If therefore this my eating in an idol-temple of that feast (or any use of my liberty in the same kind) be an occasion of confirming any Christian in an erroneous sinful practice, or bringing him to do any thing which is unlawful, I will sure deny myself the use of that liberty, be it supposed to be such as by the laws of Christ truly belongs to me, when it shall prove of so dangerous consequence to my fellow Christians. ⁵ being weak, ἀσθενεῖς ὕντος. ⁶ confirmed, οἰκοδομηθήσεται. ⁷ Or, Thy brother therefore for whom Christ died, growing sick through thy knowledge, is destroyed: for the King's MS. reads, Ἀπόλλυται οὖν ὁ ἀσθενῶν ἐν τῇ γνώσει σου ἀδελφὸς δι'. ⁸ scandalize my brother, σκανδαλίξει. [i] that you may attend—] This rendering of πρὸς τὸ εὐσχημον καὶ εὐπρόσεδρον τῷ Κυρίῳ ἀπερισπιάστως, that you may decently wait upon the Lord without distraction, is avowed by the Syriac, and the figure of ἐν διὰ δυοῖν, expressing one thing by two words, in the εὐσχημον καὶ εὐπρόσεδρον, will bear it very well. And that you may not think that what I say ch. viii. 13. of abstaining from many things that are lawful is magnificently and speciously, rather than with exactness of truth, spoken by me, I shall now mention my practices of this kind in other instances; and this the rather, because of another part of your letter, which mentions the deep knowledge of the teachers you have now among you, and intimates how I am despised by them, and that particularly for labouring in the works of my calling, making of tents, and so getting mine own living among you, (see vv. 3, 4.) Now hereto I make this reply, that without the vanity of comparing with them I may surely say four things of myself: 1. that I am an apostle of Christ, called from heaven immediately to that office: 2. that I had no obligation to do what I have done among you, (see vv. 4. 19,) that is, to preach on free cost to you, as I have; that I discern my Christian liberty so well, that I know I might have done otherwise: 3. that though I was none of Christ's followers here on earth, yet I have been equalled to them by seeing and being spoken to by Christ out of heaven: and 4. that I am certainly he that converted you to the faith, that planted the gospel at Corinth; and so surely am not unworthy to be considered by you. For the first of these, mine apostleship, whatever I am to others, I am sure I am an apostle in respect of you. Your conversion to the faith is as great a confirmation of my apostleship as a seal is to an indenture or instrument, or particularly to the letters dimissory, by which messengers were wont to be sent to the churches. For the second, that of my getting my living by my labour, the account which I give unto them that backbite me for this, (as if I knew not the nature of Christian liberty, and so out of niceness of conscience or scrupulosity durst not receive any reward from them to whom I preach,) is this, For my apostleship being a kind of warfare, in the scripture phrase, a planting a vineyard, a feeding a flock, in all reason, in all these respects I may expect a sufficient maintenance from them to whom I have these many relations. Nay, this is not only rational discourse, but it is the doctrine of the law. 9, 10. For when it is there commanded that the ox that treadeth out the corn should all the while he doth so have liberty to eat of the corn before him; that precept, that seems to respect the ox, belongs certainly to men, and signifies that men are obliged to reward all those that take pains for them, as the ploughman would never labour were it not in hope of reward; and he that is at the pains of threshing must in any reason have the encouragement of eating of the corn that he thresheth out. And then much more we that have laboured spiritually for your good, planted the gospel among you, may think it but just and proportionable that we receive some part of your wealth from you. This I know, the false apostles that come among you make use of this power, and receive the fruits of it; and then may not I have great confidence to do it? By what hath been said, it is clear we might require a maintenance from you, and that we know this our liberty, ver. 1; but yet we have abstained from making use of it, and have rather chosen to take any pains ourselves, Acts xviii. 3, 1 Cor. iv. 12, yea and to suffer hunger many times, (that you may not think we abstain from receiving from you because we have no need of it,) and so make no use of this claim of ours, as we might lawfully do (see note [e] ch. xiii.), rather than be thus burdensome to our auditors, on purpose designing this that we may not In sacrifices it is clear that the priests (see note [b] John vi.) eat part of the consecrated offering, and all is not burnt upon the altar, the altar devours not all, but the priest divides with it, and eats or carries home some portions of the sacrifices. And accordingly God, that hath the free disposal of all men's estates, hath given an assignment to those that preach the gospel, of so much out of their auditors' substance, that they may be maintained by preaching it. But I have made no use of this privilege of an apostle, but have preached to you on free cost; and I do not now speak of it as if I would desire to receive any thing from you, for I am much better pleased to do it thus, yea, and I would rather choose to famish by doing so, than be deprived of this way of advancing the gospel, ver. 12. I am so far from murmuring or complaining of this, that I would not for all the world lose this comfort and joy, that I have preached to you without receiving any thing from you, it being far a more blessed thing to give than to receive. For I am commanded to preach the gospel, and consequently by doing so I can expect no extraordinary reward from God; I do no more than strict duty, (see note [a].) I am sent by God with commiesion to do so, and that lays an obligation upon me, and it were a damning sin if I did it not. If I did indeed preach voluntarily without a command, then even for my preaching the gospel, as well as for my doing it without any reward, I might have some reason to expect some reward from God, as for an act of free-will offering; but seeing I do it not so, now all that can be said of me in respect of the preaching itself is only this, that I had a stewardship intrusted to me and I discharged it, which if I had not discharged I ought to be punished, and having discharged it I can expect no future reward for doing that which I was bound to do. [a] willingly] What is the meaning of ἑκὼν πρᾶσσω, to do any thing voluntary, or as a volunteer, appears by several parts of the context, first, by the opposition to ἄκων, involuntary, as that is explained by a necessity is laid upon me, and woe is to me if I preach not, &c. ver. 16, and, I am intrusted, or a trust is reposed in me, ver. 7. For that notes the involuntary action to be that which is by law required, and cannot be omitted without sin, and so becometh necessary. So saith Theophylact, Εἰ δὲ ἐνεχειρίσθην, πρόδηλον ὅτι οὐκ ἀπ' ἐμαυτοῦ τοῦτο ποιῶ, ἀλλὰ δεσποτικὴν ἐντολὴν πληρῶ, τοῦτο γὰρ ἐστι τὸ ἄκων, by these words, "If I am intrusted, it is manifest he means that I do it not of myself, but perform the Lord's command, for this is to do it involuntary." And therefore to do it ἑκὼν, voluntary, is to do it of one's self, without any command or obligation on him to do it. So Theophylact interprets it, Εἰ μὲν οὐκ ἐνεχειρίσθην τὸ κήρυγμα, ἀπ' ἐμαυτοῦ δὲ τοῦτο ἐποίουν, it signifies, "If this were not committed to me as a trust, but I did it of myself." Secondly, by the mention of καύχημα, boasting, ver. 16, and 2 Cor. xi. 9, 10, for that implies what is done to be done without obligation, and above that which was necessary by engagement of any precept. And so, thirdly, by μισθὸν ἔχω, I have reward here; and ver. 18, for reward signifies a return or retribution to somewhat, which a man was not bound to do. So the phrase is used among the Jews; and Maimonides hath a rule, Mor. Neb. l. 3. c. 17, Ei datur præmium, qui iujussus aliquid facit, "To him a reward is given who doth any thing unbidden." And therefore the whole phrase here, εἰ γὰρ ἑκὼν τοῦτο πρᾶσσω, must thus be rendered most clearly, not if I do or shall do this voluntary, as supposing that possible that he may, (for speaking of preaching the word, he had before said, that necessity was laid upon him, and therefore he cannot be free or at liberty to do or not do it,) but as suppositio non ponit, "a supposition doth not affirm," so the εἰ is to be rendered, if, that is, on supposition that I did this voluntarily, a reward would then belong to me, εἰ δὲ ἄκων, but seeing it is not so, seeing I do it not of my own instinct, but by appointment from God, &c. διὰ τοῦτο οὐ φιλοτιμία τὸ πρᾶγμα, therefore there is nothing heroical, or matter of holy emulation, or ambition in it. And accordingly it follows that the matter of preaching being to him distinctly under precept, there was but one thing which could bring him any reward, viz. the ἀδάπονον θήσω, making it costless to the auditors, εἰς τὸ μὴ καταχρήσασθαι τῇ ἐξουσίᾳ μου, ver. 18, in not making use of that power which he had, that is, the power of receiving maintenance from others, ver. 5, which he might most lawfully have done, ver. 7. 12. 