An expository comment, doctrinal, controversial, and practical upon the whole first chapter to the…An expository comment, doctrinal, controversal, and practical upon the whole first chapter to the…

1. For their sins of unrighteousness; The Apostle sharply reproveth them for their contentions and quarrellings, even so far, that they went to Law with one another, and that in the Heathen Judicatories, which was a great and grievous reproach to the Christian Religion. How would the Heathens deride and scoff, to see those that were Christians, and out of appearance from love to heavenly things, forsaking the world and earthly advantages, thus to implead one another about meum and tuum, about money matters, or other civil rights, to sue one another before Heathens Judges? What could this produce, but to make the Heathens say, They talk of leaving all, and following a crucified Christ, but they will not abate of their earthly rights to one another, not in the least measure? Which did so grieve the Apostle, that he conjureth them, What have ye never a wise man, to be an arbitrator amongst you? Why do ye not rather suffer wrong? Nay, they were so far from such meek, self-denying spirits, that they rather did wrong and defraud one another. Now see how zealous the Apostle is in this, 1 Cor. 6. 1, 2, 3. he saith, Dare any of you, having a matter against another go to Law? Dare any of you, supposing the Gospel, the meekness of Christ, the self-denial and contempt of earthly things, with the scandal redounding to Religion, would sufficiently awe their consciences? Again, vers. 4. he tells them, that the things pertaining to this life [Greek or Hebrew]; for about them they quarrelled so much, were so inconsiderable, that they should appoint the least esteemed in the Church for to end such inferior work. Again, vers. 5. I speak it to your shame: And vers. 7. There is utterly a fault amongst you. Thus you see that in matters of Justice between man and man, there were great offences. Only by the way, let none gather from these expressions of Paul, that it is unlawful to go to Law, or appeal to the Civil Magistrate to know his due right, when that is detained from him. For that is many times so far from being a sin, that it's a duty; it would be a sin not to pursue it: as you see Paul pleaded his right, and would not go out of prison, when they had done it against Law, till the Magistrates came to entreat him, provided ⟨p. 72⟩that there be those qualifications, which Paul insinuateth.

1. For their sinnes of unrighteousnesse; The Apostle sharply reproveth them for their contentions and quarrellings, even so farre, that they went to Law with one another, and that in the Heathen Judicatories, which was a great and grievous reproach to the Christian Religion. How would the Heathens deride and scoff, to see those that were Christians, and out of appearance from love to heavenly things, forsaking the world and earthly advantages, thus to implead one another about meum and tuum, about money matters, or other civil rights, to sue one another before Heathens Judges? What could this produce, but to make the Heathens say, They talk of leaving all, and following a crucified Christ, but they will not abate of their earthly rights to one another, not in the least measure? Which did so grieve the Apostle, that he conjureth them, What have ye never a wise man, to be an arbitrator amongst you? Why doe ye not rather suffer wrong? Nay, they were so farre from such meek, self-denying spirits, that they rather did wrong and defraud one another. Now see how zealous the Apostle is in this,