An expositon of all St. Pauls epistles together with an explanation of those other epistles of the apostles St. James, Peter, John & Jude : wherein the sense of every chapter and verse is analytically unfolded and the text enlightened. / David Dickson ...

CHAP. III.

TO the former Arguments in the Chapter foregoing, (proving plainness of speech in preaching the Go∣spel) hee adds one, ver. 1, & 2. and in the remaining part of the Chapter passes to the reproving of their Schism.

Vers. 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 yee were not able to bear it, neither yet now are yee able.

Hee takes an argument from the necessity of the hear∣ers, amongst whom are found some less knowing, to whom the height of spiritual things is not only to bee tempered and seasoned with simplicity of speech, but to bee brought down to a familiar and plain manner of speaking; which hee confirms by his own experience, and the example of the Corinthians, amongst whom, as a∣mongst those that were carnal, and Babes in Christ, the Apostle is compelled to descend from his manly kind of speech, and, as with children, to stammer, as it were, a∣bout divine things: Wherefore hee fed them with a more easie and familiar kind of speech, as children are fed with milk.

For yee were not] Hee gives three reasons of this his doing: The first is, because you could not then bear a more perfect manner of Preaching, as stronger meat.

Nor yet] Reason 2. Because neither as yet, when hee wrote these things, were they able to bear it.

Vers. 3. For yee are yet carnal; for whereas there is a∣mong you envying, and strife, and divisions, are yee not carnal, and walk as men?

Reason 3. Because yee are carnal, comparatively, viz. in respect to spiritual perfection, after which you ought to strive; which that hee might prove, hee passes to a reproof of the Schism which sprung up amongst them: First in general, because among them the works of the flesh were manifest, a preposterous ambition, and from that arose contentions, and thence divisions, or Schismes, which was to walk in the wayes of unregenerate and car∣nal men.

Vers. 4. For while one saith, I am of Paul, and another, I am of Apollo, are yee not carnal?

Furthermore in particular hee proves the Corinthians to bee carnal, and more specially taxes them of Schism, because they chose to themselves certain Teachers, from one of whom one would call himself, and from another, another. In the mean time hee forbids them making any

Schism about their Teachers, laying down fourteen Ar∣guments, all which prove, that they ought not to nourish the Schism which was grown up amongst them, neither the Teachers, nor the people.

Are yee not] Argum. 1. This contending about your Teachers, argues that you are carnal: Therefore Schism is not to bee nourished.

Vers. 5. Who then is Paul? and who is Apollo? but Ministers by whom yee beleeved, even as the Lord gave to every man.

Argum. 2. The prime Apostles and Evangelists, not your ordinary Teachers (whose names hee mentions not) are onely the Ministers of your conversion and Faith: Therefore they are not so highly to bee magnified, that you should name your selves from them, and because of them should bee rent into factions: Therefore this Schism is not any further to bee maintained.

Vers. 6. I have planted, Apollo watered, but God gave the encrease.

7. So then, neither is hee that planteth any thing, nei∣ther hee that watereth, but God that giveth the increase.

Argum. 3. The Ministery and labour of the Apostles and Evangelists, whether in conversion, or edification of those that are converted, profits no more (without the blessing of God) than planting or watering of the Gar∣diner, if God give not the increase: Therefore so much honour (that you should glory in them) is not to bee ascribed to men, but God.

Vers. 8. Now hee that planteth, and hee that watereth are one, and every man shall receive his own reward according to his own labour.

Argum. 4. All teachers in office, labour, and inten∣tion ought to bee one: Therefore neither by them, nor for them is the Churc•• to bee rent by Schisms.

Reward] Argum. 5. Every one shall receive his re∣ward according to his work: Therefore it lies upon the Teachers, that they rather attend to their work, and their reward, than to the fomenting of factions.

Vers. 9. For wee are labourers together with God: yee are Gods husbandry, yee are Gods building.

Argum. 6. All Teachers ought to work together with God, and to minister together with him: Therefore Schisms ought not to bee by, or for them.

Husbandry] Argum. 7. They that are the people of God, as a field, or building, ought to bee closely united to one another in the service of God: Therefore ought they not to bee rent into parties one from another.

Vers. 10. According unto the Grace of God which is given unto mee, as a wise Master-builder I have laid the foundation, and another buildeth thereon: but let every man take heed how hee buildeth thereupon.

Argum. 8. Is propounded under the form of an ad∣monition, whereby hee more sharply wounds their am∣bitious Teachers, the authors of Schism, which strove by their boasting of Philosophy and Eloquence, every one to gain Disciples after them: This is the Argument: It is dangerous, lest while each of these ordinary Teachers, serve their own ambition, they build some kind of do∣ctrine upon the Apostles foundation, which agrees not with the foundation: Therefore Schism is not to bee fomented.

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

Hee gives a Reason, why hee directs his admonition onely to their ordinary Teachers, about superstructures, because the summe of all saving doctrine concerning Je∣sus Christ, as the sure and onely foundation, is laid by the Apostles, from which it is not lawful for ordinary or ex∣traordinary Teachers to depart.

Vers. 12. Now if any man build on this foundation, Gold, Silver, precious Stones, Wood, Hay, Stubble:

Therefore hee compares the doctrine of the Gospel to a building, the Apostles to builders, laying the foundation of all saving doctrine: Those Teachers that follow after, hee compares to those that build the walls upon the foun∣dation laid by the Apostles; of whom some taught ••ound doctrine agreeable to the foundation, for the truth of it, and the spiritual manner of handling it; others stuffed their preaching with Philosophical flowers, and the wis∣dome of words, building as it were, Wood, Stubble, Hay, not solid matter, nor tending to salvation.