14, and which Cephas and others freely did, ver. 5, and the not using it would therefore be thankworthy with God, and yield him some reward from him. To this purpose clearly St. Chrysostom, Τὸ μὲν ἐστιν ἐπίταγμα, τὸ δὲ τῆς ἐμῆς προαιρέσεως κατόρθωμα, "One was a precept, the other a virtuous action of his choice," ἃ μὲν γὰρ ὑπὲρ τὴν ἐντολὴν γίνεται, πολὺν δὲ ἔχει τὸν μισθὸν κατὰ τοῦτο, "for what is done above the command, hath proportionably a great reward." And again of the word ἀνάγκη, necessity, that it refers to the command, πρὸς ἀντιδιαστολὴν τῆς ἐλευθερίας τῆς ἐν τῷ λαμβάνειν, "in opposition to the freedom or liberty of receiving," ver. 12. So again Theophylact, What is it then that shall bring me in a reward? whence shall my reward come? Why, if I preach freely, and make no use of that liberty or ⁶ eat of that which is holy, or, feed by the temple, ἐκ τοῦ ἱεροῦ ἰσθίουσιν. ⁷ yet have I not written, οὐκ ἔγραψα δέ. ⁸ if, εἶσ. ⁹ voluntary. ¹⁰ I have been intrusted with a stewardship, οἰκονομίαν πανίστευμα. ¹¹ What then is reward to me? Τίς οὖν μοί ἐστιν ὁ μισθός; [d] run in a [e] race run all, but [f] one receiveth the prize? For being obliged to no man, I have freely served all, preached to them without any wages, that I might be more likely to bring them to Christ. [b] servant unto all] Servants or δοῦλοι, bondmen or slaves, were wholly in the power of their masters; they had power of life and death over them, much more of their bodies for labour, without giving them any wages or reward. To do all that they are commanded is but the due debt to their masters, which if they perform they are not praised, but punished if they do it not; whereas they that are free, if they do any office for any, they may in reason expect to be paid for it. So here St. Paul being a free man, no slave to the Corinthians, that is, under no obligation to preach without maintenance, ver. 1, might in reason expect from them reward for all his service, his preaching, &c.; but he did all this for nothing, and that he calls ἐδούλωσα ἐμαυτὸν πᾶσιν, his serving them as a servant doth, without any wages, or as though he were their servant. In like manner I have denied myself the use of my Christian liberty in many other things also, observed many ceremonies of the Jewish law, which I needed not to have done, but only to gain the Jews. To those that observe not the law of Moses, I behave myself in like manner, (not as if I were irregular, but ruling my actions according to the law of Christ and Christian liberty,) that I may work on those that are not observers of Moses's law. To those which were not sufficiently instructed in the nature of their Christian liberty, I restrained myself of the use of mine, that I might attract those the more probably; and so I dealt with all other sorts of men, doing that which I thought most probable to win them to Christ. And all this for the propagating the Christian faith, that I may convert the more, that by so doing my reward in another world may be the greater. You Corinthians have the Grecian games in one part of your country, and therefore cannot be ignorant of the customs of those, particularly how in that of running in a race, though many run, yet only one comes foremost to the goal, and consequently only one receives that reward which by the laws of the game belongs to him that comes first. Do you therefore so run, and so it becomes us all to do, that we may come foremost, and so receive the prize. [c] Know ye not—] The discourse that here begins, and goes on to the end of the chapter, is all perfectly agonistical, no way to be explained but by observation of the customs in the Grecian games or ἀγώνες. Of these there were four most famous in Greece, Τέσσαρές εἶσιν ἀγώνες ἂν Ἑλλάδα, τέσσαρες ἰροί, in the Anthology, l. 1. the Olympic, Pythian, Nemean, Isthmian, differing one from the other only in the places of the πανηγύριες or celebrations. The last of them, the Isthmian, were kept among the Corinthians, and that occasions his speech in this place, Οὐκ οἴδατε; Do you not know? as presuming their particular knowledge of all those customs which he is about to mention or refer to. [d] run] In every of these four ἀγώνες, there were five exercises, as was said, note [l] on Rom. ix, wrestling, cuffing, running, leaping, quoiting, πάλη, πνυμή, δρόμος, ἄλμα, δίσκος, which the Anthology sets down with some little change, Ἄλμα, ποδωκείην, δίσκον, ἄκοντα, πάλην, putting ἄκοντα for πνυμήν not very fitly. Beside these five single ones, there was another kind made up and compounded of the two foremost together, cuffing and wrestling both; and because to the performing of that all kind of strength and agility was required, it was therefore called παγκράτιον, from κράτος, strength, not from κρατίω, to overcome. Now the particulars that are here referred to are only two of these, that of δρόμος or ποδωκείη, running, the third of the five, and this of παγκράτιον, the one compounded of the other two; the former of these in this and the two next verses, the latter in the last verse of the chapter. [e] a race] Στάδιον was the space wherein they run, ὁ τόπος ἐν ᾧ [f] one receiveth] This race is open to all to run in, that is, to all that aspire to the crown or prize, who come from all coasts to that end, and from thence the agones were called πανηγύριες or frequentiae, "places of meeting or assembly." But when never so many ran, there was no possibility for above one to overcome, to wit, he that came foremost to the goal; for to him only the reward or prize belonged, which was called in their idiom βραβείον, bravium or ἄθλον, which two words differ no more than δῶρον and λῆμμα, the first in respect of the βραβεντής, that adjudges, the second in respect of the ἀθλητής, that receives it. This he was said λαμβάνειν, or καταλαμβάνειν, or ἐπιλαμβάνειν, (see note [l] on Rom. ix. and note [c] on Phil. iii.) which we render by receiving or obtaining, that is, catching of the prize or βραβείον from the top of the goal, the βραβενταί or judges having passed their sentence that he hath overcome, and it belongs to him. [g] So run] The οὕτω here refers to the laws or rules of the agones, the observing of which was as necessary toward the obtaining the victory or prize, as the swiftness was. For in the race there was not only the two terms, from whence and to which they ran; the first called βατήρ and τέρμα, the latter ἐσκομμένα, βαλβίς, τέλος, σκοπός, but also κακών, the rule, a white line marking out the path, within which they were to run, τὸ μεταξύ τοῦ βατήρος καὶ τῶν σκαμμάτων, "the middle space betwixt the two terms, from which and to which they ran or leaped," saith Jul. Pollux: and if they transgressed or ran over it, they did not νομίμως ἀθλήσαι, 2 Tim. ii. 6, run regularly, and consequently they lost the prize: so saith St. Chrysostom, "Ἀν μὴ πάντα ἁπλῶς διέλθαι τὰ τοῖς ἀθλήταις προσήκοντα οὐδέποτε στεφανοῦσθαι, "If they do not absolutely pass through and perform all things that befit the combatants, they are never to be crowned." Nay, if others observe aright, (that they were bounded with swords on one side, and the river Alpheus on the other,) the danger was greater than that of losing the prize; if they transgressed, they not only lost, but fell into the river, or on the sword's point; which is very applicable to our Christian race. Beside these, many other νόμοι ἀθλήσεως, laws or rules of combating there were, all which were to be observed in order to obtaining the crown, and that is the meaning of the οὕτω τρέχετε here, so run. Now every man that undertakes any of those combats or strifes binds himself to strict laws of abstaining from all such things as are hurtful for him, doth nothing but what is in order to his design. These indeed, in those heathen games, merely to get a crown of leaves or boughs, which presently fade or wither; but we Christians, that we may obtain an unfading, durable crown. ¹² use not, μὴ καταχρῆσασθαι. partner of it, συγκοίνωνος αὐτοῦ. abstinence. ¹³ obedient to the law of Christ, ἵννομος Χριστῷ. ¹⁴ co- [h] is temperate] What is here meant by ἐγκρατεύεται πάντα will be best collected by recounting the manner of the athletæ in preparing themselves for the games: first, negatively, that it was not by λεπτή δίαιτα, temperance, or thin diet, but directly the contrary, many times ἀναγκοφαγία, cramming, forcing themselves to eat, that by that means they might become παχεῖς and πολύσαρκοι, fleshy and corpulent. So saith a Lucian of Damosias, the athleta, whom Charon durst not take into his boat, τοσαύτας σάρκας περιβεβλημένον, having such a weight of flesh about him. To this agrees the phrase among physicians, ἀθλητική ἑξίς, and athletice, and pancratice valere, for "a full habit of body." So b Julian of Constantius, that he did not think agreeable to an emperor, τὴν τῶν παλαίστρας κατειληφότων θρυλλονμένην εὐεξίαν, "that famous full a Tom. 1. p. 266. b Or. 1. p. 19. [i] corruptible crown] The ground of this phrase φθαρτὸς στέφανος, a corruptible fading crown, hath been mentioned, note [l] on Rom. ix. For in all those famous games of Greece, that were so honourable in respect of their institution, their authors, and the celebrity and concourse of people to them, there was yet no reward proposed or obtainable by any of them, but the leaves of some plant, or boughs of some tree, which therefore κ Lucian calls τὸν φυλλινὸν στέφανον, a leafy crown, and in the person of Anacharsis sufficiently derides, περὶ γυμνασ. p. 727, to which is opposed not only the στέφανος ἄφθαρτος here, but more clearly the ἀμάραντος, 1 Pet. i. 4, the not-fading crown, the not-withering inheritance; to which perhaps may be applied also that of Heb. xii. 11, where having made mention τῶν γεγυμνασμένων, of them that are exercised, he saith there is laid up for them καρπὸς ἰρηνικὸς, a peaceable fruit, which, saith Peter Faber, denotes the crown made of the olive-tree, the emblem and token of peace. [k] as uncertainly] The phrase οὐκ ἀδήλως refers to the form or manner of the stadia or courses among the Grecians, wherein every racer had his course chalked out to him, both the place where he set out, the goal whither he went, and the way that he passed; so that unless a man winked, he could not but see perfectly, and know (for ἀδηλία and ἄγνοια, uncertainty and ignorance, are all one in Hesychius) which way he must go, and whither aspire. To this may be further added the δηλότης, certainty of the victory, and the assurance that he shall have the crown, if he do