Exposition of the Dominical Epistles and Gospels, Section 4
The Epist. 1. COR. 4.1.
Let a man this wise esteeme vsus, euen as the Ministers of Christ, &c.
THe people of n1. Cor. 3.3.Corinth in Pauls age, like the people of oSuruey of the pretended holy di…c. cap. 29.England in our time, were very factious and humorous, extolling some Preachers, and despising other indiscreetly, without either iudgement or louelove. S. Paul therfore rebukes sharply this insolent rashnes, and sheweth in this scripture, 1. What eueryevery man should iudge, verse 1. Let a man &c.
2. What he should not iudge of the Preachers: in
which point he doth
1. report, verse 2.
2. reproue their fault, and that two wayes:
1. foreign, by way of correction, I passe very little to be iudged of you, &c. vers. 3.4.
2. foreign, by way of direction, He that iudgeth is the Lord, and therfore iudge nothing before the time, vers. 5.
Let a man] Whereas the Corinthians ascribed either too much or too little to their teachers, our Apostle shew…s a pMartyr & Calnin. in l…c.meane, Let a man this wise &c. neither magnifying them as Christ, for they are not Masters but Ministers, and yet not vilifying them as ordinary seruants in Gods house, for they are stewards, and that of Gods own secrets.
Albeit Paul q1. Cor 3.6.plant, and Apollos water, only God giueth increase. Paul rAugust…n. contra…iteras Petilian. li. 3. cap. 35planted in preaching, Apollos watered in baptizing: some plant by their words, other water by their works: some plant by doctrine, other water by their exhortation: some plant by speaking, other water by writing, but in all God is all.
He that planteth is nothing, he that watereth is nothing, s…quin. in loc.that is, no great thing, no principal agent, but a subordinate instrument: wherefore let not a man boast in …, Whether it be Paul or Apollos, or Ce…has, or the word …, or death; whether the… be things present, or things to come. euen all are yours and …e Chri…ts▪ and Christ Gods. If then the Preachers are yours, and you are Christs, and Christ Gods, tR…m. 11.36.as of him, and through him, and for him are all things, so vntounto him, and not vntounto men, giuegive all the praise and glory.
Let a man esteeme vsus not as Christ, but as the Ministers of Christ, not as Lords, but as stewards in Gods house: now stewards administer not their owne goods but their masters, and one day must account for them, and therefore ye must hauehave, and we behaue our selues as accountants. uLuther postil. maior. in loc.Antichrist then is not the vicar of God, but a factor of Satan, in preaching his owne Decrees, and equalling them with the diuine law.
But albeit Preachers are seruants, yet are they not meane, but high stewards: and this is an exceeding great dignitie to be Christs mouth, Christs voice, Christs messengers, Christs angels, in so much as xMatth. 10.40.he that receiueth them, receiueth him, and he that despiseth them, despiseth him, as ambassadours speaking from him, and for him, as our Apostle y2. Cor. 5.20.elsewhere. They be not only common ambassadors, but legati à latere, stewards of his hidden secrets: not only dispensatores ministeriorum as in the vulgar Latine; but zErasmus in loc.according to the originall, mysteriorum, administers of his sacraments, which are mysteries, and Preachers of his faith, which is a deepe secret, 1. Tim. 3.16. of all other the greatest: and yet it is the aLuther loc. com. tit. de ministerio verbi.Ministers proper office, with Iohn Baptist to shew the Lambe of God, which taketh away the sinnes of the world.
They are the mouth of God in preaching to the people, and againe the peoples mouth in praying to God; euen mediators as it were betweene God a man: as Moses said of himselfe, Deut. 5. I stood betweene the Lord and you, to declare vntounto you the word of the Lord. This doth intimate how wee should teach, and you should heare. First how wee should preach: If any man speake, let him talke as the words of God. 1. Pet. 4.11.
