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The amiable spirit which they

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CHAP. IV.

11 Even unto this present hour

manifested in all their trials.

13 Being defamed, we intreat: 'we

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Anno Imp. Ne We both hunger, and thirst, and are are made as the filth of the earth, Anno Imp. NeTouis Caes. S. naked, and are buffeted, and have and are the offscouring of all things ronis Cres. 3. no certain dwelling-place; unto this day.

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you, but

15 For though ye have ten thousand in

a 2 Cor. 4. 8. & 11. 23-27. Phil. 4. 12.- - Job 22.6. Rom. 8. 35. Acts 23. 2. Acts 18. 3. & 20. 34. 1 Thess. 2. 9. 2 Thess. 3. 8.

1 Tim. 4. 10.- Matt. 5. 44.
12. 14, 20. 1 Pet. 2. 23. & 3. 9.

Luke 6. 28. & 23. 34. Acts 7.60. Rom.
Lam. 3. 45. 1 Thess. 2. 11.

Ye are wise in Christ] Surely all these expressions are meant ironically: the apostles were neither fools, nor weak, nor contemptible; nor were the Corinthians, morally speaking, wise, and strong, and honourable. Change the persons, and then the epithets will perfectly apply.

Verse 11. We both hunger and thirst, &c.] Who would then have been an apostle of Christ, even with all its spiri- || tual honours and glories, who had not a soul filled with love both to God and man? and the fullest conviction of the reality of the doctrine he preached, and of that spiritual world in which alone he could expect rest? See the Introduction, sect. vi.

Have no certain dwelling.] We are mere itinerant preachers; and when we set out in the morning, know not where, or whether we shall or not, get a night's lodging.

&c. Blaspheming against men, is any thing by which they are injured in their persons, characters, or property.

We are made as the filth of the earth-the offscouring of all things] The Greek word which we render filth, is Tepixabaрuara, a purgation, or lustrative sacrifice; that which we translate off scouring, is reprua, a redemption sacrifice. To understand the full force of these words, as applied by the apostle in this place, we must observe that he alludes to certain customs among the heathens; who, in the time of some public calamity, chose out some unhappy men of the most abject and despicable character, to be a public expiation for them these they maintained a whole year at the public expense; and then they led them out, crowned with flowers, as was customary in sacrifices; and, having heaped all the curses of the country upon their heads, and whipped them seven times, they burned them alive, and afterwards their ashes were thrown into the sea, while the people said these words, reçua quor you; be thou our propitiation. Sometimes the person thus chosen, was thrown into the sea, as a sacrifice to Neptune; the people saying the words as before. Hence Origen says that our Lord, in giving up himself as a propitiation for our sins, was much more than his aposBeing reviled, we bless, &c.] What a most amiable pic-tles; Tepixadaрuaтa тou нsoμov, пavтшv пeρibrua, the lusture does this exhibit of the power of the grace of Christ! || tration of the world, and the peculiar sacrifice for all men. Man is naturally a proud creature; and his pride prompts him always to avenge himself in whatever manner he can; and re-pay insult with insult. It is only the grace of Christ that can make a man patient in bearing injuries, and to render blessing for cursing; beneficence for malevolence, &c. The apostles suffered all indignities for Christ's sake; for it was on his account, that they were exposed to persecutions, &c.

Verse 12. Working with our own hands] They were obliged to labour, in order to supply themselves with the necessaries of life while preaching the gospel to others. This, no doubt, was the case in every place where no church had been as yet formed: afterwards, the people of God supplied their ministers, according to their power, with food and raiment.

Verse 13. Being defamed] Braofuauevo, being blasphemed. I have already remarked, that Chaconue, signifies to speak injuriously, and may have reference either to God or to man. GOD is blasphemed when his attributes, doctrines, providence, or grace, are treated contemptuously; or any thing said of Him that is contrary to his holiness, justice, goodness, or truth. Man is blasphemed, when any thing injurious is spoken of his person, character, conduct,

The apostle, therefore, means that he and his fellows were treated like those wretched beings who were judged to be fit for nothing, but to be expiatory victims to the infernal gods, for the safety and redemption of others. Our words, filth and off scouring, convey no legitimate sense of the original. See several useful remarks upon these terms, in Pearce, Whitby, and Parkhurst.

