17 For we, being many, are one bread, and one body; for we are all partakers of that one bread. The apostle's argument lies thus: As christians, though many, yet by virtue of their society in the same worship, are compacted together as it were into one loaf or lump, that is, into one mystical body, in that they partake of one and the same sacramental bread; so those that communicate with idolaters, in eating things offered unto idols, are compacted together as it were into one body, forasmuch as they communicate in one and the same sacrifice: many grains of corn moulded together make one loaf, and the juice of many grapes make one cup; so christians, though many, yet are one visible church, one mystical body, and declare themselves so to be by their fellowship together at the Lord's table. as 18 Behold Israel after the flesh: are not they which eat of the sacrifices partakers of the altar? 19 What say I then? that the idol is any thing, or that which is offered in sacrifice to idols is any thing? 20 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 have fellowship with devils. Here another argument against eating things offered to idols is produced by our apostle, and it runs thus: "As in the Jewish church all persons that did eat of the peace-offerings which were laid upon God's altar, did by that act declare themselves members of the Jewish church, and that they owned the God of the Jews, to whom these sacrifices were offered: in like manner the converted Corinthians, by eating part of those beasts which were sacrificed in the idol's temple, did by that act declare their owning of that idol, and that idolatrous worship which had been there performed, and were really partakers of that idolatrous altar; not that an idol is any thing, or that which is offered to the idol any thing, that can of its own nature pollute and defile; but the plain truth was, the heathens were seduced by the devils to offer these sacrifices, and they were devils whom they worshipped; though not in their own intention, yet in God's estimation and consequently those that did eat : 21 Ye cannot drink the cup of the Lord, and the cup of devils: ye cannot be partakers of the Lord's table, and of the table of devils. That is, Ye cannot have communion with Christ, and with idolaters too: your communicating with Christ in the Lord's supper is utterly inconsistent with communicating with devils in the idol's feasts, for this were to do homage to two contrary lords, God and Satan, and to profess service to both." Here observe, 1. A sacramental table described: it is the table of the Lord; so called, because he that is Lord of lords did institute it for the remembrance of his own death. Observe, 2. An impossibility declared, that none can be worthy partakers at the Lord's table that hold communion with sin: true, idolatry is the sin here specified, or sacrificing unto devils; but it holds true of all sin in general, and of having fellowship with Satan in any of the unfruitful works of darkness. Learn hence, That no person can really enjoy any fellowship and communion with Christ at his holy table, who maintains correspondence with sin, and holds communion with Satan. 22 Do we provoke the Lord to jealousy? are we stronger than he? Observe here, 1. That the worship of God is that which he is very tender and jealous of: never was husband so jealous of the chastity of his suspected wife, as God is jealous in point of worship; idolatry is a provoking God to jealousy. Observe, 2. That such as worship idols, or are guilty of idolatrous worship in any kind or degree, must expect God a jealous revenger, and will find themselves not strong enough to contend with him. "Do we provoke the Lord to jealousy, by joining devils in competition with him? Are we stronger than he? Who knows the power of his anger? The strength of God should make sinners tremble." 23 All things are lawful for me, but all things are not expedient : all things are lawful for me, but all things edify not. Our apostle having in the former part of this chapter resolved the case concerning public eating things offered unto idols in the idol-temples, and by several arguments proved it to be absolutely unlawful; he comes now to resolve another case, concerning private buying and private eating of things offered unto idols; for it seems to have been a custom to set to sale in the market, flesh that was sacrificed, (the gain whereof went to the priests,) as well as other flesh; but first he answers an objection. Some might be ready to say, all things are lawful for me; that is, all meats, may be lawfully eaten by me. If so, says the apostle, yet all lawful things are not expedient to be done in respect of our weak brother; plainly intimating, that there are many things lawful in themselves, which, considered under such and such circumstances, are very inexpedient: so far are they unlawful. 24 Let no man seek his own, but every man another's wealth. These words may be understood two ways: 1. Let no man seek his own, that is, only his own wealth. 2. Let no man seek his own wealth: that is, to the prejudice of others, though never so much to his own advantage; teaching us, that it is the duty of every christian not merely to look at his own profit and pleasure, but at the benefit and advantage of others, as that which edifies, or tends to promote holiness in others; and that in the use of our christian liberty we must regard rather the edification and salvation of others, than the gratifica tion of ourselves. 