A Paraphrase on the New Testament, 1 Corinthians · Chapter 7
CHAP. VII.
1. NOw concerning the things whereof ye wrote unto me: It is good for a man not to touch a woman.
1. As to the Queſtion about Marriage, of which you wrote, I ſay, That if a Man have no kind of intrinſick or extrinſick Reaſon to make it beſt for him, it is for a Mans own eaſe and quietneſs in the World to live ſingle, and ſafeſt to avoid Temptations, to keep at ſufficient diſtance from Women, eſpecially to avoid all tempting and immodeſt Touches, or Familiarity.
2. Nevertheleſs, to avoid fornication, let every man have his own wife, and let every woman have her own husband.
2. But the State of Man on Earth is ſuch, that M…n cannot always do that which is moſt for their own quietneſs and eaſe. Some have ſo ſtrong Luſt, that Marriage is neceſſary to them, to avoid Fornication: And to thoſe that need it, it is Gods Ordinance for the Propagation of Mankind on Earth.
3. Let the husband render unto the wife due benevolence: and likewiſe alſo the wife unto the husband.
3. And let Husband and Wife perform to each other all the Duties of Marriage which they promiſed.
4. The wife hath not power of her own body, but the husband: and likewiſe alſo the husband hath not power of his own body, but the wife.
4. By the Marriage-Covenant you have given each other power of your Bodies, for regular Congreſs.
5. Defraud you not one the other, except it be with conſent for a time, that ye may give your ſelves to faſting and prayer; and come together again, that Satan tempt you not for your incontinency.
5. To deny this to each other, is Injury and Fraud: except when you are called to Humbling, Faſting, and Prayer; and then you ſhould conſent to that ſort of Abſtinence: but after uſe due Matrimonial Converſation, leſt your forbearance give Satan advantage to tempt you.
6. But I ſpeak this by permiſſion, and not of commandment.
6. But miſtake me not, as if I hereby impoſed Marriage on all Men as their Duty, though allowed when neceſſary, or gave this my Counſel as a Law.
7. For I would that all men were even as I my ſelf: but every man hath his proper gift of God, one after this manner, and another after that.
7. For I could wiſh that all Men, for their own advantage, had the Gift of Continence as well as I have: But God, who will have the World yet continued, hath not given it to all; but ſome have one meaſure and ſort of G…ft, and ſome another.
8. I ſay therefore to the unmarried, and widows, It is good for them if they abide even as I.
8. It is moſt for their own eaſe, and liberty, and quiet, if they can, to abide ſingle as I do.
9. But if they cannot contain, let them marry: for it is better to marry than to burn.
9. But if they cannot, let them uſe Marriage, as Gods appointed Remedy for ſuch▪ which is better than ſinful Luſt.
10. And unto the married I command, yet not I, but the Lord, Let not the wife depart from her husband:
10. But though it be no Sin to marry, it is a Sin to depart when married: Herein I …ay God, Command upon you, and offer it not to your Choice, as a thing indifferent.
11. But and if ſhe depart, let her remain unmarried, or be reconciled to her husband: and let not the husband put away his wife.
11. But to marry upon departure, is a double Sin. If any intollerable Abuſe, or Paſſion provoke her to depart, let her remain unmarried, and be reconciled to her Husband: And ſo let not the Husband put away his Wife.
12. But to the reſt ſpeak I, not the Lord, If any brother hath a wife that believeth not, and ſhe be pleaſed to dwell with him, let him not put her away. 13. And the woman which hath an husband that believeth not, and if he pleaſe to dwell with her, let her not leave him.
12, 13. But as to the Caſe of Separation from an Infidel (which ſome may think neceſſary by the Iſraelites Caſe in Ezra, &c.) I bring you not this as a flat Command of Chriſt, but as my beſt Advice: Though you may let an Infidel go, and may live without, him that will not ſtay with you, but is the Deſerter, in enmity to your Religion; yet I think it beſt for you to do your beſt firſt to make ſuch willing to continue, and, though it be to your great trouble, to live with ſuch: yet if they be willing to ſtay, be not you the Deſerters, no not for a time, nor omit due means to make them willing; though ſome ſuch will be tyrannical and malicious Adverſaries.
14. For the unbelieving husband is ſanctified by the wife, and the unbelieving wife is ſanctified by the husband: elſe were your children unclean, but now are they holy.
