1 Corinthians 7

1 Corinthians 7:1

NOw concerning the] Gr. But of the.

It is good] By the word good the Apostle understandeth not that which is honourable, vertuous, or holy, for the Apostle testifieth himself, Hebrews 13:4. that marriage is honourable among all, and the Scriptures generally avouch the same: but by good he understandeth lesse troublesome, or more agreeable to the present necessitie, vers. 26. more convenient in regard of the calamities of the Church, which will be so much the easier born and overcome by the enjoying of our libertie, and more profitable also, by being not so distracted with these cares, nor troubled with these distractions that by reason of sinne accompanie the married estate, vers. 28. 32.

touch a woman] That is, to abstain from matrimonie, and all carnall knowledge; as the word is taken, Genesis 20:6. therefore I suffered thee not to touch her.

1 Corinthians 7:2

Neverthelesse, to avoid fornication] Gr. But by reason of fornications. In the Greek there is a kind of Ellipsis, which is well supplied by the Translators with the words to avoid: for that is the true meaning of the Apostle, though word for word he saith by reason of fornications, that is, by reason of the pronenesse of mans nature to fornication, or by reason of the frequent committing thereof, especially among the Corinthians as before was noted. And here also he taketh fornication largely for all manner of impuritie forbidden by the law of God, and he prescribeth as an antidote against the poyson of all kind of impure lust, the lawfull and holy use of matrimonie.

1 Corinthians 7:3

due benevolence] By this manner of speech he implieth not only in a modest phrase, conjugale debition, to which the verse following hath reference: but as the Greek Scholiast well expoundeth it, mutuall love and loyaltie; and that sincere and ardent affection which ought to be between husband and wife.

1 Corinthians 7:5

Defraud] Or, Deprive.

give your selves to fasting] Or, be free for fasting.

come together] Gr. Tec. be together.

1 Corinthians 7:6

of] Gr. by.

1 Corinthians 7:7

I would that all men were even as I my self] The Apostle doth not simply wish that all men and women led a single life; for so the Church of God could not be propagated, nor the divine benediction upon the married fulfilled: but that all had the gift of continencie, and were as free from worldly cares, and fleshly intanglings, as he. And this gift of continencie may stand with holy matrimonie; as we read of Malus and many other in the Ecclesiasticall stori, who though they were married, yet having the gift of continencie fulfilled the Apostles precepts, vers. 29. 32. having wives as if they had them not, and caring for the things of the Lord.

1 Corinthians 7:8

unmarried and widows] He giveth the self-same admonition touching the second marriage, to wit, that a single life is to be allowed, but for such onely that have the gift of continencie, otherwise they ought to marry again that their conscience might be at peace.

1 Corinthians 7:9

better to marry then to burn] Some interpret this burning, to be burning in hell fire for their incontinencie; and no question but the words of the Apostle are true in that sense; but because he addeth not either hell fire or eternall, nor doth any circumstance of the Text look that way; the naturall construction seemeth to be this: It is better to marry, then by forcing our selves to live single, having not the gift of continencie, so to burn with lust, that either the will yeeldeth to the temptation, or else we cannot call upon God with a good conscience. He is not said to burn who onely feeleth the heat of fire, for so the most continent man might be said to burn: but onely he that is singed and scorched thereby, he that is so assaulted with the temptation of lust, that he is some way wounded, and hurt in conscience thereby.

1 Corinthians 7:10

not I, but the Lord] In these words, the Apostle meaneth not, that the Lords precepts, and his were contrary, for verse the last, he saith, I thinke also that I have the Spirit of God, and whatsoever Saint Paul wrote in this or any other of his Epistles was by divine inspiration; but his meaning is, that he spake not this by peculiar Revelation, as some other things afterwards, but that he had an expresse command of our Lord for it in Scripture, namely, Matth. 5. 32 & Matthew 19:9.

Let not the wife depart from her husband] Gr. that the wife be not severed from. See Matthew 5:32. & Matthew 19:9. Mark 10:11. Luke 16:18.

