are called, both Jews and Greeks, Christ the power of 25 God, and the wisdom of God. Because the foolishness of God is wiser than men, and the weakness of God is 26 stronger than men. Behold your calling, brethren: that not many wise men after the flesh, not many mighty, not 27 many noble, are called: But God hath chosen the foolish things of the world, to shame the wise, and the weak things of the world hath God chosen, to shame the things 28 that are mighty: And the base things of the world, and things that are despised, hath God chosen; yea, things that are not, to bring to nought the things that are; 29 That no flesh may glory before God. But of him are ye 30 in Christ Jesus, who is made by God unto us wisdom, and righteousness, and sanctification, and redemption: 31 That as it is written, * He that glorieth, let him glory in the Lord.

CHAP. II. 1. And I, brethren, when I came to you, came not with loftiness of speech or of wisdom, declaring 2 to you the testimony of God. For I determined not to know any thing among you, save Jesus Christ, and him

* Jer. ix. 23, 24.

With his cross, his death, his life, his kingdom. And they experience, first, that he is the power, then that he is the wisdom of God.

V. 25. Because the foolishness of God-The gospel-scheme, which the world judge to be mere foolishness, is wiser than the wisdom of men, and, weak as they account it, stronger than all the strength of men.

V. 26. Behold your calling-What manner of men they are whom God calls; that not many wise men after the flesh-In the account of the world, not mang mighty-Men of power and authority.

V. 28. Things that are not-The Jews frequently called the Gentiles, them that are not, Esdr. vi. 56, 57, in so supreme contempt did they hold them. The things that are-In high esteem.

V. 29. That no flesh-A fit appellation. Flesh is fair, but withering as grass; may glory before God-In God we ought to glory.

V. 30. Of him-Out of his free grace and mercy, are ye-Ingrafted inte Christ Jesus, who is made unto us that believe, wisdom-Who were utterly foolish and ignorant; righteousness-The sole ground of our justification, who were before under the wrath and curse of God; sanctification-A principle of universal holiness, whereas before we were altogether dead in sin; and redemption-That is, complete deliverance from all evil, and eternal bliss both of soul and body.

V. 31. Let him glory in the Lord-Not in himself, not in the flesh, not in the world.

CHAP. II. Ver. 1. And I accordingly came to you, not with loftiness of speech or of wisdom-I did not affect either deep wisdom or eloquence, declaring the testimony of God-What God gave me to testify concerning his Son.

V. 2. I determined not to know any thing-To wave all my other knowledge, and not to preach any thing, save Jesus Christ, and him crucified-That is, what he did, suffered, taught. A part is put for the whole.

3 crucified. And I was with you in weakness, and in fear, 4 and in much trembling. And my speech and my preach

ing was not with the persuasive words of human wisdom, but with the demonstration of the Spirit and of power; 5 That your faith might not stand in the wisdom of men, but in the power of God.

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Yet we speak wisdom among the perfect: but not the wisdom of this world, nor of the rulers of this world, that 7 come to nought: But we speak the hidden wisdom of God in a mystery, which God ordained before the world 8 for our glory; Which none of the rulers of this world knew; for had they known it, they would not have 9 crucified the Lord of glory. But as it is written, * Eye hath not seen, nor hath ear heard, neither hath it entered into the heart of man, what things God hath prepared for 10 them that love him: But God hath revealed them to us

* Isaiah lxiv. 4.

V. 3. And I was with you-At my first entrance, in weakness Of body, 2 Cor. xii. 7, and in fear-Lest I should offend any, and in much tremblingThe emotion of my mind affecting my very body.

V. 4. And my speech in private, as well as my public preaching, was not with the persuasive words of human wisdom-Such as the wise men of the world use; but with the demonstration of the Spirit and of power-With that powerful kind of demonstration, which flows from the Holy Spirit; which works on the conscience, with the most convincing light, and the most persuasive evidence. V. 5. That your faith might not be built on the wisdom or power of man, but on the wisdom and power of God.

V. 6. Yet we speak wisdom-Yea, the truest and most excellent wisdom, among the perfect-Adult, experienced Christians. By wisdom here he seems to mean, not the whole Christian doctrine, but the most sublime and abstruse parts of it. But not the wisdom admired and taught by the men of this world, nor of the rulers of this world-Jewish or heathen, that come to nought-Both they and their wisdom, and the world itself.

V.7. But we speak the mysterious wisdom of God, which was hidden for many ages from all the world, and is still hidden even from babes in Christ; much more from all unbelievers. Which God ordained before the world-So far is this from coming to nought, like worldly wisdom. For our glory-Arising from the glory of our Lord, and then to be revealed, when all worldly glory vanishes.