regularly perform the race and overcome. So in h Lucian saith Anacharsis, εἴτ' ἐπὶ τῷ ἀδήλῳ καὶ ἀμφιβολῷ τῆς νίκης τοσοῦτοι πονοῦσι, “If they labour so, when the victory is uncertain and doubtful,” &c. [l] fight] Here is the allusion changed from that of running to the other of cuffing, (for that is the particular notation of πυκτεύω and πυγμή,) or rather to that of παγκράτιον, compounded of cuffing and wrestling, and so of which πυγμή was a part; for so saith St. Chrysostom here, καὶ γὰρ δρόμος καὶ παγκράτιον, &c., the apostle speaks of two exercises, racing and that called pancratium. (See notes [d] and [o].) f Bibl. Pat. Gr. tom. 1. p. 1035. C. κ Περὶ τῶν ἐπὶ μισθῷ συνοντ. p. 321. h Περὶ λυμνασ. [m] beateth the air] Ἄερα δίρειν or δαίρειν, beating or striking the air, belongs to that of cuffing, a præludium or preparative to which was σκιομαχία, fighting with or beating the air, which Virgil describes by ————— Alternague jactat Brachia protendens, et verberat ictibus auras. “He thrusts out his arms one after another, and beats the air with his blows.” And ¹ Lucian, Ἦν τινα ἀθλητὴν ἴδης ἀσκούμενον πρὸ τοῦ ἀγῶνος, λακτίζοντα εἰς τὸν αἶρα, ἢ πῦξ κενὴν πληγὴν τινα καταφέροντα, “If you see a combatant exercising before the combat, kicking into the air, and with his fists giving it an empty blow.” This was only a brandishing before the fighting: of which, saith Buddæus on the Pandects, p. 74, that there is nothing more ordinary than that they that excel in skill and dexterity at this, (so that they can before they meet with their adversary shew their readiness to take all advantages of striking and wounding the enemy,) yet when they come to fight in earnest, and proceed a prolusione ad cruentum discrimen, “from the proclusion to the bloody combat,” conciderint statim animo, nec artis suæ præceptorum meminerint, “miscarry, and fall presently in spirit, and forget all the precepts of their art.” Where the opposition between this beating of the air and bloodiness of the combat, coming to sharps, as we call it, may give us the understanding of that phrase, Heb. xii. 4, Ye have not yet resisted unto blood, striving against sin; all that they had yet suffered being but a προπυγμή or σκιομαχία, as it were; they were not yet come to the real blows, had but been in some skirmishes as yet. Another notion there may be of this phrase, to signify the missing of the adversary, and hitting the air only. So saith Eustath. on Ἰλ. ε'. Οἱ πυγμάχοι πολλάκις οὐκ εἰστοχούντες μάτην κινοῦσι τὰς χεῖρας, “They that contend by cuffing do many times miss, and move their hands” (that is, strike) “to no purpose.” And thus will it here agree with the former phrase οὐκ ἀδήλωσε, for as those that cuff in the dark, though they strike never such καλὰς πληγός, saith Aristotle, lucky blows, yet many times miss their aim, wound nothing but the air; so here, should the apostle not be perfectly skilled in the ἀγών or combat he was about, he might often lose his blows; but being perfectly instructed in his race, and what will bring him first to the goal, and being entered into the lists with his adversary, and set knowingly about his business, as it follows, ὑποπιάζει καὶ δουλαγωγῆ, he plays the pancratiasta notably. [n] keep under] What is the notion of ὑποπιάζει hath been formerly touched on, Luke xviii. 5; and though there it signify by a secondary borrowed signification to reproach or put to shame, yet here it is certainly in a primary notion to strike under the eye or in the face, as the πύκται were wont to do. This being here joined to τὸ σῶμά μου, and applied to the matter in hand, of denying himself the use of his Christian liberty, must be rendered, (according to the notion of עצמו, which is Hebrew for σῶμά μου, my body, before mentioned, note [a] on Rom. vi. and is no more than ἱμάντον, myself.) I do give myself blue eyes, as in cuffing the combatant doth the adversary, pugnis ductis cæstibusque impactis lividum reddere, “I use great severity upon myself.” [o] bring it into subjection] Δουλαγωγῆ, to bring under, belongs to ¹ In Hermot. p. 219. [p] when I have preached] Κήρυξ, in the Olympic or Isthmian games, is the præco or herald, (the word by its origination seeming to come from the Hebrew י״ד, clamavit and proclamavit, "to cry," and "proclaim," and from thence κράζω and κηρύσσω, by an easy change,) whose office it was from a scaffold or eminent place to proclaim the combat that was to be entered, to call the agonistæ, to name the prizes, to admonish the athletæ, to animate them, to set them the laws of the agones, to subject all to the examination of the judges, and as they shall determine to pronounce the conqueror. So in Isidor. Pelus. Epist. l. 3. Ὁ κήρυξ τῶν Ἰξωθεν ἀγώνων τοὺς νικῶντας ἀνακηρύττει, ἀγῶνα τοῖς ἄλλοις διατιθεῖς, "He proposes the combat, and proclaims the conqueror and conquered." Such are the apostles under Christ, at once κήρυκες and στεφανίται, heralds and crowners, saith Isidore, pronouncing, proclaiming, citing, admonishing, binding, loosing, pronouncing some conquerors, and ἀποκηρύσσοντες, rejecting others as unworthy. [q] a castaway] What ἀδόκιμος signifies hath been said in note [h] on Rom. i. to miscarry, and lose the reward that he is contending for. Thus in good authors ἀδόκιμον γενίσθαι and ἀποκηρυχθῆναι are all one, and are opposed to στεφανούσθαι, being crowned or rewarded. And so that will be the importance of this close of the apostle, that he denies himself many things which he might enjoy, as combatants are wont to do, puts himself to many hardships also, that (whilst he is an apostle to others, directing them to that course that will bring them to their crown, to Now, my brethren, for those of you that count yourselves so acceptable to God, such eminent, and, as you think, spiritual persons, that have attained to an high pitch of excellence and perfection, and so call yourselves Gnostics, (see ch. iii. 1,) I desire that you should remember that the ancient Israelites had many high dignations from God, many miraculous works afforded toward them, and yet were not all very acceptable in God's eyes; and so it may well be with you also: as for example, not only Caleb and Joshua, that came to Canaan, but even all the rest of the Jews (all which perished in the wilderness beside them two) had the favour of the cloud to overshadow them, (as you Gnostics say you have, whatsoever you do,) and so also passed through the Red sea, and were miraculously preserved by God, (and yet after perished in the wilderness.) [a] under the cloud] The Jews have a known saying, (see note [c] on Luke xiii.) that "he that enters into God's covenant is gathered under the wings of the majestatic presence." See Maimonides, Tit. Isuri bia, cap. 13. "Whensoever," saith he, "a Gentile will enter into covenant, וְלַהֲסָתוֹפֶךָ תַּחַת כְּנַפֵּי הַשְּׁכִינָה, and be gathered under the wings of God's presence, or glory, or majesty," &c. The foundation of this speech is to be taken from that plain truth, that God obliges himself to take care of and protect all those that undertake obedience to him; but the peculiarity of the expression refers to the manner of God's exhibiting himself in the holy of holies, viz. by the cherubims' wings overshadowing the covering of the ark, to represent to us, that as the bird covers and defends the young ones with her wings spread over them, (to which our Saviour refers, Matt. xxiii. 37.) so doth God, that is every where present, peculiarly exhibit himself to those that keep his covenant and think upon his commandments to do them. And what was thus represented in the tabernacle and the temple was before more really exhibited in the departure of Israel out of Egypt; for there we find mention of the cloud and the fire, Exod. xiii. 21, in or by which (the cloud by day, and the fire by night) God went before or conducted them. Where, first, it must be remembered, that this going before doth not necessarily denote any distance of space from them, so as a guide goes before the rider, when he is only to teach or direct him the way, and he follows after, but (as was more agreeable to their condition at that time, who were to be shielded and protected, as well as led, and that protection noted by God's going before them, the same God going behind them too, The Lord shall go before thee, and the Holy One of Israel shall be thy rereward) an encompassing them on every side. So in Rabbi Eleezer, עַמּוּר הָעֵנֶן סוֹבְבַאת מִחֲנֵה יִשְׂרָאֵל כְּעִיר מוֹקֶפֶת חוֹמָה, "the pillar of cloud encompassed the camps of Israel as a wall environs a city;" and therefore when it is said, Exod. xiv. 19, that the pillar of the cloud went from before their face, and stood behind them, I suppose it must be interpreted by ver. 20, that the inner part of the cloud that was next the Israelites, being a lightsome part, and the external superficies of it not so, (now, when the Egyptians pursued the Israelites,) the cloud was so disposed as to be behind as well as before them, shining round about them, and yet so to be (in respect of the luminous part of it) confined to them, as to give light only to the Israelites, but none to the Egyptians that followed them. And secondly, that the word pillar, applied to it, is not to be looked on as a solid body, standing and fastened on the ground, and so still passing before them, but as pillars were anciently built hollow, as a kind of house or dwelling-place, (and accordingly Simeon the Anchorite is called συν-λίνης, because he dwelt always in a pillar,) a concave body over their heads, and so coming down to the ground, like wings enclosing and b In Pirki, c. 44. f. 40. ¹ MOREOVER, brethren, I would not that ye should be ignorant, ² how that all our fathers were [a] under the cloud, and all passed through the sea; Nay, further, if it be at an heathen's own table, where it is more probable that such portions of their sacrifices are to be met with