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Facts in Jewish history, representative

CHAP. X.

of gospel ordinances.

legally done which are not expedient; and we should endeavour so to act as to edify each other, 23, 24. The question concerning eating things offered to idols, considered, and finally settled, 25-30. We should do all things to the glory of God, avoid whatsoever might be the means of stumbling another, and seck the profit of others in spiritual matters, rather than our own gratification, 31–33.

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NOTES ON CHAP. X.

Verse 1. I would not that ye should be ignorant] It seems as if the Corinthians had supposed that their being made partakers of the ordinances of the gospel, such as baptism and the Lord's supper, would secure their salvation; notwithstanding they might be found partaking of idolatrous feasts; as long, at least, as they considered an idol to be nothing in the world. To remove this destructive supposition which would have led them to endless errors, both in principle and practice; the apostle shews that the Jews had sacramental ordinances in the wilderness, similar to those of the Christians; and that notwithstanding they had the typical baptism from the cloud, and the typical eucharist from the paschal lamb, and the manna that came down from heaven; yet when they joined with idolaters, and partook of idolatrous feasts, God was not only displeased with them, but signified this displeasure by pouring out his judgments upon them; so that in one day 23,000 of them were destroyed.

Under the cloud] It is manifest from scripture that the miraculous cloud in the wilderness performed a three-fold office to the Israelites. 1. It was a cloud in the form of a pillar to direct their journeyings by day. 2. It was a pillar of fire to give light to the camp by night. 3. It was a covering for them during the day, and preserved them from the scorching rays of the sun, and supplied them with a sufficiency of aqueous particles, not only to cool that burning atmosphere, but to give refreshment to themselves and their cattle; and its humidity was so abundant, that the apostle here represents the people as thoroughly sprinkled and enveloped in its aqueous vapour. See the note on Exodus

xiii. 21.

Verse 2. And were all baptized unto Moses] Rather INTO Moses, into the covenant of which Moses was the mediator; and by this typical baptism, they were brought under the obligation of acting according to the Mosaic precepts, as Christians receiving Christian baptism, are said to be bap

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tized INTO Christ, and are thereby brought under obligation to keep the precepts of the Gospel.

Verse 3. Spiritual meat] The manna which is here called spiritual. 1. Because it was provided supernaturally; and, 2. because it was a type of Christ Jesus, who speaking of it, John vi. 31, &c. tells us that it was a type of that true bread which came down from heaven, which gives life to the world, v. 33. and that himself was the bread of life, v. 48.

Verse 4. Spiritual drink] By the Cpwua EUμATIXON, spiritual meat, and тоμα TYεUμaтinov, spiritual drink; the apostle certainly means both meat and drink, which were furnished to the Israelitish assembly miraculously, as well as typically: and he appears to borrow his expressions from the Jews themselves, who expressly say in orb halechem halaz rucheni, that bread was spiritual, and " " 0" meyim rucheniyim haiu, the waters were spiritual. Alschech in legem, fol. 238. to which opinion the apostle seems particularly to refer. See Schoettgen.

The spiritual rock that followed them] There is some difficulty in this verse. How could the rock follow them? it does not appear that the rock ever moved from the place where Moses struck it. But to solve this difficulty, it is said, that rock here is put by metonymy, for the water of the rock; and that this water did follow them through the wilderness. This is more likely; but we have not direct proof of it. The ancient Jews, however, were of this opinion, and state that the streams followed them in all their journeyings, up the mountains, down the vallies, &c. &c. and that when they came to encamp, the waters formed themselves into cisterns, and pools, and that the rulers of the people guided them by their staves in rivulets to the different tribes and families; and this is the sense they give to Num. xxi. 16. Spring up, O well, &c. See the places in Schoettgen.

Others contend that by the rock following them, we are to understand their having carried of its waters with them, on their journeyings.-This we know is a common custom

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in these desarts to the present day; and that the Greek verb anokovbew, to follow, has this sense, Bishop Pearce has amply proved in his note on this place. The Jews suppose that the rock itself went with the Israelites, and was present with them in their thirty-eight stations, for only so many are mentioned. See Alschech in legem, fol. 236. And see Schoettgen.

Now, though of all the senses already given, that of Bishop Pearce is the best; yet it does appear that the apostle does not speak about the rock itself; but of him whom it represented, namely Christ: this was the rock that followed them, and ministered to them; and this view of the subject is rendered more probable by what is said ver. 9. that they tempted Christ, and were destroyed by serpents.