25 Whatsoever is sold in the shambles, that eat, asking no question for conscience sake: 26 For the earth is the Lord's, and the fulness thereof. Here the apostle resolves the case, whether it were lawful to buy that meat in the market which had been offered to an idol in the temple. He determines, 1. That it was; if it be sold in the shambles, it is to be looked upon as common food, and they may freely buy it without any scruple of conscience. But how came meat to be sold in the shambles, which was offered and sacrificed in the temples of the Gentiles? Answer, It is probable that the priests, who had a share in the beasts that were offered unto idols, or the people, who had also a share returned them out of their own offerings, did bring such meat to be sold in the market: in this case, says the apostle, ask no questions about it. Observe, 2. He assigns the reason for it: because the earth is the Lord's, and the fulness thereof. That is, those things that are sold for food in the market, are to be looked upon as the creatures of God, made for, and sanctified to, the use of man; and therefore you may eat of any creature which the Lord provideth for your food, without scruple of conscience, when others are not scandalized at it. 1 Tim. iv. 4. Every creature of God is good, if received with thanksgiving. 27 If any of them that believe not bid you to a feast, and ye be disposed to go; whatsoever is set before you, eat, asking no question for conscience' sake. 28 But if any man say unto you, This is offered in sacrifice unto idols, eat not, for his sake that shewed it, and for conscience' sake: for the earth is the Lord's, and the fulness thereof. Our apostle here puts another case: "Suppose an unbeliever, an infidel or heathen, did invite a believer, a christian, house, (not to a feast upon a sacrifice in the to a feast of civil friendship in his private idol-temple, which was absolutely unlaw ful,) what was to be done in this case?" He declares they may warrantably go and eat whatever is set before them without scruple, but would have them ask no questions about the lawfulness of it; nevertheless, if the master of the feast, or any present at the feast, shall suggest that some part of the meat has been offered to an idol, in that case he would have them forbear, lest they should encourage any man to idolatry; adding his reason as before, For the earth is the Lord's, and the fulness thereof; that is, there is plenty and variety of other meat to be had, which God, the Creator of all things, the Lord of the whole earth, has allowed us the free use of; so that we may well let the idol-sacrifices alone. Here we that an action lawful in itself becomes sinful, and is condemned as such, when there is a breach of charity in the doing of it. see, 29 Conscience, I say, not thine own, but of the other: for why is my liberty judged of another man's conscience? 30 For if I by grace be a partaker, why am I evil spoken of, for that for which I give tion, Do all to the glory of God, is applicable to all the actions of human life. thanks? Here the apostle tells them, that they, ought to abstain from that which is lawful and indifferent in itself, for the sake of another man's conscience. This meat had not been unlawful to them, though offered to idols, had they not been told that it was so offered; but being made acquainted therewith, for the sake of him that showed thee it was offered to idols, forbear eating; for why should our liberty be so used by us as to be judged of and condemned by another man's conscience? It is not enough that we do what is just and right in our own sight, but we must provide things honest in the sight of all men. Whatsoever things are pure, whatsoever things are lovely, whatsoever things are of good report; these we must practise, and none but these. And observable is the apostle's reason, why we should, for the sake of another, abstain from eating that meat which was lawful in itself, ver. 30 namely, to prevent being evil spoken of: Why am I evil spoken of? That is, why should I cause another to speak evil of me, for eating that meat which I might without any prejudice forbear? For in so doing I shall certainly abuse my liberty, grieve God, and offend the weak. 31 Whether therefore ye eat or drink, or whatsoever ye do, do all to the glory of God. Our apostle concludes his whole discourse with three excellent rules, to direct all christians how they should govern themselves in the use of their lawful liberty, as to things that are of indifferent nature; that is, neither commanded nor forbidden in the word of God. The first is this, to refer all our actions in general, both natural, civil, and religious, to the glory of God; to make that our supreme aim, our ultimate end, in all we do, in all we design, in all we desire. A christian is to perform his natural actions to spiritual purposes; and whilst he is feeding and refreshing his body at his own table, must have an eye at his serving God both with soul and body. Farther, not only in our natural actions, but in our civil employments, in our lawful recreations; but especially, and above all, in our religious duties, must we propound the glory of God as our principal aim, our chief scope, our supreme end. This