1 Corinthians 4

4. Do you have grace, be humble; you have it not of your own growth, it is borrowed. Were it not a folly to be proud of a ring that is lent (1 Corinthians 4:7)? You have more sin than grace, spots, than beauty.

Put your tears into your bottle. When the secrets of all hearts shall be opened, God will make an honorable mention of the zeal and devotion of his people, and he himself will be the herald of their praises (1 Corinthians 4:5). Then shall every man have praise of God.

1. We must stop our ears to Arminian teachers, who place the chief power in the will, as if that were the helm that turns about the soul in conversion. 1 Corinthians 4:7: Who makes you to differ from another? Ego me ipsum discerno, said Grevinchovius, I have made myself to diffe…

Thus you see the dignity of such as have God for their Father. What a comfort is this to God's children, who are here despised and loaded with calumnies and invectives (1 Corinthians 4:14): We are made as the filth of the world, etc. But God will put honor upon his children at t…

Thirdly, there are spiritual fathers, as pastors and ministers. These are the instruments of the new birth (1 Corinthians 4:15): Though you have ten thousand instructors, yet you have not many fathers, for in Christ Jesus I have begotten you through the gospel. The spiritual fat…

It was fitting that he only should take upon him to reward, who only could know the principles of all actions, in which the chief of the good or evil in the action lies. This is the great glory of God and Christ at the day of judgment, that they will discover the secrets of all…

And though as Saint James says, They justify our faith, and make us just before men, James 2:21: Yet can they not justify us before God's Justice; nor, at the bar of the last Judgment, will they pass for payment. Saint Paul says, 1 Corinthians 4:4. I know nothing by myself, yet…

A Christian man can never have greater honor than to suffer for the gospel of Christ when God calls him to that: and therefore Saint Paul sets forth another most glorious show which all those must make that suffer any thing for God's cause. They must encounter with the world, th…

4. Branch. See the different esteem that God has of the righteous, and that men have of them: The men of the world esteem lightly of the saints; they disdain them, and scarce allow them half an eye; they think, of all things the people of God may be best spared. They look upon t…

Your condition is not singular; though you have hitherto been strangers to wants, other saints have daily conversed with and been familiarly acquainted with them. Hear what blessed Paul speaks — not of himself only, but in the name of other saints reduced to like extremities (1…

In this we say that God is the efficient cause, and so we may take the words, By his knowledge shall my righteous servant justify many; actively, and efficiently to look to Christ, as having this power, as He is God; which is proper to God alone, as is clear (Romans 8:34): It is…

Some immediate sense of God, and working of the Holy Spirit, on the soul of the child of God, witnessing to me in particular, that I am the child of God, I deny not, and that my name expressly is not in Scripture, is as true; but this testimony excludes not the Scripture, as if…

First, it applies itself against the Church of Rome; first, who maintain that men in the state of nature have free will to lay hold upon Christ, and they conceive it is upon very fair terms; but I would only demand of you this question, whether when they do lay hold on Christ (a…

Therein stands our blessedness, when the Lord imputes not sin to us, but if we look to be justified either by the gifts of grace we have received, or by the works and acts of grace that we have performed, we shall certainly fall short. Paul knew nothing wherein he had dealt unfa…

4. Because they are witnesses of the obedience and fidelity of Christ's disciples, and so far as God permits, they cannot but assist them in their conflicts. Thus Paul (1 Corinthians 4:9): We are made a spectacle to the world, and to angels and to men. Now the angels, that are w…

I reply, though we know not the form of words he will speak, yet that a discovery shall be made of the acts of piety and charity (Matthew 25) evidently declares. Indeed, that secret duties shall be brought to light as well as secret sins, the Scriptures declare (1 Corinthians 4:…

Contrariwise, if we seek first the glory of God by the ministry of the word, then surely our glory will follow, according to that saying: Him that honors me I will glorify. To conclude, let every man prove his work: that is, let him do his endeavor that his ministry may be found…