Verse 14. I write not these things to shame you] It is not by way of finding fault with you, for not providing me with the necessaries of life, that I write thus; but I do it to warn you to act differently for the time to come; and be not so ready to be drawn aside by every pretender to apostleship, to the neglect of those, to whom, under God, you owe your salvation.

Verse 15. For though ye have ten thousand instructors] Mupious Taιdaywysus, myriads of leaders, that is, an indefinite

The church should follow the apostle I. CORINTHIANS.

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ronis Caes. 3. gospel.

in doctrine, spirit, and discipline.

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structors in Christ, yet have ye not || membrance of my ways which be in
many fathers for in Christ Jesus Christ, as I teach every where
I have begotten you through the every church.

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18 Now some are puffed up, as though I

16 Wherefore I beseech you, be ye followers would not come to you.

of me.

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19' But I will come to you shortly, if 17 For this cause have I sent unto you Ti- the Lord will, and will know, not the speech motheus, who is my beloved son, and faithful of them which are puffed in the Lord; who shall bring you into re- power.

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up, but the

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multitude; for so the word is often used. The Taidaywyos, from which we have our word pædagogue, which we improperly apply to a school-master, was among the Greeks, the person or servant who attended a child, had the general care of him, and who led him to school for the purpose of being instructed by the didaσxaños, or teacher. It seems there were many at Corinth who offered their services to instruct this people, and who were not well affected towards the apostle.

Not many fathers] Many offer to instruct you, who have no parental feeling for you; and how can they? you are not their spiritual children: you stand in this relation to me alone; for in Christ Jesus, by the power and unction of his Spirit, I have begotten you, I was the means of bringing you into a state of salvation, so that you have been born again: ye are my children, alone in the gospel. Schoettgen produces a good illustration of this from Shemoth Rabba, sect. 46. fol. 140. "A girl who had lost her parents, was educated by a guardian who was a good and faithful man, and took great care of her when she was grown up, he purposed to bestow her in marriage: the scribe came, and beginning to write the contract, said, What is thy name? The maid answered, N. The scribe proceeded, What is the name of thy father? The maid was silent. Her guardian said, Why art thou silent? The maid replied, Because I know no other father but thee. For he who educates a child well, is more properly the father, than he who begot it." This is the same kind of sentiment which I have already quoted from Terence,

Rom. xvi. 13.

signifies an imitator of another person, whether in speech, || manner, habit, or otherwise. As children should imitate their parents in preference to all others; he calls on them to imitate him, as he claims them for his children. He lived for God and eternity, seeking not his own glory, emolument, or ease: those sowers of sedition among them were actuated by different motives. Here, then, the apostle compares himself with them; follow and imitate me, as I follow and imitate Christ: do not imitate them who, from their worldly pursuits, shew themselves to be actuated with a worldly spirit.

Verse 17. For this cause] That you imitate me, and know in what this consists:

I sent unto you Timotheus] The same person to whom he wrote the two Epistles that are still extant under his name; and whom he calls here his beloved son, one of his most intimate disciples; and whom he had been the means of bring||ing to God through Christ.

My ways which be in Christ] This person will also inform you the manner in which I regulate all the churches; and shew to you that what I require of you, is no other than what I require of all the churches of Christ which I have formed; as I follow the same plan of discipline in every place. See the Introduction, sect. iii.

Verse 18. Some are puffed up] Some of your teachers act with great haughtiness, imagining themselves to be safe, because they suppose that I shall not revisit Corinth.

Verse 19. But I will come to you shortly] God being my helper, I fully purpose to visit you and then I shall put those proud men to the proof, not of their speech, eloquence, or pretensions to great knowledge and influence, but of their ADELPH. Act i. scene 2. ver. 47. power, the authority they profess to have from God, and the evidences of that authority in the works they have performed. See the Introduction, sect. xi.

Naturâ tu illi pater es; consiliis ego.

