The Scripture directory for church-officers and people, or, A practical commentary upon the whole…

For the sin supposed, If any man defile the temple. This is an allusive expression to the custom among the Jews; If any man defiled their Temple, the crime was capital; what accusations were brought against Paul, because he brought in Greeks uncircumcised into the Temple. The Greek words are [Greek or Hebrew] and [Greek or Hebrew], an elegant allusion. The sin and the punishment shall be both alike; some have rendered it corrupt, some vitiate, others destroy. This of our Translators is very good: For seeing the truths of God and his Ordinances are pure, then it followeth all errors and false Doctrines are a pollution; as if you should put dross to gold, or cast mud into a pleasant spring. Some Interpreters think the Apostle doth intend to an higher sin, then he named before: For (say they) vers. 15. he speaks of such false Doctrines that did not overthrow the foundation, now such a man may be saved, though difficultly, but vers. 17. he nameth such as strike at the very root, and destroy the very Temple it self. So that they make this the meaning, If any man bring such corruptions of Doctrine, as destroy the Temple of God, overthrow Religion, and make it no Church, he shall not be saved at all. There is no fire to cleanse him, but to consume him. Thus some. But it's more consonant to take the words more general, and so they do better cohere. And this destruction spoken of is to be understood, unless he repent, or pro subjectâ materiâ, if it be only hay and stubble, then the [Greek or Hebrew] is no more than [Greek or Hebrew] before, a destruction partial, not total; but if they be damnable heresies, than they meet with a total destruction. Observe,