than it was in the shambles, yet there also ye may eat freely of all, and never think yourselves bound in conscience to inquire whether there be any of those portions of their sacrifices there. And that cloud and that passage through the Red sea, which were used as means to confirm the ministry of Moses, to assure them that he was sent to them by God, and so were a kind of baptizing them into the belief of the doctrine of Moses, and were a type of our baptism, were allowed to them all. So the manna also that came down from heaven, and in that was a type of Christ, (and which was endued by God with a special excellency, such various relishes to agree with every one's taste, noting the various gifts of the Spirit among us Christians,) was ¹⁷ fading. ¹⁸ unfading. ¹⁹ as not at uncertainties; I so cuff as not beating ²⁰ I strike my body, and get it under me, lest having been a herald to others, myself should become a reprobate. ¹ But I would not have you ignorant, Οὐ θέλω δὲ ὑμᾶς ἀγνοεῖν. ² that our fathers were all, ὅτι οἱ πατέρες ἡμῶν πάντες—ἦσαν. HAMMOND, VOL. II. K And they all (those that perished as well as others) drank the water which came out of Horeb, which flowed miraculously and copiously, and as the Jews now affirm, followed them for their use a great while, and that rock signified Christ; so that in effect all the wicked which perished, as well as others, had mystically tasted of Christ, and so were partakers of this spiritualness as well as others. [b] that spiritual Rock that followed them] The Jews have now a relation, whether by way of story or of parable, that the water that And though they had so many degrees of miracles afforded them by God, so many degrees of spiritualness, yet were they not finally in the favour of God, but were destroyed, and their carcasses scattered in the wilderness, all of them, except only two, after all this. And these passages of story are very observable and exemplary to us, that you that count yourselves spiritual, and pretend to such high perfections and privileges, should keep yourselves pure from base sensual lustings, lest you perish after their examples; And that you should not fall into the snares of idolaters; some of you going still to the idol sacrifices, as ye were wont to do before your conversion to the faith (see ch. viii. 7); others, as the Gnostics, being present at those feasts out of a confidence that they knowing the idol to be nothing are not polluted by going thither, (ch. viii. 10,) and imitating the idol-worshippers in their filthy, unnatural, bestial sins, (for so the Gnostics did,) and so follow the example of those Israelites of whom it is said, that from their idolatrous feasts they fell into filthy bestial sins, the rites of those heathen festivities. [c] to play] That the word παίξειν here is to be taken in an unclean sense, may appear probable by the use of the word mocking among the Jews. This will be discerned by the Jerusalem Targum on Gen. xxi. 9, on that of Ishmael's mocking. Instead of these words in the Hebrew, Sarah saw the son of Hagar mocking, they read by way of paraphrase, Et vidit Sara filium Ægyptiæ facientem opera mala, quæ fieri non oportuit, illudentem, et cultum peregrinum exercentem, "And Sarah saw the son of the Egyptian doing evil works which ought not to be done, mocking, and exercising strange worship." Where the opera mala quæ fieri non oportuit, "the evil works that ought not to be done," are the ἄθεσμα, 2 Pet. ii. 7, and ἀθέμαι, 1 Pet. iv. 3, that is, those unnatural filthy sins which were so ordinary among the heathens, used as part of their Gentile worship, and those, it seems, noted by the phrase of illudere or mocking, which there and here, and in other places, (according to the civility of the sacred style,) is made use of, rather than others which signify more grossly those acts of unnatural filthiness. So Rabbi Solomon mentions an interpretation, that Ishmael had committed uncleanness, and that that is the meaning of the Hebrew צחק, to mock, Gen. xxxix. 17. And Lyra on that of Gen. xxi. saith, that the Hebrew word is equivocal, and signifies ludentem, idololatrantem, occidentem, et coeuntem, vel lascivientem, "mocking, committing idolatry, killing, committing uncleanness and wantonness." And then there will be little doubt but the words of the same Targum on Exod. xxxii. 6, (the place from which the words in this place are taken,) Et surrexerunt sibi ludentes cultu peregrino, "And they arose, mocking themselves after the strange or heathen worship," may belong to that also. To which purpose it is further observable that ἐμπαίξειν, (which may well be resolved synonymous to παίξειν, but cannot so well be mistaken for playing as the other may, but distinctly signifies illudere, "to mock,") is the rendering of צחק, (which is the word in Exodus, whence these words are cited,) Gen. xxxix. 14 and 17, in that story of Potiphar's wife and Joseph, and certainly signifies uncleanness there. Thus Tobit iii. 18, where Anna, to shew herself free from all uncleanness, ἀπὸ πάσης ἁμαρτίας ἀνδρὸς, from all sin of or with man, ver. 17, adds in St. Jerome's translation, Nunquam cum ludentibus miscui me, "I never associated myself with them that mocked;" where no doubt uncleannesses are meant; and it is probable that the Greek, which he trans- Neither let us Christians fall into those sins of fornication and other villainy, as the Israelites did at Shittim, Num. xxv. 1, after their idol-feasts, vv. 2, 3, and were destroyed, twenty-three thousand of them; a judgment that might deserve to be considered by the Gnostics of this age in the church of Corinth. Nor let us loathe and be weary of the gospel, as the Israelites did manna, Num. xxi. 5, and for it were destroyed by serpents, ver. 6; and yet so do many of you by the Gnostics' infusions among you, ³ the most, τοῖς πλείοσιν. types of us, ταῦτα τύποι ἡμῶν. ⁴ strawed, or, destroyed, κατεστρώθησαν. ⁵ to be wanton. ⁵ these were Nor be you guilty of that sin of murmuring at God's dispensations under the gospel, the nature of those precepts which there he hath given us, as if the heaven promised were a good heaven, but the way thither, the duties to be performed, rough and unpassable, (unless you may have your carnal joys afforded you.) For this were just after the manner of the Israelites, who brought up an evil report upon the land of Canaan, Num. xiii. 32, and from thence fell a murmuring, ch. xiv. 2, and were swept away by the destroying angel, that is, the plague, ver. 36, and ch. xvi. 41. [d] destroyer] That which is here called ἐξολοθρευτὴς, destroyer, is in the Jerusalem Targum, Exod. iv. 26, called perdens, and that there explained by angelus mortis, a messenger of the Lord's, ver. 24, that came to kill him. This is otherwhere called the destroying angel; for what is here said, they were destroyed by the destroyer, is in the story from whence it is taken, Numb xiv. 37, they died by the plague before the Lord. So the angels that came to Lot's house are sent to destroy the city, Gen. xix 13. In all which, and many more places where plagues are said to be inflicted of God by angels, it doth not appear that the angels used as instruments of those plagues are the fallen angels or devils, but those heavenly that wait on God to execute his wrath, as well as convey mercies. Thus God's coming with his angels is an expression of destructions, and yet those are μυριάδες ἁγίαι, holy myriads, Jude 14, or multitudes of heavenly angels, (see note [d] on Jude. All these sins and judgments on those Israelites, who were vouchsafed such wonderful mercies by God, which were his people under his immediate conduct, had so much of his Spirit among them, and yet sinned so foully, and were destroyed so miserably, are all emblems of our estate, if we do not beware of their sins, and they are set down in the Old Testament as warnings for us Christians. And therefore let him which is the most spiritual among you, that seems to himself to stand the firmest, take care that he fall not into these carnal sins, which bring such ruin along with them. And though some motives there are now among you that may tempt you to join with the heathen in their idolatries, to wit, the persecution of the heathens among which you live, yet ought not this to work much upon you, to drive you out of your religion; for, first, these are but ordinary and to be looked for (see note [b] Rom. vi.); and besides, God that hath promised not to suffer his servants to be afflicted, that is, tempted (see note [a] Gal. iv.) above their strength, will be sure to make good his promise, and will give you a way of escaping their terrors, if you continue faithful and constant, that you shall be able to bear whatsoever befalls you. To conclude therefore, let no temptation bring you to yield to these sins that are in their idol-feasts, (see note on ch. v. 1,) nor at all to be brought to sacrifice with them. I need not speak more plainly to you what I mean by idolatry, you are wise enough to know: see note [c]. The Christian feast of bread and wine in the Lord's supper is the exhibiting to us, (see note on Matt. xxvi. 26,) the making us partakers of the body and blood of Christ, (see note [c] Acts ii,) and is by us all acknowledged to be so; and therefore sure the joining in an idol-feast is a participating of the idol-god. [e] cup of blessing] The Jews used to conclude the feast wherein the paschal lamb was eaten with a cup of wine. This they called כֹּה הַלֵּל, ποτήριον ὑμνήσεως, the cup of praising, because they sang an hymn at that time, see Matt. xxvi. 30, and εὐλογίας, of blessing; and from thence the receiving the wine in the sacrament, being by Christ instituted after his paschal supper, is here called by that title. Of the word εὐλογεῖν, to bless, see note [c] on Matt. xiv. And all we that do partake of that one feast are by that supposed to be one body, of the same kind one with another; and so in like manner if ye join with heathens, and partake of their idol-feasts with them, ye are to be supposed of the same lump and mould with those heathens. In the Jewish sacrifices it is a known thing, that not only they that sacrifice, (the priests,) but all they also that eat of any part of the sacrifice, (the people,) are said to perform service to God, to eat, as it were, and drink with God at the altar, and to partake of all the benefits that come from God upon the sacrificers. I need not then affirm (that which the objection ch. viii. 4. denied, viz.) that an idol is any thing, or that that which is offered to a false god is in itself at all different from any ordinary meat, from the contrary of which the Gnostics concluded, that there is no unlawfulness to join in eating at an idol-feast. 