7th. It will be a solemn and awful thing for a minister of the gospel, and a successful minister, to go down to hell. What more fearful doom can be conceived, than after having led others in the way to life; after having described to them the glories of heaven; after having conducted them to the "sweet fields beyond the swelling flood" of death, he should find himself shut out, rejected, and cast down to hell! What more terrible can be imagined in the world of perdition than the doom of one who was once a minister of God, and once esteemed as a light in the church and a guide of souls, now sentenced to inextinguishable fires, while multitudes saved by him shall have gone to heaven! How fearful is the condition, and how solemn the vocation of a minister of the gospel!

metals, and properly denotes those which will not bear the test that is applied to them; that are found to be base and worthless, and are therefore rejected and cast away. The apostle had subjected himself to trials. He had given himself to self-denial and toil; to persecution and want; to perils, and cold, and nakedness, and hunger. He had done this, among other things, to give his religion a fair trial, to see whether it would bear all these tests; as metal is cast into the fire to see whether it is genuine, or is base and worthless. In doing this, he had endeavoured to subdue his corrupt propensities, and bring every thing into captivity to the Redeemer, that it might be found that he was a sincere, and humble, and devoted Christian. Many have supposed that the word "castaway" here refers to those who had entered the lists, and had contended, and who had then been ex-personal piety. Paul, one might suppose, might amined as to the manner in which they had conducted the contest, and had been found to have departed from the rules of the games, and who were then rejected. But this interpretation is too artificial and unnatural. The simple idea of Paul is, that he was afraid that he should be disapproved, rejected, cast off; that it would appear, after all, that he had no religion, and would then be cast away as unfit to enter into heaven.

From the many remarks which might be made from this interesting chapter, we may select the following:

1st. We see the great anxiety which Paul had to save souls. This was his grand purpose; and for this he was willing to deny himself and to bear any trial.

2nd. We should be kind to others; we should not needlessly offend them; we should conform to them, as far as it can be done consistently with Christian integrity.

3rd. We should make an effort to be saved. O, if men make such exertions to obtain a corruptible crown, how much greater should we make to obtain one that fadeth not away.

4th. Ministers, like others, are in danger of losing their souls. If Paul felt this danger, who is there among the ministers of the cross who should not feel it? If Paul was not safe, who is?

5th. The fact that a man has preached to many is no certain evidence that he will be saved. (Ver. 27.) Paul had preached to thousands, and yet he felt that after all this there was a possibility that he might be lost.

6th. The fact that a man has been very successful in the ministry is no certain evidence that he will be saved. God converts men; and he may sometimes do it by the instrumentality of those who themselves are deceived, or are deceivers. They may preach much truth; and God may bless that truth, and make it the means of saving the soul. There is no conclusive evidence that a man is a Christian simply because he is a successful and laborious preacher, any more than there is that a man is a Christian because he is a good farmer, and because God sends down the rain and the sunshine on his fields. Paul felt that even his success was no certain evidence that he would be saved. And if Paul felt thus, who should not feel that after the most distinguished success, he may himself be at last a castaway?

8th. Ministers should be solicitous about their

have rested contented with the remarkable manner of his conversion. He might have supposed that that put the matter beyond all possible doubt. But he did no such thing. He felt that it was necessary to have evidence day by day that he was then a Christian. Of all men, Paul was perhaps least disposed to live on past experience, and to trust to such experience. Of all men, he had perhaps most reason to trust to such experience; and yet how seldom does he refer to it, how little does he regard it! The great question with him was, Am I now a Christian? am

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I living as a Christian should now? am I evincing to others, am I giving to myself daily, constant, growing evidence that I am actuated by the pure principles of the gospel, and that that gospel is the object of my highest preference, and my holiest and constant desire ?" O how holy would be the ministry, if all should endeavour every day to live and act for Christ and for souls with as much steadiness and fidelity as did the apostle Paul!

CHAPTER X.

