is it comely that a woman pray unto God uncovered? 14 Doth not even nature it felf teach you, that if a man have long hair, it is a fhame unto him? 15. But if a woman have long hair, it is a glory to her: for her hair is given her for a covering [Or, Vail]. [Or, Vail]. 16. But if any man feem to be contentious, we have no fuch cuftom, neither the churches of God. 17. Now in this that I declare unto you, I praife you not, that ye come together, not for the better, but for the worfe. 18. For firft of all, when ye come together in the church, I hear that there be divifions [Or, fchifms] among you; and I partly believe it. 19. For there (1) must be alfo * herefies [Or, fects] among that they which are approved, may be made manifeft among you, 20. When ye come together therefore into one place, this is not to [Or, ye cannot] eat the Lords Tupper. 21. For in eating, every one taketh before other his own fupper and one is hungry, and "another is drunken.

you,

10

22.

rifing again of many in Ifraelthat the Thoughts of many Hearts may be revealed.Acts 20. 30. Of your own felves fhall Men arife, 5 Speaking perverfe things, to draw dif ciples after them. 1 Joh. 2. 19. -They went out, that they might be made manifeft, that they were not all of us.

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21. 2 Pet, 2. 13. - Spots are they and Blemishes, fporting themselves with their own Deceiv ings, while they feaft with you.

Jude ver. 12. 1 hefe are Spots in your Feafts of Charity, when they feaft with you, feeding themselves without fear.

(1) This Verfe would fix a more agreeable Idea in the Mind if it was rendered, as it might be,There will be Herefies, or Schifms, the Confequence or Event of which will be, that they which are approved will be made manifeft. For we cannot think that it is pleafing to God for Hereftes to arife; and therefore we may be fure that he has not by any Decree of his made them abfolutely neceffary. He has doubtless many wife and good Reafons why he fuffers, that is, does not by his Power binder them. But we must not entertain, fuch unworthy Thoughts of God, as to fuppofe them to be agreeable to his Will, or that that pro ceeds from him which is occafioned by the Weakness or Wickedness of Men, and the Malice of the Devil. On this Verfe, fee Dr. Lightfoot's Works, Vol II. pag. 1279.

22. What, have ye not houfes to eat and to drink in? or defpife ye the (1) church of God, and. fhame them that have not [Or, are poor]? What fhall I fay to you? fhall I praise you in this? 1 praise you not. 23. For I have received of the Lord, that which alfo I delivered unto you, That the Lord Jefus, the fame night in which he was betrayed, took bread: 24. And when he had given thanks, he brake it, and faid, Take eat; this is my body, which is broken for you: this do * in [Qr, for a] remembrance of me. 25. After the fame manner alfo he took the cup, when he had fupped, faying, This cup is the new-teftament in my blood: this do ye, as oft as ye drink (2) it,

(1) The Word Church in Scripture frequently ftands for the whole Body of Chriftians; also for the Perfons affembled together to worfluup God; but here it fignifies the Place wherein they meet to perform this their reafonable Service. For the Apoftle both here and Ver. 34. oppoles it to their own Houses or Homes. Hence it is manifeft, that there were in the Times of the Apoftles, Places fet apart for the joint and publick Worthip of Almighty God; confequently that it is the Duty of Chriftians to appear before God in fuch holy Places; which are profaned, when they are put to any common Ufe. Accordingly we may obferve here, that the Apoftle would not allow the Corinthians so much as to eat and drink therein to fatisfie their hunger.

(2) The Word it is not in the Original, and therefore the Tranfla tors have put it in a different Character. But the inferting thereof obfcures the Senfe, and makes the Apoftles Words a tautology, for then the Senfe is,Drink this as often as ye drink it. Commentators generally pafs over this Claufe; but Dr. Wettenhall, the late Lord Bishop of Kilmore and Ardab, in a little Book, Entituled, A due frequency of the Lord's-Supper ftated and proved from holy Scripture, &c. has eflayed to prove, that thefe Words are a Command, requiring Chriftians, duly prepared, to celebrate the holy Sacrament every Lord's-day. He fuppofes that the Word which we tranflate to drink, fhould, by an ufual Hebraifm, (of which there are many in the New-Teftament,) be tranflated by its compound, to drink or feat together. And then the Text would run thus: Do this in Remembrance of me, as often as you feast, or, on all your boly Feasts. And forafmuch as every Lord's-day was, when this Epiftle was written, a holy Feast among Chriftians; therefore the Command will come to thus much, Do this, or celebrate this my Supper every Lord's-day at the leaf; for they had other Feafts befides the Lord's-day. To abridge his Arguments would carry me too far from my Defign, I therefore refer the Reader to the Book it felf, pag 3, &c.

