2 saints? Know ye not, that the saints shall judge the world? And if the world is judged by you, are ye un3 worthy to judge the smallest matters? Know ye not, that we shall judge angels? How much more things 4 pertaining to this life? If then ye have any controversies of things pertaining to this life, do ye set them to 5 judge who are of no esteem in the church? I speak to your shame. What, is there not so much as one wise man among you, that shall be able to judge between his 6 brethren? But brother goeth to law with brother, and 7 this before infidels. Indeed there is altogether a fault among you, that ye have contests with each other. Why do ye not rather suffer wrong? Why do ye not rather 8 suffer yourselves to be defrauded? Nay, ye do wrong, 9 and defraud even your brethren. Know ye not that the unjust shall not inherit the kingdom of God? Be not deceived, neither fornicators, nor idolators, nor adulter10 ers, nor the effeminate, nor sodomites, Nor thieves, nor the covetous, nor revilers, nor the rapacious, shall in11 herit the kingdom of God. And such were some of you: but ye are washed, but ye are sanctified, but ye are

no justice from these. The saints-Who might easily decide these smaller differences, in a private and friendly manner.

V. 2. Know ye not-This expression occurs six times in this single chapter; and that with a peculiar force: for the Corinthians knew, and gloried in it: but they did not practise; that the saints-After having been judged themselves, shall judge the world-Shall be assessors with Christ, in the judgment wherein he shall condemn all the wicked, as well angels as men, Matt. xix. 28, Rev. xx. 4.

V. 4. Them who are of no esteem in the church-That is, heathens, who, as such, could be in no esteem with the Christians.

V. 5. Is there not one among you, who are such admirers of wisdom, that is wise enough to decide such causes?

V. 7. Indeed there is a fault, that ye quarrel with each other at all, whether ye go to law or not. Why do ye not rather suffer wrong-All men cannot, or will not receive this saying. Many aim only at this, "I will neither do wrong, nor suffer it." These are honest Heathens, but no Christians.

V. 8. Nay, ye do wrong-Openly, and defraud-Privately. O how powerfully did the mystery of iniquity already work!

V. 9. Idolatry is here placed between fornication and adultery, because they generally accompanied it. Nor the effeminate-Who live in an easy, indoient way, taking up no cross, enduring no hardship.

But how is this? These good-natured, harmless people, are ranked with idolators and Sodomites! We may learn hence, that we are never secure from the greatest sins, till we guard against those which are thought the least: nor indeed, till we think no sin is little; since every one is a step toward hell, V. 11. And such were some of you: but ye are washed-From those gross abominations; nay, and ye are inwardly sanctified, not before, but in conse quence of your being justified, in the name-That is, by the merits of the Lord Jesus, through which your sins are forgiven, and by the Spirit of our God, by whom ye are thus washed and sanctified.

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justified in the name of the Lord Jesus, and by the Spirit of our God.

All things are lawful for me; but all things are not expedient: all things are lawful for me; but I will not 13 be brought under the power of any. Meats are for the belly, and the belly for meats; yet God will destroy both it and them. But the body is not for fornication, but for 14 the Lord, and the Lord for the body. And God hath both raised up the Lord, and will also raise us up by his 15 power. Know ye not, that your bodies are members of Christ? Shall I then take the members of Christ, and make them the members of a harlot ? God forbid. 16 Know ye not, that he who is joined to a harlot is one 17 body? * For they two, saith he, shall be one flesh. But

he that is joined to the Lord is one spirit. Flee fornica18 cation. Every sin that a man doth, is without the body;

but he that committeth fornication, sinneth against his 19 own body. Know ye not, that your body is the temple of the Holy Ghost, who is in you, whom ye have from God? 20 And ye are not your own: for ye are bought with a

* Gen. ii. 24.

V. 12. All things, which are lawful for you, are lawful for me: but all things are not always expedient-Particularly when any thing would offend my weak brother; or when it would enslave my own soul. For though all things are lawful for me, yet I will not be brought under the power of any-So as to be uneasy when I abstain from it. For if so, then I am under the power of it.

V. 13. As if he had said, I speak this chiefly with regard to meats: (and would to God all Christians would consider it!) particularly with regard to those offered to idols, and those forbidden in the Mosaic law. These, I grant, are all indifferent, and have their use; though it is only for a time; then meats and the organs which receive them, will together moulder into dust. But the case is quite otherwise with fornication. This is not indifferent, but at all times evil. For the body is for the Lord-Designed only for his service: And the Lord, in an important sense, for the body; being the Saviour of this as well as of the soul; in proof of which God hath already raised him from the dead.

