1 Corinthians

After that St. Paul had preached at Corinthus a year and a half, he was compelled by the wickedness of the Jews to sail into Syria. In whose absence false Apostles entered into the Church, who being puffed up with vain glory, and affectate eloquence, sought to bring into contempt the simplicity which Paul used in preaching the Gospel. By whose ambition such faction, and schisms sprang up in the Church, that from opinions in policies and ceremonies they fell to false doctrine and heresies, calling into doubt the resurrection from the dead, one of the chiefest points of Christian religion. Against these evils the Apostle proceedeth, preparing the Corinthians' hearts, and ears with gentle salutations: but soon after he reproveth their contentions and debates, their arrogancy and pride, and exhorteth them to concord and humility, setting before their eyes the spiritual virtue, and heavenly wisdom of the Gospel, which cannot be persuaded by worldly wit and eloquent reasons, but is revealed by God's Spirit, and so sealed in men's hearts. Therefore this salutation may not be attribute to the ministers, but only to God, whose servants they are, and have received charge to edify his Church: wherein St. Paul behaved himself skillfully, building according to the foundation (which is Christ) and exhorteth others to make the end proportionable to the beginning, taking diligent heed that they be not polluted with vain doctrine, seeing they are the Temple of God. And as for those which doubted of his Apostleship, he showeth them that he dependeth not on man's judgment, albeit he had declared by manifest signs that he never sought his own glory, neither yet how he might live, but only the glory of Christ: which thing at his coming he would declare more amply; to the shame of those vain glorious braggers, who sought themselves only, and therefore suffered most horrible vices unreproved and unpunished, as incest, contentions, pleadings before infidels, fornication, and such like, to the great slander of the Gospel. This done, he answereth to certain points of the Corinthians' letter, as touching single life, duty of marriage, of discord and dissension among the married, of virginity, and second marriage. And because some thought it nothing to be present at idol service, seeing in their heart they worshiped the true God, he warneth them to have respect to their weak brethren, whose faith by that dissembling was hindered, and their consciences wounded, which thing rather than he would do, he would never use that liberty which God had given him. But forasmuch as pride, and self will was the cause of those great evils, he admonisheth them by the example of the Jews not to glory in these outward gifts, whose horrible punishment for the abuse of God's creatures, ought to be a warning to all men to follow Christ uprightly, without all pollution and offense of others. Then he correcteth divers abuses in their Church, as touching the behavior of men, and women in the assemblies: of the Lord's Supper, the abuse of the spiritual gifts, which God hath given to maintain love and edify the Church: as concerning the resurrection from the dead, without the which the Gospel serveth to no use. Last of all he exhorteth the Corinthians to relieve the poor brethren at Jerusalem, to persevere in the love of Christ, and well doing, sending his commendations, and wishing them peace.