e

I COR. XI. in remembrance of me. 26. For as often as ye eat this bread, and drink this cup, * ye do fhew [Or, fhew ye] the Lords death till he come. 27. Wherefore, whofoever fhall eat this bread, and drink this cup of the Lord unwor thily, fhall be guilty of the body and blood of the Lord. 28. But let a man examine himself, and fo let him eat of that bread, and drink of that cup. 29. For he that (1) eateth and drinketh unworthily, eateth and drinketh * damnation [Or,

26. Joh. 14 3. A&ts I. II.

See on

that I will give is my Flefh, which I will give for the Life of the World. It is the Spirit that quickneth, the Flesh profiteth no5 thing: the Words that I fpeak unto you, they are Spirit, and they are Life. Joh. 13. 27. After the Sop Satan entred into him- | 1 Cor. 10. 21.

27. ft Numb. 9. 10,13. -If any Man of you, or of your Pofterity, fhall be unclean by reafon of a dead Body, or be in a Journey afar off, yet he fhall keep the Paffover unto the Lord. But the Man that is clean, and is not in a Journey, and forbeareth to keep the Paffo 10 ver; even the fame Soul fhall be cut off from his People. t Joh. 6. 51, 63. I am the living Bread which came down from Heaven : if any Man eat of this Bread he fhall live for ever: and the Bread

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28. Lam. 3. 40. Let us fearch and try our Ways, and turn again to the Lord. 2 Cor 13. 5. Examine your felves, whether ye be in the Faith; prove your own felvesGal. 6. 4. Let every Man prove his own Work.

(1) The Word here rendered Damnation, properly fignifies Judgment, or Punishment. And the Judgments inflicted on thefe Corinthians for their unworthy receiving were Temporal. Nor can thefe Words be referr'd to eternal Punishments, but on fuppofition that the unworthy receiver dies with out Repentance. The Mcaning of them therefore is not, that they who receive the Sacrament unworthily, are certainly damned; for there is room for Repentance in this Cafe as well as others. Nor is their Condition defperate, who have fallen into fin after they have received the Sacra ment. For St. Peter denied his Lord and Mafter after he had received the Sacrament, and was notwithstanding admitted to Repentance and Pardon. Some fcrupulous Perfons may have been kept from the Sacrament by what is here faid; but I doubt the true Reason why fo many live in the neglect of this holy Ordinance is, not fo much the fear of receiving unworthily, as an unwillingness to part with their Sins. But fuch ought to know and confider, that as long as they are in this State, they are in dan ger of eternal Condemnation, whether they receive the Sacrament or not. Were Chriftians convinced of their Duty in this refpect, which they might easily be, they would be as much afraid of unworthy refusing, as of unworthy receiving. For if this be a Duty, there is a Punishment annext to the neglect, as well as to the ill Performance thereof. There is therefore danger in not coming at all, as well as in coming unworthily; for God is effended by Sins of Omiffion as well as Commiffion. Did Chriftians truly love God; were they duly fenfible of the inestimable Value of the Benefits of Christ's Death; did they feriously endeavour to become fuch renewed,

[Or, judgment] to himself, not (1) difcerning the Lords tody. 30. For this caufe many are weak and fickly among you, and many fleep. 31. For if we would judge our felves, we fhould not be judged. 32. But when we are judged, we are chaftned of the Lord, that we fhould not

h

31. Pfal. 32. 5. I acknowledged my Sin unto thee, and mine Iniquity have I not hid: I faid I will confefs my Tranfgreffions unto the Lord; and thou forgaveft the Ini quity of my Sin. Prov. 28. 13. He that covereth his Sins fhall not profper: but whofo confeffeth and forfaketh them fhall have mercy. 1 Joh. 1.9. If we confefs our Sins, he 10 is faithful and juft to forgive us our Sins, and to cleanfe us from all Unrighteoufnefs.

