.

phy; this was one of those Cities, which were termed Compedes
Grecie. It master'd the Ionian and Ægean Seas, on both which
it had very commodious Havens : the Sea on each fide washing
it, whence he calls it, bimaris Corinthus and the Greeks
auro, and ansipasy. The people (as in such places they
use to be ) were rich, and luxurious, prowd, and contentious,
πολλοί, και πλάσιοι, και γίνε λαμπροί,and to on,as Strabo in the eighth
of his Geography. And I find in Hesychius that Koger sidder is
no better then TOPSdey ; and here livid Lais, that famous Cour.
tizan, that asked Demofthenes so dear for repentance. The City
was full of Philosophers, and Rhetoricians, full of Artificers, fa-
mous for new invencions, whence the Lyrick applyes that chiefly
to them : πολλά και καλως ανδρών καιβαλoν ώρα πολυάνθιοι -
gain sopionata. But God tells Paulin a vision in the 8th of the
Alts;that he had much people in this city. The Apofle he spends
a year and fix moneths amongft them preaching the Gospel, and
planting of a Church, and when from thence he failed into
Syria, he left Apollos his facceffor for the watering of his flantaa
tion. Now in the Church which Paut had planted, and which
Apollos had waterd, and which God had bleft and given an in-
creare unto ; in the flourishing Church at Corintb, where there
were so many Christians eminent for grace, and Religion, Nan
cuivis contingit adire Corinthum, every one could not reach to so
high a degree of Piety ; yer even here there are frifes,&divisions
and tumults; dexesasiai, one ftandeth for Paul, and another for
Apollos. Weeds they'l (pring up though Paul never planıed them,
and though Apollos never watered them, to be sure God he ne-
ver bleft them and yet they'l find an increase. No Church so fair
in this World as to be without spot and wrinckle, none so happy
as to be wholly priviledged from jarres and diffentions ; even
in Paradife there was uñaer trinos;only in heaven there's, Pudloga
ay dumpet ixxanoin, and Jerusalem which is above, that's a

άμωμ ,
City compa&ed, united within herself: Peace is within her
Walls; and happinefse within her Palaces. Heaven's full of
perfe&t harmony, there's musick without the least discord, bụt we
can'c look for a Church triumphant here below.

And yet we meet with none so much blam'd for ftrife, and divifions as this of Corinth: indeed the very Genius of the people ftrongly in-, clined them this way, and though it be true that grace doth

not

not onely polish and gild over nature; ( Morality knowes how to do that) but even fubdue it and change the very frame and conftitution of it: yer being that'cis not wholly conquer'd here ; 'tis like 'cwill thew it self most in fome domineering corruptions , which generally reign'd amongst them ; even the Christians ar Corinth are contentious: Animi inflammati ebulliunt ad certamen: they were wholly dis joynred in affe&ion, and therefore the A:. poftle defires that they might be YOTISTITUÍyor; and this is the very time, as Hierome tells us, when Episcopacy was first eftablish's in the Church ; when one faid I am of Paul, and another Tam of Apollos,'twas thought fit to set some prime Ruler over the reft for the better calming, and composing of these strifes,and'tumulcs. And the Scholiaft tels us that this Apollos mentioned in the text, was açã TIS Í TIGXoros Kopos Jlw,the first Bishop of Corinth. Now as for the words, I am of Paul, and I am of Apollo , even amongst Expositors as well as amongit the Corinthians there are ferdes ag dugesuolal for the better

clearing of them it won't be amiffc to compare them with that twin-place, i Cor.1.12. Every oneof you faith ; you see how quickly schisme had fpread it felf," how foon a little leaven had leavend the whole lump. Every one of you sayes, I am of Paul, and I am of Apollo, and I am of Cephus (that's of Peter ) and I am of Christ. *The

major part of interpreters will by no means yield that the Apoftfe blames any such as said they were of Chrit but only complains of this, that whereas the greatest part of them had with full voyce, cryed up Paul and Apollo, and Peter, only some few at length they fand for Chrift; whereas all thould have challenged this honourable and glorious title of Chriftian to themselves. Pauci dixerunt quod omnes dicere debuerunt, as he speaks : and one would have thought the very dame Chrifian should have been

better able to fill these" Airrings in the Church, then that of Quirites was presently to huth and lay the

commotions in Cæsars army. Chryfoftome. he thinks the Apoftle brings it orxddev and puts in his own voyce ; You indeed are for Paul, and Apollo and Perer, Eyjan Mixgist, I am for none but Christ, but others, and they of a very Arong and piercing "infight in the Scripture, think even such may judly be blamed by the Apostle that said they were of Christ; if they did this in a violent and contentious way,

either first ) To

{ Yo as to exclude all others from Christ that were not every way of A 2

their mind, or else (secondly) so as to villife the Minifters of Christ. For perhaps it might be spoken by some that had heard Cbrift himfell preach with authority and power: and for them hence co llighe Paul, and disesteem Apollos, furely this defory'd a sharp, and curring reprehenfion, A fond conceit rooted in the miņdes of many now adayes; thac if they had heard but Christ himself preach, they doubt not but they should have bei lieved. Blessed indeed were the eyes that saw their Saviour and the eares that heard the gracious words that flowed out of his Mouth; ber yer such as believe not Moses and the Prophets, the Apostles and Ministers sent in she Name of Christ; neither would they believe it if they should bear Chrift himself preaching unto them, discovering his sweeteft love, and deareft affe&ion unbosoming and unboweling himself, wooing and beseeching them to be reconciled upto God. It has been well observed that We read of farse more converted by the Miniftery of the Apolles then by Chrift himself, because he provided to magnifie, the Excellency of his spiritual Presence above his Personal. Even such may be blamed as say they are of Chrift. Now as for the

