, are but as a tinkling cymbal that may please the ear of others, but it self is worn out and destroyed thereby. And by charity he means that unfeigned love of God,1 and the good of others, whereby all our gifts are improved for this end, and not for our selves.
His first instance is diversity and variety of tongues, a gift in the Primitive times, that made the enjoyers thereof admirable.
A second is of Prophecie and understanding of all Mysteries, all Knowledge, and2 all Faith. This place doth not prove justifying Faith to be separable from Charity. But either it is a conditional, hyperbolical speech, like that Gal. 1. If an Angel from Heaven, &c. as not onely some later Divines, but even the Ancients have thought: or else it may very well be restrained to miraculous Faith, in this sense, If I had all miraculous faith, so that I were able to work the greatest miracle. And thus it is plain, such a faith may be severed from true love.
The Apostle having thus instanced in Gifts, he further proceeds to give two glorious instances of the external works of grace, which are most admirable amongst men, whereby he would teach us, That the most specious and glorious external acts of grace, if seeming onely, are nothing, if grace it self doth not inwardly animate them; so that inward grace in respect of those external actions, is like the soul to the body, like art to the instruments of Musick, without which an uncertain sound is made.
These glorious externals the Apostle specifieth are of two sorts:
- A work of extraordinary mercy, If I bestow all my goods to feed the poor. The Greek word […] signifieth to divide victuals in several pieces, and so to distribute it. Now this is very terrible to consider, that a man may do all the external works of mercy, even the highest and most transcendent, yet not have true love.
The second instance is of remarkable fortitude and glorious courage for Christ and his truth, which is expressed in the designation of that action, wherein my courage may manifest it self, If I give my body to be burnt. Where some observe this aggravation, Though a man be not summoned by others, and condemned to death, but although he willingly and ultroneously offer himself, and then not to be whipped or imprisoned, but to die, and that the most terrible kinde of death, even burning, yet if all this be without true love to God, his glory, Church and truth, […], All this will profit me nothing. In which sense Hierom said in Gal. 5. Timeo dicere, sed dicendum est, Martyrium ipsum si ideo fiat, ut admiraetioni, & laudi habeatur à fratribus, frustra sanguis effusus est. A man may be the fleshes martyr, the devils martyr, as well as Christs.
No kinde of external sufferings, though never so grievous either for the truth of3 Christ indeed, or for that which a mans conscience judgeth to be the truth of Christ, is a sure and infallible sign of the state of grace.
This Doctrine will be like a two edged sword, dividing between the joint and marrow. It’s not all thy marks, stripes, imprisonments, persecutions, though for a good cause, is enough to evidence thy true interest in Christ. To open this Point many things are considerable.
First, That many times persecutions are a true discovery of a mans firmnesse in grace. Insomuch that all the while Christs cause and carnal accommodations are conjoyned together, every hypocritical and unsound heart makes as great a shew, as that which is faithfull, But when storms and tempests arise, then the house built upon the sand fals, but that on the rock endureth. Thus Matth. 13. when the hot Sun arose, persecutions began to be violent, then that which was not deeply rooted, presently withered. So that howsoever we may not certainly gather the truth of our grace, by our perseverance in persecutions, yet troubles and oppositions do frequently discover who is false. Hence afflictions and not mercies are alwaies in Scripture called temptations, God is never said to tempt by a mercy, but by an affliction, because it is more difficult to withstand an evil then to enjoy a good. The high and strong windes discover how well-rooted the tree is; the fire will manifest the cracked vessel. Oh then account it nothing to rest upon, that thou art for the truth, thou ownest God and good men! Alas as yet thou losest no good, no profit by doing thus. If a man may be imprisoned, impoverished, undone for the truths of God, and yet be nothing; then what a poor nothing indeed is Christs truth and thy riches with it! Alas Christ hath not put thee upon any trials, and thou knowest nothing by thy self as yet. It’s true, outward sufferings, and that to death, are the highest expressions before men; and therefore we are to judge with charitable apprehensions of all those who are able thus to suffer for that which is the truth, especially they at the same time demonstrating all Christian deportment. Therefore it was cruelty in the Popish persecutors to charge those blessed Martyrs with stoutnesse and pride. Hence also it is, that we account the Martyrdom of so many millions of all sorts for Christ, to be an eminent testimony of the truth of Christian Religion. No Sect could ever instance in the like, as Christians may, which we read was acknowledged by Trajane the Emperour; and Justine Martyr confesseth the consideration of the willingnesse and zeal of Christians to die for Christ, was the occasion of his conversion. The Heathens instance only in Socrates and some few Gymnosophists for their false Religion.