Verse 5. They were overthrown in the wilderness] And yet ALL these persons were under the cloud-ALL passed through the sea-ALL were baptized into Moses in the cloud, and in the sea—ALL ate the same spiritual meat—ALL drank the same spiritual drink, for they were made partakers of the spiritual rock CHRIST. Nothing can be a more decisive proof than this, that people who have every outward ordiDance, and are made partakers of the grace of our Lord Jesus, may so abuse their privileges and grieve the Spirit of God, as to fall from their state of grace, and perish everlastingly. Let those who are continually asserting that this is impossible, beware lest they themselves, if in a state of grace, become not, through their overmuch security, proofs in point of the possibility of ending in the flesh, though they began in the spirit.-Reader, remember who said, Ye shall not surely die; and remember the mischiefs produced by a belief of his doctrine.

Verse 6. These things were our examples] The punishments which God inflicted on them, furnish us with evidences of what God will inflict upon us, if we sin after the similitude of those transgressors.

We should not lust after evil things] It is most evident that the apostle refers here to the history in Num. xi. 4, &c. and the mixed multitude fell a lusting, and said, Who shall give us flesh to eat. Into the same spirit the Corinthians had most evidently fallen; they lusted after the flesh in the idol feasts, and therefore frequented them to the great scandal of

d Ver. 14. Exod. 32. 6. ch. 6. 18. Rev. 2. 14. Num. 25. 1,9. Ps. 106. 29.

Christianity. The apostle shews them that their sin was of the same nature as that of the murmuring rebellious Israelites, whom God so severely punished; and if he did not spare the natural branches, there was no likelihood that he should spare them.

Verse 7. Neither be ye idolaters] The apostle consi ders partaking of the idolatrous feasts, as being real acts of idolatry; because those who offered the flesh to their gods, considered them as feeding invisibly with them, on the flesh thus offered; and that every one that partook of the feast, was a real participator with the god to whom the flesh or animal had been offered in sacrifice. See ver. 21.

Rose up to play.] See the note on Exod. xxxii. 6. The Jews generally explain this word, as implying idolatrous acts only-I have considered it as implying acts of impurity with which idolatrous acts were often accompanied. It also means those dances which were practised in honour of their gods. That this is one meaning of the verb walez, Kypke bas largely proved. The whole idolatrous process was as follows, 1. The proper victim was prepared and set apart. 2. It was slain, and its blood poured out at the altar of the deity. 3.The flesh was dressed, and the priests and offerers feasted on it, and thus endeavoured to establish a communion between themselves and the object of their worship. 4. After eating, they had idolatrous dances in honour of their god and, 5. as might be expected, impure mixtures, in consequence of those dances. The people sat down to eat and to drink, and rose up to play; and it is in reference to this issue of idolatrous feasts and dancings, that the apostle immediately subjoins, Neither let us commit FORNICATION, &C.

Verse 8. Fell in one day three and twenty thousand.] In Numb. xxv. 9. the number is 24,000; and, allowing this to be the genuine reading, and none of the Hebrew MSS. exhibits any various reading in the place, Moses and the apostle may be thus reconciled: in Numb. xxv. 4. God com mands Moses to take all the heads, (the rulers,) of the people, and hang them up before the Lord against the sun; these possibly amounted to 1000; and those who fell by the plague were 23,000, so that the whole amounted to 24,000. Instead of Eixoσiтpeis Xixiades, 23,000, two MSS. with the latter Syriac and the Armenian, have sixoσireσrapes Kihindi,

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24,000; but this authority is too slender to establish a various reading, which recedes so much from the received text. I think the discordance may be best accounted for, by supposing, as above, that Phineas and his companions, might have slain 1000 men, who were heads of the people, and chief in this idolatry, and that the plague sent from the Lord destroyed 23,000 more; so an equal number to the whole tribe of Levi perished in one day; who were just 23,000. See Numb. xxvi. 62. and see Lightfoot.

Verse 9. Neither let us tempt Christ] I have already supposed, in the Note on ver. 4. that Christ is intended by the Spiritual Rock that followed them; and that it was He, not the rock, that did follow or accompany the Israelites in the wilderness. This was the Angel of God's presence who was with the church in the wilderness, to whom our fathers would not obey, as St. Stephen says, Acts vii. 38 and 40. Instead of Xpisov Christ; several MSS. and a few Versions, have Kupioy the Lord, and some few EGY God. But though some respectable MSS. have the Lord instead of Christ; yet this latter has the greatest proportion of authority on its side. And this affords no mean proof that the person who is called mm Yehovah, in the Old Testament, is called Christ in the New. By tempting Christ, is meant disbelieving the providence and goodness of God; and presuming to prescribe to Him how he should send them the necessary supplies; and of what kind they should be, &c.

Verse 10. Neither murmur ye] How the Israelites murmured because of the manna, which their souls despised as a light bread, something incapable of affording them nourishment, &c. and because they had been brought out of Egypt into the wilderness, and pretended that the promises of God had failed; and how they were destroyed by serpents, and by the destroyer or plague, may be seen at large in the texts referred to in the margin, on this and the preceding verses. It appears from what the apostle says here, that the Corinthians were murmuring against God and his apostle, for prohibiting them from partaking of the idolatrous feasts; just as the Israelites did in the wilderness, in reference to a similar subject. See the history of Phineas,

with Zimri and Cosbi, and the rebellion of Corah and his company, &c. &c.