20 16 But I say, that the things which the Gentiles sacrifice, they sacrifice to devils, and not to God: and I would not that ye should 17 have fellowship with devils. No, I need not come to examine that nicety; it is sufficient to say in plain words, that those sacrifices of the heathens are sacrifices to devils, and that whosoever eats of the feasts joined to those sacrifices doth communicate and join and do service to devils; and I would not have Christians guilty of that. The sacrament of the body and blood of Christ, wherein we communicate with and partake of the benefits of the death of Christ, will not well agree with communicating of and joining with devils: (see note [a] Rev. xiii.) Do we join devils in competition or rivality with God? do we think that we shall dare to give ourselves up to all idolatry and heathen sin, and yet that God will not punish us, when in the second commandment he hath expressed his jealousy against those that take in any other rival into their worship, and threatened to visit and punish for it? Many things there are (see note [i] ch. xiii.) which I might lawfully do, but that they are hurtful and disadvantageous to others, tend not to their edification, but to the scandalizing of them, either bringing them to or confirming them in some sin. And it is not fit that any should be so intent on what is lawful for him in respect of himself, or what is for his own advantage, as to neglect the benefit and advantage and edification of others. 25, 26. And whereas you object, that some portions of the heathen sacrifices are sold in the markets among other meat, and that therefore, if it be not lawful to eat what is offered to idols, ye must not eat what ye buy in the shambles because that may be such, and then this is a great retrenchment of your Christian liberty, by which ye may lawfully enjoy any of God's creatures: I answer, that in that case I may lawfully eat whatsoever is there sold, and not think myself bound in conscience to inquire and examine whether what I meet with there were a portion of an heathen sacrifice or no; for if no man be present to see and know that that which I eat is such a portion, or if I know it not myself, then sure I am guilty of nothing myself, nor can any other come to any hurt by this means. My running therefore is not as if I knew not my way, or my reward if I run well; my cuffing is not a bare brandishing my fist in the air, which hath no adversary to strike at, or misses him when he strikes. But (as in one of the exercises, mixed of cuffing and wrestling, they give blue eyes and falls to the adversary, so) I macerate myself, and bring myself under by denying myself those indifferent liberties which I might enjoy, lest having prescribed to others the way of striving, and getting the victory and the crown, I myself should miscarry, and miss of it. But in case any man take notice that that which is before you was a portion of an idol sacrifice, and punctually tell you of it, then you are not to eat of that, lest you confirm that man in (or betray him to) the sin of idolatry by your example, not understood by him aright, and so offend against a conscience: for the earth— [f] the earth is the —] If these words be to be read in this place, the meaning of them will be, that in a matter of this nature of eating they have little temptation to sin against conscience, when they consider the great store of other food, even all the plenty of the world, which they may lawfully enjoy, and let the idol sacrifices alone. But the king's MS. which leaves them out, seems to be in the right, (and it is easy to imagine how the transcribers might here insert them on occasion of διὰ συνείδησιν here, the same words after which, ver. 25, HAMMOND ANNOTT. VOL. II. K And do ye in like manner, as oft as there is occasion for the good of others, deny yourselves the use of your Christian liberty. Now for you that have written this letter to me, and asked my advice in all these particulars, I cannot but commend you, that ye have been so mindful of my doctrine, that ye have adhered so close to it, that ye have not been seducible by any false teachers in any of these particulars, but have appealed to me for my opinion of them. To proceed then to your next query, in order to matters of decency in the church, it is fit for you to consider the subordination of persons in the church, viz. that as Christ in respect of his office of Mediator is under God, but above all men, so the man being under Christ is above all women, and consequently that their garb in the church must be proportionable to this. Every man that doth any office in the church, that either prays, or expounds the word of God, or sings psalms, &c. (see note [m] Luke i.) if he do it with his head and face covered, this is indecent, against the liberty and dignity of his sex, it being a sign of shame and infamy in a man to have his head and face covered. [a] dishonoureth his head] It was a part of the punishment of malefactors among several nations to have a covering put over their faces; and therefore in the Roman form of giving sentence this was part, Caput obnubito, "Cover his head;" and that belonged to the whole head, the face also. So among the Persians, in the story of Esther, ch. vii. 8, The word went out of the king's mouth, and they covered Haman's face. And this seems to be the literal notation of κατὰ κεφαλῆς ἔχων, having over the head, which is here used, so having upon the head, as comes down upon the face also, as that differs from ἐπὶ κεφαλῆς ἔχων, having the veil upon the head only. This, therefore, which was the fashion of condemned persons, is justly said κατωσχύνειν τὴν κεφαλὴν αὐτοῦ, to reproach or shame his head. But every woman that doth any office in the church, that is employed as a member of a congregation, joining with the minister, whether pastor, prophet, in discharging of any Christian duty, such as is prayer, or expounding, or singing psalms, &c. (see note [n] Luke i.) and hath her head or face uncovered, this is contrary to decency in her, against the modesty and meekness of her sex, as much as it is for her to cut her hair, and wear it as men do. The use that is made of the not cutting a woman's hair, of letting it be worn at the length, is, that it may be a kind of veil or covering to her, ver. 15; which is an argument that as it is uncomely or unfashionable for her to have her hair cut after the manner of men, so it is uncomely to have her head uncovered after the manner of men, the distinction of sexes being to be maintained in the one as well as in the other. For the man indeed is to be uncovered, that being a sign of power and majesty, and man (being the image of God, and a beam and irradiation as it were of God) is an image of his power and majesty, and therefore ought so to appear; but the woman, she is but the beam of the man, having no power but from him, and so her subjection to the husband being her duty, she therefore is to be covered, which is a sign of that subjection. [b] glory] The Hebrew כבוד signifies both glory and beam, (the beams of the sun being so glorious that all glory is described by them,) and is rendered both by δόξα and ἀπαύγασμα, and one of them may be here taken for the other, δόξα, glory, for ἀπαύγασμα, beam or irradiation, such a beam which, flowing from another, derived from another, implies that from whence it flows to be more honourable. Or else the word may signify similitude, likeness, in both places of this verse; for so it is used by the Septuagint, Numb. xii. 8, δόξα Κυρίου, the similitude of the Lord, and psalm xvii. 15, δόξα σου, thy likeness, where the Hebrew hath תמונה in both places. And so here it will agree with εἰκών, the man is the image and similitude of God, and the woman of the man. As you know in the forming of man and woman, the woman was made of the rib of the man, and so is to be resolved inferior to him. And the creation of the woman was, that she ² reproacheth. ³ reproacheth: note [a]. And especially when the angels are generally believed to be present in the places of God's public worship, this piece of decency in the woman, her being covered, ought most strictly to be observed, as we will be most careful of doing no indecent thing in the presence of such pure divine spirits. [c] power] What the word ἐξουσία signifies here will be best conjectured, not by hearkening to the critical emendation of ¹ Jacobus Gothofredus, who would read ἐξουβίων, the Latin exuviam, instead of it, but by looking on the Hebrew word, which signifies the woman's hood or veil, and that is רדיד, whose theme רדיד signifies dominion or power over any thing or person; according to which notion of the theme, the word ἐξουσία must needs be answerable to the Hebrew רדיד, and consequently, though it signify power primarily, is yet fitly set here to signify a veil, (and by the Vulgar translation in some copies rendered velamen,) by the same proportion as רדיד, deduced from the root signifying power, is put for a woman's veil, Cant. v. 7, and Isa. iii. 23, and so Gen. xxiv. 65 and xxxviii. 