injunc 32 Give none offence, neither to the Jews, nor to the Gentiles, nor to the church of God. Here we have the second rule given for ordering all the affairs of human life: Give no offence to any, neither to the unbelieving Jew, nor to the unconverted Gentile, nor to the weak members of the church of God; particularly, give no offence to the e, by eating things offered to idols at any time, or in any place, where any may be scandalized; for the Jew will consider that you are enemies to the law and the prophets. The Gentiles will believe that your abhorrence of idols is not real, when they see you eat things offered unto idols before their faces; and the weak christian will be tempted by your example to revolt from the christian faith. Therefore do nothing that may tend to the hurt, or just offence, either of Jew, Gentile, or christian. 33 Even as I please all men in all things, not seeking mine own profit, but the profit of many, that they may be saved. The last rule which the apostle lays down, is his own practice and example, who in indifferent things accommodated himself to all men. I please all men; that is, I seek and endeavour to please all men, and in all things; that is, in all lawful things, and in all other things wherein the law of God has left me at liberty; for neither in the omission of any thing which God commanded, nor in the commission of aught which he had forbidden, would St. Paul please any man in the world. And when he did please all men, it was for their profit and advantage, not his own: to promote their eternal salvation, not his own temporal interest: I please all men, that they may be saved. Learn hence, 1. That no men must be pleased by sin, nor pleasured in their sins. The smallest duty must be preferred before the pleasing of all the men in the world. Learn, 2. We may and ought to seek the pleasing of men, with subserviency and in subordination to the pleasing of Almighty God. Learn, 3. That inordinate inan-pleasing is fruitless, needless, and endless: when you have endeavoured to please most, how many will be displeased when you have done your best? God himself, Jesus Christ, his holy prophets, apostles, saints, and servants, could never The apostle had in the foregoing chap ters, by many cogent arguments, exhortel the Corinthians to deny themselves the law ful use of their christian liberty, for the benefit of their brethren; to enforce which argument he propounds to them his own example in this verse, Be ye followers of me even as I follow Christ. Where note, 1. The duty recommended to their practice; namely, to follow their spiritual guide: Be ye followers of me. It is the standing duty of a people whom God honours with the enjoyment of faithful spiritual guides, to follow their faith, and to imitate their exemplary conversation; the graces of all christians in general, but of the mi nisters of the gospel in particular, whether living or dead, are patterns set forth to the world for their careful imitation: and for omission herein they must certainly become accountable to God. Note, 2. With what great modesty and caution, with what restriction and limitation, St. Paul propounds his own example to the Corinthians' view: Be ye followers of me, as I also am of Christ. As if he had said, "If at any time you find me, your spiritual guide, stepping aside, and walking unanswerably to that uniform pattern of holy and humble obedience, which the Lord Jesus set both before you and me, in his own exemplary life, be sure you decline my example, and follow not my footsteps." Learn hence, That the best of ministers, and the best of men, being but men, our imitation of them must be an universal, but a limited imitation; we must follow pastors, teachers, nay, apostles themselves, no farther than they follow Christ, their infallible Lord and masler: Be ye followers of me, even as I also am of Christ. 2 Now, I praise you, brethren, that ye remember me in all things, and keep the ordinances, as I delivered them to you. This commendation is to be restrained to the sounder part of the church at Corinth, who were mindful of his precepts and instructions which he had delivered to them concerning matters appertaining to the public worship of God; which precepts and rules for the worship of God he calls traditions, because they were immediately delivered to the church, either from the apostle's mouth, or by writing. This place, though produced, yet makes nothing for the unwritten traditions of the Romish were delivered to the church from the mouth of the apostles, and we will receive them. Now I praise you, brethren. Here it deserves a remark, that the apostle, being church at Corinth, ushers in his reproof about to reprove certain disorders in the for what was amiss, with a commendation of what was praise-worthy among them; I praise you, brethren. Like the physician, who wraps his bitter pill in honey or mouth. It is wisdom to intermix commen. sugar before he gives it into his patient's dations with our reproofs, that the latter may take more place when accompanied with the for..er. 3 But I would have you know, that the head of every man is Christ; and the head of the woman is the man; and the head of Christ is God. Here our apostle answers the query, and resolves the case, which the Corinthians had put to him, and laid before him, about church-order, and concerning the decent behaviour of