best of them, as having been trained up at the feet of a learned master; yet I resolved to let go all that secular skill, and so to bear myself amongst you, as if I knew nothing else in the world but Christ and him crucified.

II. 3. And I was with you in weakness, and in fear, and in much trembling.

And I was amongst you in much meekness and humility; in manifold infirmities; in much awe of that great and weighty charge, which I sustained ; in much fear of those many and spiteful machinations of mine enemies against me.

II. 4. And my speech and my preaching was not with enticing words of man's wisdom, but in demonstration of the Spirit and of power :

And my speech, both in my private exhortations and in my public preachings, was not curiously plausible, as if I would win with words of human eloquence and wit; but in plain and powerful expressions of God's Spirit, speaking in me, and working in you by me.

II. 5. That your faith should not stand in the wisdom of men, but in the power of God.

That so your faith might not rest and depend upon, or appear to be wrought by, the force of man's persuasion or wisdom, but by the mighty power of God's Spirit.

II. 6. Howbeit we speak wisdom among them that are perfect: yet not the wisdom of this world, nor of the princes of this world, that come to nought :

Yet, let no man think it is out of our disability, that we speak not in these high strains of wisdom, which others so much wonder at: for both we can and do speak deep points of wisdom and divine knowledge, amongst them that are attained to a meet perfection of skill to conceive it; yet not points of carnal and secular wisdom, such as the world admires, and the great men of this world, who vanish and come to nothing, are wont to affect :

II. 7. But we speak the wisdom of God in a mystery, even the hidden wisdom, which God ordained before the world unto our glory:

But we speak divine wisdom, even the deep mysteries of the Gospel of God, which he hath hid from the eyes of the world ; even that, which concerns the Salvation of man, by his Son Jesus Christ manifested in the flesh: which Gospel of his was ordained by him before the world was, as the means to bring us to his glory:

II. 8. Which none of the princes of this world knew : for had they known it, &c.

Which none of the great rulers of this world, Herod, Pilate, the High Priests, and the other Governors of Judea knew; for had they known it, &c.

II. 9. But as it is written, Eye hath not seen, nor ear heard, neither have entered into the heart of man, the things which God hath prepared for them that love him.

But herein also hath God made good that of the prophet Isaiah; The eye hath not seen, &c. the things that God hath prepared for them that love him; and therefore these spiritual blessings, of remission of sins and salvation by Christ, are things far beyond the reach and apprehension of the eyes, and ears, and hearts of the men of this world.

II. 10. But God hath revealed them unto us by his Spirit : for the Spirit searcheth all things, yea the deep things of God.

But God hath vouchsafed to reveal them unto us by his Spirit; having, by the power thereof, illuminated our minds, to see these great things of God; for the Spirit of God alone is he, that doth fully know, and is able to reveal them unto us: He only knoweth all things, and particularly the deepest mysteries of God's eternal counsel, and proceedings with men.

II. 11. For what man knoweth the things of a man, save the spirit of a man which is in him? even so the things of God knoweth no man, but the Spirit of God.

For, as it is with men, so it is with God also: what man knoweth a man's secret thoughts, but only himself, and his own soul or spirit ? even so, the secret counsels and mysteries of God can none know, but the Spirit of God only.

II. 12. Now we have received, not the spirit of the world, but the Spirit which is of God; that we might know the things that are freely given to us of God.

Now, this Spirit of God is that, which we have received : we, that are his regenerate children, are partakers, not of that spirit wherewith worldly men are led and carried, but of that good Spirit which is of God; that we might, by his illumination and grace, know and apprehend the great, spiritual, and heavenly blessings of forgiveness and salvation, that are freely given to us of God.

II. 13. Comparing spiritual things with spiritual.

Fitting spiritual things with plain and simple spiritual expressions; and not uttering spiritual things, in a carnal and affected fashion.

II. 14. But the natural man receiveth not the things of the Spirit of God: for they are foolishness unto him: neither can he know them, because they are spiritually discerned.

But the man, that is merely natural and unregenerate, receiveth not these divine mysteries of the Spirit of God : for they seem to be mere foolishness unto him, who is nothing but flesh and blood; neither indeed can he, while he continues in that condition, know or conceive them, because they are to be discerned by spiritual eyes, which he hath not.

II. 15. But he that is spiritual judgeth all things, yet he himself is judged of no man.

But he, that is renewed by the Spirit of God, knoweth, and apprehendeth, and rightly judgeth of all these spiritual things; yet he himself is judged of no carnal man, so as that his knowledge in these divine matters can be controlled or censured by him.

II. 16. For who hath known the mind of the Lord, that he may instruct him? But we have the mind of Christ.

For the counsel and will of God is hid from carnal minds; so as the prophet might well ask, Who hath known the mind of the Lord, that he may instruct him? But as for us, we, that be his renewed and faithful ones, we have the will of Christ clearly revealed unto us.

III. 1. And I, brethren, could not speak unto you as unto spiritual, but as unto carnal, even as unto babes in Christ.

And I, brethren, howsoever I may be taxed and despised by some, as if I only spake unto you plain and vulgar things, must tell you that I purposely did so, that I might frame my speech to your apprehension: for I could not speak unto you, as to men already regenerate, but as to carnal men; novices in Christianity; babes in Christ.

III. 2. I have fed you with milk, and not with meat. I did therefore, as was meet, feed you accordingly with the milk of the first principles of religion, not with the strong meat of harder and higher doctrines.

III. 3. For ye are yet carnal: for whereas there is among you envying, and strife, and divisions, are ye not yet carnal, and walk as men ?

For, howsoever ye may be well conceited of yourselves, the truth is, ye are yet carnal: whereof you shall be clearly convinced by your effects; for, while there are among you envyings, and strifes, and factious divisions, are ye not carnal ? and carry yourselves, not as Christians, but as men?

II. 4. For while one saith, I am of Paul; and another, I am of Apollos. See chap. i. verse 12.

III. 6. I have planted, Apollos watered; but God gave the increase.

I have been the first that laid the grounds of religion amongst you, and planted the Church at Corinth: Apollos came after me, and seconded my holy endeavours with you; but it was God, that gave success to both our labours, and wrought upon your hearts an increase of grace thereby.

III. 8. Now he that planteth and he that watereth are one : and every man shall receive his own reward according to his own labour.

Now he, that first planteth, and he, that afterwards watereth,

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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. IO. 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.

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· 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 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,

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