Commentary on the Epistles of Paul the Apostle to the Corinthians PDF
Preview Commentary on the Epistles of Paul the Apostle to the Corinthians
r-^ vr. If '- J 1 C:^^^^^ Digitized by tine Internet Arciiive in 2008 witin funding from IVIicrosoft Corporation http://www.arGliive.org/details/commentaryonepis01calvuoft % ..^^ COMMENTARY THE EPISTLES OF PAUL THE APOSTLE THE CORINTHIANS. VOL. I. THE CALVIN TRANSLATION SOCIETY INSTITITTKDINMAYM.DCCC.Xl.III. FOR THE PUBLICATIONOFTRANSLATIOKSOFTHEWORKSOF JOHNCALVIN. i \JaVe ^ ^ \ jc>riv\tU\a.v'»<i COMMENTARY oxTllli EPISTLES OF PAUL THE APOSTLE TO THE CORINTHIANS. BY JOHN CALVIN. TRANSLATED FROM THE ORIGINAL LATIN, AND COLLATED WITH THE AUTHOR'S FRENCH VERSION, BY THE REV. JOHN riMNCLE. VOLUME FIRST. vOvC ' EDINBURGH: PRINTED FOR THE CALVIN TRANSLATION SOCIETY M.DCCC.XLVril. [©nterrJjatStationers,jf^all.] EDINBURGH: I'EINTEDBVT.CONSTABLE, TRINTEKTOHERMAJESTY. — TKANSLATOirS PREFACE. The Sixteenth Century was distinguishedby a large and valuable accession of Expositors of the Sacred Volume. Mosheim reckons up not fewer than fifty-live writers, who, in the course of that century, devoted their labours, to a greater or less extent, to—the interpretation or illustration of the inspired Avritings a circumstance which at once indicated the progress of theprinciples of the Reformation, and contributed most materially to their diffusion. Nor were expositorytreatises, in illustration ofthe Sacred Scrip- tures, simplyincreased in number; they were markedby a decided improvement in point of intrinsic value. It is to thehonourofalarge proportion of the Interpreters of that age, that, rejecting the practice so well exposed by Bishop HoRSLEY, of"drawing I know notwhat mystical meanings, byacertain cabalistic alchymy, from the simplest expres- sions of holy writ," theymade it their endeavour, in every case, to ascertainthetrue meaning ofthe Spirit ofGod, by acareful examination ofthetext and context. In unbending integr—ity of purpose in the investigation ofthe Inspired Oracles which must be regarded as one of theprimary excellences of an Expositor John Calvin is surpassedby none in his own, or indeed in any age. His readers, even where they maynotbe prepared to adopt his interj)retation of a passage, cannot fail to perceive that it is his sincere desire and honest endeavour to ascertain its true meaning. Hisuprightness ofdesign is more especially observable in connection with passages bearing on contro- verted points. In such cases the candidreaderwill discover VI TRANSLATORS PREFACE. no disposition to wrest a single expression for the purpose ofenlisting it on the side ofaparticularsystem of opinion ; but, on tlie contrar^^, the utmost fairness of interpretation is uniformlyapparent. Every one that is acquainted with Calvin's history, and considers the trying scenes through which he was called to pass, mustfeel astonished that he shouldhave foundleisure to prepare, in addition to all his other writings, Commen- taries on nearlythewholeoftheSacredScriptures. Thathe Avroteso much, andmore especiallyasanExpositor, appears to have been chiefly owingto the frequent and urgent soli- citationsofhis intimate andbelovedfriend Farel,who "not merely entreated Calvin, but frequently urged him with great vehemence to write one Commentary after another, from a conviction that he possessed the gifts requisite for exposition in a very extraordinary manner, and that, with the blessing ofGod, hisworks of this kind wouldbe exten- sively useful. 'Being an inconsiderable man myself,' said he, 'I am wontto requirevery much from thosethatpossess the greatest excellence, and often pressthem hardto labour beyond their strength.' It was his conviction that every one who had received superior talentswas bound to devote them to the advancement ofthe kingdom ofGod."^ The Epistles of Paul to the Corinthians form a most important part of the Sacred Writings. Though not so systematic as the Epistle to the Romans,they contain many passages, bearing directly on the fundamentally important doctrines of the Christian system, while they are of the highest utility in connection with PracticalTheology. The disorders that had unhappily crept into the Church at Corinth, gave occasion for the Apostle's handling at greater length than in any of his other Epistles various important points as to doctrine and worship; while the relaxed state ofdisciplinethathadbegunto prevail among them rendered it necessaryto exhibit more full}^the princi])leswhich ought to regulate the administration ofthe Christian Church. In ' Kii-ch-lioffer'sLifeofI'arel,])p. 281,282.
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