are but as one instrument or agent of the same God: their pains tend all to one end; so as ye ought not thus to divide your respects to them; but know, that if there be a difference in their labours, every man shall receive of God his own reward, according to the proportion of his faithful painfulness in his place.

III. 9. For we are labourers together with God: ye are God's husbandry, ye are God's building.

For we are labourers under God, and together with him, in this great work of winning souls to him; and therefore cannot fail of our due reward: ye are God's husbandry; we help to till and sow you: ye are God's building; we help to rear you

up.

III. 10. According to the grace of God which is given unto me, as a wise masterbuilder, I have laid the foundation, and another buildeth thereon. But let every man take heed how he buildeth thereupon.

And, in this spiritual architecture or building, there are degrees of workmen: I, for my part, according to that measure of grace which God hath given me, as a wise masterbuilder, have, as a faithful Apostle of Christ, laid the foundation of a Church amongst you, grounding you in the first principles of Christianity; and then come other teachers after me, and build thereupon such further doctrines, as they think meet. But let every man take heed what he teacheth, and how he buildeth.

III. 11. For other foundation can no man lay than that is laid, which is Jesus Christ.

For, certainly, as for the foundation I know I have made sure work: I well know, no man can lay any other than that which I have laid, which is Jesus Christ; on whom alone the Church of God is originally founded and built.

III. 12, 13. Now if any man build upon this foundation gold, silver, precious stones, wood, hay, stubble; Every man's work shall be made manifest: for the day shall declare it, because it shall be revealed by fire; and the fire shall try every man's work of what sort it is.

Now all the care is for the building, that is erected upon this foundation; what matter or stuff it is of; and how it is laid for, what matter soever it is, whether gold, silver, precious stones, wood, hay, or stubble, Certainly it will and must come to the trial: every man's work or doctrine shall appear what it is: there is a day coming, which shall clearly declare it, because it shall be made manifest by the fire of God's judgment: that trial and examination of God shall discover every man's work, of what sort it is.

III. 14. If any man's work abide which he hath built thereupon, he shall receive a reward.

If any man's doctrine, which he hath built thereupon, be of a firm and solid nature, such as gold and silver &c., and do therefore endure the trial, which it shall be put unto, he shall receive a reward.

III. 15. If any man's work shall be burned, he shall suffer loss: but he himself shall be saved; yet so as by fire.

If any man's doctrine be frivolous, like straw or stubble or wood, apt to be burnt up, and so be wasted in that fiery examination, he shall lose his labour in teaching it; but, as for himself, because he holds and maintains the foundation, he shall be saved; but yet so, as that his slight errors shall cost him dear, and undergo the sharp affliction of the just hand of God.

III. 16. Know ye not that ye are the temple of God, and that the Spirit of God dwelleth in you?

Know ye not, that ye are the Spiritual Temple of God, built by him, and consecrated to his own service; and that, as God testified his presence and inhabitation in the Material Temple, so the Spirit of God dwelleth in you?

III. 19. For the wisdom of this world is foolishness with God. For it is written, He taketh the wise in their own craftiness.

For, that, which the world accounts to be the only wisdom, is esteemed of God no other than mere foolishness, according to that which is written, He befooleth the wise and crafty in their own wiliness and policy.

III. 21, 22. Therefore let no man glory in men. For all things are yours; Whether Paul, or Apollos, &c.

Therefore let no man glory in one man above another. For all things are yours; so as ye shall wrong yourselves in so fastidious a choice; Whether Paul or Apollos, &c.

IV. 1. Let a man so account of us, as of the ministers of Christ, and stewards of the mysteries of God.

And, as for us, let men account us as we are, without all flattering and partial respects, even as the ministers of Christ, and the stewards or dispensers of the great mysteries of God; not as the masters or owners thereof.

IV. 2. Moreover it is required in stewards, that a man be found faithful.

And ye know it is a principal quality required in a steward, that he be faithful to his lord; laying forth that which is committed to him, with all due care and fidelity.

IV. 3. But with me it is a very small thing that I should be judged of you, or of man's judgment: yea, I judge not mine own self.

So have I done, howsoever I am censured by some emulous accusers: but I regard it not: with me it is a very small thing,

that I have undergone the censures of you, or of any mortal man: neither need you take this unkindly; for I tell you, I myself dare not pass a rash verdict or sentence against myself; or, if I should, I weigh it not.

IV. 4. For I know nothing by myself; yet am I not hereby justified: but he that judgeth me is the Lord.

For I have, indeed, carried myself, as near as I could, inoffensively in my ministry; neither do I know any flaw or blemish in my demeanour, this way: but yet, I may not stand stiffly upon mine own justification; but I must leave myself to the favourable sentence of my Lord and Master.

IV. 5. Therefore judge nothing before the time, until the Lord come, &c.

Much less, therefore, do ye presume to judge of others, before the time of the clear revelation of all things, which shall be at the coming of the Lord, who &c.

IV. 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.

And, as for these particulars, brethren, I have instanced in the names of myself and Apollos, purposely, though we have made no such challenges nor have had such sides taken, for your sakes; that ye might learn, by this example and instance of ours, not to overvalue men, above that rate which is commended unto us by the written charge of Christ; and that no man be puffed up with a proud conceit of being under one teacher rather than another, or of more worthiness in himself than another.