V. 17. But he that is joined to the Lord-By faith, is one spirit with himAnd shall he make himself one flesh with a harlot?

V. 18. Flee fornication-All unlawful commerce with women, with speed, with abhorrence, with all your might. Every sin that a man commits against his neighbour, terminates upon an object out of himself, and does not so immediately pollute his body, though it does his soul: But he that committeth fornication, sinneth against his own body—Pollutes, dishonours, and degrades it to a level with brute beasts.

V. 19. And even your body is not, strictly speaking, your own. Even this is the temple of the Holy Ghost-Dedicated to him, and inhabited by him. What the apostle calls elsewhere the temple of God, (ch. iii. 16, 17,) and the temple of the living God, (2 Cor. vi. 16,) he here styles the temple of the Holy Ghost; plainly shewing, that the Holy Ghost is the living God.

V. 20. Glorify God with your body and your spirit-Yield your bodies and all their members, as well as your souls and all their faculties, as instruments of

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price: therefore glorify God with your body and your spirit, which are God's.

CHAP. VII. 1. Now concerning the things whereof ye wrote to me, It is good for a man not to touch a 2 woman. Yet, to avoid fornication, let every man have

his own wife and let every woman have her own hus8 band. Let the husband render the debt to the wife; and 4 in like manner the wife to the husband. The wife hath

not power over her own body, but the husband; and in like manner the husband also hath not power over his 5 own body, but the wife. Withdraw not from each other, unless it be by consent for a time, that ye may give yourselves up to prayer, and may come together again, lest Satan tempt you through your incontinence. 6 But I say this by permission, not by way of precept. 7 For I would that all men were even as myself: but every one hath his proper gift from God, one after this manner, another after that.

8

But to the unmarried and the widows I say, It is good 9 for them, if they remain even as 1. But if they have not power over themselves, let them marry; for it is better to marry than to burn.

righteousness to God. Devote and employ all ye have, and all ye are, entirely, unreservedly, and for ever to his glory.

CHAP. VII. Ver. 1. It is good for a man-Who is master of himself, not to touch a woman-That is, not to marry. So great and many are the advantages of a single life.

V. 2. Yet, when it is needful in order to avoid fornication, let every man have his own wife: his own; for Christianity allows no polygamy.

V. 3. Let not married persons fancy, that there is any perfection in living with each other, as if they were unmarried. The debt-This ancient reading seems far more natural than the common one.

V. 4. The wife-the husband-Let no one forget this, on pretence of greater purity.

V. 5. Unless it be by consent, for a time-That on those special and solemn occasions, ye may entirely give yourselves up to the exercises of devotion; lest-If ye should long remain separate, Satan tempt you-To unclean thoughts, if not actions too.

V. 6. But I say this-Concerning your separating for a time, and coming together again. Perhaps he refers also to ver. 2.

V. 7. For I would that all men were herein even as I-I would that all believers who are now unmarried, would remain eunuchs for the kingdom of heaven's sake. St. Paul having tasted the sweetness of this liberty, wished. others to enjoy it, as well as himself; but every one hath his proper gift from God-According to our Lord's declaration, All men cannot receive this saying, save they, the happy few, to whom it is given, Matt. xix. 11.

V. 8. It is good for them if they remain even as I-That St. Paul was then single is certain. And from Acts vii. 58, compared with the following parts It does not appear, of the history, it seems probable, that he always was so. that this declaration (any more than ver. 1) hath any reference at all to a state of persecution.

10 The married I command, yet not I, but the Lord, 11* That the wife depart not from her husband. But if she depart, let her remain unmarried, or be reconciled to her 12 husband. And let not the husband put away his wife. To the rest speak I, not the Lord. If any brother hath an unbelieving wife, and she consent to dwell with him, 13 let him not put her away. And the wife, who hath an unbelieving husband, that consenteth to live with her, let 14 her not put him away. For the unbelieving husband hath been sanctified by the wife; and the unbelieving wife hath been sanctified by the husband. Else were 15 your children unclean; but now they are holy. But if the unbeliever depart, let him depart: a brother or a sister is not enslaved in such cases; but God hath called us to 16 peace. For how knowest thou, O wife, but thou mayst save thy husband? Or how knowest thou, O husband, 17 but thou mayst save thy wife? But as God hath distributed to every one, as the Lord hath called every one, so let him walk. And thus I ordain in all the churches. 18 Is any one called being circumcised? let him not become uncircumcised. Is any one called in uncircumcision? let 19 him not be circumcised. Circumcision is nothing, and

uncircumcision is nothing, but keeping the command20 ments of God. Let every one in the calling wherein he

*Matt. v. 32.

