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wise, and will bring to nothing the understanding of the Ephesus.

prudent.

20 Where is the wise? where is the scribe? where is the disputer of this world? hath not God made foolish the wisdom of this world?

21 For after that, in the wisdom of God, the world by wisdom knew not God, it pleased God by the foolishness of preaching to save them that believe.

22 For the Jews require a sign, and the Greeks seek after wisdom.

23 But we preach Christ crucified, unto the Jews a stumbling-block, and unto the Greeks foolishness;

24 But unto them which are called, both Jews and Greeks, Christ the power of God, and the wisdom of God.

25 Because the foolishness of God is wiser than men ; and the weakness of God is stronger than men.

26 For ye see your calling, brethren, how that not many wise men after the flesh, not many mighty, not many noble, are called:

27 But God hath chosen the foolish things of the world, to confound the wise; and God hath chosen the weak things of the world, to confound the things which are mighty;

28 And base things of the world, and things which are despised, hath God chosen, yea, and things which are not, to bring to nought things that are;

29. That no flesh should glory in his presence.

30 But of him are ye in Christ Jesus, who of God is made unto us wisdom, and righteousness, and sanctification, and redemption:

31 That, according as it is written, He that glorieth, let him glory in the Lord.

§ 5. 1 Cor. ii. 1—5.

St. Paul declares, that when he preached the Gospel to
them, unlike their false Teachers he adorned it with no
human Learning or Eloquence, but that his Arguments
were drawn from the Testimony of Divine Revelation,
confirmed by the power of Miracles-therefore their Faith
should not be founded on the Wisdom or Philosophy of
Men.

1 And I, brethren, when I came to you, came not with
excellency of speech or of wisdom, declaring unto you the
testimony of God:

2 For I determined not to know any thing among you, save Jesus Christ, and him crucified.

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

4 And my speech and my preaching was not with en

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

§ 6. 1 Cor. ii. 6. to the end.

The Apostle next shews, that although he uses not worldly
Wisdom, the Corinthians have no cause to glory in their
false Teachers, for he (St. Paul) speaks the hidden
Mystery of God revealed to him by the Spirit, which no
human Industry or Study could attain to; and declares
to them by the preaching of the Holy Ghost, the deep
Things of God, which can be revealed only by the Spirit
of God, and cannot even be received by the natural or
animal Man, who has no other help but his human Facul-

ties.

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;

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

8 Which none of the princes of this world knew: for had they known it, they would not have crucified the Lord of glory.

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.

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

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

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.

13 Which things also we speak, not in the words which man's wisdom teacheth, but which the Holy Ghost teacheth; comparing spiritual things with spiritual.

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.

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

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

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§ 7. 1 COR. iii. 1. to part of ver. 10.

Vulgar Era, St. Paul shews that Divisions in a Church, arising from the Opinions of the People on the various Qualifications of their Ministers, are destructive of Spirituality.

1 And I, brethren, could not speak unto you as unto spiritual, but as unto carnal, even as unto babes in Christ. 2 I have fed you with milk, and not with meat: for hitherto ye were not able to bear it, neither yet now are ye able.

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

4 For while one saith, I am of Paul; and another, I am of Apollos; are ye not carnal?

5 Who then is Paul, and who is Apollos, but ministers by whom ye believed, even as the Lord gave to every

man?

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

7 So then neither is he that planteth any thing, neither he that watereth; but God that giveth the increase.

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

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

10 According to the grace of God which is given unto me, as a wise master-builder, I have laid the foundation, and another buildeth thereon.

§ 8. 1 COR. iii. part of ver. 10-15.

Jesus Christ the only Foundation of Christianity-those
who build upon this Foundation are cautioned to take
heed, as they must pass a severe Examination-the
Teacher who has introduced false Doctrines, will see his
Converts fall away in the Time of Persecution, as Wood,
Hay, and Stubble in the Fire, escaping themselves
with difficulty-On the other hand, with those who have
built upon this Foundation sound and good Doctrine,
their Converts, like Silver and Gold, will pass through
the Trial of Fire, and the Teacher himself will receive the
Reward of his Labours.

10 But let every man take heed how he buildeth there-
upon.

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

12 Now if any man build upon this foundation gold, silver, precious stones, wood, hay, stubble;

13 Every man's work shall be made manifest: for the

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

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

§ 9. 1 Cor. iii. 16. to the end.

St. Paul declares, that the Teacher who wilfully introduces
false Doctrine into the Church will be destroyed, how-
ever successful in his attempt-The Wisdom of this World
is Folly in the Sight of God, therefore they should not glory
in their Teachers nor their boasted Philosophy, making
Divisions in the Church-The true Glory of a Christian
is in Christ, who is God's, through whom alone we obtain
the Promises of Salvation, which cannot be given by the
Preachers of the Gospel.

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

17 If any man defile the temple of God, him shall God destroy; for the temple of God is holy, which temple ye

are.

18 Let no man deceive himself. If any man among you seemeth to be wise in this world, let him become a fool, that he may be wise.

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

20 And again, The Lord knoweth the thoughts of the wise, that they are vain.

21 Therefore let no man glory in men: for all things are your's :

22 Whether Paul, or Apollos, or Cephas, or the world, or life, or death, or things present, or things to come; all are your's;

23 And ye are Christ's; and Christ is God's.

§ 10. 1 COR. iv. 1-5.

The Apostles, as Servants of Christ, are required to dis-
pense the Mysteries of the Gospel as Men were prepared
to receive them-In vindication of the Censure passed
upon him by the false Teachers, for not having instruct-
ed the Corinthians in the deeper Doctrines of Chris-
tianity, St. Paul declares it is of little moment to be
condemned by Man's Judgment; for God alone can
judge righteously, to whom only the Secrets of the
Hearts are known-He exhorts them, therefore, not to
pass Judgment on their spiritual Instructors.

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

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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:

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

5 Therefore judge nothing before the time, until the Lord come, who both will bring to light the hidden things of darkness, and will make manifest the counsels of the hearts and then shall every man have praise of God.

§ 11. 1 Cor. iv. 6—13.

St. Paul declares he has made use of his own Name, and
that of Apollos, that they might learn not to think too
highly of their separate Leaders, and so become puffed
up with Anger and Contempt for each other-St. Paul
and Apollos were only the Servants of Christ, by whose
Ministry the Christians had believed-They disclaimed
all Titles and Distinctions among them, that by their
Example the Corinthians might learn not to esteem their
Teachers above what he had written-The Apostle then
addresses Himself to the false Teachers-The former are
called igonrant and foolish, because they preach the first
Article of the Christian Faith; while the false Teachers,
from their Speculations and Traditions, are considered wise
Men, and Philosophers-The Apostles are despised-
They are honoured-The Apostles are exposed to every
kind of Danger, while they are in the full Enjoyment of
Affluence and every Comfort.

6 And these things, brethren, I have in a figure trans-
ferred 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.

7 For who maketh thee to differ from another? and what hast thou that thou didst not receive? Now if thou didst receive it, why dost thou glory, as if thou hadst not received it?

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.

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.

10 We are fools for Christ's sake, but ye are wise in Christ: we are weak, but ye are strong: ye are honourable, but we are despised.

11 Even unto this present hour we both hunger and