14. For though the Caſe in Ezra may make you doubt how it was with the Iſraelites; yet to Chriſtians, under the Law of Grace, your abode with an Infidel doth not make your Conjugal Stare, or Converſe, or Family to be unholy. The State and Intereſt of a Believer maketh your Relation and Cohabitation holy, as ſeparated to God for holy uſe, which the Believer can improve, as all things elſe are ſanctified to him, for the Service of God Elſe your Children would be like thoſe of the Infidels, unclean, as not in the Covenant and Church of God: but now they are holy, and numbred with his Peculiar People. For the Chriſtian devoteth to God himſelf, and all that is in his power and diſpoſe, which is accepted according to the Capacity and Uſe of that which is devoted; and this he doth by Gods Command, and therefore with his Acceptance; as the Seed of the Faithful always were.
15. But if the unbelieving depart, let him depart. A brother or a ſiſter is not under bondage in ſuch caſes: but God hath called us to peace.
15. But (to reſolve your Doubt) I ſay, If the Unbeliever depart, and will not be perſuaded to ſtay, you are not bound to follow them whither ever they go. Marriage was made for mutual help, and you are not bound in ſuch Caſes to be enſlaved by a Sinners Implacability and Deſertion. But yet omit nothing that tendeth to a peaceable Cohabitation: for God hath called us all to Peace.
16. For what knoweſt thou, O wife, whether thou ſhalt ſave thy husband? o… how knoweſt thou, O man, whether thou ſhalt ſave thy wife?
16. And as the Relation and Marriage-Converſe is ſanctified to the Believer, ſo you know not but by loving and peaceable Behaviour the Unbeliever may be converted and ſaved.
17. But as God hath diſtributed to every man, as the Lord hath called every one, ſo let him walk: and ſo ordain I in all churches.
17. But let none on pretenſe of Chriſtianity deſert the Relation that God hath ſet him in, but do his Duty in the Place that God hath diſtributed and called him to: And this Order I appoint to all the Churches.
18. Is any man called being circumciſed? let him not become uncircumciſed: is any called in uncircumciſion? let him not become circumciſed.
18. Think not that Chriſtianity requireth any needleſs Changes, to Circumciſion or Uncircumciſion, as to the external Ceremony: It is a Change from Sin to God which it requireth.
19. Circumciſion is nothing, and uncircumciſion is nothing, but the keeping of the commandments of God.
19. To be one that was or that was not circumciſed, is no part of the Chriſtian Religion; but to keep thoſe Commandments which God hath given us, either in the Law of Nature, or by Jeſus Chriſt. Do Gods Work, and make it not more than it is.
20. Let every man abide in the ſame calling wherein he was called.
20. Pretend not Religion for breaking away from the State of Relation that the Goſpel found you in, without a juſt Diſcharge, or cauſe of Change.
21. Art thou called being a ſervant? care not for it; but if thou mayeſt be made free, uſe it rather.
21. If thou waſt a Servant when thou waſt converted, be contented with thy Condition; for it's not contrary to thy Deliverance by Chriſt. But if thou maiſt be ſet free from a Servile Life, on lawful Terms, it's rather to be choſen: (For it is not all change of Relation, or outward State, that I forbid.)
22. For he that is called in the Lord, being a ſervant, is the Lords free-man: likewiſe alſo he that is called being free, is Chriſts ſervant.
22. A Chriſtian Servant hath that ſort of Freedom which Chriſt hath purchaſed: He is freed from Guilt, and the Curſe, and the Slavery of Sin and Satan: And the Freeſt and Greateſt that is a Chriſtian, is devoted abſolutely to the Service of Chriſt.
23. Ye are bought with a price, be not ye the ſervants of men.
23. And if you are free, make not your ſelves needleſly the Servants of Men, eſpecially or Infidels; nor ſerve any Man before Chriſt, or againſt him: For he hath bought you to be his Servants.
24. Brethren, let every man wherein he is called, therein abide with God.
24. To conclude, Serve God in the Calling that Grace found you in, till he remove you.
25. Now concerning virgins, I have no commandment of the Lord: yet I give my judgment as one that hath obtained mercy of the Lord to be faithful.
25. As to your Queſtion about Virginity, God hath made no Univerſal Law for it, or againſt it; and I pretend not to give you any ſuch. But it being a Caſe to be variouſly reſolved, according to Perſons various Conditions, I ſhall give you faithfully my Judgment how to decide it ſeverally for your ſelves.
26. I ſuppoſe therefore, that this is good for the preſent diſtreſs, I ſay, that it is good for a man ſo to be.
26. Chriſtians being now under Perſecution and Diſtreſs, no doubt but it is much more for their eaſe and quiet to be ſingle, than to have a Wife or Huſband, and Children to care for, in Poverty or in Flight.