It is a good obseruation, that the Lawyer ought to begin with reason, and so descend to common experience and authoritie. The Physician he must begin with …perience, and so come to reason and authoritie: but the Diuine must begin with authoritie, and so proceed to reason and experience.
2. This may teach you to heare our voyce; b1. Thes. 2.13.not as the word of men, but as it is indeed the word of God. Christ said of the wicked Pharisies in the 23. of S. Matth. Quae dicunt, facite: Doe as they say, but not as they doe: cAugust. contra literas Petilian. lib. 2. cap. 6.Dicunt enim quae Dei sunt, faciunt quae sua sunt: They doe their owne workes, but speake the Lords word. And therfore so long as the Preachers deliuer the wholesome words of our Lord Iesus, d1. Tim. 6.3.or doctrine which is according to his words, you must entertaine them as Angels of God, euen as Christ Iesus; honouring their place and reuerencing their persons. And this I take to be the pith of the first part.
In the second, S. Paul teacheth how wee must not iudge: first he reports, then reproues their fault. His report is in these words: eHieron. in loc.Hîc iam quaeritur &c. fErasmus in loc.foreign, non foreign: gAquin. & Gorran. in loc.Heere among you Corinthians it is discussed and disputed who is a faithful Minister, & who is vnfaithfull.
And herein they wrong both God, his word, and his Ministers: God, to whom onelyonly iudgement belongs in this case. Some peraduenture may iudge of the Ministers eloquence; many of his industrie, but none of his faithfulnesse: which is the hMatth. 24.45.chiefe thing required in a steward. A man may be fruitfull and yet not faithfull; an instrument to saue other, and yet be condemned himself: for he may preach Christ not for Christ, but happely for other respects: as the fornicator makes delectation his end, not generation; so the Preacher, i2. Cor. 4.2.adulterans verb…m, as it is in the vulgar, intends not to get children in Christ vntounto God, but gaine, or glorie to himselfe. Ye know the men, ye know not their minde: ye see their fact, not their faith; onelyonly God knowes the secrets of all hearts.
Secondly, it is an iniurie to Gods word, in hauing the faith of our glorious Lord Iesus Christ in respect of persons, Iames 2.1. It is not any who, who may either priuiledge an error, or preiudice a truth: if another Gospell, hold him accursed, although the Minister be an Angell: if a truth, doe as they say, though the teacher be a diuell: poyson in a golden cup is as hurtfull as in an earthen pot: wine in a siluer bowle no better then in a woodden dish. When one faith, I am Pauls, and another I am Apollos, are ye not k1. Cor. 3.4.carnall? Is not this grosse carnalitie, to set vp Idols in the Church, and to worship them in stead of God?
Thirdly, this is an indignitie to the Preachers, in that artles men will take vponupon them to iudge of art. By the lPou tons Abri…gement, title, Brewer and Butcher.lawes of the land, a person occupying the craft of a Butcher, may not vse the occupation of a Tanner; and a Brewer may not deale in the occupation of a Cooper: Quod medicorum est promittunt medici, tractant fabrilia fabri. None prescribe physick but such as are Doctors, at least practitioners in the facultie: none plead at the common barre, but such as are learned in the law: yet euerie one, as Hierome complaines in an Epistle to Paulinus, takes vponupon him exact knowledge in Theologie, and will teach both Clerke and Priest what they should say, what they should doe. So that often it fareth with Preachers, as it doth alway with fish, none so welcome as new come: If a stranger happely come among vsus, albeit he be neuer so weake for his learning, neuer so wicked for his liuing; yet all the countrie must gad after him, and neglect their owne pastors: mMatth. 13.57.as Christ in the Gospell, A Prophet is not honoured in his owne citie, and in his owne house. This was a soule fault in Corinth: Apollos, and Cephas and Paul were despised, while false teachers were deified. Indeed Paul writes in the third chapter of this Epistle, as if some followed him, and other Apollos: himselfe for his plaine doctrine, and Apollos for his excellent eloquence. But in the sixth verse of this chapter hee saith, he applied those things vntounto himselfe, and Apollos figuratiuely; nAquin. in loc.meaning that Peter and Apollos and himselfe were neglected, and other vpstart seducers only rega…ded: he did vse the names of Gods Apostles in his censure for the benefit of the Corinthians: For your sake, that ye might learne by vsus that no man presume aboue that which is written, and that one swell not against another for any mans cause.