Thou art his father by nature; I, by instruction. Verse 16. Wherefore I beseech you, be ye followers of me.] It should rather be translated Be ye imitators of me:

Ta, from which we have our word mimic; which, though now used only in a bad, or ludicrous sense, simply

Verse 20. For the kingdom of God] The religion of the Lord Jesus is not in word, in human eloquence, excellence of speech, or even in doctrines; but in power, ev durzudi, in the mighty energy of the Holy Spirit; enlightening, quick

The kingdom of God consists

CHAP. IV.

not in doctrine only, but in power.

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20 For the kingdom of God is unto you with a rod, or in love,
not in word, but in power.
and in the
21 What will ye? shall I come ness?

spirit of

meek

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a Ch. 2.4. 1 Thess. 1. 5.

b 2 Cor. 10. 2. & 13. 10.

ening, converting, and sanctifying believers and all his genuine apostles are enabled, on all necessary occasions, to demonstrate the truth of their calling by miracles; for this the original word often means.

Verse 21. Shall I come unto you with a rod, or in love] Here he alludes to the case of the teacher and father, mentioned ver. 15. Shall I come to you with the authority of a teacher, and use the rod of discipline? or shall I come in the tenderness of a father, and entreat you to do what I have authority to enforce? Among the Jews, those who did not amend after being faithfully admonished, were whipped, either publicly or privately, in the synagogue. If on this, they did not amend, they were liable to be stoned. We see from the case of Ananias and Sapphira, Elymas the sorcerer, Hymenæus and Alexander, &c. that the apostles had sometimes the power to inflict the most awful punishments on transgresThe Corinthians must have known this, and consequently have dreaded a visit from him in his apostolical authority. That there were many irregularities in this church, which required both the presence and authority of the apostle, we shall see in the subsequent chapters.

sors.

man who scarcely ever allows himself to be wrong, is one of whom it may be safely said, he is seldom right. It is possi ble for a man to mistake his own will for the will of God; and his own obstinacy, for inflexible adherence to his duty. With such persons, it is dangerous to have any commerce. Reader, pray to God to save thee from an inflated mind.

3. Zeal for God's truth is essentially necessary for every minister; and prudence is not less so. They should be wisely. tempered together; but this is not always the case. Zeal, without prudence, is like a flambeau in the hands of a blind man; it may enlighten and warm, but it may also destroy the spiritual building. Human prudence should be avoided. as well as intemperate zeal: this kind of prudence consists in a man's being careful not to bring himself into trouble; and not to hazard his reputation, credit, interest, or fortune, in the performance of his duty. Evangelical wisdom consists in our suffering and losing all things, rather than be wanting in the discharge of our obligations.

4. From St. Paul's account of himself, we find him often suffering the severest hardships in the prosecution of his duty. He had for his patrimony, hunger, thirst, nakedness, stripes, &c. and wandered about testifying the gospel of the grace of God, without even a cottage that he could claim as his own. Let those who dwell in their elegant houses, who profess to be apostolic in their order, and evangelic in their doctrines, think of this. In their state of affluence they should have extraordinary degrees of zeal, humility, meek

1. In the preceding chapter we find the ministers of God compared to STEWARDS, of whom the strictest fidelity is required. (1.) Fidelity to God, in publishing his truth with zeal, defending it with courage, and recommending it with prudence. (2.) Fidelity to CHRIST, whose representatives they are, in honestly and fully recommending his grace and salvation, on the ground of his passion and death; and preach-ness, and charity, to recommend them to our notice as aposing his maxims in all their force and purity. (3.) Fidelity to the CHURCH, in taking heed to keep up a godly discipline, admitting none into it but those who have abandoned their sins; and permitting none to continue in it, that do not continue to adorn the doctrine of God their Saviour. (4.) Fidelity to their own MINISTRY, walking so as to bring no blame on the gospel: avoiding the extremes of indolent tenderness on one hand, and austere severity on the other. Considering the flock, not as their flock, but the flock of Jesus Christ; watching, ruling, and feeding it according to the order of their Divine Master.

2. A minister of God should act with great caution: every man, properly speaking, is placed between the secret judgment of God, and the public censure of men. He should do nothing rashly, that he may not justly incur the censure of men; and he should do nothing but in the loving fear of God, that he may not incur the censure of his Maker. The

tolical men. If God, in the course of his Providence, has saved them from an apostle's hardships, let them devote their lives to the service of that church in which they have their emoluments; and labour incessantly to build it up on its most holy faith. Let them not be masters to govern with rigour and imperiousness; but tender fathers, who feel every member in the church as their own child, and labour to feed the heavenly family with the mysteries of God, of which they are stewards.

