8. Therefore let us keep the feast, not with the old leaven, neither with the leaven of malice and wickedness; but with the unleavened bread of sincerity and truth. There was a reason to abstain from sin, and abhor it. The mention of unleavened bread reminds him of the Passover, when such bread alone was allowed.* And that reminds him of the real passover, the "true Paschal Lamb," which was slain to take away the sin of the world. Christ our passover is sacrificed for us. When the destroying angel visited the land of Egypt the Israelites took each of them a lamb, "a lamb for a house," and sprinkled its blood upon their doors: that the angel of death, when he saw the blood, might pass over their houses and spare them. This was a type of Christ our passover, through whom we trust that God may pass by our guilt, and account us righteous before him at the great day. But the sin which he will pass by, is sin forsaken, sin repented of: therefore let us keep the feast, not with the old leaven of our unchanged unconverted nature, neither with any sort of malice or wickedness in our heart: but be as that unleavened bread which at the time of the Passover the law required and God approved: let all be sincerity of obedience and truth of purpose, without mixture of evil. But this could not be, if they allowed a heinous sinner to remain amongst them: an offence, which all the apostle's former instructions had forbidden. 9. I wrote unto you in an epistle not to company fornicators: with 10. Yet not altogether with the fornicators of this world, or with the covetous, or extortioners, or with idolaters; for then must ye needs go out of the world. He had written to them (as it would appear) in some former epistle, not to associate with any who refused to forsake sin. He now explains, that he had not meant to forbid their having any dealings with the Gentiles around them who lived according to the course of that evil world, out of which they were not delivered, and who practised without remorse the sins of uncleanness, covetousness, extortion, and idolatry. Surrounded as they were by heathen wickedness, they must needs go out of the world if they were never to keep company with such offenders. Besides, as he adds presently, with the heathen he had no concern. It was not his business to judge them. They who "sinned without law," would be judged without law, by that master before whom they must stand or fall. What he had written related to those who had been baptized into the faith of Christ, and therefore professed a different principle. If these trangressed the law, which in baptism they pledged themselves to obey, other Christians must avoid them; refuse to be associated with them lest they suffer by the contagion. 11. But now I have written unto you not to keep company, if any man that is called a brother be a fornicator, or covetous, or an idolater, or a railer, or a drunkard, or an extortioner: with such an one no not to eat. 12. For what have I to do to judge them also that are without? do not ye judge them that are within? 6 Rom. ii. 12; xiv. 4. 13. But them that are without God judgeth. Therefore put away from among yourselves that wicked person. An injury would be done to the cause of the gospel, if it could be supposed that one living in habits of impurity, or covetousness, or idolatry, or evilspeaking, or drunkenness, or extortion, could be reckoned among Christians. And these would be in danger, if they were to keep company with such a wilful transgressor of the law by which all were bound. Heathens who so lived, though offending against the law of God, violated no profession. They were not like those who said, "I go, sir, but went not." Not like those who "professing to know God, in works deny him:"8 and by their unfaithfulness crucify the Son of God afresh, and put him to an open shame."9 Such wicked Such wicked persons must be shown that they have neither part nor lot in the redemption that is in Christ Jesus: they must be excluded from the kingdom of God on earth, lest they should suppose they can have any share of it in heaven. kingdom is prepared for those, who "denying ungodliness and worldly lusts, live righteously, soberly, and godly, in this present world." But "into it there shall in no wise enter anything that defileth, or worketh abomination, or maketh a lie." For none who are such "are written in the Lamb's book of life."2 That It is an awful reflection, how many among those who profess and call themselves Christians would fall under the apostle's censure here:-with such an one 7 Matt. xxi. 30. 9 Heb. vi. 6. 8 Tit. i. 16. 2 Rev. xxi. 27-29. no not to eat. But thus is Scripture fulfilled; which has too plainly warned us, that "many are called, but few chosen."3 LECTURE LXI. THE CORINTHIANS REMINDED OF THE HOLINESS REQUIRED OF THEM. 1 COR. vi. 1–11. 1. Dare any of you, having a matter against another, go to law before the unjust, and not before the saints? 2. Do ye not know that the saints shall judge the world? and if the world shall be judged by you, are ye unworthy to judge the smallest matters? 3. Know ye not that we shall judge angels? how much more things that pertain to this life? 4. If then ye have judgments of things pertaining to this life, set them to judge who are least esteemed in the church. 5. I speak to your shame. Is it so, that there is not a wise man among you? no, not one that shall be able to judge between his brethren? 6. But brother goeth to law with brother, and that before the unbelievers. We can easily suppose that a heathen magistrate would express surprise, if a cause between two Christians were brought before him. These Christians, he would say, profess to be seeking a kingdom which is not of this world. But the things of 3 Matt. xx. 16; xxii. 14. this world have still charms for them. One defrauds his brother of them. And the brother is not content to lose them: he seeks the same remedy of law that we seek, whom they call unjust, and unbelievers. They profess to love one another as themselves; to treat all as they would desire to be treated: but these are mere words: we see that brother goeth to law with brother. Thus the christian name would be brought into discredit, and the cause of Christ be hindered. Paul rebukes them sharply, for acting thus unworthily. For first, he says, they might have judges amongst themselves: and those might be set on this work, being a secular work, who are least esteemed in the church: least useful in spiritual things: least enriched with " utterance and knowledge." Surely among those who so prided themselves on their wisdom, might be found a wise man that should be able to judge between his brethren. For, what magnificent things had the Lord said concerning his people! (Matt. xix. 27.) "In the regeneration, when the Son of man shall sit in the throne of his glory, ye also shall sit upon twelve thrones, judging the twelve tribes of Israel." Thus the very angels that sinned, and kept not their first estate," shall be judged by those who sit with Christ upon his throne: and surely things that pertain to this life may be directed by men for whom such signal honour is reserved: if the world shall be judged by you, are ye unworthy to judge the smallest matters? 66 7. Now therefore there is utterly a fault among you, 2 2 Pet. ii. 4. Jude 6. 1 Ch. i. 5. |