VER. 1. Moreover, brethren, I would not that ye
should be ignorant, how that all our fathers
were under the cloud,' and all passed through
the sea;

a Ex. xxxi. 21, 22. Num. ix. 18-22.
6 Ex. xiv. 19-22, 29.

In regard to the design of this chapter com-
mentators have not been agreed. Some have
supposed that there is no connexion with the
preceding, but that this is a digression. The an-
cient Greek expositors generally, and some of
the moderns, as Grotius, supposed that the con-
nexion was this: Paul had in the previous chap-
ter described himself as mortifying his flesh, and
keeping his body under, that he might gain the
prize. In this chapter they suppose that his ob-
ject is to exhort the Corinthians to do the same;
and that in order to do this, he admonishes them
not to be lulled into security by the idea of the
many spiritual gifts which had been conferred
upon them.
This admonition he enforces by the
example of the Jews, who had been highly

been offered to devils; and against any such participation Paul would solemnly admonish them. (Ver. 19-22.) Going on the supposition, therefore, that there was nothing wrong in itself in partaking of the meat that had been thus killed in sacrifice, yet Paul says, (ver. 23,) that it was not expedient thus to expose themselves to danger; and that the grand principle should be to seek the comfort and edification of others. (Ver. 24.) Paul thus strongly and decisively admonishes them not to enter the temples of idols to partake of those feasts; not to unite with idolators in their celebration; not to endanger their piety by these temptations.

There were, however, two other questions on the subject which it was important to decide, and which had probably been submitted to him in the letter which they had sent for counsel and advice. The first was, whether it was right to purchase and eat the meat which had been sacrificed, and which was exposed indiscriminately with other meat in the market. (Ver. 25.) To this Panl replies, that as no evil could result from this, as it could not be alleged that they purchased it as meat sacrificed to idols, and as all that the earth

favoured also, but who had nevertheless been led
into idolatry. This is also the view of Doddridge,
Calvin, and others. Macknight regards the chap-|
ter as an independent discussion of the three ques-
tions, which he supposes had been submitted to
Paul. (1.) Whether they might innocently go with
friends into the heathen temples, and partake of
the feasts which were there made in honour of
the idol. (2.) Whether they might buy and eat
meat sold in the markets which had been sacri-
ficed to idols. (3.) Whether, when invited to
the houses of the heathens, they might partake
of the meat sacrificed to idols, and which was set
before them as a common meal.—I regard this
chapter as having a very close connexion with
chap. viii. In the close of chap. viii. (ver. 13,)
Paul had stated, when examining the question
whether it was right to eat meat offered in sacri-
fice to idols, that the grand principle on which
he acted, and on which they should act, was that
of self-denial. To illustrate this he employs the
ninth chapter, by showing how he acted on it in
reference to a maintenance; showing that it was
this principle that led him to decline a support
to which he was really entitled. Having illus-
trated that, he returns in this chapter to the sub-contained belonged to the Lord, it was not wrong
ject which he was discussing in chap. viii.; and
the design of this chapter is further to explain
and enforce the sentiments advanced there, and
to settle some other inquiries pertaining to the
same general subject. The first point, therefore,
on which he insists is, the danger of relapsing into
idolatry a danger which would arise, should
they be in the habit of frequenting the temples of
idols, and of partaking of the meats offered in
sacrifice. (Ver. 1-24.) Against this he had cau-
tioned them in general, in chap. viii. 7, 9-12.
This danger he now sets forth by a variety of
illustrations. He first shows them that the Jews
had been highly favoured, had been solemnly
consecrated to Moses and to God, and had been
under the divine protection and guidance, (ver.
1-4;) yet that this had not kept them from the
displeasure of God when they sinned. (Ver. 5.)
He shows that notwithstanding their privileges,
they had indulged in inordinate desires, (ver. 6;)
that they had become idolators, (ver. 7;) that
they had been guilty of licentiousness, (ver. 8;)
that they had tempted their leader and guide,
(ver. 9 ;) that they had murmured, (ver. 10;) and
that, as a consequence of this, many of them had
been destroyed. In view of all this, Paul cautions
the Corinthians not to be self-confident, or to
feel secure; and not to throw themselves in the
way of temptation, by partaking of the feasts of
idolatry. (Ver. 12-14.) This danger he further
illustrates, (ver. 15, 24,) by showing that if they
partook of those sacrifices, they in fact became
indentified with the worshippers of idols. This
he proved by showing that in the Christian com-
munion, those who partook of the Lord's supper
were identified with Christians, (ver. 16, 17;)
that in the Jewish sacrifices the same thing
occurred, and that those who partook of them
were regarded as Jews, and as worshippers of the
same God with them, (ver. 18;) and that the
same thing must occur, in the nature of the case,
by partaking of the sacrifices offered to idols.
They were really partaking of that which had

