Christians, was the object of this letter, in which St. Paul takes occasion to enlarge upon the nature of the Mosaic institution; to explain the fundamental principles and doctrines of Christianity; and to shew that the whole human race, formerly divided into Jews and Gentiles, were now to be admitted into the religion of Jesus, indiscriminately, and free from every other obligation. The Apostle, after expressing his affection for the Roman Christians, and asserting that the Gospel is the power of salvation to all who believe, takes a comprehensive view of the conduct and condition of men under the different dispensations of Providence; he shews that all mankind, both Jews and Gentiles, were equally "under sin," and liable to the wrath and punishment of God; that therefore there was a necessity for an universal propitiation and redemption, which were now offered to the whole race of men, without any preference or exception, by the mercy of him who is God of the Gentiles as well as of the Jews; that faith in Jesus Christ, the universal Redeemer, was the only means of obtaining this salvation, which the deeds of the Law were wholly incompetent to procure (h); that as the sins of the whole world originated from the disobedience of Adam, so the justification from those sins was (h) First four chapters. to to be derived from the obedience of Christ (i); that all distinction between Jew and Gentile was now abolished, and the ceremonial law entirely abrogated; that the unbelieving Jews would be excluded from the benefits of the Gospel, while the believing Gentiles would be partakers of them; and that this rejection of the Jews, and call of the Gentiles, were predicted by the Jewish prophets Hosea and Isaiah. He then points out the superiority of the Christian over the Jewish religion, and earnestly exhorts the Romans to abandon every species of wickedness, and to practise the duties of righteousness and holiness, which were now enjoined upon higher sanctions, and enforced by more powerful motives (k). In the latter part of the Epistle, St. Paul gives some practical instructions, and recommends some particular virtues; and he concludes with salutations, and a doxology. This Epistle is very valuable, on account of the arguments and truths which it contains, relative to the necessity, excellence, and universality of the Gospel dispensation. (i) Ch.5. (k) Sixth and five following chapters. PART II. · CHAPTER THE TENTH. OF THE FIRST EPISTLE TO THE CORINTHIANS. I. State of the Church at Corinth.-II. Date of this Epistle, and Occasion of its being written.III. Its Contents. I. CORINTH, situated on the Isthmus which joins Peloponnesus to the rest of Greece, was at this time a place of extensive commerce, and the capital of the Roman province of Achaia. Near it were celebrated the Isthmian Games, to which the Apostle alludes in this Epistle. Its inhabitants were a very licentious and profligate people, and were great admirers of the sceptical philosophy of the Greeks. We have seen that St. Paul, in his first journey upon the continent of Europe, resided at Corinth about eighteen months, and that he planted a church there, which consisted chiefly of converts from heathenism. After he left this city, some false teachers, who are supposed to have been Jews by birth, endeavoured 4 to to alienate the converts from their attachment to him and his doctrine, by calling in question the authority of his mission, and by ridiculing the plain and simple style in which he delivered his instructions. They recommended themselves to their hearers by shewing indulgence to their prejudices, and vicious propensities, and by using those artificial ornaments of eloquence which had great effect upon their minds. Hence arose divisions and other irregularities among the Corinthian Christians, totally inconsistent with the genuine spirit of the Gospel. II. THIS Epistle (a) was written from Ephesus (b) in the beginning of the year 56, during the Apostle's second visit to that city, in the second year (a) Some learned men have thought, from 1 Cor. c. 5. v. 9. that St. Paul wrote an Epistle to the Corinthians, before he wrote this. It is certain that no such Epistle is quoted or alluded to by any antient author now extant and therefore others have supposed, which seems more probable, that in that passage St. Paul referred to the former part of this Epistle. Vide Jones's New Method, and Lardner at the end of vol. 6. (b) 1 Cor. c. 16. v. 8. Vide Paley's Hor. Paul. c. 3. n. 12. The postscript or subscription to this Epistle, as printed in our Bibles, states that this Epistle was written from Philippi; but those postscripts make no part of the apostolical writings, and are not to be depended upon. year of Nero's reign, and about three years after St. Paul had left Corinth. The immediate occasion of its being written was to answer some questions which the Corinthians had in a letter proposed to St. Paul; but before he enters upon that subject, he takes notice of the abuses and disorders which prevailed in the church at Corinth, and of which he had received private information (c), although they do not seem to have been mentioned or alluded to in the public letter. This letter is not now extant. III. THE Apostle begins with an affectionate address to the Corinthians, and with congratulations upon their having received the Holy Ghost (d). He then exhorts to harmony and union, and condemns the parties and factions into which they had formed themselves; he vindicates his own character, justifies the manner in which he had preached the Gospel to them, and shews the futility of all human learning, when compared with the excellency of the Gospel of Christ (e). He orders that a man, who had married his father's wife, should be publicly excommunicated; and directs the Corinthians (c) I Cor. c. I. v. 11 and 12; and ch. 5. V. J. (e) Ch. 1. v. 10, to the end of c. 4. not |