Vers. 13. Every mans work shall bee made manifest, for the day shall declare it, because it shall bee re∣vealed by fire, and the fire shall try every mans work, of what sort it is.

That they might here know their danger, hee fore-tells the tryal of every ones work in his preaching the Gospel (no less exact, than that of Gold-smiths in trying their metals by fire) at leastwise in the last day, wherein God will judge of all persons and works.

Vers. 14. If any mans work abide which hee hath built thereupon, hee shall receive a reward.

In which day at least, whosoever hath built solid and precious doctrine, agreeable to the foundation, shall re∣ceive a reward of his faithfulness, according to the promi∣ses of God.

Vers. 15. If any mans work shall bee burnt, hee shall suffer loss: but hee himself shall bee saved; yet so, as by fire.

But if any one shall mingle Philosophical speculations, the hay of humane wisdome, the stubble of wordy elo∣quence, with his preaching; or shall add any other devi∣ces of his own, which cannot indure the sentence of di∣vine judgement, hee shall suffer loss of all his labours, but the Preacher shall bee saved, but so as by fire, i. e. if so bee hee is able to abide the fiery and exact tryal of God, whereby hee wi••l accurately separate the sincere from Hypocrites, as the fire purges the rust from the metal: the summe of all is: The Preacher himself shall bee sa∣ved, if otherwise hee bee found sincere in the Faith of Christ.

Vers. 16. Know yee not that yee are the Temple of God, and that the spirit of God dwelleth in you?

Argum. 9. Appertains to preachers, as also hearers, because when they know themselves to bee the Temple of God, it is a wicked thing to defile and do violence to the Church or Temple of God, even their own conscience be∣ing witness: Therefore this Schism is not further to bee fomented, unless they will do injury to the Spirit of God dwelling in them.

Vers. 17. If any man defile the Temple of God, him shall God destroy; for the Temple of God is holy, which Temple yee are.

Argum. 10. From the pernicious effect: It is to bee feared lest God destroy you with your vanities and dissen∣tions, while you defile his Temple: Therefore this Schism is not to bee fomented any further.

Vers. 18. Let no man deceive himself: if any man a∣mong you seemeth to bee wise in this world, let him become a fool, that hee may bee wise.

Argum. 11. Propounded by way of prevention of an Objection, in maintaining this Schism you seem wise to your selves, but your self-confidence deceives you: This is the cause of Schism, and therefore you are to beware of it, and that you may beware of the Schism, hee prescribes the way how they should beware, which is this, that hee which seems to excel in humane wisdome, renounce this vain opinion of his own wisdome, and yeeld up himself in obedience unto God, following the plain manner of Preaching, which though it seem foolishness to men, yet it alone is able to make us wise.

Vers. 19. For the wisdome of this world is foolishness with God: for it is written, Hee taketh the wise in their own craftiness.

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

Hee confirms the counsel that hee had given, from the

judgement of God, concerning carnal wisdome, that God accounts it foolishness, especially when carnal wis∣dome rejects the institutions of God, and despises the sim∣plicity of them, which hee proves by the testimony of the Scriptures, the first is of Iob 5.13. The sense where∣of is, However vain men may seem wise to themselves and the world, yet God so frustrates their devices, and turns them into snares, that they may fall by their own Counsels, rather than by others; and thus hee convinceth them of folly. Another Testimony is in Psal. 94.11. Where God declares the thoughts of the wise to bee vain, which savour onely humane things, for those things which they imagine to make most for their happiness, contribute least.

Vers. 21. Therefore let no man glory in men, for all things are yours.

22. Whether Paul, or Apollo, or Cephas, or the world, or life, or death, or things present, or things to come, all are yours.

Argum. 12. Propounded by way of dehortation from the Schism, which hee reprehended: Because Schism, and making parties concerning their Teachers, is unholy boasting in men: Therefore this Schism is not to bee fomented: They gloried in their Teachers, when they a∣scribed too much to them, depending upon them, and made them (as it were) Masters of their Faith, when they ought onely to depend upon God, who speaks by his Ministers, when, and as much as hee please.

All things] Confirming this dehortation, hee adds Argum. 13. Because all your Teachers, the least and the greatest, even the Apostles themselves, and all things in the world, things present, and things to come, life and death, and whatsoever else can bee reckoned up, are ap∣pointed of God, that they may bee serviceable to the sal∣vation of the faithful: Therefore you ought not for the vain glory of your Teachers, to rent your selves into parties, or boast in your Teachers, as if you were the flock of learned men.

Vers. 23. And yee are Christs, and Christ is Gods.

Argum. 14. The last Argument is in the last verse, wherein calling their Teachers as also the people, and the gifts and dignity of all, to the fountain, hee reduceth them into order, that they might depend upon Christ, and God alone, and in him might make their boast: for as the world is ours, and all things in the world, are designed as it were to our good, so wee are of Christ, re∣deemed by him, that wee might bee his f••ock: For Christ personally considered, is of God, as the most be∣loved Son of the Father, in the work of redemption, humbling himself to the office of a Mediatour, and that to the glory of God, essentially considered. To whom bee glory. Amen.