to purchase and to use it. Yet if even this was
pointed out to them as having been sacrificed to
idols, he then cautioned them to abstain from it.
(Ver. 28.) The other question was, whether it
was right for them to accept the invitation of a
heathen, and to partake of meat then that had
been offered in sacrifice. (Ver. 27.) To this a
similar answer was returned. The general prin-
ciple was, that no questions were to be asked in
regard to what was set before them; but if the
food was expressly pointed out as having been
offered in sacrifice, then to partake of it would
be regarded as a public recognition of the idol.
(Ver. 28-30.) Paul then concludes the discus-
sion by stating the noble rule that is to guide in
all this: that every thing is to be done to the !
glory of God, (ver. 31 ;) and that the great effort
of the Christian should be so to act in all things
as to honour his religion, as not to lead others
into sin. (Ver. 32, 33.)

Moreover, brethren.-But, or now, (.) This verse, with the following illustrations, (ver. 1—4,) is properly connected in Paul's argument with the statements which he had made in chap, vill 8, &c., and is designed to show the danger which would result from their partaking of the feasts that were celebrated in honour of idols. It is not improbable, as Mr. Locke supposes, that the Corinthians might have urged that they were constantly solicited by their heathen friends to attend those feasts; that in their circumstances it was scarcely possible to avoid it; that there could be no danger of their relapsing into idolatry; and their doing so could not be offensive to God, since they were known to be Christians; since they had been baptized, and purified from sin; since they were devoted to his service; since they knew that an idol was nothing in the world; and since they had been so highly favoured, as the people of God, with so many extraordinary endowments, and were so strongly guarded against the possibility of becoming idolators. To meet these considerations, Paul refers them to the

a proof of the divine protection and favour, and is so adduced by the apostle. His object is to accumulate the evidences of the divine favour to them, and to show that they had as many securities against apostasy as the Corinthians had, on which they so much relied.

VER. 2. And were all baptized unto Moses in the cloud and in the sea;

man.

