1 Corinthians 4

1 Corinthians 4:1

LEt a man so account of us] He concludeth the duty of the hearers towards their Ministers, that they esteeme them not as Lords, and yet notwithstanding that they give eare unto them, as to them that are sent to them from Christ, to this end, that they may receive as it were at their hands the precious pearle of salvation, which is drawn out of Gods treasury. By the mysteries of God, he understandeth the chiefe heads of Christian doctrin, which are hidden to the naturall man, as also the Sacraments of the new Testament, which the Ancients call, 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉. dreadfull mysteries.

and stewards] Or, dispensers.

1 Corinthians 4:2

found faithfull] That they keep nothing back from the people of God, but reveale unto them his whole counsell, that they deale faithfully with them in all things, that they may render a good account of their Stewardship at the great Audit. Now although there are other vertues required in a steward, as skill, and industry, and providence; yet the Apostle only nameth faithfulnesse, because that is the chiefe, and best served his purpose to beat down the pride of their Teachers, who boasted of the goods committed to them, as if they were their own and not their Masters.

1 Corinthians 4:3

with me] Gr. to me.

a very small thing] Gr. a matter of least moment.

mans judgement] Gr. day. Word for word, mans day, after the manner of the speech of the Cilicians, as S. Ierome noteth, it is metonymia adjunct taken from set dayes appointed for judicature, and it seemeth to be spoken in opposition to Dies Domini, the Lords day, which is the great Day of Judgement, to which the Apostle appeales, from all dayes set by men in this world.

I judge not mine own self] How can ye judge how much, or how little I am to be accounted of, seeing that I my self, who know my self better then you do, and dare professe that I have walked in my vocation with a good conscience, dare not yet challenge any thing to my self?

1 Corinthians 4:4

I know nothing by my self] Not simply, no sinne. For in many things we offend all; and he that saith he hath no sinne deceiveth himself, and there is no truth in him, 1 John 1:8. But his meaning is, my conscience cleares me from negligence and unfaithfulnesse in the function of my ministery: yet am I not thereby justified, that is, this doth not acquit me before God, in such sort, as that I may challenge to my self the praise or reward of a faithfull and absolute just Steward, who hath perfectly in every point discharged the trust reposed in him, but he that judgeth me is the Lord, that is, I permit my selfe to his judgement.

hereby justified] Gr. in that.

1 Corinthians 4:5

Therefore judge nothing before the time] See Matthew 7:1. Rom. 2. 1

praise of God] Gr. praise shall be to every man from God. According to his faithfulnesse and diligence in his ministeriall function. Some no doubt shall receive dispraise: yet he mentioneth rather praise then dispraise, for that the vice which he here reproveth in the Corinthians, was, that they gave more praise to some then to others, odiously extolling some to the disparagement of himself and others, who deserved as well or perhaps better then they.

1 Corinthians 4:6

I have in a figure transferred to my self] In this reproof of your partialitie, I have represented the head and spring thereof unto you, under the name of us the Apostles, 1 Corinthians 1:12. 1 Corinthians 3:4. by a figurative speech, not as if indeed we had anypart therein, but to spare the guiltie Pastours, and to teach them by our example, to pluck up the root of the evill, which is, that affectation of humane knowledge and eloquence (whereby they indeavoured to draw many followers after them) and to conforme themselves to the perpetuall style of the holy Ghost, and the Scriptures, as we our selves do continually, whereby all matter and occasion of schisme and rent will be taken away.

for your sakes] Lest I should offend you, if I should taxe those Teachers by name: Or, to instruct you aright how you ought to carry your selves, in regard of your Teachers, and in what esteem you ought to have them.

to think] Or, to be wise.

above that which is written] Either written before by us concerning this, or written throughout the word of God, which in many places commendeth to the Pastours of the Church, humilitie and unitie. Or the meaning is, let none be wise above that which is written, let none presume to adde to the doctrin of the Scriptures, or adulterate the same by vain conceits, discourses, or affected straines of mans wisdome or eloquence.

puffed up] Pride in the soule is like a tumour or swelling in the body; his meaning therefore is, that the Corinthians should not be proud for the excellencie of their Pastours, whom they sided withall, to the prejudice of other Pastours & their followers.

