decide whether he was faithful, or not. The Lord was the only judge. When he comes, the truth will be known, and then there shall be praise. He knew there was laid up for him a crown of righteousness, which the Lord the righteous judge would give him in that day, 2 Tim. 4, 8. StUl, as what is true of him is true of others, he expresses himself in general terms. Then shall every man have praise. That is, every faithful servant. Praise of God, i. e. from God. He is the ultimate source of all good. He is in Christ ; and Christ is in God. The Theanthropos, as final judge, is the representative of the Godhead, so that his decisions and awards are the deci- sions and awards of God. As remarked above, 2, 15, what the apostle says of his independence of human judgment, and his command not to anticipate the judgment of the Lord, is consistent with his frequent recognition of the right and duty of the church to sit in judgment on the qualifications of her own members. He is here speaking of the heart. The church cannot judge the heart. Whether a man is sincere or in- sincere in his professions, whether his experience is genuine or spurious, God only can decide. The church can only judge of what is outward. If any man profess to be holy, and yet is immoral, the church is bound to reject him, as Paul clearly teaches in a following chapter. Or if he profess to be a Chris- tian, and yet rejects Christianity, or any of its essential doc- trines, he cannot be received. Tit. 3, 10. But "the counsels of the heart" the Searcher of hearts only can judge.
6. And these things, brethren, I have in a figure transferred to myself and (to) Apollos for your sakes ; that ye might learn in us not to think (of men) above that which is written, that no one of you be puffed up for one against another.
These things refers to what was said in the preceding chapter of preachers, especially to what is said from 3, 5, and onwards. These things he had in a figure transferred to him- self and Apollos. That is, instead of teaching in an abstract, general form, that ministers were mere servants, he had presented the truth in a concrete form, saying that he and Apollos were servants, mere instruments in the hand of God. This was the (/i,€Ta<rxi7/xaTMr/Aos), the change of form which he had adopted. He did this, he says, that they might learn in