Jews, who were at that time the only persecutors of the Christians.

17.* Let no person undervalue me, as if I was not an apostle; for my persecutions are a sufficient evidence of this.

18. The phrase with your spirit, is equivalent to with you, which is more usual with this apostle in the same connexion, as he generally concludes his epistles with Grace be with you all.

PARAPHRASE.

If any member of your church be guilty of any offence, let those who are most distinguished for their spiritual gifts, and of course have the greatest influence, admonish, and restore him, but without harshness, considering that they themselves are not exempt from failings. In all respects feel for, and do all kind offices to one another; for this was particularly enjoined by Christ on all his disciples, when he said, [John xiii. 35,"By this shall all men know that ye are my disciples, if ye have love one to another."

If any man think more highly of himself than he ought to do, he deceiveth himself. But in order to judge rightly of our dispositions and conduct, we must not be content with comparing ourselves with others, whom we may think our inferiors, but examine ourselves by the standard of truth and right; our conformity to which is the only solid ground of self-approbation: for, at the last day, every man will be judged in this manner.

Such is the duty of your teachers. Let those who are instructed by them minister to their wants, giving temporal things for spiritual ones: but, above all things, give the strictest attention to your moral conduct; for, however men

The marks. "S. Paul entend les marques du fouët, qu'il avoit reçu plusieurs fois pour Jesus Christ, (2 Cor. xi. 23–25). Les idolâtres se faisoient des marques, qu'ils nommoient aussi stigmates, par lesquelles on connoissoit à quelle Divinité ils étoient particulièrement consacrés. C'est à quoi S. Paul fait allusion. V. Apoc. xiii. 16." Le Clerc. Mr. Wakefield says, "The Romans were accustomed to mark their slaves with a hot iron on the forehead, or some other part of the body; and to this practice the apostle Paul alludes, who frequently styles himself the slave of Jesus Christ. Compare also Rev. ix. 4, xiv. 9." See Dio. Chrysostom's Essays, translated, 1800, p. 251, Note on the expression "stigmatized with the brand of slavery." Xenophon (on the State of Athens) says, "Our slaves are burnt with the public mark of the state, with severe penalties to be inflicted upon all that buy or sell them." Moyle's Works, III. p. 23. See Potter's Antiq. (Ch. ii.) II. pp. 7, 8; Blackwall, (S. C.) II. pp. 66-68.

When Bastwicke Burton and Prynne, were sentenced to lose their ears in the Palace-Yard," Sir John Finch, Chief Justice of the Common Pleas," added to this censure Mr. Prynne to be stigmatized in the cheeks, with two letters (S. and L.), for a seditious libeller." A Briefe Relation, &c. 1687, 4to. p. 15.

may deceive themselves, or others, God is not to be imposed upon; and according to men's conduct here will they be rewarded, or punished, hereafter. They who indulge in the lusts of the flesh must expect that corruption to which flesh is subject; but they who live according to the precepts of the gospel, which was confirmed by the Holy Spirit, shall inherit that eternal life which the gospel promises. But

we must persevere in well-doing if we expect any future reward. Let us, then, take every opportunity of shewing our good-will to all men, but especially to our Christian brethren.

Before I conclude this epistle, which is wholly written with my own hand, and sadly written, I must again observe, that your haughty Jewish teachers are desirous of having you circumcised, lest they should be exposed to persecution from the more zealous Jews, who are all the enemies we now have. But, notwithstanding their zeal for the law, they are far from strictly observing it, but wish to have the credit of making you proselytes to their opinions. Such is not the foundation of my boasting. I glory in that very circumstance which exposes our religion to the contempt of the world, the doctrine of a crucified Saviour. By this, to resume my former allusion, the world is crucified to me, and I to the world, my happiness being wholly independent of it, or of the opinion the world may entertain of me, or my doctrine. According to the great maxim of the gospel, nothing external to a man, no consideration of his being circumcised, or uncircumcised, will avail him at all in the sight of God, but only a change of heart and life. To those who hold with me in this opinion I pray that God may grant all happiness, together with all who, in the true and proper sense, are the sons of Abraham. But do not from this time listen to any objections to me, your father in Christ. That I am a true apostle is evidenced, if by nothing else, by the persecutions to which I am continually exposed on that account. May you have all the blessings of the gospel.

I, CORINTHIANS.

AFTER Paul had written his epistle to the Galatians, (which was A. D. 52,) from Corinth, where he had continued two years in his second apostolical journey, he returned to Jerusalem by way of Ephesus, and thence he went to Antioch, where he staid about a year. From this city he set out on

his third journey, when, after passing through Galatia and Phrygia, he went again to Ephesus, and from this place. about A. D. 56, he wrote this first epistle to the church at Corinth.*

It was occasioned by messengers sent to him from that city, proposing to him a variety of questions, on which the members of the church were much divided. In Corinth also, as well as in Galatia, attempts had been made to lessen the authority of Paul, where some persons, distinguished by their eloquence, and boasting of their knowledge, had taught that the Christian resurrection was not a literal rising from the dead, but either a change of life and conduct, or the release of the soul from its confinement in the body. These persons evidently held the Gnostic opinions; and this is the first time that we meet with the mention of them among Christians for the philosophers of that age, believing in the inherent evil nature of matter, thought that the soul would be most completely happy when it was released from its fleshly incumbrance.

On this, Paul, in this epistle, asserts at large the reality of a proper resurrection, like that of Jesus Christ, on which the whole of the Christian scheme depended; assuring the Corinthians that that which was committed to the grave would rise again, but much changed in its nature and properties, from mortal to immortal, from earthly to heavenly.

