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CHAPTER XIII.

FEB. 1, MAY 30, SEPT. 28.

1 "Whatever powers of persuasion I have, all is vain without charity, viz. love to God and love to man for his sake."

2 The highest spiritual advantages profit not, if this charity be wanting.

'THOUGH I speak with the tongues of men and of angels, and have not charity, I am become as sounding brass or a tinkling cymbal. 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. And though I bestow all my goods to feed the poor, and though I give my

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3 Even almsdeeds, in themselves however excellent; nay, martyrdom itself, however noble, profits nothing where there is not charity.

body to be burned, and have not charity, it profiteth me nothing. Charity suffereth long, and is kind; charity envieth not; charity vaunteth not itself, is not puffed up, doth not behave itself unseemly, seeketh not her own, no evil; rejoiceth not in iniquity, but rejoiceth in the truth; beareth all things, believeth all things, hopeth things, endureth all things. Charity never faileth: but whether there be prophecies, they shall fail; whether there

4 Charity is neither impatient, nor envious, nor proud, nor vain.

5 It is courteous, unselfish, gentle, unsuspicious.

is not easily provoked, thinketh

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6 Yet it excuses not wrong: it rejoiceth only in what is right. 7 Unrepining, confiding, hopeful, firm of heart.

8 This heavenly feeling never faileth; it shall company us in sickness, and sorrow, and death. We shall bear it with us to another and a bet

ter world.

be tongues, they shall cease; whether there be knowledge, it shall vanish away. 9 For we know in part, and we prophesy in part. But when that which is perfect is come, then that which is in part shall be done away. When I was a child, I spake as a

9 It may reconcile us to the apparent unequal distribution of good and ill in this life, to remember that we now know as little, nay less, of what shall be, than a child knoweth of the

counsels of a wise and mature manhood.

child, I understood as a child, I thought as a child: but when I became a man, I put away childish things. For now we see through a glass, darkly; but then face to face: now I know in part; but then shall I know even as also I am

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known. And now abideth

13 Hereafter, faith will be lost in certainty, and hope in enjoyment; but love of God and our fellow crea

faith, hope, charity, these

tures will survive, and constitute three; but the greatest of part of that felicity which reigns for

these is charity.

ever in heaven.

CHAPTER XIV.

FEB. 2, MAY 31, SEPT. 29.

MONDAY IN WHITSUN-WEEK, evening, to ver. 26.

1 To prophesy, was not only to foretell events, but to instruct in holy things.

2 Edification being the proper object of a teacher, let him so speak as to be understood; or his teaching is vain.

'FOLLOW after charity, and desire spiritual gifts, but rather that ye may prophesy. 2 For he that speaketh in an unknown tongue speaketh not unto men, but unto God: for no man understandeth him; howbeit in the spirit he speaketh mysteries. But he that prophesieth speaketh unto men to edification, and exhortation, and comfort. He that speaketh in an unknown tongue edifieth himself; but he that prophesieth edifieth the church. I would that ye all spake with tongues, but rather that ye prophesied for greater is he that prophesieth than he that speaketh with tongues, except he interpret, that the church may receive "Except I so speak that you can edifying. Now, brethren, comprehend me, how can you be if I come unto you speaking profited?” with tongues, what shall I profit you, except I shall speak to you either by revelation, or by knowledge, or by prophesying, or by doctrine? And even things without life giving sound, whether pipe or harp, except they give a distinction in the sounds, how shall it be known 8 Hence the plain speaking of your what is piped or harped? For minister.

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if the trumpet give an uncertain sound, who shall prepare himself to the battle? So likewise ye, except ye utter by the tongue words easy to be understood, how shall it be known what is spoken? for ye shall speak into the air. There are, it may be, so many kinds of voices in the world, and none of them is without signification. "Therefore if I know not the meaning of the voice, I shall be unto him that speaketh a barbarian, and he that speaketh shall be a barbarian unto me. Even so ye, forasmuch as ye are zealous of spiritual excel to the edifying of the church.

11 In the darker ages of the Church the word was read and the prayers were offered up in an unknown tongue. Now, blessed be God! "we do hear" the stewards of God's mysteries "speak in our own tongue, wherein we were born."

gifts, seek that ye may Wherefore let him that

15 Let the understanding confirm what the heart dictates.

will pray with the understandspirit, and I will sing with the 16 What more delightful sound in the house of God than the solemn "Amen" of an assembled congregation * !

speaketh in an unknown tongue pray that he may interpret. For if I pray in an unknown tongue, my spirit prayeth, but my understanding is unfruitful. 15 What is it then? I will pray with the spirit, and I ing also: I will sing with the understanding also. 16 Else when thou shalt bless with the spirit, how shall he that occupieth the room of the unlearned say Amen at thy giving of thanks, seeing he understandeth not what thou sayest? For thou verily givest thanks well, but the other is not edified. I thank my God, I speak with tongues more than ye all: yet in the church I had rather speak five words with my understanding, that by my voice I might teach others also, than ten thousand words in an unknown tongue. Brethren, be not children in understanding: howbeit in malice be ye children, but in understanding be men. In the law it is written, With men of other tongues and other lips will I speak unto this people; and yet for all that will they not hear me, saith the Lord. Wherefore tongues are for a sign, not to them that believe, but to them that believe not: but prophesy serveth not for them that believe not, but for them which believe. 23 If therefore the whole church be come together into one place, and all speak with tongues, and there come in those that are unlearned, or unbelievers, will they not say that ye are mad? But if all prophesy, and there come in one that believeth not, or one unlearned, he is convinced of all, he is judged of all: and thus are the secrets of his heart made manifest; and so falling down on his face he will worship God, and report that God is in you of a truth.