14, and explained by the Targum by צָעִיף, a veil, peplus, theristrum, such as Rebecca and Tamar used. And this more fitly in respect of the discourse or rational importance of this place, which, ver. 8, proves that the woman should wear a covering in token of her husband's power over her. So when ¹ Eustathius, a bishop of Sebastia, in Constantine's time, among other things, τὰς γυναῖκας κείρεσθαι παρεσκεύαζεν, caused women to be polled, against him the council of Gangra made a man canon in these words: Εἴτις γυναικῶν διὰ νομιζομένην ἄσκησιν ἀποκείροιτο τὰς κόμας, δὲ ἔδωκεν ὁ Θεὸς εἰς ὑπόμνησιν τῆς ¹ Ἐξουσία de Dom. Maris, c. 3. ¹ Socrates, Hist. I. 3. c. μβ'. m Can. 17. [d] on her head] The woman's head signifies her head and face both, which were customarily covered with a veil, and it was counted immodest to be without it, according to that saying of Rabbi Abraham in the Talmud, tract. Sota, that "the bare uncovering of the head is immodest for the daughters of Israel." See Schickard De Jure Regio, p. 134. Thus among other writers also. Plutarch in Problem. Rom. Συνηθέστερον ταῖς μὲν γυναιξὶν ἐγκεκαλυμμέναις, τοῖς δὲ ἀνδράσιν ἀκαλύπτουσις εἰς τὸ δημόσιον προσείναι, "It is the custom" (and consequently decent) "for women to come into the public covered, and for men uncovered." And Clemens Alex. Pædag. l. 2. c. 10, Ἐγκεκαλύφθαι δὲ τὴν κεφαλὴν, καὶ τὸ πρόσωπον ἐπισκιάσθαι προστίτακται, οὐ γὰρ ὅσιον εἶναι θηρατρὸν ἀνθρώπων τὸ κάλλος τοῦ σώματος, "It was appointed that the heads and faces of women should be covered and shaded, and that the beauty of the body should not be a snare to catch men." So saith n Dicaarchus of the Thebans, ἱματίων ἐπὶ τῆς κεφαλῆς κάλυμμα τοιοῦτό ἐστιν, ὥστε προσωπιδίῳ δοκεῖν πᾶν τὸ πρόσωπον κατειλήφθαι, οἱ γὰρ ὀφθαλμοὶ διαφαίνονται μόνον, τὰ δὲ λοιπὰ μέρη τοῦ προσώπου πάντα κατέχεται τοῖς ἱματίοις, "Their heads and faces were all covered as with a mask, and nothing but their eyes to be seen." And so of the city of Tarsus, (St. Paul's country,) saith o Dio Chrysostom, that "the women came so attired into public, ὡς μηδὲν αὐτῶν μέρος ἰδεῖν τινα, μήτε τοῦ προσώπου, μήτε λοιποῦ σώματος, "that no part, either of their face or the rest of their body, might be seen." And for those that have not used or retained that custom of wearing veils or coverings, yet the universal custom of women among all people is to wear their hair at length, and that is useful to cover their faces and necks and shoulders, and that is the reason of the mentioning their long hair, that nature teaches them, ver. 15, and that it is as fit for her to be shaven as uncovered, ver. 6. [e] because of the angels] The presence of God in any one place more than in another is not easily conceivable by any. And therefore that any place should be called his house or place of residence, his temple wherein he dwells, 2 Cor. vi. 19, must needs be in some other respect, and what that is, is sufficiently explicated by Jacob, who upon the vision of angels at Luz, awakes, and says, that the place was venerable, and that God was in it, and that it was the house of God; which concludes that the appearance or presence of angels is that from which God is said to be peculiarly present anywhere, and which fits that place to be God's house; and thus, Eccles. v. 5, when we read, from the n P. 58. o Or. 1. Tars. K 2 But this inferiority of the wife to the husband must not so be urged, that the man being independent from her should be thought to have no respect unto her, (which may be seasonable to tell the Gnostics, who were great despisers of marriage,) any more than the woman should be from the man. For as the woman was formed out of Adam's rib, so all the sons of Adam were born and conceived and propagated by women, and man and woman united by God, from whom all things are. But for that of women's behaviour in the place of public service, judge you by what is decent among you, is this decent for her to have her head uncovered in time of divine service? Doth not the universal custom of all nations make this distinction between sexes, that men wear their hair cut, and that is decent in them; [f] nature] What is meant by φύσις here, which is said to teach that men are to cut, women not to cut their hair, may be guessed, first, by the practice and vow of the Nazarites, of never cutting their hair, which yet was allowed and commended by God in some men, which it would not have been, if the practice had been against the law of nature, or if that were the notion of φύσις here; secondly, by the words precedent, ver. 13, πρίπον ἐστι, &c. is it decent? which though it belong to the woman's praying uncovered, yet when being uncovered and cutting her hair are made unfit upon the same principle, ver. 6, the τὸ πρίπον, or decency, will be an interpretation of the φύσις, nature, as ver. 6, αἰσχρὼν, uncomely is applied to both the being shaven and uncovered; thirdly, by the notion of φύσις, in other authors, for custom, 80 ἤθη ἐπίκτητοι φύσεις, customs are acquired natures in Galen: and in Aristotle Rhet. l. 1. c. 11. καὶ γὰρ τὸ εἰθισμένον ὥσπερ πεφυκὸς ἤδη γίνεται, ὅμοιον γὰρ τὸ ἴθος τῇ φύσει, ἐγγὺς γὰρ τὸ πολλάκις τῷ ἀεὶ ἐστιν· ἐστι δὲ ἡ μὲν φύσις τοῦ ἀεὶ, τὸ δὲ ἴθος τοῦ πολλάκις, "Custom and nature are near and like one another; and that which is frequently done is next that which is always done." And therefore when in Lucian, in the person of Demosthenes, we have, Συγγίνωσκε μοι μὴ πεφυκέτι κακῷ γίνεσθαι, "Pardon me, that am not born to be ill or naturally ill," Phil. Melancthon renders it, Ignoscas mihi, qui non consuevi inconstans esse, "Pardon me, that am not wont to be so," that being an ordinary notion of πεφυκέται among authors; and so it is ordinary for that to be called the law of nature which was but the law of nations, ὡ τινι ἴθους ἴν, ἡ ἴθνη χρῶνται τινι, "which one nation or some nations use," in Harmenopulus, Ἐξαβ. l. 1. tit. 1. And so in the Digests, (de Stat. Hom. l. lex naturæ,) that which was but the law of many nations, ut qui nascitur sine legitimo matrimonio matrem sequatur, (which, though it held among the Grecians and Romans, did not among other nations,) is called lex naturæ, "the law of nature;" as on the other side, Dio Chrys. περὶ ἴθους, of custom, comprehends the law of nature under that style. Fourthly, by the use of the word φύσις in the New Testament, as Ephes. ii. 3, τέκνα φύσει ὀργῆς, children of wrath by nature, applied to the national universal custom of idolatry among the Gentiles, as appears ver. 2, in which you (Ephesian Gentiles) sometimes walked; and ver. 3, among whom we all (we Romans, from whom he wrote,) ἀνεστράφημῖν πότε, sometime conversed, ὡς καὶ οἱ λοιποὶ, as the rest also of the heathen world. Just as the same idolaters, Wisdom xiii. 1, are called φύσει μάταιοι, vain, that is, idolatrous, by that general custom among them. To this matter the testimony of Suidas is most clear on the word φύσις, where having enlarged on the signification of it in philosophy, he adds, "Ὅταν δὲ ὁ ἀπόστολος λέγῃ, καὶ ἦμεν τέκνα φύσει ὀργῆς, ὡς καὶ λοιποὶ, οὐ κατὰ τοῦτο τὸ σημαινόμενον τῆς φύσεως λέγει, ἐπεὶ τοῦ ποιήσαντος ἂν ἦν τὸ ἔγκλημα, ἀλλὰ τὴν ἔμμονον καὶ κακίστην διάθεσιν καὶ κρονίαν καὶ πονηρὰν συνήθειαν," But when the apostle hath those words, which were by nature, &c., he takes not the word nature in this notion, but for an evil durable disposition, or chronical And women do not, but wear it at length, and that is decent in them? and to what purpose is this, but that their hair may be a kind of veil or covering to them? And if, after all this, any man will further contend in this matter, all that I shall add is, the constant custom of all the apostolical churches, that women in the churches should constantly be veiled, and that may be of sufficient authority with you. Now one thing there is wherein you are much to be blamed, that your assemblies are not so Christian as they ought. For first I am told, and I have some reason to believe it, that there are divisions and factions among you, which express themselves in your assemblies. And indeed there is some good use to be made of divisions among Christians, that so the honest and orthodox may be more taken notice of. That which I am to blame in you is, that your public common meetings, which should be as at the table of the Lord, to eat a church-meal, a common Christian feast, are indeed much otherwise, none of that communicativeness and charity among you, as is required in such; (see note [f] Acts i.) For at your feasts of charity accompanying the Lord's supper, which were intended for the relief of the poor, and wherein all the guests are to be equal, no man to take place or eat before another, no man to pretend any right to what he brought, but every man to contribute to the common table, and to eat in common with all others, this custom is utterly broken among you; he that brings a great deal falls to that, as if it were in his own house at his own meal, and so feeds to the full; whereas another, which was not able to bring so much, is fain to go hungry home: and so your meetings are more to feed yourselves than to practise a piece of Christian charity, to which those sacramental assemblies were instituted. This certainly is to do as you were wont at home, and you may as well stay there and do thus; this is quite contrary to the institution of church-meetings, and the not only sending away hungry, but even reproaching and putting to shame those that are in want, and are not able to bring any great offering along with them. This sure is a great fault among you. 23, 24. For from Christ it was that I received (though I were not present there) what I delivered in my preaching among you, that Christ, when he instituted his last supper, took and blessed the bread, and then eat it not all himself, nor preferred any one before another by a more liberal portion, but gave it in an equal distribution to every one at