1 Corinthians 4:7

who maketh thee to differ] Gr. distinguisheth thee. That is, who hath preferred thee either in gifts or place; who hath given thee the preminence which thou affectest, or by whom wert thou chosen from among the rest of the Church to this high and excellent calling? doth it not proceed from God and his grace, and not from men? therefore be thou humble, and endeavour rather to serve God, then to please mens humours. And as it is seemeth chiefly to be directed to the teachers, so it may be applyed to every member of the Church, who is converted to the faith of Christ, and made partaker of any spiritual gifts. As if he should say; It is God that by his grace doth make thee to differ from another man, and not the Teacher; for albeit Paul plant, and Apollo water, yet God alone gives the increase.

what hast thou that thou didst not receive] Though the words have a speciall reference to the eminent gifts whereby one Pastour differed from another among the Corinthians; yet they are generall, and parallell to those words of S. James, Every goof gift, and every perfect gift is from above, and descendeth from the Father of lights, Chap. 1. vers. 17. and are rightly applyed by the Synod of Arausica, and S. Austine de correp. & grat. c. 7. & ep. 46. & l. 2. de pec. merit. c. 18. & Cyp. l. 3. testim. & Gennadius, Prosper, and others, to prove against the Pelagians, that every good motion of our will is from God, and that the desire of grace is from grace; and consequently that election is not upon foreseen works, or faith, but meerly depends upon the free love of God in Christ.

1 Corinthians 4:8

Now ye are full] You perswade your selves now that ye are in happy condition, and that ye want nothing more of spirituall gifts, and for that extoll your selves above all others, as a King in his Kingdome: Or, you carry your selves securely, as in a peaceable Kingdom, whereas we are exposed to all fear and danger; which the Apostle speaketh by way of an Ironicall reproof, to make way for his following exhortation to humilitie, exemplified by himself, and his mean condition. See the like, Revelation 3:19.

and I would to God ye did reign] To wit, in deed and truth. The Apostle continueth his Ironie, and his meaning is, You are indeed in a far happier case and more excellent condition then we poor Apostles, that are distressed, persecuted, and despised of the world; we have good reason to wish to be partakers of your blessings and comforts, in regard that we live like miserable prisoners, looking every hour to be called to execution, after they have been ignominiously led about through the Market places, and made publike spectacles of misery and scorn.

1 Corinthians 4:9

set forth us the apostles last] By the last, the Apostle meaneth those who in the Roman theaters were called meredionarii, who had long fought with men or beasts, & escaping with their lives, were in the end disarmed, and having no Bucklers nor Helmets, were appointed tobe slaughtered one of another, In quorum spectaculis satis erat (saith Seneca) quod interficerentur.

appointed to death] Or, designed for death.

spectacle] Gr. theatre.

1 Corinthians 4:10

We are fools for Christs sake] Either these words are spoken by an Ironie, as Oecumenius conceiveth, or they may be taken properly, and then they carry this sense, We are fools in the opinion of the world, and yours, because for Christs sake and the Gospels we expose our selves to manifold troubles and dangers; but you are wise, who so preach Christ that yet ye hazard no limb for him, nor incurre any danger of your persons or estates.

despised] Gr. without honour.

1 Corinthians 4:12

And labour, &c.] See Acts 20:34. 1 Thesse. 2. 9. 2 Thesse. 3. 8.

working with our own hands] For S. Paul (as we read, Acts 18:3.) exercised a handy-craft, and wrought with Aquila, their occupation being tent-making; and this he did sometimes for necessitie, sometimes that he might not be burthensome to any, to whom he preached the Gospel, for his maintenance, 2 Thessalonians 3:8. But here in mentioning it he seemeth secretly to tax the Corinthians, who were rich and very bountifull to other teachers, yet suffered the Apostles to be in want, and to relieve themselves by their hard labour.

1 Corinthians 4:13

defamed] Gr. Tec. hard, or, evill spoken of. Matthew 5:44.

intreat] Gr. call unto, or, exhort.

1 Corinthians 4:14

I warn you] Gr. Tec. warning you.

1 Corinthians 4:15

For though you have ten thousand instructers in Christ] Word for word, Schoolmasters; whereby he puts a difference between himself and their present teachers; they like Schoolmasters, taught for their hire, he freely; they imperiously, he tenderly, like a father, who begot them to Christ through the Gospel.

1 Corinthians 4:16

followers] Gr. imitatours.

1 Corinthians 4:17

shall bring] Or, will bring.

my wayes] What way and rule I follow every where in teaching the Churches, or my course of life, or manner of conversation, that they might follow it, as he exhorteth them, vers. 16.

1 Corinthians 4:18

I would not come to you] Or, I were not coming to you.

1 Corinthians 4:19

But, &c.] Acts 19:21. He descendeth to Apostolicall threatnings, yet chiding them as a father, lest bytheir disorder he be constrained to come to punish some among them.

if the Lord will] See James 4:15.

not the speech of them] Not their boasting words, or their painted or coloured kinde of eloquence, against which he setteth the virtue of the Spirit; but the power, that is the efficacy of their preaching, powerfully working in the hearts of the hearers.

1 Corinthians 4:21

shall I come unto you with a rod] He might have said, with a sword, to wit, of Excommunication, which he brandisheth in the next Chapter, therewith cutting off the incestuous Corinthian; but because before he had styled himself their father, and he bare the tender affection of a father towards them, he rather expresseth the severity he was to use among them, by the metaphor of a rod, wherewith a father chasteneth his sonne, to breake him of some ill qualitie or misdemeanour, then of the sword, or any other.