1 Corinthians — Chapter 3

8. Euery man shal receiue according.) Good works meritorious, and the rewards in Heauen are different according to the same. A most plaine text for proofe that men by their labours, and by the diuersities therof, shal be diuersly rewarded in Heauen: and therfore that by their works proceeding of grace, they doe deserue or merit Heauen, and the more or lesse ioy in the same. For though the holy Scripture commonly vse not this word merit, yet in places innumerable of the old and new Testament, the very true sense of merit is conteined, and so often as the word, *merces, and the like be vsed, they be euer vnderstood as correlatiues or correspondent vnto it. For if the ioy of Heauen be retribution, repaiment, hire, wages for works (as in infinit places of holy Scripture,) then the works can be none other but the value, desert, price, worth, and merit of the same. And indeed this word, reward, which in our English tongue may signifie a voluntary or bountiful guift, doth not so wel expresse the nature of the **Latin word, or the Greeke, which are rather the very stipend that the hired worke-man or iournie-man couenanteth to haue of him whose worke he doth, and is a thing equally and iustly answering to the time and weight of his trauels and works (in which sense the Scripture saith: ***Dignus est operarius mercede sua, the worke-man is worthy of his hire) rather then a free guift: though, because faithful men must acknowledge that their merits be the guifts and graces of God, they rather vse the word reward, then hire, stipend, or repaiment: though indeed it be al one, as you may see by diuers places of holy writ, as aMy merces (reward) is with me to render to euery one baccording to his works. And, Our Lord wil render vnto me according to my iustice Ps. 17. And the very worde merit (equiualent to the Greek) is vsed thus: Mercie shal make a place to euery one caccording to the merit of works. Eccle. 16,15. And, If you doe your iustice before men, you shal not haue reward in Heauen. Mat. 6,1. Where you see that the reward of Heauen is recompense of iustice. And the euasion of the Heretikes is friuolous and euidently false, as the former and like wordes doe conuince: for they say Heauen is our Merces or reward, not because it is due to our works, but to the promise of God; where the words be plaine, According to euery man's works or labours: vpon which works, and for which works conditionally, the promise of Heauen was made. *Merces **μιστον ***1. Tim. 5,18. aApoc. 22,12. bMat. 16,28. Ro. 2,6. cκατὰ τὰ ἔργα.

12. Vpon this foundation.) Building of gold, or stubble. The foundation is Christ, and faith in him working by charitie. The vpper building may be either pure and perfect matter of gold, siluer, and pretious stone, which (according to the most authentical and probable exposition) be good workes of charitie, and al Christian iustice done by God's grace; or els, wood, hay, stubble, which signifie the manifold actes of man's infirmitie and his venial sinnes; which more or lesse mixed & medled with the better matter aforesaid, require more or lesse punishment or purgation at the day of our death. At which day, if by penance or other meanes in the Church, the said venial sinnes be before-hand cleansed, there shal need no purging at al, but they shal straight receiue the reward due to them.

13. Shal be manifest.) Our works shal manifest by fire. Whether our life and works be pure and need no cleansing, now in this world is hard to iudge: but the day of our Lord, which is at our death, wil make it plaine in what termes euery man's life is towards God. For then Purgatorie fire shal reueale and proue it. For, whosoeuer hath any impure matter of venial sinnes or such other debt, to God's iustice paiable and purgable, must into that fire, and after due paiment and cleansing, be saued through the same. Where the works of the perfect men & such as died with al debts paied, cleansed, or forgiuen, are quitted from the fire, and neuer incurre damage, paine, or losse thereby. The places of Fathers expounding this for Purgatorie, be very many most euident, which are cited in the last Annotation following.

15. As by fire.) S. Augustin vpon these words of the Psalme 37. Lord rebuke me not in thine indignation, nor amend me in thy wrath. For it shal come to passe (saith he) that some be amended in the wrath of God and be rebuked in his indignation. And not al perhaps that are rebuked, shal be amended, but yet some there shal be saued by amending. Two fires after this life: one eternal, the other temporal, that is, the purging or amending fire. It shal be so surely, because amending is named: yet so by fire. But some there shal be rebuked, and not amended; so whom he shal say: Goe ye into euerlasting fire. Fearing therfore these more greiuous paines, he desireth that he may neither be rebuked in indignation by eternal fire, nor amended in his wrath; that is to say: Purge me in this life, and make me such an one as shal not need the amending fire; being for them which shal be saued, yet as so by fire. Wherfore? but because here they build vpon the foundation, wood, hay, stubble? For if they did build gold, siluer, and al pretious stones, they should be secure from both fires, not only from that eternal which shal torment the impious eternally; but also from that which shal amend them that shal be saued by fire. For it is said: He shal be safe, yet so as by fire. And because it is said, he shal be safe, that fire is contemned. Yea verily though safe by fire, yet that fire shal be more greiuous, then whatsoeuer a man can suffer in this life. Purgatorie fire passeth al the paines of this life. And you know how great euils the wicked haue suffred, and may suffer: yet they haue suffred such as the good also might suffer. For what hath any malefactour suffred by the lawes, that a Martyr hath not suffred in the confession of Christ? These euils therfore that are here, be much more easie; and yet see how men, not to suffer them, doe whatsoeuer thou commandest. How much better doe they that which God commandeth, that they may not suffer those greater paines? Thus farre S. Augustin. See S. Ambr. vpon this place. 1. Cor. 3. & Ser. 20. in Psal. 118. Hiero. li. 2. c. 13. adu. Iouinianum. Greg. li. 4. Dialog. c. 39, & in Psal. 3. Pænit. in principio, Origen. ho. 6. in c. 15. Exod. and ho. 14. in c. 24. Leuit.