1: The third question is of civil judgements. Whether it be lawful for one faithful before the judgement seat of an infidel? He answereth that it is not lawful for offence sake, for it is not evil of itself. a: As if he said, Are you become so impudent, that you are not ashamed to make the gospel a laughingstock to prophane men? b: Before the unjust. 2: He addeth that he doth not forbid that one neighbour may go to law with one another, if need so require, but yet under holy judges. 3: He gathereth by a comparison that the faithful cannot seek to infidels to be judged, without great injury done to the saints, seeing that God himself will make the saints judges of the world, and of the devils, with his son Christ: much more ought they to judge these light and small causes which may be by equity, and good conscience determined. 4: The conclusion, wherein he prescibeth a remedy for this mischief: to wit, if they end their private affairs between themselves by chosen arbiters out of the Church: for which matter and purpose, the least of you, saith he, is sufficient. Therefore he condemneth not judgement seats, but showeth what is expedient for the circumstance of the time, and that without any diminishing of the right of the Magistrate: for he speaketh not of judgements, which are practised betwixt the faithful anode the infidels, neither of public judgements, but of controversies which may be ended by private arbiters. c: Courts and place of judgements. d: Even the most abject among you. 5: He applieth the general proposition to a particular, always calling them back to this, to take away from them that false opinion of their own excellency from whence all these mischiefs sprang. 6: Now he goeth further also, and although by granting them private arbiters, out of the congregation of the faithful, he does not simply condemn, but rather establish private judgements, so that they be exercised without offence, yet he showeth that if they were such as they ought to be, and as it were to be wished, they should not need to use that remedy neither. e: A weakness of mind which is said to be in them, that suffer themselves to be overcome of their lusts, and it is a fault that squareth greatly from temperance and moderation: so that he nippeth them which could not put up with an injury done unto them. 7: This pertaineth chiefly to the other part of the reprehension, to wit, that they went to law even under infidels, whereas they should rather have suffered any loss, then to have given that offence. But yet this is generally true, that we ought rather to depart from our right, then try the uttermost of the law hastily, and upon an affection to revenge an injury. But the Corinthians cared for neither, and therefore he saith that they must repent, unless they will be cast out of the inheritance of God. *: Matthew 5:39 Luke 6:29 Romans 12:19 *: 1 Thessalonians 4:6 8: now he prepareth himself to pass over to the forth treatise of this epistle, which concerneth matters indifferent, debating this matter first, how men may well use women or not: which question hath three branches, fornication, matrimony, and a single life. As for fornication, he utterly condemneth it. And marriage he comandeth to some, as a good and necessary remedy for them, to other he leaveth it free: And other some he dissuaded from it, not as unlawful, but as discommodious, and that not without exception. As for singleness of life (under which also I comprehend virginity) he enjoineth it to no man: yet he persuadeth men unto it, but not for itself, but for another respect, neither all men, nor without exception. And being about to speak against fornication, he beginneth with a general reprehension of those vices, wherewith that rich and riotous city most abounded: warning and teaching them earnestly, that repentance is inseparably joined with forgiveness of sins, and sanctification with justification. *: Titus 3:3 f: in Jesus. *: Chapter 10:23 9: Secondly, he showeth that the Corinthians do simply offend in matters indifferent: First, because they abused them: next, because they used indifferent things without any discretion, seeing the use of them ought to be brought to the rule of charity: and that he doth not use them aright, which immoderately abuseth them, and so becometh a slave unto them. g: Whatsoever: but this general word must be restrained to things that are indifferent. h: He is in subjection to things that are indifferent, whatsoever he be that thinketh he may not be without them: which is a flattering kind of slavery under a colour of liberty, which seizeth upon such men. 10: Secondarily, because they counted many things for indifferent, which were of themselves unlawful, as fornication, which they numbered amongst mere natural and lawful desires, as well as meat and drink: Therefore the apostle showeth, that they are utterly unlike: for meats saith he, were made for the necessary use of man's life which is not perpetual: for both meats, and all this manner of nourishing, are quickly abolished. But we must not so think of the uncleanness of fornication, for which the body is not made, but on the contrary is ordained to pureness, as appeareth by this, that it is consecrated to Christ, even as Christ also is given us of his father, to quicken out bodies with that virtue, wherewith he also rose again. *: Romans 6:5 11: A declaration of the former argument by contraries, and the applying of it. 12: A proof of the same argument: a harlot and Christ are clean contrary, so are the flesh and the spirit: therefore he that is one with a harlot, (which is done by carnal copulation of their bodies) cannot be one with Christ, which unity is pure and spiritual. *: Genesis 2:24 Matthew 19:5 Mark 10:8 Ephesians 5:31 i: Moses doth not speak these words of fornication, but of marriage: but seeing that fornication is the corruption of marriage, and both of them is a carnal and fleshly copulation, we cannot say that the apostle abuseth his testimony. Again, Moses hath not this word (two) but is very well expressed both here and in Matthew 19:5 because he speaketh only but of one man and wife: whereupon the opinion of them that vouch it to be lawful to have many wives, is beaten down: for he that companieth with many, is sundered as it were into many parts. 13: Another argument why fornication is to be eschewed, because it defileth the body with a peculiar kind of filthiness. 14: the third argument: Because a fornicator is sacrilegious, for that out bodies are consecrated to God. *: Chapter 3:17 2 Corinthians 6:16 15: The much less to Satan and the flesh, seeing that God himself hath bought us, and that with a great price, to the end that both in body and soul, we should serve to his glory. *: Chapter 7:23 1 Peter 1:18 |
Chapter 61. He invayeth against their contentions in law matters, 6. wherewith they vexed one another under judges that were infidels, to the reproach of the gospel, and then sharply threateneth fornicators. Dare 1a any of you,
having business against another, be judged b
under the unjust, 2 and not under the
saints? |