27. Art thou bound unto a wife? ſeek not to be looſed. Art thou looſed from a wife? ſeek not a wife.
27. If thou be bound, to ſeek to be looſed is a Sin: But if thou art looſed, that thou ſeek not to be bound without neceſſity, is my Advice.
28. But and if thou marry, thou haſt not ſinned; and if a virgin marry, ſhe hath not ſinned: nevertheleſs, ſuch ſhall have trouble in the fleſh; but I ſpare you.
28. But to marry, as ſuch, is no Sin: (Though it be a Sin to do it when there is clear Reaſon againſt it.) But ſuch muſt reckon upon Trouble in the Fleſh. But though I ſorewarn you to prevent your Trouble, I would not by urgency be your Snare.
29. But this I ſay, brethren, the time is ſhort. It remaineth, that both they that have wives, be as though they had none; 30. And they that weep, as though they wept not; and they that rejoyce, as though they rejoyced not; and they that buy, as though they poſſeſſed not; 31. And they that uſe this world, as not abuſing it: for the faſhion of this world paſſeth away.
29, 30, 31. But this none ſhould forget, that this Life is ſo ſhort, and the End of all ſo near and ſure, that there is little difference between having a Wife or no Wife, weeping or not weeping, rejoicing or not rejoicing, poſſeſſing and not poſſeſſing: And therefore you ſhould have Wives, and weep, and rejoice, and poſſeſs, and uſe this World as if you did it not, with ſuch an Indifferency through the ſenſe of greater things, as that you may not be overmuch affected with the getting, or enjoying, or loſs of any tranſitory thing: For all theſe things are in continual change, and the Faſhion of them paſſeth away.
32. But I would have you without carefulneſs. He that is unmarried, careth for the things that belong to the Lord, how he may pleaſe the Lord:
32. Carefulneſs about the World is ſo bad a thing, that I would have you eſcape it if you can. The unmarried hath leſs Worldly Care to divert him from caring how to pleaſe God, and to do good to others, and ſecure his Soul.
33. But he that is married, careth for the things that are of the world, how he may pleaſe his wife.
33. But he that is married hath made himſelf ſo much more Duty, Temptation, and Trouble, as muſt needs increaſe thoſe Cares which will much divert his Thoughts and Cares from the pleaſing of God: Particularly, the Care of pleaſing his Wife will take him up; becauſe there is in all Perſons much unſuitableneſs, and difference of Judgment, Temper, and Inclinations; and in the weaker Sex uſually much Paſſion and Impatience, and difficulty in bearing that which croſſeth their Wills; ſo that the wiſeſt Man can hardly pleaſe ſome, with all his Skill, and Kindneſs, and Diligence, without violating his Duty to God
34. There is difference alſo between a wife and a virgin: The unmarried woman careth for the things of the Lord, that ſhe may be holy, both in body and ſpirit: but ſhe that is married, careth for the things of the world, how ſhe may pleaſe her Huſband.
34. And the difference is great alſo on the Womens part, (whoſe Weakneſs uſually can leſs bear Difficulties, Troubles, and Temptations.) The unmarried is free from abundance of Troubles and Temptations which would turn away her Care from the things of God, and ſo ſhe is more free to keep cloſe to God, and to keep both ſpiritual and corporal Sanctity: But ſhe that is married muſt needs care for wordly things, for Children, and Family, and ſpecially to pleaſe her Huſband, (who poſſibly may be unſuitable, and tyrannical, and hardly pleaſed without diſpleaſing God.) And to live in mutual diſpleaſure, how ſad and tempting a Condition will that be? (Chriſt told Martha how had a choice it was to be cumbred about many things, though lawful, in compariſon of chuſing a free Attendance on the Better part.)
35. And this I ſpeak for your own profit, not that I may caſt a ſnare upon you, but for that which is comely, and that you may attend upon the Lord without diſtraction.
35. If any of …ou think that I wrong you, by debarring you from the Comforts of Marriage, let ſuch know, that I ſpeak but comparatively, and for your profit tell you, that many ignorantly ruſh upon it, without conſideration, and ſo miſcarry by unexpected Troubles. I forbid not Marriage, nor make a Law for you, to enſnare you; but I would have you prudently to prefer the Condition which is beſt for your ſelves, in which you may ſerve God without diſtracting Cares.