Destroyed of the destroyer.] The Jews suppose that God employed destroying angels to punish those rebellious Israelites; they were five in number, and one of them they call Meshachith, the destroyer; which appears to be another name for Samael, the angel of death; to whose influence they attribute all deaths which are not uncommon or violent. Those who die violent deaths, or deaths that are not in the common manner of men, are considered as perishing by immediate judgments from God.

Verse 11. Upon whom the ends of the world are come. .] Ta Tελy Twν alwvwv. The end of the times included within the whole duration of the Mosaic œconomy. For, although the word alwy means, in its primary sense, endless being, or duration; yet in its accommodated sense, it is applied to any round or duration, that is complete in itself. And here it evidently means the whole duration of the Mosaic œconomy. " Thus therefore," says Dr. Lightfoot, "the apostle speaks in this place that those things which were transacted in the beginning of the Jewish ages, are written for an example to you, upon whom the ends of those ages are come: and the beginning is like to the end; and the end to the beginning. Both was forty years; both consisted of temptation and unbelief; and both ended in the destruction of the unbelievers. That, in the destruction of those who perished in the wilderness; this, in the destruction of those that believed not: viz. the destruction of their city and nation." The phrase soph yomiu, the end of days, says the Targum of Jerusalem, Gen. iii. 15. mean ɔbar “” beyomoi demalca Mashicha, in the days of the king Messiah. are to consider the apostle's words as referring to the end of the Jewish dispensation, and the commencement of the Christian; which is the last dispensation which God will vouchsafe to man in the state of probation.

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Verse 12. Let him that thinketh he standeth] O doxor Esava: Let him who must confidently standeth; him who has the fullest conviction in his own conscience, that his heart is right with God, and that his mind is right in the truth, take

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16 The cup of blessing, which we Anno I Ne you but such as is common to man: bless, is it not the communion of the h but God is faithful, who will not blood of Christ? The bread which we break, is it not the communion of the body of Christ?

suffer you to be tempted above that ye are able; but will, with the temptation, also make a way to escape, that ye may be able to bear it.

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17 For, we being many, are one bread, and 14 Wherefore, my dearly beloved, flee from one body: for we are all partakers of that one idolatry. bread.

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heed lest he fall from his faith, and from the state of holiness in which the grace of God has placed him. I have already shewn that the verb sze, which we render to seem, to think, to suppose, is used by the best Greek writers not to lessen or weaken the sense, but to render it stronger, and more emphatic. See the Note on Luke viii. 18.

In a state of probation, every thing may change; while we are in this life, we may stand or full: our standing in the faith depends on our union with God; and that depends on our watching unto prayer, and continuing to possess that faith that worketh by love. The highest saint under heaven can stand no longer than he depends upon God, and conti-; nues in the obedience of faith. He that ceases to do so, will fall into sin, and get a darkened understanding and a hardened heart and he may continue in this state till God come to take away his soul. Therefore, let him who most assuredly standeth, take heed lest he fall; not only partially, but finally.

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Verse 11. Wherefore-flee from idolatry.] This is a trial of no great magnitude; to escape from so gross a temp. tation requires but a moderate portion of grace and circumspection.

Verse 15. I speak as to wise men] The Corinthians valued themselves not a little on their wisdom and various gifts; the apostle admits this, and draws an argument from it against themselves. As ye are so wise, surely ye can see the propriety of abominating idolatry of every kind: for an idol is nothing in the world; and can do nothing for you, and nothing against you.

Verse 16. The cup of blessing] The apostle speaks here of the Eucharist, which he illustrates by the cos habaracah, cup of blessing, over which thanks were expressed at the conclusion of the Pass-over. See this largely explained at the conclusion of the Notes on Matt. xxvi. and in my Discourse upon the Eucharist, 8vo. 2d edit. 1814.

The communion of the blood of Christ] We who partake Verse 13. But such as is common to man] Avbpwmivos of this sacred cup, in commemoration of the death of Christ, Chrysostom has properly translated this word arpwmivos, are made partakers of his body and blood, and thus have TOUTES pinpos, Spaxus, ouuerpos, that is, small, short, mo- || fellowship with him; as those who partake of an idol feast; derate. Your temptations or trials have been but trifling, in thereby, as much as they can, participate with the idol, to comparison of those endured by the Israelites; they might whom the sacrifice was offered. This I have proved at large have been easily resisted and overcome: besides, God will in the above Tract, to which I must refer the Reader; as the not suffer you to be tried above the strength he gives you ; subject is too voluminous to be inserted here. but, as the trial comes, he will provide you with sufficient strength to resist it as the trial comes in, he will make your way out. The words are very remarkable, INGEL OLD TW Teiçãopw naι Ty exfarw, "he will, with the temptation, make the deliverance, or way out." Satan is never permitted to block up our way, without the providence of God making a way through the wall. God ever makes a breach in his otherwise impregnable fortification. Should an upright soul get into difficulties and straits, he may rest assured that there is a way out, as there was a way in; that the trial shall never be above the strength that God shall give him to bear it.