So men in our daies are too partiall in hearing and censuring their Teachers: as one said, Auditories are like Faires; the Pedler and the Balladmonger hath more cōpany then the graue rich Merchant: Children & fooles hang vponupon them who sell toyes, and neglect those who hauehave their shops stuft with good commodities: and this assuredly doth discourage many Pastors learned and profitable. For eueryevery man hath not a magnanimous spirit, spernere se sperni, to tell his auditorie with Paul, I passe very little to be iudged of you. For so this fault is reproued in the third verse.
The false teachers had extolled themselues and disgraced him; affirming o2. Cor. 10.10.that his bodily presence was weake, and his speech of no value. S. Paul therfore hauing the testimonie of a good conscience, resolutely tels the Corinthians, I little passe to be iudged of them, or you, or any man: Hee pMarlorat ex Martyr. in loc.saith not, I esteeme not at all; but I little regard: that is, not so much respect your iudgement, as that I should be discouraged in doing my dutie. The witnesse of conscience is more comfortable then the vulgar breath: in comparison of the one, I little prise the other. Or as qIn loc.Gorran: It were a great thing to be iudged of such as are spirituall; but it is a very small thing to be iudged of you, who are thus carnall. As rDe remedys …ortuitorum ad Galionem.Seneca: Male de me loquuntur, sed mali; mouerer si de me Marcus Cato, si Lalius sapiens, si duo Scipiones ista loquerentur: nunc malis displicere, laudari est.
Either of mans iudgement.] Our Apostle wils vsus to rebuke with all long suffering and doctrine. Now himselfe is a paterne of his owne precept: for left he should seeme too bitter in chiding the Corinthians, and despising their iudgement; he doth in this clause somewhat qualifie his speech, insinuating that he doth except against all others iudgement, so well as theirs. Happely some will obiect it is vnciuill and vnchristian, not to regard what men speake of vsus: As wee must hauehave care of our conscience, so likewise of our credit:
sOuid.Quâ semel amissâ posteà nullus eris.
It is good in our courses to gaine the fore-game; for it is exceeding hard to play an after-game of reputation. Answere is made, that albeit Paul esteemed little their iudgement in regard of t1. Thess. 2.6.himself, as expecting the praise of God, and hauing a good certificate from his owne conscience; yet in respect of other who might hereby be scandalized, and so the Gospell hindred, he was assuredly grieued, and therefore reproues here their fault boldly, that they might repent heartily: To me it is little, but vntounto other it is a great scandall, that I should be thus abused and neglected of you.
Iudge not mine owne selfe.] I know more by my selfe then you or any man else: and yet I cannot iudge my selfe, therefore much lesse ought yee to iudge me. This seemes contradictorie to that of u1. Cor. 11.31.Paul: If we would iudge our selues we should not be iudged. I answer with xIn loc.Aquine,
that there is a three-fold iudgement:
1. Discussionis.
2. Condēnationis.
3. Absolutionis.
EueryEvery man may, yea must iudge himselfe with the two former; hee must examine himselfe, and vponupon examination altogether condemne himselfe. EueryEvery man ought daily to commune with his owne heart, and to search out his spirit: Psalm. 77.6. Scopebam spiritum, I did as it were sweepe my soule: yBernard. meditat. cap. 5.Diligenter attend…, qua…tum proficias vel quantum deficias: Examine thy selfe whether thou hast gone forward or backward in the waies of the Lord. Summon thy selfe, as it were before another, and so fift the whole course of thy life, wherein thou hast offended in thought, word, deede; by sinnes of omission, or commission, against God, thy neigbour and thy selfe. Iudge thine owne selfe in secret before thy selfe, and thou shalt not be condemned at the last day before all the world. Do this, saith zVbi supra.Bernard, Si non semper, aut saepè, saltem interdum: If not alwaies, or often, at least sometime: especially, saith our Apostle, when yee come to receiue the blessed sacrament of our Lords Supper: Let a man examine himselfe, and so let him eate of this bread, and drinke of this cup.