36. But if any man think that he behaveth himſelf uncomely toward his virgin, if ſhe paſs the flower of her age, and need ſo require, let him do what he will, he ſinneth not: let them marry.
36. But in theſe things, about which there is no Common Law, Men ſhould themſelves beſt judge what is ſuitable, convenient, and beſt for themſelves. If therefore you find that your Daughters have need, and that it will be inconvenient to them to paſs the Flower of their Age, let them marry; it is no ſin in it ſelf, nor to ſuch as ſo need it.
37. Nevertheleſs, he that ſtandeth ſtedfaſt in his heart, having no neceſſity, but hath power over his own will, and hath ſo decreed in his heart, that he will keep his virgin, doth well. 38. So then, he that giveth her in marriage, doth well: but he that giveth her not in marriage, doth better.
37, 38. But yet he that being urged by no neceſſity of his own or of his Daughter, hath fixed his Reſolution to preſerve the Freedom of a Single Life, (not by Vows, which bind thoſe whoſe Condition God may alter, and ſo make Laws and Snares to themſelves, but) by well-grounded Reaſon ſubmitting to God, that can change their State; this Man taketh the way to his Daughters greateſt Peace and Advantage. So then, he that giveth her in Marriage, doth that which is in it ſelf good, and no ſin: But he that giveth her not in Marriage, doth that which is better for her, if ſhe have no neceſſity.
39. The wife is bound by the law as long as her husband liveth: but if her Husband be dead, ſhe is at liberty to be married to whom ſhe will; onelyonly in the Lord.
39. God's Law and Mans bind the Wife to her Husband during his Life: But if her Husband be dead, ſhe may marry another, if nothing in her Condition forbid it; but it muſt be to a Believer, that is fit for her.
40. But ſhe is happier if ſhe ſo abide, after my judgment: and I think alſo that I have the ſpirit of God.
40. But as I am giving you no Common Law againſt Marriage, or for it, but directing you how every one may diſcern what is beſt for themſelves, my Judgment is, That ordinarily, where there is no neceſſity, a Single Life is more for the Perſons peace and quietneſs, and freedom from Hindrances in ſerving God, and therefore better for them.
ANNOTATIONS.
DIvers Errours have riſen from the miſunderſtanding of ſome Paſſages in this Chapter. 1. Of them that make Paul to ſpeak at uncertainty, without the Spirit of God, when they read, [by permiſſion, and not by commandment,] and [I, and not the Lord]: When as he only diſclaimeth the giving them a Law in ſtead of particular Direction.
II. The Errour of them that hence gather, That God hath given us in Scripture his Counſels, which are no Commands, and make not Duty, nor is it Sin to violate them, but a Work of Supererrogation to do them. Whereas the Apoſtle only diſtinguiſheth of a proper Univerſal Law, and a conſequential Obligation from other General Laws. A Common Law is the Rule of Societies: If ſuch a Law had commanded or Forbidden Marriage, it would be a Duty or a Sin to all: But yet God's Law bindeth all to chuſe that which moſt tendeth to their own Good, and the eſcape of Evil; and to break this Law is Sin to him that doth it, though the ſame thing he lawful to another, e. g. To marry againſt Parents Conſent, to an unmeet Perſon, without Neceſſity, and oblige ones ſelf to inſtruct and maintain a Family, when one is unable for it, and many ſuch Caſes, may make it a great Sin to marry. A Common Law, and a Perſonal Obligation reſulting from another General Law, much differ.
III. The Errour of them that ſay, By Holineſs of Children, ver. 14. is meant either Legitimation only, or meer Baptiſm, and not an Intereſt according to their Capacity in the Covenant of Peculiarity, I have ſo far confuted in my Treatiſe of Infant Baptiſm, that here I paſs it by.
IV. One excellent Divine hath hence taken occaſion to ſpeak ſo much againſt changing any Trade or Calling, as affrighteth ſome from Lawful Changes, which do more good than hurt.
V. From ver. 37. many unjuſtly commend abſolute Vows of Celibate; which is to make a Law to God, that he ſhall not bring them into Neceſſity by any Change, and to make Snares and ſelf-binding Laws for themſelves, as if they were their own Rulers, when God hath made them Work enough, and, for ought they know, may bring them under a neceſſity to marry.
VI. On the other ſide, by a blind oppoſition to this Extreme, thouſands raſhly run into Marriage, without conſidering the Difficulties, Cares, Sufferings, Troubles, and Temptations that attend it: And being ſurpriſed unprepared, live accordingly in worldly Cares, Impatience, and Diſcontent.