men and women in churchassemblies. And first he reminds them, that a subordination of persons in the church of God ought to be observed and kept : that as Christ, as Mediator, is inferior to God the Father, but is the head and lord of all men, as Creator and Redeemer; so the man is the head of the woman, and as such she must show her subjection unto the man. As Christ, as Mediator, acts in subordination to the Father, so must the woman act in subordination to the man. The Socinians would wrest this text to confirm them in their blasphemous denial of the divinity of our Lord Jesus Christ. "Here, say they, the apostle declares that the head of Christ is God. Now the most high God can have no head above him; therefore Christ, who hath an head above him, cannot be the most high God." The modern and general answer is, that God is here called the head of Christ as Mediator, in which relation he received his kingdom from him, and exercises it for him; and therefore is elsewhere styled the Father's servant, Behold my servant, &c. because he doth all things according to his Father's will, and with a fixed eye to his Father's glory. But the ancients reply to this objection thus: "That God is said to be the head of Christ, as he is the Father of the Son, and so the cause of him; and as the woman is of the same nature with the man, who is her head, so is Christ of the same nature with God the Father, who is here called his head: The head of Christ is God." 4 Every man praying or prophesying, having his head covered, dishonoureth his head. 5 But every woman that prayeth or prophesieth with her head uncovered, dishonoureth her head for that is even all one as if she were shaven. By the man's praying and prophesying, understand his performing any divine offices in the church, as prayer, and expounding the scriptures, singing of psalms, and the like. By doing this covered, understand not the natural covering of the hair, but an artificial covering by a veil, after the manner of women, which is a token of subjection. By dishonouring his head, understand either, 1. Christ, who in the former verse was called the head of every man. He that administers in the church in holy things represents Christ, who is the head of the church; therefore by covering the head he declares a subjection in his administration, and doth as it were make the church the head of Christ, instead of Christ's being the head of the church. Or else, 2. By dishonouring the head, may be understood the minister's own head: he betrayeth his superiority, and lesseneth the honour and dignity of his sex, by using such a gesture in divine offices, as is a token of inferiority and subjection; for in that country, at that time, it was a sign of subjection to have the head covered, but a sign of power and dominion to have the head uncovered. The contrary is found with us at this day; for those that have power over others, now keep their heads covered, and those that are inferior to others, keep their heads uncovered before them, ver. 5. By the woman's praying and prophesying, is understood either prophesying extraordinarily (which we read the women sometimes did both in the Old and New Testament, and were called prophetesses, Luke ii. 36. Acts xxi. 9.) Or else, by the woman's prophesying, is to be understood praising God in hymns and psalms, 1 Chr. xxv. 1, 2, 3, They prophesied with harps, psalteries, and cymbals, giving thanks, and praising the Lord; where prophesying and praising the Lord are the same thing. By the woman's prophesying with her head uncovered, to the dishonour of her head or husband, is to be understood her appearing unveiled in the church, open and barefaced in public; which was accounted, 1. An immodest, unbecoming, and unseemly guise. 2. Arrogant; her being unveiled and uncovered was a token of her usurping an undue authority over the man, and of her casting off that subjection which she was under by the law of her creation to him. 3. Superstitious; it being a fantastical imitation of the she-priests and prophetesses of the Gentiles when they served their idols, and particularly when they sacrificed to Bacchus, who used to have their faces uncovered, their hair dishevelled, hanging at its full length round about their ears. Now the Corinthian women, in imitation of these heathen women, (for the female sex is very fond and exceeding prone to follow the fashion,) did cast off their veils, discovered their faces, dishonoured their heads, even their natural heads, (as well as their economical head, their husband,) it being then and there accounted as immodest a thing for a woman to appear in public uncovered, as to appear with her head shaven. the whole learn, That God requires at the hands of all persons, who either administer unto him, or stand before him, a decent behaviour and comely accommodation in his house, especially in the acts and exercises of his worship and service. For if in their habit and dress, surely much more in their gesture and deportment, doth he hate what is unseemly and unbecoming in any person. Learn, 2. That it is especially the duty of persons employed in divine administrations to demean themselves as those who represent our Lord Jesus, managing themselves with a due authority and decent gravity, becoming the ambassadors of God. So then it is a general observation of decency in our outward behaviour, when wor From |