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example of the ancient Jews. They also were the people of God. They had been solemnly dedicated to Moses and to God. They had been peculiarly favoured with spiritual food from heaven, and with drink miraculously poured from the rock. Yet notwithstanding this, they had forgotten God, had become idolators, and had been destroyed. By their example, therefore, Paul would warn the Corinthians against a similar danger. I would not that ye should be ignorant. -A large part of the church at Corinth were And were all baptized.—In regard to the meanGentiles. It could hardly be supposed that they ing of the word "baptized," see Note on Matt. were well informed respecting the ancient history iii. 6. We are not to suppose that the rite of of the Jews. Probably they had read these things baptism, as we understand it, was formally adin the Old Testament; but they might not have ministered by Moses, or by any other person, to them distinctly in their recollection. Paul brings the Jews, for there is not the least evidence that them distinctly before their minds, as an illustra- any such rite was then known, and the very tion and an admonition. The sense is, "I would cumstances here referred to forbid such an internot have you unmindful or forgetful of these pretation. They were baptized in "the cloud' things; I would have you recollect this case, and and "in the sea," and this cannot be understood suffer their example to influence your conduct. as a religious rite administered by the hand of I would not have you suppose that even a solemn It is to be remembered that the word consecration to God, and the possession of distin- "baptism" has two senses-the one referring to guished tokens of divine favour, are a security the application of water as a religious rite, in against the danger of sin and even apostasy; whatever mode it is done; and the other the since the example of the favoured Jews shows sense of dedicating, consecrating, initiating into, that even in such circumstances there is danger." or bringing under obligation to. And it is eviHow that all our fathers.-That is, the fathers dently in this latter sense that the word is used of the Jewish community; the fathers of us here, as denoting that they were devoted to who are Jews. Paul speaks here as being him- Moses as a leader, they were brought under his self a Jew, and refers to his own ancestors as laws, they became bound to obey him, they were such. The word "all" here seems to be intro- placed under his protection and guidance by the duced to give emphasis to the fact, that even miraculous interposition of God. This was done those who were destroyed (ver. 5) also had this by the fact that their passing through the sea, privilege. It could not be pretended that they and under the cloud, in this manner, brought had not been devoted to God, since all of them them under the authority and direction of Moses had been thus consecrated professedly to his as a leader, and was a public recognition of their service. The entire Jewish community which being his followers, and being bound to obey his Moses led forth from Egypt had thus been de- laws. Unto Moses, (iç.)-This is the same prevoted to him. Were under the cloud. The cloud position which is used in the form of baptism -the Shechinah-the visible symbol of the di- prescribed in Matt. xxviii. 19. See Note on that vine presence and protection that attended them place. It means that they were thus devoted or out of Egypt. This went before them by day as dedicated to Moses; they received and acknowa cloud to guide them, and by night it became a ledged him as their ruler and guide; they propillar of fire to give them light. (Exod. xiii. 21, fessed subjection to his laws, and were brought 22.) In the dangers of the Jews, when closely under his authority. They were thus initiated pressed by the Egyptians, it went behind them, into his religion, and thus recognized his divine and became dark to the Egyptians, but light to mission, and bound themselves to obey his inthe Israelites, thus constituting a defence. (Exod. junctions.—Bloomfield. In the cloud.---This canxiv. 20.) In the wilderness, when travelling not be proved to mean that they were enveloped through the burning desert, it seems to have and, as it were, immersed in the cloud, for there been expanded over the camp as a covering, and is no evidence that the cloud thus enveloped a defence from the intense rays of a burning sun. them, or that they were immersed in it, as a per"Num. x. 34, "And the cloud of Jehovah was son is in water. The whole account in the Old upon them by day." Num. xiv. 14, Thy Testament leads us to suppose, that the cloud cloud standeth over them." To this fact the either passed before them as a pillar, or that it apostle refers here. It was a symbol of the di- had the same form in the rear of their camp, or vine favour and protection. Comp. Isa. iv. 5. that it was suspended over them, and was thus It was a guide, a shelter, and a defence. The the symbol of the divine protection. It would Jewish Rabbins say that "the cloud encompassed be altogether improbable that the dark cloud the camp of the Israelites as a wall encompasses would pervade the camp. It would thus ema city, nor could the enemy come near them." barrass their movements, and there is not the Pirke Eleazer, c. 44, as quoted by Gill. The slightest intimation in the Old Testament that it probability is, that the cloud extended over the did. Nor is there any probability in the suppowhole camp of Israel, and that to those at a dis-sition of Dr. Gill, and others, that the cloud, as tance it appeared as a pillar. And all passed through the sea.-The Red Sea, under the guidance of Moses, and by the miraculous interposition of God. (Exod. xiv. 21, 22.) This was also

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it passed from the rear to the front of the camp, "let down a plentiful rain upon them, whereby they were in such a condition as if they had been all over dipped in water." For, (1.) There is