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Verse 17. For, we being many, are one bread] The original would be better translated thus: because there is one bread, or loaf, we, who are many, are one body. As only one loaf was used at the Pass-over, and those who partook of it were considered to be one religious body; so we who partake of the Eucharistical bread and wine, in commemoration of the sacrificial death of Christ, are one spiritual society, because we are all made partakers of that one Christ whose blood was shed for us, to make an atonement for our sins; as the blood of the Paschal Lamb was shed and sprinkled in reference to this, of which it was the type.

Verse 18.

Behold Israel after the flesh] The Jews not

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yet converted to Christianity: the latter being Israel after the Spirit. As the design of the apostle was to withdraw his converts at Corinth from all temptations to idolatry, he produces two examples, to shew the propriety of his endeavours. 1. All who join together in celebrating the Lord's supper, and are partakers of that one bread, give proof by this that they are Christians, and have fellowship with Christ. 2. All the Israelites who offer sacrifice, and partake of those sacrifices, give proof thereby that they are Jews, and are in fellowship with the object of their worship: so they who join in idol festivals, and eat things which have been offered to idols, give proof that they are in communion with those idolaters, and that they have fellowship with the dæmons they worship.

Verse 19. What say I then?] A Jewish phrase; for I conclude: and this is his conclusion, that, although an idol is nothing, has neither power nor influence; nor are things offered to idols any thing the worse for being thus offered; yet, as the things sacrificed by the Gentiles are sacrificed to dæmons, and not to God, those who partake of them have fellowship with dæmons; those who profess Christianity, cannot have fellowship both with Christ and the devil.

Verse 21. Ye cannot drink the cup of the Lord] It is in vain that you, who frequent these idol festivals, profess the religion of Christ, and commemorate his death and passion in the Holy Eucharist; for you cannot have that fellowship with Christ which this ordinance implies, while you are partakers of the table of dæmons. That the Gentiles, in their sacrifices, fed on the slain beasts, and ate bread and drank wine in honour of their gods, is sufficiently clear, from various accounts. See my Discource on the Holy Eucharist, where many examples are produced. The following from Virgil, Æn. viii. ver. 180-273. is proof in point.

Tunc lecti juvenes certatim aræque sacerdos Viscera tosta ferunt taurorum, onerantque canistris Dona laboratæ Cereris, Bacchumque ministrant.

Ezek. 22. 14. ch. 6. 12.Phil. 2, 4, 21.

Rom. 15. 1, 2. ver. 33. Baruch 6. 28. 1 Tim. 4. 4.

ch. 13. 5.

Vescitur Æneas, simul et Trojana juventus,
Perpetui tergo bovis et lustralibus extis.
Quare agite, ó juvenes, tantarum in munere laudum,
Cingite fronde comas, et pocula porgite dextris,
Communemque vocute Deum, et date vina volentes.

The loaves were served in cannisters; the wine
In bowls; the priest renewed the rites divine: [chine.
Broiled entrails are their food, and beef's continued
Ye warlike youths, your heads with garlands crown,
Fill high the goblets with a sparkling flood,
And with deep draughts invoke our common god.

Verse 22. Do we provoke the Lord to jealousy] All idolatry is represented as a sort of spiritual adultery; it is giving that heart to Satan that should be devoted to God : and he is represented as being jealous, because of the infidelity of those who have covenanted to give their hearts to him.

Are we stronger than he?] As he has threatened to punish such transgressors, and will infallibly do it, can we resist his Omnipotence? A sinner should consider, while he is in rebellion against God, whether he be able to resist that power whereby God will inflict vengeance.

Verse 23. All things are lawful for me] I may lawfully eat all kinds of food; but all are not expedient, ov TavτA GUMCEPEI It would not be becoming in me to eat of all; because I should, by this, offend and grieve many weak minds. See the Notes on chap. vi. 12, &c.

Verse 24. Let no man seek his own, &c.] Let none, for his private gratification or emolument, disturb the peace or injure the soul of another. Let every man live, not for himself, but for every part of the great human family with which he is surrounded.

Verse 25. Whatsoever is sold in the shambles, that eat] The case to which the apostle refers is simply this: it was customary to bring the flesh of the animal to market, the

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