\\INTRODUCTION TO 1 CORINTHIANS 6\\

The principal view of this chapter is to dissuade Christians from
going to law with one another before Heathens, and also from
fornication: the apostle begins with the first of these, and argues
against it, from its being a daring, dangerous, and scandalous
practice; and from the different characters of the persons, before
whom controversies about civil things among Christians should and
should not be brought; the one being saints, and so conscientious
persons, and would do the right thing; the other unjust, and so
justice could not be expected to be done by them, \\#1Co 6:1\\, and
that the former, and not the latter, should be appointed judges in
such cases, is argued from the greater to the lesser; that seeing
these will judge the world, much more then should they be employed in
matters of less consequence, \\#1Co 6:2\\ and by the same sort of
argument it is further urged, that even angels themselves shall be
judged by the saints; then much more might affairs appertaining to
this life, be brought before them, and be decided by them, \\#1Co 6:3\\
yea, even the things that were litigated by them, and which they had
power of judging in, were such as might be determined by the men of
the least capacity among them, and therefore had no need to bring
them before Heathen magistrates, \\#1Co 6:4\\ besides, it could not
be spoken of, but to their shame, that after all their boast of their
gifts, learning, and eloquence, there was not one man of wisdom and
ability among them, to judge in matters of civil property, \\#1Co 6:5\\
and this evil of commencing law suits in Heathen courts of
judicature, is aggravated by its being done, not between Christians
and heathens, but between one Christian brother and another, and that
before men that were infidels, \\#1Co 6:6\\ and which to do, showed a
great deficiency of love, wisdom, and care; and much better it was to
take and suffer wrong, than to be guilty of such criminal conduct,
\\#1Co 6:7\\ yea, those, that drew their brethren before such
judgment seats, did them wrong, both by bringing them thither, and by
getting their cause in an unjust manner, \\#1Co 6:8\\ wherefore, to
deter from such unrighteous procedures, the apostles declares, that
all injurious persons, and wicked men in any way, and of any sort,
should not inherit the kingdom of God, \\#1Co 6:9,10\\ and whereas
some of those the apostle writes to had been such, but now through
the grace of God were otherwise, this should be considered as an
argument, why they should not contend with one another before persons
destitute of the grace they were partakers of, \\#1Co 6:11\\ and now
the apostle having mentioned fornication as a sin which excluded from
the kingdom of God, and this being reckoned by the Gentiles an
indifferent thing; he first observes of indifferent things in
general, that are really so, that though they are lawful to be used,
it is not expedient to use them at all times, and under all
circumstances; and especially care should be taken, that by the use
of them, we do not become slaves unto them, \\#1Co 6:12\\ and then
particularly instances in meats, which without distinction might be
lawfully eaten, they being made for the belly, and the belly for
them; which was answering the original design of them, though
hereafter both will be destroyed; yet fornication must not be put
upon a level with them, and reckoned indifferent as they are; since
the body was not made to be abused and defiled, or for fornication:
but to be redeemed and sanctified by the Lord, and to serve him, and
who was appointed for the redemption and sanctification of that,
\\#1Co 6:13\\ moreover, the sin of fornication is dissuaded from, by
the consideration of the resurrection of the body as a glorious one,
by the power of God, of which Christ's resurrection is a pledge; and
therefore should not be defiled with this sin, \\#1Co 6:14\\ as also
from the bodies of the saints being the members of Christ; and
therefore should not be made the members of an harlot by fornication,
these things being utterly absurd and inconsistent, \\#1Co 6:15\\.
Which is illustrated by observing, that he that is joined in unlawful
copulation with an harlot, becomes one flesh with her, \\#1Co 6:16\\
which is confirmed by a passage cited out of \\#Ge 2:24\\ which
regards carnal copulation in general; but one that is in union with
Christ, and is become a member of him, is one spirit with him; and
therefore since there is such a spiritual union between them,
fornication, which joins, unites, and makes a man one with an harlot,
should be carefully avoided, \\#1Co 6:17\\ and in order the more to
deter from this sin, the apostle observes, that it is not like some
other sins, which are without the body, but this is by it, and with
it, and against it; it is dishonourable, and may be hurtful to it,
\\#1Co 6:18\\ to which he adds, that the bodies of the saints are the
temples of the Holy Ghost, where he dwells, and therefore should not
be polluted with fornication, \\#1Co 6:19\\ and closes all with an
argument, taken from their bodies not being their own property, to
use and abuse at pleasure, but the purchase of Christ's blood; and
therefore it was incumbent upon them to glorify him with them, as
well as with their spirits, and not defile them with fornication.