5. And while the people require much of their spiritual pastors, these pastors have equal right to require much of their people. The obligation is not all on one side; those who watch for our souls have a right not only to their own support, but to our reverence and confidence. Those who despise their ecclesiastical rulers, will soon despise the church of Christ itself, neglect its ordinances, lose sight of its doctrines, and at last neglect their own salvation.

Of certain grievous evils which

I. CORINTHIANS.

had been tolerated at Corinth,

CHAPTER V.

Account of the incestuous person, or of him who had married his father's wife, 1. The apostle reproves the Corinthians for their carelessness in this matter; and orders them to excommunicate the transgressor, 2-5. They are reprehended for their glorying, while such scandals were among them, 6. They must purge out the old leaven, that they may properly celebrate the Christian Pass-over, 7-9. They must not associate with any who, professing the Christian religion, was guilty of any scandalous vice; and must put away from them every evil person, 10-13.

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NOTES ON CHAP. V.

Verse 1. There is fornication among you] The word Topsia, which we translate fornication in this place, must be understood in its utmost latitude of meaning, as implying all kinds of impurity: for, that the Corinthians were notoriously guilty of every species of irregularity and debauch, we have already seen and it is not likely that, in speaking on this subject, in reference to a people so very notorious, he would refer to one only species of impurity, and that not the most flagitious.

That one should have his father's wife.] Commentators and critics have found great difficulties in this statement. One part of the case is sufficiently clear, that a man who professed Christianity, had illegal connections with his father's wife but, the principal question is, was his father alive or dead? Most think that the father was alive, and imagine that to this the apostle refers, 2 Cor. vii. 12. where, speaking of the person who did the wrong, he introduces also him who had suffered the wrong; which must mean the father; and the father then alive. After all that has been said on this subject, I think it most natural to conclude that the person in question had married the wife of his deceased father; not his own mother, but step-mother, then a widow.

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Ch. 4. 18. 2 Cor. 7. 7, 10.————1 Col. 2. 5.

stories of this kind in heathen authors; but they reprobate, not commend it. The word ovoμateral, named, is wanting in almost every MS. and Version of importance, and certainly makes no part of the text. The words should be read, and such fornication as is not amongst the Gentiles—i. e. not allowed. Some think that this woman might have been a prosclyte to the Jewish religion from heathenism; and the rabbins taught that proselytism annulled all former relationship, and that a woman was at liberty, in such a case, to depart from an unbelieving husband, and to marry even with a believing son-i. e. of her husband by some former wife.

Verse 2. Ye are puffed up] Ye are full of strife and contention, relative to your parties and favourite teachers; and neglect the discipline of the church. Had you con sidered the greatness of this crime, ye would have rather mourned, and have put away this flagrant transgressor from among you.

Taken away from among you.] Iva εğαpty, ex μero quar. This is supposed by some to refer to the punishment of death; by others to excommunication. The Christian church was, at this time, too young to have those forms of excommunication which were practised in succeeding centuries. Probably no more is meant than a simple disowning of the per son, accompanied with the refusal to admit him to the sacred ordinances; or to have any intercourse or connection with him.

This was a crime which the text says, was not so much as named among the Gentiles: the apostle must only mean that it was not accredited by them; for it certainly did often occur but by their best writers who notice it, it was branded as superlatively infamous. Cicero styles it, scelus incredi- Verse 3. Absent in body, but present in spirit] Perhap bile et inauditum; an incredible and unheard of wickedness; || St. Paul refers to the gift of the discernment of spirits, which but it was heard of and practised: and there are several it is very likely the apostles in general possessed on extraor

The apostle orders the transgressor

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A. M. 400. sent in spirit, have judged already, not that a little leaven leaveneth
as though I were present, concern- the whole lump?
ronis Cas. 3. ing him that hath so done this
deed;

4 In the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, when ye are gathered together, and my spirit, with the power of our Lord Jesus Christ,

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7 Purge out therefore the old leaven, that ye may be a new lump, as ye are unleavened. For even Christ our "pass-over 'is sacrificed for us : 8 Therefore

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* let us keep the feast, not with old leaven, neither with the leaven of malice and wickedness; but with the unleavened bread of sincerity and

6 Your glorying is not good. Know ye truth. €

Or, determined.

