IV. IL CORITN ; And theſe things, brethren, I have in a figure «-ansſerred © MY ſelf, and 79 Apollos for your lakes : 1 that you might learn In Us 20t to think of wen above tar which 15 Written, 7 that none of you be puffed - for one againſt another o. gh py theſe words the Apoſtle lets us know, that though he had
re Chap. 1. 12: that ſome of them ſaid, We are of Pazl, and 100 nr f Artollo; yet the f ! and of Il oh.s We are Or poo; Y names Or Pay and Or Apoyo
THIANS
z Our ſtate in the world is low and mean ; though you ke full we are hungry and thirſty ; though you be richly clothed, yer w< are next to be naked, clothed with raggs ; though you be hugs 4 and embraced by the men of the world, yet we are bu#fted ; thouat you have rich and famous houſes, yet we have no cer:aia dwe!lin:r place. Thusir bath been with us from the beginning of our pry. feſſion of Chriſt, and thus it is with us at this day (faith the Apoſtle) from whence he gives theſe Corinthians and their falls Teachers a juſt reaſon to ſuſpe& themſelves, whether they- were
pa wr uſed to repreſent other of their Teachers; which were | true and lincere Proteſlors, yea or no, and to conſider how it cam-
ve . 1 , te Heads of thoſe Faftions which were amongſt them. In very
to paſs, that their lot in the world was fo different from the to:
12d they were none of them thar faid, We are of Paul! or of | of thoſe whom the Lord had dignified with the Title and Offic-
13 (for rhoſe that were the Diſciples of Par! and Appolls were "er raught) bur they had other Teachers amongſt them as to whom they made FaQions, whom Paul had a mind to reprove, with their Foliowers ; and to avoid all oarum, that both they and tm, hs makes uſe of his own name, and that of pollo's, and Ceaketh co the Hearers of theſe Teachers, as if they were his 4.2 and Apollo's Diſciples. 1 hat thoſe whom the reproof and \monition concerned properly, might be reproved under the re- oof of others. » And that (as the Apoſtle ſaith) all the Church F Corinth, as well Miniſters as people, might learn to have hum. ble opinions and thoughts of themſelves, nor ro think of them. {:lves above what, by the rules of God's Word, written in the 014 Teſtament, they ought to think; or above what he had be- fore writren 'n this Epiſtle, or to the Romans, Chap. 12. and 13. \ And none of them, whether Miniſters or private Chriſtians, niche be puffed up. The word ſignifieth to be ſwell'd or blown 10 asa bladder or a pair of bellows, which is extended with wind : ris uſed "in this Chap. v. 18, 19. &8. 1. Col. 2.18.
7 For who || maketh thee to differ from another ? / and * what halt rhou that chou didft not receive ? 1 now if chou didlt receive it, why doſt thou glory as '*? thou hadſt not received zt ? r,
Ir is apparent that Pride was the reigning ſin of many in his Church of Corinth : Pride, 7 by reaſon of thoſe parts and gifts wherein they excelled, whether they were natural or acquired habits, or common gifts of the Spirit, which were infuſed; to a- hate this tumor, the Apoſtle minds them to conſider, whence they 12d theſe gifts from whence they took occaſion fo to exalt and prefer themſelves. 4 Whether they were the Authorsof them to themſelves, or did receive them from God. + Ir became none of them to glory in what they had received from another, and were beholden to another for. Whartthe Apoſtle here ſpeaketh concerning natural or ſpiritual abilities, is applicable to all good things; and the conſideration here prompted, is a potent conlide- rtion to abate the pride and ſwelling of a man's heart upon any accounr whatſoever ; for there is nothing wherein a man dif. {xeth, or is diſtinguiſhed from another, or wherein he excelleth another, but it is given him from God, be it riches, honour, naty- al or ſoiritual gifts and abilities, they are all received from the oift of God, who gives man a power 70 get wealth, Deut. 8. 18, Win puttcth down one, and ſetteth up another, Pſal. 75.6. And as the Aroſtle faith in this Epiſtle, Chap. 12, 7. gives the manifeftatim
of his Apoſtles. The condition of the moſt faithful and able M:;. niiters, and the moſt ſincere Chriſtians that have been in che wor! ; ath always been a mean and afflicted ſtate and condition. |
labour with our hands, that we might not be butthenſome to the 9
chough (as he ſaich) Chap. 9. 4. they had a power to eat a4 © drink, that is, a right to have demanded meatand drinkof them, and might have forbore working, v. 6. For wi geeth a warfare a; his own charge? Whence we may obſerve that though the Miniſters of Chriſt ought to be maintained by the Churches to which they relate, and they ſin, if they negle& it; yer where this either ls not done through mens ſinful negle& of them, or cannot be done through the poverty of the Members of ſuch Churches, ic is law - ful for themto labour with their hands. 5 Weare reviled and ſpo- ken ill of, but we do not revile others, bur ſpeak well of them, and wiſh well to them. c Though we be hunted and purſued to the endangering of our lives and liberties, yet we do make no re. ſiſtance, bur patiently ſuffer it. By this the Apoſtle ſheweth them the duty of Chriſtians, as well as their lot and portion in this ite, and alſo tacitly refleð on them and their Teachers, who were ſome of thoſe that thus reviled the Apoſtles; and though they did nor, it may be, ſmite them with their hands, yerthey perſeca- ted chem with their rongues, and leaves it to rheir confiderarion, whether the Apoſtles or they lived more up tothe Rule of Chi. ſtianity given by Chriſt, Marr. 5. 39, 40, 41.
as the filth of the world, ard are the off {couring of*+
all things to this day f.
d We are 6/aſph:med, Gr, that is, ſpoken evil of, which is th2 ſame with defamed in our language, men ſpeak all mannec of * 'evil of us to take away our reputation : but e we iatreat God for ** them. The word ſignitizrh to exhorr, intreat, comfort, we exercilc 'Our ſelves in all pious and charitable offices toward them, who 'are moſt uncharitable towards us. f Here aretwo words uſed,
' which ſignifie the moſt vile, abje&, contemptible things in the
' world, excrements, ſweepings of houſes. The Apoſtle by theſe
| two words ſignifies, thar no perſons could bz more baſe, viſe, and
' contemptible than they were, nothing more deſpiſed, or in lefs e-
| ſteem : He ſpeaketh not this as complaining or in any diſcontent
'at what he ſaw was the will of God concerning them ; but to