The second kinde of iudgement is of condemnation. So aCap. 13.1….Iob: I will reproue my waies in his sight. bCap. 9.20.If I would iustifie my selfe, mine owne mouth shall condemne me. So cPsal. 143.2.Dauid: Enter not into iudgement with thy seruant, for in thy sight shall no man liuing be iustified. And S. d1. Epist. 1.10.Iohn: If wee say we hauehave no sinne, wee deceiue our selues, and the truth of God is not in vsus.
A Christian in this world is eAugust. tract. 80. in Iohan. alluding to that of S. Iohn▪ chap. 15.2.3.mundus & mundandus: cleane in part, and in part to be made cleane: fHieron. epist. ad C…esiphont. tom. 2. fol. 254.all his perfection consists in acknowledging his imperfection; all his righteousnesse in gAugustin. de c…it. Dei lib. 19 cap. 27.forgiuenes of sinnes, rather then in perfection of vertue. Yea but, say the Pelagians, and after them the Papists, Elizabeth and Zachary were iust, obseruing all the commandements and ordinances of the Lord, Luke 1.6. Iob an vpright man departing from euill, and preseruing his innocencie, Iob 2.3. In Dauid no wickednesse, Psal. 17.3. and here Paul; I know nothing by my selfe.
I answere to the first: If Zacharie was a Priest, then a sinner: for as we reade, Heb. 7.27. the Priests manner was first to offer sacrifice for his owne sinnes, and then for the peoples. If then Zacharie did sacrifice, he had sinne, and sinne is a transgression of the Law: so that he did not exactly keepe the whole law, but himselfe and his wife so farre obserued the commandements as that they were blamelesse in the worlds eye: hBacer. & Beza in loc.no man could iustly condemne them for doing vniustly.
But, as iConfess. lib. 9. cap. 13.Augustine said, Vae etiam laudabili vitae hominum, si remota misericordia discutias eam: Woe to the commendable life of man, if God set merciemercy aside in iudging of it.
Euen their owne kSerm. de quadruplici debito.Bernard confesseth ingeniously, that if the Lord should take a strait account of vsus his stewards, it were impossible that any should answere the thousanth, yea the least part of his debt, nec millesimae nec minimae parti.
For the commendation of Iob, it is not simple but comparatiue: There was none like him on the earth; at least none so righteous in that part of the earth in the land of Vz. lGregor. Moral. lib. 1. cap. 1.It was a great praise to be so good among that people, who were so bad. According to the measure of humane perfection Almightie God hath giuen him so great testimonie of righteousnesse, saith mDe peccatorū meritis & remissione, lib. 2. cap. 12. tom. 7. fol. 472.Augustine: Hast thou not considered my seruant Iob? how none is like him in the earth, an vpright and iust man, one that feareth God, and eschueth euill. But himselfe is afraid of himselfe: Verebar omnia opera mea: So the Romish translation hath it: I was afraid of all my workes, Iob 9.28. And in the second verse of the same chapter: How shall a man bee iustified before God? and in the third verse: If I contend with him, I shall not be able to answere him one for a …housand.