V. 8. Had they known it-That wisdom, they would not have crucifiedPunished as a slave, the Lord of glory-The giving Christ this august title, peculiar to the great Jehovah, plainly shews him to be the supreme God. In like manner the Father is styled, The Father of glory, Eph. i. 17, and the Holy Ghost, The Spirit of glory, 1 Pet. iv. 14. The application of this title to all three, shews that the Father, Son, and Holy Ghost, are the God of glory, as the only true God is called, Ps. xxix. 3, and Acts vii. 2.

V. 9. But this ignorance of theirs fulfils what is written concerning the blessings of the Messiah's kingdom. No natural man hath either seen, heard, or known, the things which God hath prepared, saith the prophet, for them that love him.

V. 10. But God hath revealed (yea, and freely given, ver. 12,) them to us— Even inconceivable peace, and joy unspeakable, by his Spirit-Who intimately and fully knows them: for the Spirit searcheth even the deep things of God

by his Spirit; for the Spirit searcheth all things, even the 11 deep things of God. For what man knoweth the things of a man, but the spirit of a man which is in him? So the things of God also knoweth no one, but the Spirit of 12 God. Now we have received, not the spirit of the world, but the Spirit which is of God, that we may know the 13 things which are freely given to us of God. Which also we speak, not in words taught by human wisdom, but in those taught by the Spirit, explaining spiritual things by 14 spiritual words. But the natural man receiveth not the things of the Spirit: for they are foolishness to him: neither can he know them, because they are spiritually 15 discerned. But the spiritual man discerneth indeed all things, yet he himself is discerned by no man. * For who hath known the mind of the Lord, that he may instruct him? But we have the mind of Christ.

CHAP. III. 1. And I, brethren, could not speak to you as unto spiritual, but as unto carnal, as unto babes

* Isaiah xl. 13.

Be they ever so hidden and mysterious; the depths both of his nature and his kingdom.

V. 11. For what man knoweth the things of a man-All the inmost recesses of his mind: although men are all of one nature, and so may the more easily know one another. So the things of God knoweth no one but the Spirit-Who consequently is God.

V. 12. Now we have received not the spirit of the world-This spirit is not properly received. For the men of the world always had it. But Christians receive the Spirit of God, which before they had not.

V. 13. Which also we speak, as well as know, in words taught by the Holy Spirit-Such as are all the words of Scripture. How high a regard ought we, then, to retain for them! Explaining spiritual things by spiritual words-Or, adapting spiritual words to spiritual things-Being taught of the Spirit to express the things of the Spirit.

V. 14. But the natural man-That is, every man who hath not the Spirit, who has no other way of obtaining knowledge, but by his senses and natural understanding, receiveth not-Does not understand or conceive, the things of the Spirit-The things revealed by the Spirit of God, whether relating to his nature or his kingdom: For they are foolishness to him-He is so far from understanding, that he utterly despises them. Neither can he know them-As he has not the will, so neither has he the power; because they are spiritually discerned-They can only be discerned by the aid of that Spirit, and by those spiritual senses, which he has not.

V. 15. But the spiritual man-He that hath the Spirit, discerneth all the things of God whereof we have been speaking, yet he himself is discerned by no man-No natural men. They neither understand what he is, nor what he says.

V. 16. Who What natural men. We-Spiritual men, apostles in particular; have-Know, understand, the mind of Christ-Concerning the whole plan of gospel-salvation.

CHAP. III. Ver. 1. And I, brethren-He spoke before, chap. ii. 1, of his

2 in Christ. I fed you with milk, not with meat; for ye 3 were not able to bear it: nor are ye now able. For ye

are still carnal: for while there is among you emulation, and strife, and divisions, are ye not carnal, and walk 4 according to man? For while one saith, I am of Paul, and another, I am of Apollos; are ye not carnal?

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Who then is Paul, and who is Apollos, but ministers by whom ye believed, even as the Lord gave to every 6 man? I planted, Apollos watered; but God gave the 7 increase. So then, neither is he that planteth any thing,

nor he that watereth: but God that giveth the increase. 8 But he that planteth and he that watereth are one; and

every one shall receive his own reward, according to his 9 own labour. For we are fellow-labourers of God: ye 10 are God's husbandry, ye are God's building. According

entrance, now of his progress among them; could not speak to you as unto spiritual-Adult, experienced Christians; but as unto men who were still in great measure carnal; as unto babes in Christ-Still weak in grace, though eminent in gifts, chap. i. 5.

V. 2. I fed you as babes with milk-The first and plainest truths of the gospel. So should every preacher suit his doctrine to his hearers.

V. 3. For while there is among you emulation in your hearts, stife in your words, and actual divisions, are ye not carnal, and walk according to man-As mere men? not as Christians, according to God.