IV. 7. For who maketh thee to differ from another? and what hast thou that thou didst not receive? now if thou didst receive it, &c.

For, O vain man, whosoever thou art, that vauntest of thine own excellencies or better parts, tell me, who makes thee to differ from another? how comest thou to be better than others? and what hast thou, that thou hast not received, as of free gift, from God? &c.

IV. 8. Now ye are full, now ye are rich, ye have reigned as kings without us: and I would to God ye did reign, that we also might reign with you.

And as for you, Corinthians, I take no pleasure to see you thus affected: ye are, in your own conceits, full fed, and have no need of our wholesome nourishment; ye are rich in grace and virtue; yea, ye are, in your own opinion, already glorious kings, without any help of ours: Alas, I would to God it were thus with you! So far am I from envying your happiness, that I could earnestly wish ye did indeed reign over your corruptions, and were possessed of the assurance of glory and

blessedness with Christ, that we might take our part and share with you in that your happy estate.

IV. 9. For I think that God hath set forth us the apostles last, as it were appointed to death: for we are made a spectacle unto the world, and to angels, and to men.

For, as for our condition, it is here no other than very miserable: for I think that God hath set and singled out us, who are his last Apostles or messengers, as men destined and appointed to death in the public theatre of the world; wherein we are made a spectacle to all eyes, even to the whole world of beholders, both angels and men.

IV. 10. We are fools for Christ's sake, but ye are wise in Christ; &c.

What a difference there is between you and us! We are accounted, and willing so to be accounted, fools for Christ's sake; but ye think yourselves wise in Christ; &c.

IV. 13. We are made as the filth of the world, and are the offscouring of all things unto this day.

We are made so contemptible as the very dirt under the feet of men; and as the scrapings, and parings, and base offal of all creatures, unto this day, cast out as loathsome and unprofitable. IV. 14. I write not these things to shame you, but as my beloved sons I warn you.

I write not these things to shame you, by upbraiding you with your own error; but, by this touch which I have given you, to admonish and warn you of so offending.

IV. 15. For though ye have ten thousand instructors in Christ, yet have ye not many fathers.

For I do justly challenge more right in you, than any other teacher whatsoever; for if you have ten thousand schoolmasters and instructors, to read divine lectures unto you, yet have ye no more spiritual fathers, besides myself.

IV. 17. Who shall bring you into remembrance of my ways which be in Christ, as I teach every where in every church.

Who shall put you in mind of both my strict conversation and holy doctrine, which I propound to all the Churches of Christ.

IV. 18. Now some are puffed up, as though I would not come to you.

Now some take upon them, at pleasure, as if it were sure that I would not come to control them.

IV. 19. But I will come to you shortly, if the Lord will, and will know, not the speech of them which are puffed up, but the

power.

And will make trial of these boasters: not of their eloquence and good words, wherein I know they excel; but of their power and evidence of the spirit, wherein I know I shall find them defective.

IV. 20. For the kingdom of God is not in word, but in power. For the praise, and glory, and efficacy of the Gospel, which is the kingdom of God, doth not stand in words, but in power. IV. 21. What will ye? shall I come unto you with a rod, or in love, and in the spirit of meekness?

Let it be your own choice then, after what manner I shall come unto you: my carriage must be directed by your deserts and dispositions: will you, that I shall come to you with a rod of censure, to correct your exorbitances; or, in love and in the spirit of meekness, to commend and cherish your holy proceedings and Christian carriage? I shall do either of them, as I shall receive occasion from you.

V. 1. It is reported commonly that there is fornication among you, and such fornication as is not so much as named amongst the Gentiles, that one should have his father's wife.

It is brought unto me both by common and credible report, that there is a very shameful practice of uncleanness tolerated or winked at, amongst you: and, indeed, such a one, as for the odiousness of it, is not to be heard of among the very Gentiles themselves; that one should converse and commit filthiness with his father's wife.

V. 2. And ye are puffed up, and have not rather mourned, that he that hath done this deed might be taken away from among you.

And ye, in the mean time, are taken up with your own proud contentions, and mind not the correction and reformation of so foul a crime: and are not humbled rather, for such a heinous offence; nor have taken a course, that he, which hath done this wickedness, might be taken away from among you.

V. 4, 5. In the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, when ye are gathered together, and my spirit, with the power of our Lord Jesus Christ, To deliver such an one unto Satan, for the destruction of the flesh, that the spirit may be saved in the day of the Lord Jesus.

I have already decreed concerning this incestuous person, that, when ye are gathered together in the Name and with the Invocation of our Lord Jesus Christ, in which assembly I will in my desire and consent and approbation be present with you, That, in the power and authority of our Lord Jesus Christ, this offender be cast out of the Church; and, by this heavy censure, delivered over into the power of Satan; not for his final damnation, but only for his temporary smart, and for punishment of the flesh, that his soul may be saved in the day of the Lord Jesus.

V. 6. Your glorying is not good. Know ye not that a little leaven leaveneth the whole lump?

Ye, Corinthians, have no reason to pride yourselves, and to