23 These, and many of the precepts here laid down, refer to the peculiar state of the Corinthian Church at the time they were written.

Ver. 26. How is it then, brethren? when ye come together, every one of you hath a psalm, hath a doctrine, hath a tongue, hath a revelation, hath an interpretation. Let all things be done unto edifying. If any man speak in an unknown tongue, let it be by two, or at the most by three, and that by course;

It is much to be desired that all the congregation would pronounce the "Amen" audibly; and also, with their voices, clearly and distinctly repeat such other parts of the service, as the rubric points out to them. Adopt the practice for yourself. It will very much tend to animate your devotions and sustain your attention during the hours of worship.

and let one interpret. But if there be no interpreter, let him keep silence in the church; and let him speak to himself, and to God. Let the prophets speak two or three, and let the other judge. If any thing be revealed to another that sitteth by, let the first hold his peace. For ye may all prophesy one by one, that all may learn, and all may be comforted. And the spirits of the prophets are subject to the prophets. "For God is not the author of confusion, but of peace, as in all churches of the saints. Let your women keep silence in the churches: for it is not permitted unto them to speak; but they are commanded to be under obedience, as also saith the law. And if they will learn any thing, let them ask their husbands at home: for it is a shame for women to speak in the church. What? came

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33 How admirably our Church reminds us of this comforting truth; teaching us to rejoice in God as "the author of peace and lover of concord." What must that God think

of divisions!

36 As St. Paul taught the Corinthians the word of God, and not they him, the authority which was to regulate the Church he established among them, was to "come out from"

him.

the word of God out from you? or came it unto you only? If any man think himself to be a prophet, or spiritual, let him acknowledge that the things that I write unto you are the commandments of the Lord. But if any man be ignorant, let him be ignorant. Wherefore, brethren, covet to prophesy, and forbid not to speak with tongues. 4° Let all things be done decently and in order.

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40 This precept is of universal obligation in the Church of Christ; applicable to it in all ages, and under all circumstances.

CHAPTER XV.

FEB. 3, JUNE 1, SEPT. 30.

TUESDAY IN EASTER-WEEK, evening.

MOREOVER, brethren, I declare unto you the gospel which I preached unto you, which also ye have received, and wherein ye stand; by which also ye are saved, if ye keep in memory what I preached unto you, unless ye have believed in vain. 3 For I delivered unto you 366 According to the Scriptures" of first of all that which I also the Old Testament *.

* Is. liii. ; also Ps. xvi. 10, which St. Peter (Acts ii. 31) specially applies to Christ; and Jonah (i. 17), which our Lord hath himself taught us to consider as a typical prophecy of his resurrection.

received, how that Christ died for our sins according to the scriptures; and that he was buried, and that he rose again the third day according to the scriptures: and that he was seen of Cephas, then of the twelve: after that, he was

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5 Peter was called Cephas.

6 Strong testimony this to the truth of any fact-five hundred witnesses !

seen of above five hundred brethren at once; of whom the greater part remain unto this present, but some are fallen asleep. After that, he was seen of James; then of all the apostles. And last of all he was seen of me also, as of one born out of due time.

St. Paul's conversion took place two years after our Lord's ascension *.

9 A dignified humility pervades this self-drawn character of St. Paul,

:

12 At Corinth, the Sadducees among the Jews, and the Philosophers among its citizens, denied the resur

rection.

For I am the least of the apostles, that am not meet to be called an apostle, because I persecuted the church of God. But by the grace of God I am what I am and his grace which was bestowed upon me was not in vain; but I laboured more abundantly than they all yet not I, but the grace of God which was with me. Therefore whether it were I or they, so we preach, and so ye believed. 12 Now if Christ be preached that he rose from the dead, how say some among you that there is no resurrection of the dead? 13 But if there be no resurrection of the dead, then is Christ not risen: and if Christ be not risen, then is our preaching vain, and your faith is also vain. Yea, and we are found false witnesses of God; because we have testified of God that he raised up Christ: whom he raised not up, if so be that the dead rise not. For if the dead rise not, then is not Christ raised and if Christ be not raised, your faith is vain; ye are yet in your sins. Then they also which are fallen asleep in Christ are 19 How true this is, the children of perished. 19 If in this life

13 The reasoning from this verse to the 19th is equally strong, clear, and unanswerable t.

sorrow best can tell.

only we have hope in Christ, we are of all men most miserable. 20 But now is Christ

risen from the dead, and be

20 Glorious tidings to the mourner! Thou hast lost the loved one.

*St. Paul speaks of his heavenly vision (ch. ix. 1).

Lo!

The argument is this. Christ rose from the dead. The resurrection therefore is possible. The promise is, that in like manner we shall be raised from the dead. To doubt the power in one case is to render vain our belief in the other.

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