, . other branch, I am of Cephas, we never read of Peter's being at Corinth, 'uis like therefore 'twas spoke by Come Jewes, that crepe in amongst them, and extolled him as their Apofle: Peter be. ing a Minifter of the Circumcision, as Paul was of the uncircum: cision. And therefore the Apostle useth the name Cephas raiher then Peter ;' it being nomen Hebreo-Syrum; with which the Jews were much better acquainted. The Popish Expositors they are of Cephes, Baronius , and his troops would 'fain perswade us. that the Apoftle doth not blame any such as said they were of Cephas, no more then he doth them that said hey were of Chriß. Such indeed as followd Paul, and Apollos mult needs be schismaticks, but such as kept themselves to the prime Bishop,and chiel head of the Church bext under Chrift, to Peter, these are Catholicks like chemselves. Others that can wink ro much but that they must needs see Cephas follwers come under the Apostles reprehenfion; they sweat and take great paines to very little purpose, whileft they go about to prove that by Cepkus

, here is not meant Peter, but some of that name, that preach as Corinth, but who it thould be they can't very well jell. You see how Cephas ; who like his Saviour was, KASKTOS N Tiucos,

.
i

και τίμιος, becomes

a

becomes to the ail@ sgooxólyatos nétçu okarfa'am. Was Peter any better than a suspy. Jeñ? and doth not the argument hold as strongly? Was Cephas crucified for you ? or were you baptized into the name of Gepbas? This indeed we'll easily granı , and 'cis by the joynt consent of all Interpreters, thao under these names of Paul, and Apollos', and Peter ; there is a reprehension wisely and warily couch'd of such falle Apoftles as were amongst them, whom Paul, 2 Cor. 11. 6. ftiles as üris alar o'rosbass ; Words so big with Emphasis as they hardly admit of a Translation, yet thus that place is rendred. I was not a shit behind the very chiefejt Apostles: Where Paul doth not speak ( as it is usually taken in respe& of such as were true Apostles, but only in reference to such as had nothing to set them out, but lofry words of theie own, itaoßapoya pinuata.One would have thought ursgatósoner had been a swelling Title, and somewhat with the higheft; but they in their own conceits are urig niay dróg odos. Paul acknowledgeih himselfleffe then the leaft of the Apostles, and unworthy to be called an Apoftle; and yet he did under vgspuxível Surig niar Aresóny, he might well have the preheminence of them. These were they that thooght to ingratiate themselves with the Corinthians, by an outward pomp of words, and splendour of humane wisdome, they made των ευγλωττίαν δέλεας της επέτης, So the Scholiaft; they did idiotole tor naby to xriss, as Photius ,.they did monopolize the peo-le, when as they could värnu suveolwy, gjirorum; setting out Truchs, in a painted and meretricious bravery; nay, blending them with errors and humane devices, with the crude imaginations of their own brain: And thus the Apostle tacitely infinuates an argument, à minore ad majus ; If it were a grosse and carnal thing as no doubt but was, to fide with Paul that planted the Church and to glory in Appollos that water'd it: Then much more to fide with such a false Apoftle, that went a. bout to overthrowit, and such another that meant to extirpate it. And that the Apofle thus aimes'ac'them, 'is clear out of the fourch Chapter of this Epifle, and the fixth verse. (Td agorwynos drágas 1d migo ta xgua tóusra ngôonta, Chrysostome:) These things sayes he, have I transferr’d in a figure to myself, and to Apollo; Ταύτα δε μετασχημάτισα. Ηac tranftuli in faciem meam,according jo the Syriack, Tata N.Puteranu fi a'baliw if we would rendero

Helle9:

9

A 3

, Hellenistically, as Heinsius tels us. These things have I hiddenly spoke, and yet not so secretly, but chat they might very well take notice of it. But yet thus be did, that his reproof might be xu Sie ei, iu kond, as the Sholiaft speaks : a. iuradoxods. Cbryfoftome , a word well entertained; that he might foften, and sapple his reprehenfion, so as it might become a precious Oyl : that he might by no means exasperate these false Apoftles; left thus, while he spoke against Schisms, & cumulos in the Church; he might increase them which were already, and occafon greater. And therefore, as a Learned Interpreter hath well observed: Seis like that they did not yet ftrike at the effentials, or fundamentals of Religion : for then Paul would have more openly, and piercingly reproved them. His words now were smoother then Oyl : but then they should have been very swords. You fee the wisdome of our Apostle, and you see the pregnancy of Scripture-sence, which in the same speech hath several aimes, all full of excellent use.Paul here takes off the Corinthians from their fiding with falle Apostles, and from their over esteeming conceit which they had of true ones. And though fomě take the former to be the main drift, and scope of the place : Yet I shall rather incline to them that reft in the latter, as the more proper and genuine meaning of it: having more vicinity with the letter of the Text,and being clearer out of the whole Series of the Chapter:For what is Paul? and what is Apollo ? Pauldid but plant and Apollo did but water: 'Twas God only tbat gave the increase;So that be tbat plants is nothing, nor he that waters, but God that gives the increase. You see how the Apostle makes this id ipzov, to beat down those over-high thoughts which they had of such as indeed deservd esteem, and double honour of such as were nuncil pulchri pedes, as the Hebrews love to speak. Oh, how beautiful were their feet, that brought the glad tydings of Salvation; and yet such must not be adored, and deifyd; as if the gods had been come down amongst them, as so many Saviours, that had been crucified for them, and into whose Name they had been baptized. Now that the Corinthians did thus glory in them, 'tissure, and that in a double respe&. 1. As being bap:ized by them and thus, I am of Paul, and I am of Apollo; is as much as I am baptized by Pauband I by Apollozand this was strengtheped by an erroneous conceit anjongit them, that the efficacy of

the