10. & 13. 3, 10.-
18. ver. 2. ch.
5.9. 2 Tim. 2. 17.

Matt. 16. 19. & 18. 18. John 20. 23. 2 Cor. 2. Job 2.6. Ps. 109. 6. 1 Tim. 1. 20.4 Acts 26. 3. 21. & 4. 19. Jam. 4. 16.- ch. 15. 33. Gal.

Isai. 53. 7. John 1. 29. ch. 15. 3.
John 19. 14. Or, is slain.-
Or, holiday.——— Deut. 16. 3.
Luke 12. 1.

1 Pet. 1. 19. Rev. 4. 5, 12.Exod. 12. 15. & 13. 6. Matt. 16. 6, 12. Mark 8. 15.

dinary occasions. He had already seen this matter so clearly, that he had determined on that sort of punishment which should be inflicted for this crime.

Verse 4. In the name of our Lord Jesus] Who is the Head of the church; and under whose authority every act is to be performed.

And my spirit] My apostolical authority derived from Him; with the power our duvape, with the miraculous energy of the Lord Jesus, which is to inflict the punishment that

Verse 6. Your glorying is not good] You are triumphing in your superior knowledge, and busily employed in setting up and supporting your respective teachers, while the church is left under the most scandalous corruptions ; corruptions which threaten its very existence, if not purged

away.

Verse 7. Purge out therefore the old leaven] As it is the custom of the Jews, previously to the pass-over, to search their houses, in the most diligent manner, for the old leaven, and throw it out, sweeping every part clean; so act with this incestuous person. I have already shewn with what care the Jews purged their houses from all leaven, previously to the pass-over. See the Note on Exod. xii. 8— 19. and on the term pass-over, and Christ as represented by this ancient Jewish sacrifice, see on Exod. xii. 27. and my Discourse on the Nature and Design of the Eucharist.

Know ye not] With all your boasted wisdom, do you not know and acknowledge the truth of a common maxim, a little leaven leaveneth the whole lump? If this leaven, the incestuous person, be permitted to remain among you; if you pronounce :— Verse 5. To deliver such an one unto Satan] There is no his conduct be not exposed by the most formidable censure, evidence that delivering to Satan was any form of excom-the flood-gates of impurity will be opened on the church, munication known either among the Jews or the Christians.and the whole state of Christianity ruined in Corinth. Lightfoot, Selden, and Schoettgen, who have searched all the Jewish records, have found nothing that answers to this: it was a species of punishment administered in extraordinary cases, in which the body and the mind of an incorrigible trangressor were delivered by the authority of God, into the power of Satan, to be tortured with diseases and terrors, as a warning to all: but, while the body and mind were thus tormented, the immortal spirit was under the influence of the Divine mercy; and the affliction, in all probability, was in general only for a season; though sometimes it was evidently unto death, as the destruction of the flesh seems to imply. But the soul found mercy at the hand of God; for, such a most extraordinary interference of God's power and justice, and of Satan's influence, could not fail to bring the person to a state of the deepest humiliation and contrition and Thus, while the flesh was destroyed, the spirit was saved in the day of the Lord Jesus. No such power as this now remains in the church of God; none such should be assumed, the pretensious to it are as wicked as they are vain. It was the same power by which Ananias and Sapphira were struck dead; and Elymas, the sorcerer, struck blind. Apostles, alone, were entrusted with it.

Verse 8. Therefore let us keep the feust] It is very likely that the time of the pass-over was now approaching; when the church of Christ would be called to extraordinary acts of devotion, in commemorating the passion, death, and resurrection of Christ; and of this circumstance the apostle takes advantage, in his exhortation to the Corinthians. See the Introduction, sect. xii.

Not with old leaven] Under the Christian dispensation, we must be saved, equally from Judaism, Heathenism, and from sin of every kind; malice and wickedness must be destroyed: and sincerity and truth, inward purity and outward holiness, take their place.

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