I was as the very filth and [reconstructed: offscouring] of the world. He makes mention of this his infirmity in many places, as in (1 Corinthians 4; 2 Corinthians 4; 6; 11; 12) and in many other. We see then that Paul calls afflictions the infirmities of the flesh which he suff…

For it is imperfect, because it is increased (as they teach) by a second justification, and it is in this life mixed with the corruption of the flesh. Fourthly, the righteousness of a good conscience is an excellent grace, and gift of God — but by it we are not justified (1 Cori…

And for this cause, he had a privilege to preach the truth, so as he could not err in things which he delivered to the church. 2. He preached with authority, as having power to correct rebellious offenders (2 Corinthians 10:6) and (1 Corinthians 4). 3. He preached with unspeakab…

You will say; If such persons have not the Spirit of God, what other Spirit have they? Answer: If their life be bad, they have an unclean Spirit dwelling in them: and the god of this world has blinded their eyes, and makes them so that they cannot see the right way wherein they…

A notable example hereof we have in Moses, who being provoked, instead of anger, showed meekness. It further makes a man to yield of his right, and not to prosecute the matter in rigor, and extremity, and so it is opposed to severity (1 Corinthians 4:21): Shall I come to you wit…

Let them therefore rest themselves upon his defense, and leave the maintenance of their cause to him. Let them make their appeal (as Paul does) to the day of the Lord (1 Corinthians 4:4), and never stand to break their brains about the lies, slanders, and outrages of their enemi…

Because the judge that defends their innocence is near. The faithful ministers therefore may (by Saint Paul's example) summon the false and sinister judgments of men before the judgment seat of God, who will give a just sentence (1 Corinthians 4:4). Let us stand together.] The f…

The same kind of coldness may be now observed in the speculative theology of Popery. Those masters do indeed thunder out whatever they think proper in a sufficiently magisterial style; but as their manner of discoursing about divine things is so profane, that their controversies…

Nor is there any importance in the distinction which some have brought forward, that men, by whom children have been begotten, are fathers according to the flesh, but that God alone is the Father of spirits. I readily acknowledge that in this manner God is sometimes distinguishe…

Relying on this testimony, let us learn to set little value on any reports concerning us that are spread abroad in the world, provided we know that what men condemn God approves. In this manner Isaiah, when oppressed by wicked calumnies, makes reference to God as his voucher, (I…

Do not therefore take any regard to those vain talkers, that can prattle much of these things, whose words notwithstanding, are but as wind and mere trifles. Of such, Paul speaks (1 Corinthians 4), I will come to you, and will know, not the words of them that are puffed up, but…

It is a very apt description of the judgment, serving for the present place, that they might know — which willingly hide themselves in the darkness of insensibleness or dullness of mind — that those inward cogitations, which now are altogether hidden in the depth of their hearts…

He is a Jew, which is one inwardly; and Circumcision is that of the Heart; in the Spirit, and not in the Letter; whose Praise is not of Men, but of God. That by this last Expression, whose Praise is not of Men, but of God, the Apostle has Respect to the Insufficiency of Men to j…

1 Thessalonians 1:5. Our Gospel came not unto you in Word only, but also in Power, and in the holy Ghost. 1 Corinthians 4:20. The Kingdom of God is not in Word, but in Power. Hence saving Affections, though oftentimes they do not make so great a Noise and Show as others; yet hav…

And the Grace of God is sometimes (2.) take Subjectively, for the Grace which God is pleased to Communicate to us, or gracious Qualities that he Works in our Souls by his Spirit. In this sense also we are sometimes said to receive it; 1 Cor. 4. 7. Who makes you to differ from an…

For they are used and employed in the Work it self by the Spirit of God, and are by him made instrumental for the effecting of this New Birth and Life. So the Apostle Paul stiles himself the Father of them who were Converted to God, or Regenerate through the Word of his Ministry…

It is that by whose Preaching Faith comes; Rom. 10. 17. and by the Hearing whereof we receive the Spirit, Gal. 3. 2. It is that whereby we are begotten in Christ Jesus; 1 Cor. 4. 15. Jam. 1. 17. 1 Pet. 1. 23, 24, 25.