1 Corinthians 7:11

depart] Gr. be severed.

1 Corinthians 7:14

sanctified by the wife] Some expound it sanctified, that is, some way prepared and disposed to embrace our holy faith by his conversation with his Christian wife: So Oecumenius;〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉, or some way initiated in the faith and feare of God. So Tertul. l. 2. ad uxorem, sanctificatur cojux infidelis acqui escens habitare cum conjuge fideli, quia candidaus est timoris sancti silicet & casti. And, S. Jerome l. 1. cont. Jovin. c. 5. candidatus est fidei. Or else the meaning is, that in regard the faithfull are heires of the Covenant of God (Genesis 17:7. & Acts 2:39.) together with their children, this Covenant the unbeleeving partly cannot unto by his unbelief: Forasmuch, as the grace of God in sanctifying such a marriage, is more powerfull then the unbelief of the other partie to profane it: So that the Apostles words import, not that an unbeleeving husband is simply sanctified, or made a holy man by his wife being a Christian, or an unbeleeving wife made a holy woman by her husband being a good Christian, but that he is sanctified to her, if she be a Christian, and she is sanctified to him, if he be a Christian.

For although the unbeleeving partie be unclean before God: yet is the matrimoniall conjunction holy by the means of faith and prayer, Titus 1. 15. and hath the approbation and blessing of God no other wayes, then if both parties were holy. Thus he answereth them that thought themselves polluted by being married to unbeleevers before their conversion, and intended therefore to be divorced for that scruple sake.

but now are they holy] If the marriage were not in some degree sanctified, the children which were born in such wedlock would not be from their birth comprised within the Covenant of God, made with the fathers and their children, Genesis 17:7. or endued with the Spirit of sanctification; neither would the Church hold them capable of Baptisme, untill grown up to age, that they might be received into the Church for their own faith sake: but now they are holy, that is, comprised in the outward covenant of God, and have accesse and right to the signs and seales of his grace, as well as any of those that were borne of both beleeving parents. Holy then, that is, sanctified to God in Baptisme, made members of the Church, and partakers of the grace of regeneration according to their measure and condition.

1 Corinthians 7:15

depart] Or, be severed.

to peace] Gr. in peace. Lest any man upon pretence of this libertie, should give an occasion to the unfaithfull to depart, he giveth to understand that marriage contracted with an Infidell, ought peaceably to be kept, that if it be possible the Infidell may be wonne to the faith.

1 Corinthians 7:16

save thy husband] That is, be a means to convert him to the Christian faith, by which we are justified and saved.

1 Corinthians 7:17

distributed to every man] Taking occasion by that which he said of the bondage and libertie of matrimony he digresseth to a generall doctrin concerning the outward state and condition of mans life, as circumcision and uncircumcision, servitude and libertie, warning every man generally, to live with a contented minde in the Lord, what state or condition so ever he be in, because the kingdome of God consisteth not in these outward things.

1 Corinthians 7:18

let him not become uncircumcised] Some who had been circumcised, found a means by the help of Chirurgians to recover again their foreskin: Of these Josephus writeth, l. 12. Antiq. c. 6. adjunxerunt sibi praeputia ut nudi quo(que non essent Graecis dissimiles;) The manner Epiphanius declareth. 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉. See also Celsus l. 7. c. 25. Such practises Saint Paul here forbiddeth.

1 Corinthians 7:21

care not for it] As though this calling were too unworthy a calling for a Christian. For no calling, how meane soever, debarreth a man from being Christs freeman, and the sonne of God by adoption and grace; whosoever is redeemed from the thraldome of Satan, and servitude of sinne, whether he be in respect of his outward condition in bondage, or at his libertie, is Christs freeman.

1 Corinthians 7:22

free man] Gr. made free.