32.

be

give him reft from the Days of Adverfity, until the Pit be digged for the Wicked. Pfal. 119. 75. I know, O Lord, that thy Judgments 5 are right, and that thou in faithfulnefs haft afflicted me. Prov. 3. 1, 12. My Son, defpife not the Chaftning of the Lord neither be weary of his Correction. For whom the Lord loveth, he correcteth, even as a Father the Son in whom he delighteth. † Heb. 12. s, &c. -My Son defpife not thou the Chafining of the Lord, nor faint when thou art rebuked of him, &. Heb. 12. 10. They [our Fathers of the Fleb verily for a few. Days chaftned us, after their own Pleafure; but be for our profit, that we might be partakers of his holinefs. Jam. 1. 12. Bleffed is the Man which endureth Temptation 1 for when he is tried, he fhall re

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Deut. 8. 5. Thou shalt alfo confider in thine Heart, that as a Man chaftneth his Son, fo the Lord thy God chaftneth thee. Job 5.17. Behold, happy is the Man whom God corre&teth: therefore defpife not thou the chaftning of the 2 Almighty. Pfal. 94. 12, 13. Bleffed is the Man whom thou chaftneth, O Lord, and teacheft him out of thy Law: that thou mayst

20

ceive

Sanctified, and holy Perfons, as all who would have a reasonable Hope of being faved by Chrift must be, they need not fear their receiving the Sacrament unworthily, nor would they want any Arguments to perfuade them to a Compliance. If the Danger of Receiving unworthily be a Reafon for not Receiving at all, it will be like wife a Reafon against hearing the Word of God, Prayer, and other Duties, because they may be performed unworthily. But I must not enlarge. It concerns those who have Doubts, to ufe their best Endeavours to get them removed; otherwife they will not be allowed by God as Excufes for living in the neglect of fo plain a Duty. To this End it may be convenient to lay open their Doubts before fome difcreet and learned Minifter of God's Word, and likewife to read fome useful Books on this Subject, as Bishop Fleetwood's reafonable Communicant, and Mr. Kettlewell's help and exhortation to worthy Communicating, particularly, Part I. Chap 2, and 4. And Part III. Chap. I

(1) Thefe Words may be better rendred, Not diftinguishing the Lord's Body: The Fault the Corinthians are charged with, was their eating this Bread, and drinking this Cup as one would do an ordinary and common Meal, meerly to fatisfie hunger, without confidering the Inftitution of Chrift, by which it is made a Symbol or Representation of his Bidy and Blood.

be condemned with the world. 33. Wherefore my bre thren, when ye come together to eat, tarry one for another. 34. And if any man hunger, let him eat at home; that ye come not together unto condemnation [Or, judg ment]. And the reft will I fet in order when I come.

N

b

111

СНАР.

a

XII.

*

OW concerning fpiritual gifts, brethren, I would not have you ignorant. 2. Ye know that ye were Gentiles, carried away unto thefe dumb Idols, even as ye were led. 3. Wherefore I give you to understand, that no man fpeaking by the Spirit of God, calleth Jefus accurfed [Or, anathema]: and that no man can fay that Jefus is the Lord, but by the holy Ghoft. 4. Now there are £ diverfities of gifts, but the fame Spirit." 5. And there are h differences of adminiftrations [Or, minifteries], but the fame Lord. 6. And there are diverfities of operations, but it is the fame God, which worketh all in all. 7. But

e

Ver. 23. m 1 Cor. 7. 17. So ordain I 1. in all Churches.

1 Cor. 4. 19. I will come to you fhortly, if the Lord will, and will know, not the Speech of them which are puffed up, but the 15 Power.

CHAP. XII.

1. I Cor. 14. 1, 37. Follow after Charity, and defire spiritual Gifts, but rather that ye may Pro-20 phefie. If any Man think himself to be a Prophet, or Spiritual, let him acknowledge that the things that I write unto you, are the Commandments of the Lord.

2. Eph. 2. 11, 12. Remember that ye being in time paft Gentiles in the Flefh. That at that Time ye were without Chrift, bea

25

f

the

9. Ye turned to God from Idols, to ferve the living and true God.

C

3. Mar. 9. 39. There is no Man which fhall do a Miracle in 5 my Name, that can lightly speak evil of me.

d See on Joh. 13. 13.

e Mat. 16. 16, 17. Thou art Christ, the Son of the living God. Jefus anfwered and faid unto him, Bleffed art thou Simon Barjona: for Flesh and Blood hath not re vealed it unto thee, but my Father which is in Heaven. † 2 Cor. 3. 5. Our fufficiency is of God.

1 Joh. 4. 2,3. Hereby know ye the Spirit of God: every Spirit that confeffeth that Jefus Chrift is come in the Flefh, is of God. And every Spirit that confeffeth not that Je fus Chrift is come in the Flesh, is not of God.

4. f t Heb. 2.4. † Pet. 4:10. See on Rom. 12, 6, &c.

Eph. 4.4. There is cne Body, and one Spirit.

5. ht Eph. 4. 11. See on Rom. 12.7, 6.

6. i See on Mar. 12. 29.

k

ing Aliens from the Common 30+ Eph. 1. 23. The fa'net

wealth of Ifrael. Thef. 1.

of him that filleth all in all