: V. 4. I am of Apollos-St. Paul named himself and Apollos, to shew that he would condemn any division among them, even though it were in favour of himself, or the dearest friend he had in the world. Are ye not carnal-For the Spirit of God allows no party zeal.

V. 5. Ministers-Or servants, by whom ye believed; as the Lord-The master of those servants, gave to every man.

V. 7. God that giveth the increase-Is all in all; without him neither plauting nor watering avails.

V. 8. But he that planteth and he that watereth are one-Which is another argument against division. Though their labours are different, they are all employed in one general work, the saving of souls. Hence he takes occasion to speak of the reward of them that labour faithfully, and the awful account to be given by all. Every one shall receive his own peculiar reward, according to his own peculiar labour-Not only according to his success: but he who labours much, though with small success, shall have a great reward.

Has not all this reasouing the same force still? Ministers are still barely instruments in God's hand, and depend as entirely as ever on his blessing, to give the increase to their labours. Without this, they are nothing; with it, their part is so small, that they hardly deserve to be mentioned. May their hearts and hands be more united! And, retaining a due sense of the honour God doth them in employing them, may they faithfully labour, not as for themselves, but for the great Proprietor of all, till the day come when he will reward them in full proportion to their fidelity and diligence.

V. 9. For we are fellow-labourers God's labourers, and fellow-labourers with each other. Ye are God's husbandry-This is the sum of what went before it is a comprehensive word, taking in both a field, a garden, and a vineyard. Ye are God's building-This is the sum of what follows.

V. 10. According to the grace of God given to me-This he premises, lest lie

to the grace of God given to me, as a wise master-builder I have laid the foundation, and another buildeth thereon; but let every one take heed how he buildeth thereon. 11 For other foundation can no man lay, than what is laid, 12 which is Jesus Christ: And if any one build on this

foundation, gold, silver, costly stones; wood, hay, stubble, 13 Every one's work shall be made manifest; for the day

shall declare it: for it is revealed by fire; yea, the fire 14 shall try every one's work, of what sort it is. If any one's work which he hath built thereon shall remain, he 15 shall receive a reward. If any one's work shall be burnt,

he shall suffer loss, but himself shall be saved, yet so as 16 through the fire. Know ye not, that ye are the temple of 17 God, and the Spirit of God dwelleth in you? If any man

destroy the temple of God, him shall God destroy; for

should seem to ascribe it to himself. Let every one take heed how he buildeth thereon-That all his doctrines may be consistent with the foundation.

V. 11. For other foundation-On which the whole church, and all its doctrines, duties, and blessings, may be built; can no man lay than what is laid-In the counsels of divine wisdom, in the promises and prophecies of the Old Testament, in the preaching of the apostles, St. Paul in particular; which is Jesus Christ Who, in his person and offices, is the firm, immovable Rock of ages, every way sufficient to bear all the weight that God himself, or the sinner, when he believes, can lay upon him.

V. 12. If any one build gold, silver, costly stones-Three sorts of materials which will bear the fire; true and solid doctrines: wood, hay, stubble-Three which will not bear the fire. Such are all doctrines, ceremonies, and forms, of human invention, all but the substantial, vital truths of Christianity.

V. 13. The time is coming, when every one's work shall be made manifest: for the day of the Lord, that great and final day, shall declare it to all the world. For it is revealed-What faith beholds as so certain and so near, is spoken of as already present: by fire; yea, the fire shall try every one's work, of what sort it is-The strict process of that day will try every man's doctrines, whether they come up to the Scripture standard or not. Here is a plain allusion to the flaming light and consuming heat of the general conflagration, But the expression, when applied to the trying of doctrines, and consuming those that are wrong, is evidently figurative; because no material fire can have such an effect on what is of a moral nature. And therefore it is added, he who builds wood, hay, or stubble, shall be saved as through the fire-Or, as narrowly as a man escapes through the fire, when his house is all in flames about him.

This text, then, is so far from establishing the Romish purgatory, that it utterly overthrows it. For the fire here mentioned does not exist till the day of judgment: therefore, if this be the fire of purgatory, it follows, that purgatory does not exist before the day of judgment.

V. 14. He shall receive a reward-A peculiar degree of glory. Some degree even the other will receive, seeing he held the foundation, though through ignorance he built thereon what would not abide the fire.

V. 15. He shall suffer loss-The loss of a peculiar degree of glory,

V. 16. Ye-All Christians, are the temple of God-The most noble kind of building, ver. 9.

V. 17. If any man destroy the temple of God-Destroy a real Christian, by schisms or doctrines fundamentally wrong, him shall God destroy-He shall not be saved at all; not even as through the fire.

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