Now for Dauid, his praise was not generall, but particular and partiall. There was no wickednesse found in him, nEuthymius in loc.that is, no plot or practise against Saul; wherof he was accused vniustly: but otherwise in other things, his sinnes were so many, and those so heauie, that hee crieth out in the 38. Psalme, Put me not to rebuke, O Lord, in thine anger, &c. Dauid was no traitor, but Dauid was an adulterer, and a cru…ll murtherer: He turned from nothing the Lord commanded him all the daies of his life, saue only in the matter of Vriah the Hittite. 1. Kings 15.5.
What, had Dauid no fault else, but only that against Vriah? Yes surely, Dauid was oPs…l. 51.5.conceiued in sin, and shapen in wickednesse. As he was the sonne of many yeares, so the father of many sinnes. In his priuate conuersation hee did so much offend, as that he saith in the 130 Psalme, If thou O Lord be extreame to marke what is done amisse, oh Lord who may abide it? That text then is to be construed of his publike gouernment, as the circumstances import; as he was a King, the Scripture giueth him this commendation, that, excepting the matter of Vriah, hee gaue no publike scandall in the whole time of his raigne. Dauid was in many things a bad man, but in most things a good King.
So likewise this speech of Paul: I know nothing by my selfe, is not pCal…in i… loc.generall, extended to the whole course of his life, but particular touching his Apostleship. So Bishop qSerm. 3. before King Ed. 6Latimer said: As for sedition, for ought that I know, me thinkes I should not need Christ, if I might so say. Paul knew nothing, that is, no vnfaithfulnes in exercising his ministerie; which hee did vtter here, not to i… stifie himselfe, as it is apparent in the next clause, but to glorifie God. As wee finde in the 15. Chapter of this Epistle, vers. 9. I am the least of the Apostles, not worthie to be called an Apostle, because I persecuted the Church of God: but by the g…ce of God I am that I am, and his grace was not in vaine, for I laboured more abundantly then them all; yet not I, but the grace of God which is with me. S. Paul then, assisted with Gods especial grace, found nothing in himselfe to condemne himselfe, for his vnfaithfulnes in preaching: but in other actions hee was so buffeted with Satan, and ouerladen as it were with his infi…mities, as that he grieuously rRom. 7.24.complaineth: O wretched man that I am, who shall deliuer me from the bodie of this d…ath? Hee that cals himselfe in sEphes. 3.8.one place the least Saint, in t1. Tim. 1.15.another acknowledgeth himselfe the greatest sinner. But what need wee looke any further? He that here saith, I know nothing by my selfe, saith also, yet herein am I not iustified: as I doe not condemne, so not absolue my selfe. The Papist then in citing this text, hath lost a pound to gaine a peny: For although a man doe all that he can, he is still an vnprofitable seruant. I know no vnfaithfulnes in me, yet I am not hereby iustified: for, as uIn loc.Gorran and Aquin note, Paul might hauehave many secret sinnes vnknowne to himselfe: according to that of xPsal. 19.12.Dauid; Who can tell how often he offendeth? O cle…se thou me from my secret faults. EueryEvery way of a man (saith yProu. 21.2.Salomon) is right in his owne eye: but the Lord pondereth the heart: and who can say, zProu. 20.9.I hauehave made mine heart cleane? Or, as aD. Fulk in loc. D. …bbot contra Bishop, pag. 574. Caluin. institut. lib. 3. cap. 14. Sect. 18. & cap. 17. sect. 14.our Diuines expound it, howsoeuer Paul was faithfull in his office, yet his and all our good workes are stained with some blemish.
There was iniquitie in the holie sacrifices of the children of Israel: but their high Priest did beare the iniquitie to make the offering acceptable before the Lord: Exod. 28.38. There is vnholinesse in our holiest actions, but Christ our high Priest hath borne the iniquitie: and they are accepted of God in him, not by themselues or their owne perfection, but as perfumed with the sweete incense of Christs obedience: who to make both vsus and them acc…ptable, gaue himselfe an offering and a sacrifice of a sweete smelling sauour to God: Ephes. 5.2. See Epist. Dom. 3. Quadrages.