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…

And where there was none in public calamities, that did voluntarily devote themselves, the people were wont to take some obnoxious person, to make him execrable, and to lay on him according to their superstition, all the wrath of their gods, and so give him up to destruction. Su…

Quest. 17. Which are the principal institutions of the Gospel to be observed in the worship of God? Answ. (1.) The calling, gathering and setling of Churches with their Officers, as the seat and subject of all other solemn instituted worship. (2.) Prayer with thanksgiving. (3.)…

For his Temple, is now to be built of living stones (1 Peter 2:5), men spiritually and savingly quickened from their death in sin and by the Holy Ghost, whereof they are partakers, made a meet habitation for God (Ephesians 2:21, 22; 1 Corinthians 3:16; 2 Corinthians 6:16), which…

And that with all diligence, care, and watchfulness, as those that must give an account (Hebrews 13:17), which no man is able to do towards more Churches than one, the same duty being at all times to be performed towards all. And because the whole authority of the Elders, Pastor…

(4) 1 Timothy 6:20; Acts 20:28; Jude 3. (5) 1 Corinthians 4:1, 2; 1 Timothy 3:15. (6) 1 Timothy 4:14, 15, 16.

Quest. 42. To whom is the power and administration of this Discipline committed by Jesus Christ? Answ. As to the authority to be exerted in it in the things wherein the whole Church is concerned, to the Elders; as to trial, judgment and consent in, and to its exercise to the who…

(4) In exhorting, comforting, and restoring to the enjoyment and exercise of Church privileges such as are recovered from the error of their ways; all according to the laws, rules, and directions of the Gospel. (1) (Matthew 18:15; 1 Thessalonians 5:14; 1 Corinthians 4:14; Titus…

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…

Afflictions and temptations for the most part, are a needful balance for eminent gifts. This therefore the Scripture has provided against, both warning us, that knowledge, which is the matter of all spiritual gifts, will puff up, and forbidding us to boast in them, because they…

In all these things they possessed their souls in patience, following the example of their Master, committing themselves to him that judges righteously (1 Peter 2:23). 3ly, The false sentences which under their provocations professors have passed on one another, see (1 Corinthia…

(2) By patient waiting for the pleading of our cause under a sense of our own sin, and an acknowledgement of the righteousness of God (Micah 7:9, 10). (3) By supporting the soul with a testimony of its own sincerity (1 Corinthians 4:3, 4). 2. With respect to violence and persecu…

So is our peace and all our consolation, from where he is called the God of all grace (1 Peter 5:10), and the God of patience and consolation (Romans 15:5), the author and sovereign disposer of them all. So is it also with respect to grace and mercy considered comparatively as c…

But because the theater was the place where persons were publicly exposed to be looked upon with scorn and contempt, the word [in non-Latin alphabet] is used to signify men's being so exposed, and made a spectacle, in any place, on any occasion. And this is the meaning of the ph…

Was it not he who has mercy on whom he will have mercy, and is gracious to whom he will be gracious? And it is laid down as a universal rule, that no man has any thing in this kind but what he has freely received, nor does any man make himself to differ from others (1 Corinthian…

And it is so by the LXX (Judges 13:8; 2 Kings 12:2; chap. 17:27). Our Apostle uses it for to make manifest, that is, bring to light (1 Corinthians 4:5; 2 Timothy 1:10). And the meaning of it (John 1:9), where we render it lighteth, is to teach.

It is by the word of God (1 Peter 1:23). I have begotten you through the Gospel, says Paul to them, in (1 Corinthians 4:15). And have they found the narrow way which leads to life, which few do find (Matthew 7:14)?

We grant that true saving faith and repentance is required by God of those that partake of sacraments for themselves, or for their children: but the question is, what are the external signs and tokens of that grace, which an ecclesiastical charitable reputation may proceed upon;…

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…

A man that sets up for himself, is to trade for himself; but all that a servant does, should be for his Master's honor and profit. 2. It hinteth duty to the people; regard ministers as servants of Christ, that you may give their persons all due honor; consider, God has retained…

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…

To this, last of all is adjoined humility, when emptying ourselves of all, we give God the whole glory of all good things, which are in us (Genesis 18:17; 1 Peter 5:5; Isaiah 40:3, 4). Forbidden: love of our honor (Matthew 18:3, 4); vain glory (Philippians 2:3); boasting of any…

Either we must not know, and not be born again to this piece of excellency, or else we must have this peculiar commandement to humble us, and in this point to drive us to Christ, afterward also, be a rule and square to us of the same. Fourthly, the Apostles in taking this day, a…

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…