The apostle's address to the Christians at Corinth, shews that many of the first converts to Christianity were not immediately reformed by it, but continued addicted to the sensual gratifications in which they had, without restraint, indulged before, and that it was not without difficulty that they were brought off from them. Indeed, we may easily believe that many persons of good sense, candour, and competent judges of evidence, but whose moral characters were far from being irreproachable, might be convinced of the truth of Christianity, a considerable time before the principles of it effected a thorough reformation of their conduct.

In this epistle, Paul asserts his apostolical authority, and endeavours to make his Corinthian converts think less highly of the boasted eloquence of their new teachers, who seem, like the philosophers and rhetoricians of those times, to have received money for their harangues. He, therefore,

• See Locke's Synopsis; Doddridge's Introd.; Lardner, VI. pp. 314, 315.

shews the difference between his conduct and theirs in that respect.

Corinth was one of the most populous cities of Greece. Many of its inhabitants were rich and luxurious, and, like the Greeks in general, were much captivated with the charms of eloquence,* with which they were entertained by their public speakers and philosophers. Many of them, even after their conversion to Christianity, entertained but a low opinion of the apostle, on account of his mean personal appearance, and the plainness of his address. Of these circumstances the Gnostic teachers took advantage, and to this the apostle adverts in the beginning of his epistle.

CHAP. I. 1. Sosthenes was of Corinth.

2. This ought to have been rendered, who call themselves by the name of Christ, that is, "that are called Christians."|| 5-7. Here the apostle, with much address, praises the Corinthians as far as he justly could; having many disagreeable truths to tell them afterwards.

10.¶ The Church of Corinth was long noted for the factions and divisions that prevailed in it, as we find by the Epistle of Clement, bishop of Rome, some time after the of the apostles.**

age

12.tt The difference with respect to the persons by whom

* "A people of quick parts and inquisitive, but naturally vain and conceited of themselves." Locke's Synopsis.

+ Called by the will of God. "We may suppose him to intimate his miraculous call; for he doubted not of the will and providence of God governing all things." Locke.

"A Corinthian minister, who attended Paul in his travels. Compare Acts xviii. 17." Doddridge.

"Sanctified in Christ Jesus, does not signify here, whose lives are pure aud holy; for there were many among those he wrote to, who were quite otherwise; but sanctified signifies, separated from the common state of mankind, to be the people of God, and to serve him." Locke. See Doddridge.

"These Greek words being a periphrasis for Christians, as is plain from the design of this verse. See proofs of it in Dr. Hammond upon the place." Locke. See Impr. Vers.

Doddridge, who translates invoke the name, says, "this strongly implies that it might well be taken for granted, that every true Christian would often pray to Christ, as well as address the Father in his name." Yet, thus every true Christian would appear to oppose his practice to our Lord's direction, that his followers should present their requests, exclusively, to the Father. See John xvi. 23.

¶ "Intending to abolish the names of leaders they distinguished themselves by, Paul beseeches them, by the name of Christ, a form that I do not remember he elsewhere uses." Locke.

**"Take the Epistle of the blessed Paul the apostle into your hands. What was it that he wrote to you, at his first preaching the gospel among you? Verily he did by the Spirit admonish you concerning himself and Cephas, and Apollos, because, that even then ye had begun to fall into parties and factions among yourselves." Ch. xlvii. Wake, p. 38.

†† See Hallett, III. pp. 873, 374; Impr. Vers.

"Leave out ɛyw de Xpiçe, for all

they had been converted was of little consequence, but with those who were previously disposed to difference, a small circumstance would suffice. From what the apostle here says, it appears, that though the generality of the Corinthian Christians were converted by him, some of them had resided in Judea, and been the disciples of Christ himself,

13.* It is something remarkable, and greatly in favour of the evidences of Christianity, that none of the disciples of Christ endeavoured to supplant him. They all acted in subordination to a crucified Master, how much soever they were opposed to each other; and there was no want of emulation among them. In this they were all united, acknowledging one Master, even Christ. This was not the case with respect to Mahometanism. Several persons set up on Mahomet's plan, and in opposition to him. With respect to Christ, this was never attempted, nor could it possibly have succeeded if the attempt had been made.

17.† The mere administration of baptism was in its nature, a servile and inferior work. Jesus himself did not baptize, but only his disciples; for as baptism was then administered, the person who baptized went into the water along with the new convert, and plunged him over head.

18. Nothing staggered the world more than the promulgation of a new religion under the name of a crucified founder. To make it credible, required the strongest evidence; and nothing short of this could have enabled it to make its way. But no circumstance shews the wisdom of Providence with respect to future ages more than this, at which the minds of men revolted so much at the time; since it is now most evident, that the gospel did not owe its establishment to any thing specious in itself, any more than to the aid of learning or power. The apostles had nothing but plain and most improbable things to relate, and they were not able to set off their plain story in any manner that was adapted to captivate their hearers. We may be certain, therefore, that its external evidence must have been irresistible to those who gave due attention to it.

the converts would agree in saying they were of Christ, (Ep. Duce). Chrysostom and Angust. place a full stop at Knpa, that the next clause may stand in opposition to all the others: "every one of you saith, I am of Paul, and I of Apollos, and I of Cephas. But I am of Christ, and is Christ divided?" Beza in Bowyer. See Pearce.

• "Pour être nommés disciples de Paul. Voyez Matt. xxiii. 8." Le Clerc. See Locke; Doddridge.

+ See Le Clerc. "Not so much to baptize as to preach the gospel: not with the doctrine of wisdom." Pearce. See Doddridge.