V. 10. Not I-Only, but the Lord-Christ-By his express command, Matt. v. 32.

V. 11. But if she depart-Contrary to this express prohibition. And let not the husband put away his wife-Except for the cause of adultery.

V. 12. To the rest-Who are married to unbelievers, speak I-By revelation from God; though our Lord hath not left any commandment concerning it. Let him not put her away-The Jews indeed were obliged of old to put away their idolatrous wives, (Ezra x. 3.) But their case was quite different. They were absolutely forbid to marry idolatrous women. But the persons here spoken of were married, while they were both in a state of heathenism.

V. 14. For the unbelieving husband hath in many instances, been sanctified by the wife-Else your children would have been brought up heathens, whereas now they are Christians. As if he had said, Ye see the proof of it before your eyes.

V. 15. 4 brother or a sister-A Christian man or woman, is not enslaved—Is at full liberty in such cases. But God hath called us to peace-To live peaceably with them, if it be possible.

V. 17. But as God hath distributed-The various stations of life, and various relations to every one, let him take care to discharge his duty therein. The gospel disannuls none of these: And thus I ordain in all the churches-As a point of the highest concern.

V. 19. Circumcision is nothing, and uncircumcision is nothing-Will neither promote nor obstruct our salvation. The one point is, keeping the commandments of God; faith working by love.

V. 29. In the calling-The outward state wherein he is, when God calls him. Let him not seek to change this, without a clear direction from Providence.

21 is called, therein abide. Wast thou called, being a bond man, care not for it: but if thou canst be made free, use 22 it rather. For he that is called by the Lord, being a bond-man, is the Lord's freeman; and in the like manner, he that is called being free, is the bond-man of Christ. 23 Ye are bought with a price; do not become the bond24 slaves of men. Brethren, let every one wherein he is called, therein abide with God.

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Now concerning virgins, I have no commandment from the Lord: but I give my judgment as one who hath ob26 tained mercy of the Lord to be faithful. I apprehend

therefore, that this is good for the present distress, that it 27 is good for a man to continue as he is. Art thou bound

to a wife? seek not to be loosed: art thou loosed from a 28 wife? seek not a wife. Yet if thou dost marry, thou hast not sinned; and if a virgin marry, she hath not sinned. Nevertheless such will have trouble in the flesh; 29 but I spare you. But this I say, brethren, the time is short: it remaineth, that even they that have wives, be

V. 21. Care nol for it-Do not anxiously seek liberty, but if thou canst be free, use it rather-Embrace the opportunity.

V. 22. Is the Lord's freeman-Is free in this respect. The Greek word implies, one that was a slave, but now is free, is the bond-man of Christ-Not free in this respect, not at liberty to do his own will.

V. 23. Ye are bought with a price-Ye belong to God: therefore, where it can be avoided, do not become the bond-slaves of men—Which may expose you to many temptations.

V. 24. Therein abide with God-Doing all things as unto God, and as in his immediate presence. They who thus abide with God, preserve a holy indifference with regard to outward things.

V. 25. Now concerning virgins of either sex, I have no commandment from the Lord-By a particular revelation. Nor was it necessary he should; for the apostles wrote nothing which was not divinely inspired. But with this difference; sometimes they had a particular revelation, and a special commandment; at other times they wrote from the divine light which abode with them, the standing treasure of the Spirit of God. And this also was not their private opinion, but a divine rule of faith and practice. As one whom God bath made faithful in my apostolic office; who therefore faithfully deliver what I receive from him.

V. 26, 27. This is good for the present distress-While any church is under persecution, for a man to continue as he is-Whether married or unmarried. St. Paul does not here urge the present distress, as a reason for celibacy, any more than for marriage; but for a man's not seeking to alter his state, what ever it be, but making the best of it.

V. 28. Such will have trouble in the flesh-Many outward troubles. But I spare you I speak as little and as tenderly as possible.

V. 29. But this I say, brethren-With great confidence: the time of our abode here is short. It plainly follows, that even those who have wives, be as serious, zealous, active, dead to the world, as devoted to God, as holy in alt manner of conversation, as if they had none. By so easy a transition does the apostle slide from every thing else to the one thing needful; and forgetting whatever is temporal, is swallowed up in eternity.