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 ower 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 boast and glory of your estate, while ye have so foul sins amongst you: know ye not that a little leaven of sin soureth the whole lump of your Church?

V. 7. Purge out therefore the old leaven, that ye may be a new lump, as ye are unleavened. For even Christ our Passover is sacrificed for us :

Purge out therefore this old and sour leaven of offence, that ye may be a holy congregation indeed, as ye are so in profession. Ye know, no leaven may be endured in the Paschal Feast: behold, Christ, our Paschal Lamb, is slain and sacrificed for us:

V. 8. Therefore let us keep the feast, not with old leaven, neither with &c.

Away, therefore, with all the sinful leaven of our uncleannesses; and let us keep this spiritual passover, not with old leaven, neither with &c.

V. 9, 10. I wrote unto you in an epistle not to company with fornicators: Yet not altogether with the fornicators of this world, or with the covetous, or extortioners, or with idolaters; for then must ye needs go out of the world.

I admonished you before, in another Epistle, that ye should not keep company with fornicators; and I do now again second that my needful charge: Yet, then I did not intend to require you to avoid the company of heathenish fornicators, or of covetous, or oppressive, or idolatrous heathens; for then must ye go out of the world: these do so abound every where, that ye can meet with no other.

V. 11. But now I have written unto you not to keep company, if any man that is called a brother be a fornicator, or covetous, or an idolater, or a railer, or a drunkard, or an extortioner; with such an one no not to eat.

But now I have written unto you, particularly, not to consort yourselves in the company of inordinate Christians: if any, that is called a brother or professed Christian, be a fornicator, or covetous, or an adulterer, &c. with such a one have not so much familiarity, as to frequent his ordinary conversation.

V. 12. For what have I to do to judge them also that are without? do not ye judge them that are within ?

As for the rest; what have I to do, to censure or meddle with them, that are without the pale of the Church? Is not this the power, that God hath committed unto you, to judge and censure those, that are within?

V. 13. But them that are without God judgeth. Therefore put away from among yourselves that wicked person.

But, as for those that are without, we must leave them to the censure of God. Therefore, let the issue of this my exhortation and charge be this; put away from yourselves that wicked person.

VI. 1. Dare any of you, having a matter against another, go to law before the unjust, and not before the saints?

Dare any of you, having a suit or quarrel against his fellow Christian, go to law before heathen judges, and not before those of his own holy profession?

VI. 2. Do ye not know that the saints shall judge the world? and if the world shall be judged by you, &c.?

Know ye not, that God's faithful and holy ones, which are his saints here on earth, shall have the honour one day, to be admitted to sit on thrones, in assistance of Christ, to judge the world? and if the world shall be judged by you, &c.?

VI. 3. Know ye not that we shall judge angels? how much more things that pertain to this life?

Know ye not, that we shall sit on judgment upon the very Angels themselves; even upon those evil and apostate spirits, which do now sway so much in the world? how much more should we be thought worthy to pass our judgment upon the trivial and base things, that pertain to this life!

VI. 11. But ye are washed, but ye are sanctified, but ye are justified in the name of the Lord Jesus, and by the Spirit of our God.

But ye are now cleansed and purged from these your sins, in that ye are both justified and sanctified: justified, by the power and merits of Christ; sanctified, by the Spirit of our God; applying to you the efficacy of his passion and obedience.

VI. 12. All things are lawful unto me, but all things are not expedient: all things are lawful for me, but I will not be brought under the power of any.

Do not think, that ye may safely take your free scope and liberty in things indifferent: it is true, all things of that nature are lawful to be done, but yet they are not all meet and expedient to be done: we Christians must follow another rule, even of charity also, in the use hereof.

VI. 13. Meats for the belly, and the belly for meats: but God shall destroy both it and them. Now the body is not for fornication, but for the Lord; and the Lord for the body.

It is not for you, to strive about matter of meats: meat is ordained for the filling of the belly, and the belly is ordained to be the receptacle of those meats for the nourishing of the body; but they are, both, of a perishing and transitory condition; not worthy to take up our thoughts, and to be the grounds of contention in God's Church. But, as for fornication, that is of another rank: let no man think, that, as the belly is for meat, so also the body is for fornication: howsoever that sin hath, in the time of your inconversion, been but of slight account, yet know now, that it is a heinous offence against God; for the body is not to be prostituted to lust, but to be consecrated to the Lord; and the Lord challenges the

VOL. IV.

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