1 Corinthians 7:23

Ye are bought with a price] See Chap. 6. 2. That is, dearely bought by a price of inestimable value, 1 Pet. 1. 18, 19.

be not ye the servants of men] If ye be at libertie, do not of your own accord make your selves servants, but consecrate your selves entirely body and soul to the service of Christ: or if ye be servants to men, that is, in a state of servitude, remember still that above and before all ye are the servants of Christ, and therefore see ye do nothing to the obedience of man, which is contrary to that which ye owe to Christ; and as touching your soul and conscience, subject and enslave your selves to no man living, depend absolutely upon none but Christ and his Word. See Galatians 2:4. & ?Colossians 2:16; ?Colossians 2:18.

1 Corinthians 7:24

abide with God] Whatsoever his outward calling be, let him be sure to hold his inward calling, and abide with God in the Church: or let him so sincerely and uprightly walk in his calling, as one who is alwayes in the sight of God, and doth all things before him, and endeavoureth to approve himself to him in all things.

1 Corinthians 7:25

I give my judgement] All circumstances considered I counsell you. He enjoyneth single life to none, but perswadeth it to all, that have the gift of continencie, both from the condition of the present time, in which the faithfull could scarce have any settled place of abode, wherein they might provide for their wives, children, and families; and from the freedome of a single life in comparison of the married estate, which draweth with it of necessitie more cares of this life, and distraction of minde from the immediate service of God.

1 Corinthians 7:26

for the present distresse] Or, for the present necessuie. Which the saints are subject unto, who were then continually tossed up and down so, that their estate may seem most unfit for marriage, were it not that the weaknesse of the flesh enforced them.

1 Corinthians 7:28

Trouble in the flesh] Gr. tribulation; or, affliction. By the flesh he understandeth whatsoever belongeth to this present life, for marriage bringeth with it many discommodities; so that he bendeth more to a single life, not because it is a state more agreeable to God, then marriage is, but for those cumberances and discommodities, which if it were possible, he would wish all men to be freed of, that they might give themselves to God wholly.

1 Corinthians 7:29

is short] Gr. is contracted, or, shortened.

1 Corinthians 7:31

And they that use this world] It is a horrible wickednesse, saith Saint Austine, uti fruendis, or frui uttendis, to use those things which we ought to enjoy, or to enjoy those things which we ought onely to use; to use God and heavenly things which we ought to enjoy, and to enjoy the world and earthly things which we ought onely to use, and so use them, as if we used them not. Or, as others expound, not abusing them by an inordinate use of the same, or by too much doting on them, and cleaving unto them.

for the fashion of this world passeth away] He sheweth how illbeseeming and unworthy a thing it is for a Christian to set his heart on the things of this world, considering that they are vain and transitory; rather shews and shadows of things, then true things themselves, Proverbs 23:5. As in a Pageant, Mask or Comedie, many persons are brought up one after another on the Stage or Seene, but at last both they and the Scene also is taken away; so it is with this present world, one person succeedeth another, and one generation another, till not onely all they do die and fall away, but even the Stage of the world at last, wherein they all acted their parts, doth vanish away like a shadow, with all the glory thereof.

1 Corinthians 7:33

careth for the things, &c.] They that are married have their mindes distracted, and their wits withdrawne hither and thither about worldly affairs and businesses; and therefore if any man have the gift of continency, it were more commodious for him to live single. The Apostle speaketh not simply, but comparatively; for they that are married may and do care for the things of the Lord, but ordinarily do it with more distraction, then they have lesse to do with the world, in regard of their single life.

1 Corinthians 7:35

I speak for your own profit] His meaning is, that he will enforce none either to marry or not to marry; but shew them onely what kinde of life is most commodious, or at least ordinarily lesse cumbersome.

1 Corinthians 7:36

behaveth himself uncomely] Or, carrieth himself undecently.

1 Corinthians 7:37

having no necessitie] He speaketh not here of a mans resolving to marry himself, or to live unmarried; but of parents or governours under whose guide and tuition virgins are; if such a one findeth no necessitie, either in respect of the maids desire, or fear of worse, if she have not the gift of continency, or in respect of the condition of his family, but that he may keep her a virgin still.

1 Corinthians 7:39

The wife is bound, &c.] See Romans 7:2.

be dead] Gr. be fallen asleep, or, laid in the grave.