It is with this thought that God gives all riches, Let them trust in the living God, who gives us all things richly to enjoy. That argument of the Apostle, (1 Corinthians 4:7) If you have received it, why do you boast? is as strong and as true in regard of temporal things, as of…

And that both because indeed they are superior to the people in things appertaining to God, having the dispensation of the grace of the gospel committed to them; and because likewise through the concurrence of the Spirit's operation with their ministry, they beget souls to Jesus…

I am sure it's so in a spiritual sense; he that lays in spiritual provision is only fit to lay out in the exercises of religion. I shall but give this one proof for the general (Matthew 13:52) — "A Scribe [that is, a Minister] instructed to the Kingdom of Heaven [that is, prepar…

And again, He that judges me is the Lord. Let us therefore judge nothing before the time, until the Lord come, who both will bring to light the hidden things of darkness, and make manifest the counsels of the heart; and then shall every man have praise of God (1 Corinthians 4:4-…

'Tis usual with the apostles to place this title of servant among their honorary titles, though a profane mouth once called it, Probosum artificium, a sordid artifice. Christ has stamped a great deal of dignity upon his ministers, in retaining them for the nearest service to him…

The Work of the Spirit of God that was wrought then, was carried on in a Manner that, in very many Respects, was altogether new: There were such Things then that the Jews, then living, nor their Fathers, had never seen nor heard, yea such as never had been since the World stood:…

How glad was he that Christ was preached, though out of envy, and ill-will by those that studied to add affliction to his bonds? In governing the church, he was not led by the sudden resolves of passion, but always deliberated calmly concerning the use of the rod of discipline,…

If the practice of piety be branded as a sect, it is better for us to come under the reproaches of men for following it, than under the curse of God for neglecting it. It is a very small thing to be judged of man's day, but he that judges us is the Lord (1 Corinthians 4:3-4): le…

Such affronts as these we should learn to bear as David did when Shimei cursed him, so let him curse (2 Samuel 16:10); and as the Son of David did when his enemies reviled him (1 Peter 2:23), blessing them that curse us, and praying for them that thus persecute us, that we may b…

And as they did the Prophets, so Christ, and the Apostles; when they were filled with the Spirit of God, they mocked them, and said, they were filled with new Wine; And Christ tells them, they shall revile them, and speak all manner of evil unto them. And so St. Paul, a man of m…

And you shalt see how it will shrink them all up to nothing. Oppose the Inheritance you shalt receive in that day, to your losses for Christ now; and see how joyfully it will make you bear them, Hebrews 10:34. Oppose the honor that will be put upon you in that day, to your prese…

And what do you have that you did not receive? Now if you did receive it, why do you boast as if you had not received it (1 Corinthians 4:7)? When a man is exalted from a low to a great place, and thereupon grows proud and insolent, we say, he has forgotten where he came from.

My Mother, says Solomon to Bathsheba (1 Kings 2:20). I find also the title of Sir or Lord, used: a title of honor (1 Samuel 24:12; 2 Kings 5:13; Judges 18:19; 2 Kings 6:21; 1 Corinthians 4:15; 1 Timothy 5:1; Genesis 22:7; Genesis 27:18; Matthew 21:30; Genesis 31:35). 2. By using…

It is sometimes ascribed to the subordinate means, to baptism, called therefore the laver of regeneration (Titus 3:5), to the Word of God (James 1:18). It is that immortal seed, by which we are born again; by the ministers of this Word, and the seals of it, as (1 Corinthians 4:1…

There's the great and most public reward of Christians. (1 Corinthians 4:5) Then he will bring to light the hidden things of darkness, and will make manifest the counsels of the heart; and then shall every man have praise with God: That is, every man that is praise-worthy, howev…

God is greater than our consciences. His authority is greater, for God is Supreme, whose sentence is decisive: Now, though conscience should not do its office (1 Corinthians 4:4): For I know nothing by myself, yet am I not hereby justified: but he that judges me, is the Lord. Al…