the table, and that as an expression and token of his life for all of them, without preferring one before another, and then appointed all disciples to imitate this action of his, to meet and eat as at a common table, not one to engross all or deprive others, and so to commemorate ⁹ divisions, alpinæis. ¹⁰ the sincere, δάκιμοι. ¹¹ it is not, or, it is not possible, οὐκ ἔστι. ¹² takes his own supper: for the King's MS, νεμίς, προσλαμβάνει. ¹³ put them to shame that have nothing? κατασχύνετε τοὺς μὴ ἔχοντας; ¹⁴ you? In this I praise you not. ὑμᾶς; ¹⁵ Ἐν τούτῳ οὐκ ἔπαινῳ. And when supper was ended, he took also the grace-cup (see note [e] ch. x.), and delivered it about, telling them that this action of his was an emblem of that covenant of grace and bounty, which he would seal in his blood to all, without respect of persons, and commanding them to imitate and commemorate this impartial charity of his, whensoever they met together at the holy table. And do ye, saith he, in all your sacred festivals, thus shew forth to God and man this gracious act of my bounty in giving my life for my people, and continue this ceremony till I come again at the end of the world. So that to offend in this kind against this institution of this feast, by doing contrary to the universal charity designed therein, is to sin against the body and blood of Christ, to take off from the universality of Christ's goodness and mercy in that death of his. It is therefore fit that every man examine himself thoroughly, whether he be rightly grounded in the faith of Christ, of which this sacrament is an emblem, and accordingly, when upon examination he hath also approved himself (see note [f] Rom. ii.), when he is fitly prepared, let him come to that table, and partake of it in a Christian manner. When I say a conscience, I mean not thine own, but that other man's conscience; that is, that thou art in this case to abstain for the sake of that other man's conscience, lest he be betrayed to sin by that means, ver. 28, and not for thy own; for there is no reason in the world that that other man's conscience should make that simply unlawful to me which I receive as a gift of God and acknowledge it from him, that is, render it altogether unlawful, abstracting from the scandal annexed, which were otherwise (by the liberty which Christ hath given) perfectly lawful to me. And he that doth come without that preparation, and so understands not the truth of Christ's universal mercy in his death, signified by this institution of the Lord's supper, or consequently receives it not in an holy manner, incurs damnation, instead of receiving benefit by such eating and drinking of it. And certainly abstract it from that case of scandal, and there will be no reason to find fault with or accuse me for eating of that before which I say grace, bless God for it, and eat it merely as a blessing of his, without any respect unto any idol-god whatsoever. And the want of this due preparation to and performance of this duty, the factions and divisions that are among you, have brought many punishments upon some of you, afflictions, (see note [a] Gal. iv.), diseases, and death itself, as was threatened upon those who at the feast of the passover put not all leaven out of their houses, Exod. xii. 19. The only thing then considerable in this matter is the scandal, which tends to the dishonour of God, and betraying men to or confirming them in sin, and that must be provided against, and care be taken that in every bit I eat, or action I do, I may not dishonour God, or do hurt to my brother. Which had never fallen upon you, if you had not by such faults needed admonition and discipline, God never punishing them that do not stand in some need of being awaked thus, and stirred up by his punishments. ¹⁵ covenant, διαθήκη. ¹⁶ declare ye, καταγγέλλετε. ¹⁷ So that, "Ωστε. ¹⁸ some, Ixarel. ¹⁹ examine, διακρίσουμε. Let nothing you do be apt to betray any man to sin, whether it be Jew or heathen on one side, or Christian on the other. Even as in my ministry I conform myself to all men, so as may be most for their advantage, not for my own, (see note [c] Rom. xiv,) that by some means or other I may bring them to embrace the gospel, ch. ix. 20, &c. ## CHAP. XI. BE ye followers of me, even as I also am of Christ. Now to that other part of your letter, concerning those that are moved and acted by the Spirit, whether good or ill, (see ch. xiv. 37, and note [d] Luke ix.) and foretell, &c. by that means, I desire to admonish and direct you, brethren, and to give you some characters to discriminate one from the other when they come into your assemblies, as sometimes some with evil spirits did, (Euseb. Hist. lib. iv. 16,) and as Simon the magician is said to have contended with St. Peter. [a] spiritual gifts] That πνευματικῶν may here be used in the masculine, not neuter gender, is most evident; and if it be so, then it must signify spiritual persons, not things. So the word is certainly used, ch. xiv. 37, If any seem to be a prophet or spiritual, such as have any divine affiliation. Thus in Ῥalladius, Lausiac. Hist. c. 43, Ἔγνων ἀκριβῶς πνευματικὸν αὐτὸν εἶναι, καὶ προγινώσκειν πάντα, "I knew exactly that he was a spiritual person, and foreknew all things." When ye were heathens, ye know the oracles pretended to foretell things to come, and by your desire to know such things ye were seduced to idols; which were so far from being able to presage, that they were not able to speak, and the answers that were given you there were neither given you by the idols nor their priests, but by the devil in them. The way therefore to discriminate them is this, that no man who pretends spiritual gifts in the church, who is led or speaks by the Spirit of God, will ever speak evil of Jesus; and no such man again hath any of those extraordinary powers of miracles, &c. and doth them in the name of Christ, but he is acted by the Holy Spirit, the doctrine and commands For in baptism being made partakers of the same Spirit, we are entered into one body to be fellow-members with all Christians, of what quality or sort soever we are: and the cup of charity or thanksgiving, appointed by Christ in his last supper to be used in his church, is a token and band of the same unity among Christians, and signifies the animating of all by the same Spirit. 14—17. For as the body is made up of several members for several uses, so is the church of Christ, each of them profitable for some end; and therefore though one be inferior to some others, yet hath that no reason to envy them. It hath therefore seemed best to God to give several men several offices in the church, which they are to be content with, not repining that they are not more honourably employed. For if every member were equal to all others, there could not be a subordination, and an assignation to several offices, as in a body there must be. And therefore God hath so ordered it, that each should have his peculiar office, and all together be united into one body, 21, 22. Every one having need and use of every other; and generally, those which we more despise and are ashamed of, being most necessary. That there may be no separation of interests or desires in the body; and so likewise in the church; but that the several members may be as solicitous every one for another member as for itself. From whence it follows, that as in the body every member hath a fellow-feeling with each other, so all true members of the church have the same common interests and concernments, whether of suffering or of rejoicing. And this must be by you applied to yourselves, who are, being considered altogether, the church, though not the church universal, yet a special part thereof, the church of Corinth, (see Chrysostom,) and so the mystical body of Christ, and the several persons of you, members of that body, that particular church. And the chief officers constituted by God in the church, are, 1. apostles, sent to plant the faith, and having done so, either to govern being present, or superintend being absent, in all churches; 2. prophets, who having many spiritual gifts, teach where the apostles have planted, and confirm believers, and impose hands (see note [e] Acts xv.); 3. doctors or teachers of churches already constituted, and so all [b] apostles] The word ἀπόστολοι, apostles, is known to signify here, not messengers of a common nature, but commissioners from Christ, sent with the same power which he had from his Father, John xx. 21, to plant and govern the church, and to that end to part the world between them into so many μερίδες and κλῆροι and ἴδιοι τόποι, portions and lots and proper places and provinces, Acts i. 25, over which they were set. And so, though when Christ was here on earth these were disciples and followers of his, yet after his departure, and the descent of the Holy Ghost, they are instated in the supreme authority in the church. See note [b] on John xx. [c] prophets] Next after the apostles are prophets placed in the church, both here and Ephes. iii. 5 and iv. 11. Their office was to preach more fully the gospel of Christ to those who had formerly received it, and to that end they were inspired by God with that special gift of interpreting the prophecies, &c. of the Old Testament, thereby to confirm the Jews in the faith; and beside many other spiritual gifts, they had that of foretelling things to come, as appears by Agabus, and those that went down from Jerusalem to Antioch, Acts xi. 27. These differed from apostles on one side, were inferior to them, οὐκ εἶχον τὴν [d] teachers] Διδάσκαλοι, doctors, are here set down in the third place, differing, as hath been said, from prophets only in this, that they spake οἶκοθεν, from themselves, and had not the gift of foretelling things to come. But for the office of teaching and confirming those which had already received the gospel, and for the governing of the churches as bishops, in that they agreed with them; and accordingly, Acts xiii. 1, the same persons are there called prophets and teachers. And therefore it is to be observed, that Ephes. iv. 11, teachers are set as all one with ποιμένες, pastors, (the bishops' title, saith Chrysostom, and so say the Scholiasts, τοὺς τὰς ἐκκλησίας ἐγκεχειρισμένους, &c. "those that govern the churches," the bishops, "he calls pastors," such was Timothy, Titus, and the like.) So in Bede Eccl. Hist. l. 2. c. 2, episcopos sive doctores, "bishops or doctors." So 1 St. Chrysostom, Epist. β', speaking of the incestuous Corinthian, Πολλοὶ φασιν ὅτι καὶ διδασκάλου τάξιν ἐπείχε, "Many say he had the place of a doctor," straight adds, τὰ πρωτεῖα ἔχειν τῆς ἐκκλησίας, "he had the presidency of the church:" τοὺς δὲ ποιμένας καὶ διδασκάλους, "some pastors and teachers," not distinguishing them as apostles and prophets and evangelists, with a τοὺς δὲ, some, to each, but only connecting them with the καὶ, ἐξηγητικόν, the particle and, by way of explication, and so noting them to be two names for one thing, and accordingly ποιμένες, pastors, is not mentioned here. The particular notation of the word διδάσκαλοι must be first taken from the difference observable betwixt κηρύσσειν and εὐαγγελίζεσθαι, preaching, on one side, and διδάσκειν, teaching, on the other, so as the word and doctrine differ, 1 Tim. v. 17; the first belonging to the planting, the second to the watering, that is, instruction and exhortation and confirmation superadded to the preaching or planting the faith anywhere. This office of instructing and confirming certainly belonged primarily to the bishop in every church, Acts xiii. 1, and was not compatible to any but him, or whom the bishop appointed to it, (as the apostles sent the evangelists to preach for them, where they could not come themselves,) by neglect of which wholesome practice all heresies and seeds of new doctrines have gotten into the church. Thus in Justin Martyr, Apol. 2, when the anagnostes or reader hath read the portion of scripture out of • On Ephes. iv. 11. • Tom. 7. p. 57. l. 4. [e] miracles] Having set down the three prime sorts of dignities in the church, apostles, prophets, teachers, with the distinctive terms of πρῶτον, δεύτερον, τρίτον, first, secondly, thirdly, the apostle adds now in another style, ἔπειτα δυνάμεις, εἶτα χαρίσματα ἱαμάτων, after powers, then gifts of healings. Of which two it must first be observed, that they do not denote several persons distinct from the former, (for it is evident the apostles had both the powers and the gifts,) but only several χαρίσματα, or extraordinary gifts, with which the apostles and prophets and teachers were all endowed. And consequently these cannot be imagined to constitute new orders in the church, nor those that follow in this place, helps, &c. Secondly, for the meaning of δυνάμεις, powers, it is most probable that by it is denoted the same thing that by the ἐνεργήματα δυνάμεων, ver. 10, operations of powers, (which are there also joined with gifts of healing,) and those may denote those operations or exercises of powers which we find exemplified in St. Peter on Ananias and Sapphira, in Paul on Barjesus, (either inflicting immediate death, or diseases upon them, or pronouncing that they should come, and accordingly it followed,) and in those first times, in the governors of the church, by their censures delivering men up to Satan, εἰς ὀλεθρον σαρκὸς, to the destruction of the flesh, to inflict diseases on them. And this may very probably be the meaning of δυνάμεις, powers, here also; and so it is acknowledged by Theophylact. And these seem to be the τέρατα, prodigies, wrought by the apostles, Acts ii. 43, upon which it is said that fear was on every soul, in like manner as it was said upon the death of Ananias, ch. v. 10, in respect of these powers of the apostles. [f] helps] That ἀντιλαμβάνεσθαι signifies to succour or relieve any in distress, hath been said, note [b] on Luke x; and there is no doubt but ἀντιλήψεις here is to be taken in that sense, relieving and providing for the poor out of the stock of the church; and this here set down as a special part (as the κυβερνήσεις is another) of the office of those men which were set down in the beginning of the verse, the powers and the gifts of healing, referring to the virtues and assistances by which they were backed in the discharge of their office; and so, in an inferior degree, the γίνη γλωσσῶν, sorts of tongues, in the close of the verse, skill in some languages, which was useful to their preaching to the nations; but these two, helps and governments, denoting two special parts of their office, under which all was indeed contained, which had not been before intimated in their names. For as to the former of these, the relieving of the poor, that always belonged to the apostles and bishops; and though the deacons were employed in one inferior part of it, the serving tables, Acts vi, the distributing of the several portions daily to the poor widows, &c., as διάκονοι under the οἰκονόμος, [g] governments] The word κυβερνήσεις is all one with the Latin gubernationes, and so denotes the power and office of ruling and governing particular churches already planted by the apostles, and by them committed to the care of the bishops, set down here under the style of διδάσκαλοι, teachers, who, as they further instructed the congregations which had received the faith, so did they rule and order and administer them, (κυβερνᾶ, διοικεῖ, saith Hesychius.) Hence I suppose it is, that as ποιμήν, pastor, and ποιμαίνειν, to discharge the office of a pastor, denotes this power of ruling, and is the description of an ἡγούμενος, a ruler, Matt. xxvi, ὅστις ποιμανεῖ τὸν λαόν, who shall rule the people, and is applied first to Christ, Matt. xxvi. 31. John x. 11, 14. Heb. xiii. 20. 1 Pet. v. 4. (and joined with bishop, 1 Pet. ii. 25.) then to St. Peter, John xxi. 16, then to the bishops of Asia, Acts xx. 28, then to the bishops of the Jews in their several dispersions, 1 Pet. v. 1; so it is joined with διδάσκαλος, teacher, Ephes. iv. 11, and not as a several office [h] diversities of tongues] What γλώσση here signifies will be best discerned by ᵘ Eustathius, who expresseth it by ἀποξενωμένην διάλεκτον, a strange language, and by ᵛ Clemens, who calls them ἀπεριλήπτους τὰς βαρβάρων φωνάς, "the voices of barbarians which have not been learned." And though this equally belongs to all strange languages, yet it must be observed, that γίνη γλωσσών, kinds or sorts of tongues, in this place, and ver. 10, signifies with some restraint, not all the languages of the world, as was in the effusion of the Spirit on the apostles Acts ii, but some sorts of languages which they had never learned, in order to their preaching to those people which used those languages. For it must be observed, that though the power of miracles, indefinitely all miracles, even to the raising the dead, removing mountains, &c., were bestowed on the apostles by Christ, and so in like manner power of speaking all languages of the world; yet these in this full latitude were not thought fit to be bestowed on other persons after them, but with some limitations, to one this, to another that, which was useful toward the building up of the church, now that the foundation was already laid by Christ and the apostles. Hence is it that some are peculiarly endowed with gifts of healing, not having those other powers called δυνάμεις or ἐνεργήματα δυνάμεων here and ver. 9, nor the πίστις, faith, ver. 9, that which extended to all miracles, even to removing of mountains, ch. xiii. 2. And so in like manner some had some certain languages (as a χάρισμα or gift) by inspiration, yet not all, because that was not in order to their business. And as the power of speaking with all tongues is called indefinitely λαλεῖν ἑτέραις γλώσσαις, Acts ii. 4, speaking with other tongues, and here, ch. xiii. 1, γλώσσαις ἀνθρώπων λαλεῖν καὶ ἀγγέλων, speaking with the tongues of men and of angels, that is, all kind of languages imaginable, (proportionable to the πᾶσα πίστις, all faith, ver. 2.) so this more limited gift is expressed by γίνη γλωσσών, sorts or kinds of languages, and γλώσση λαλεῖν, ch. xiv. 2, speaking with a tongue, that is, some one tongue or more; for of him it is said, ver. 13, Let him pray that he may interpret, which it seems he is not yet able to do, and so not to speak with all tongues. For if he could, then understanding himself well enough, (as he is supposed to do, ver. 4. 14.) it must needs follow, that he would also be able to interpret himself, and not need another qualified to that purpose, ver. 27. In like manner, as here, ver 30, tongues and interpreting belong not both to the same persons; nay, ch. xiv. 28, when two or three speak in unknown tongues, it is supposed possible that neither of them may be able to interpret or declare intelligibly to the people what hath been said, in which case the apostle bids them that speak strange languages hold their peace in the church, that is, in the presence of believers, for to u Io Iliad. 1. x Strom. 1. [g] discerning] The Hebrew קדש signifies two things, to sanctify and to discriminate, and is accordingly sometimes rendered by ἀγιάζειν, and once by διαστέλλειν, Jos. xx. 7. From hence it seems to be that διακρίνειν here, being the literal rendering of one notion of the Hebrew קדש, is taken for the other of hallowing or sanctifying the Lord's body, that is, eating the Lord's supper (in a different manner from that of eating our ordinary meal, or ἴδιον δείπνον, our own supper, viz.) as the institution of Christ, to represent his death for the world, and the diffusive mercy of that by our Christian liberality, and furnishing a common table, where the poor as well as rich may feast, and not the rich eat all to themselves; which is the profaning of that feast of the body of Christ.