iv. 1), Masters, give unto your servants that which is just and equal; knowing that ye also have a Master in heaven. (Phil. iv. 8), Things which are just are recommended along with things which are true, honest, lovely, of good report. And (Tit. i. 8), A bishop must be just, as well as a lover of hospitality, a lover of good men. 518 Perhaps to some readers, justice in matters of property may seem to be made light of, in the parable of the unjust steward, whom the lord (that is, his lord) commended (Luke xvi. 8), and of the unjust judge (Luke xviii. 6) of whom Christ said, Hear what the unjust judge saith. But it is to be recollected that a parable is a mode of illustrating some one truth; and is not to have its subordinate parts drawn into inferences. The parable of the unjust steward is put forwards to illustrate the duty of foresight; the prudence of godliness. The steward's lord commended him as having acted with foresight and prudence, which evidently he had, though not with honesty. The parable is intended, not to illustrate the relative value of prudence and honesty, but of prudence and that imprudence which disregards a future life. The unjust steward is put forward as an example of the children of this world, who are opposed to the children of light. They are the wiser of the two in their generation; but if we look beyond their generation, their wisdom is folly. In the same manner, the parable of the unjust judge is put forth to illustrate the efficacy of prayer, and not the character to which prayer is addressed, as it is stated (ver. 1,) He spake a parable to them to this end, that men ought always to pray, and not to faint. CHAPTER VI. CHRISTIAN PRECEPTS CONCERNING TRUTH. ap 519 THE same desires and affections which tend to the propriation of the property of others, often lead to fraud and falsehood; and thus, the warnings to Christians already quoted, bear upon the subjects now under consideration. But there are many precepts more especially directed to these subjects; as (1 Thess. iv. 6), This is the will of God: that no man go beyond and defraud his brother in any matter: because that the Lord is the avenger of all such, as we also have forewarned you and testified. And to the Corinthians he says reproachfully (1 Cor. vi. 8), Ye do wrong, and defraud, and that, your brethren. Know ye not that the unrighteous shall not inherit the kingdom of God? To the Ephesians (Eph. iv. 25), Putting away lying, speak every man truth with his neighbour; for we are members one of another. And to the Colossians (Col. iii. 9), Lie not one to another, seeing ye have put off the old man with his deeds; and have put on the new man, which is renewed in knowledge after the image of him that created him. 520 Such attributes as true; faithful as a promiser (Heb. x. 23; xi. 11); faithful to him that appointed him (Heb. iii. 2); sincere; are constantly used as praise. It is mentioned among the signs of the perilous times that shall come (2 Tim. iii. 2), that men shall be truce-breakers, false accusers (domovdo, diaßoλoi). But such terms as faithful, sincere, and the like, are more commonly used with reference to the relation between God and man. The constant exhortations of Christian teachers to the love of our neighbour, and their warnings against those desires which lead to fraud, lying, breach of promise, and the like; make it almost unnecessary for them to condemn such offenses expressly. The words which are translated by honest, in our version, are, for the most part, such as imply qualities respected and admired by men, like honestum in Latin: as kaλà in (Rom. xii. 17), Provide things honest in the sight of all men. (2 Cor. viii. 21), Providing for honest things, not only in the sight of the Lord, but also in the sight of man. (xiii. 7), I pray to God that ye do no evil...but that ye should do that which is honest. (1 Pet. ii. 11), I beseech you, abstain from lusts... having your conversation honest among the Gentiles; that, whereas they speak against you as evil-doers, they may by your good works which they shall behold, glorify God. So oeuvà (Phil. iv. 8), Finally, brethren, whatsoever things are true, whatsoever things are honest, whatsoever things are just, whatsoever things are pure, whatsoever things are lovely, whatsoever things are of good report; if there be any virtue, and if there be any praise, think on these things. (1 Tim. ii. 2), Pray for kings, and all that are in authority: that we may lead a quiet and peaceable life in all godliness and honesty. (σεμνότητι). CHAPTER VII. CHRISTIAN PRECEPTS CONCERNING PURITY. 521 THE Christian is enjoined to be free from the dominion of sensual, as well as of covetous, desires: pure, as well as honest. These epithets are joined (Phil. iv. 8), Whatsoever things are honest, whatsoever things are just, whatsoever things are pure (‰oa áyvá). The same word is used (1 Tim. v. 22), Keep thyself pure. (1 John iii. 3), Every man that hath this hope in him purifieth himself, even. as he is pure. The same word is used to express conjugal chastity (Tit. ii. 5; 1 Pet. iii. 1). But much more than mere observance of legal obligation is required, in this as in other cases. (Matth. v. 27), Ye have heard that it was said by them of old time, Thou shalt not commit adultery: but I say unto you, That whosoever looketh on a woman to lust after her, hath committed adultery with her already in his heart. And if thy right eye offend thee, pluck it out, and cast it from thee; for it is profitable for thee that one of thy members should perish, and not that thy whole body should be cast into hell. So by St Paul lasciviousness (doéλyeta) is condemned, as well as the acts to which it leads (Gal. v. 19), The works of the flesh are manifest, which are these: Adultery, fornication, uncleanness, lasciviousness...of the which I tell you before, as I have told you in time past, that they which do such things shall not inherit the kingdom of God. So 1 Cor. vi. 9, 10. Also (Eph. v. 3), Fornication and all uncleanness...let it not be once named among you; as becometh saints; neither filthiness (aioxpóτns), nor foolish talking and jesting, which are not convenient. (Col. iii. 5), Mortify your members which are upon the earth; fornication, uncleanness, inordinate affection (Táðos), evil concupiscence (èπiðvμíav кaкǹv).....for which things' sake the wrath of God cometh on the children of disobedience. Other expressions are also used; as (1 Tim. v. 6), She that liveth in pleasure is dead while she liveth (σπаτаλŵσa). This word is also used by St James in his denunciation of woe against luxurious and tyrannical men. (James v. 5), Ye have lived in pleasure in the earth, and been wanton (ἐτρυφήσατε καὶ ἐσπαταλήσατε). 522 Christian teaching urges an especial argument against fornication (1 Cor. vi. 15-20), What! know ye not that your body is the temple of the Holy Ghost which is in you, which ye have of God; and ye are not your own? for ye are bought with a price: therefore glorify God in your body, and in your Spirit, which are God's. The same argument is used (1 Cor. iii. 16), Know ye not that ye are the temple of God? If any man defile the temple of God, him shall God destroy. 523 Other sins of lust are spoken of as the extremes of human depravity, when God gives men up unto vile affections (Rom. i. 20, and 1 Cor. vi. 9). 524 The conjugal union is commended, and its duties sanctioned. (Heb. xiii. 4), Marriage is honourable in all, and the bed undefiled. (1 Cor. vii. 3), Let the husband render unto the wife due benevolence; and likewise also the wife unto the husband. The wife hath not power of her own body, but the husband: and likewise also the husband hath not power of his own body, but the wife. (1 Thess. iv. 3), This is the will of God, even your sanctification, that ye should abstain from fornication: that every one of you should know how to possess his vessel in sanctification and honour; not in the lust of concupiscence, even as the Gentiles which know not God. And (1 Tim. v. 14), I will that the younger women marry, bear children, guide the house. 525 There are passages in which St Paul intimates it to be his private opinion, that, under the circumstances of the time, it was better then for Christians to abstain from marriage: but he does not deliver this as the Divine command. Thus (1 Cor. vii. 25), Concerning virgins, I have no commandment of the Lord; yet I give my judgment as one that hath obtained mercy of the Lord to be faithful. I suppose therefore that this is good for the present distress; I say, that it is good for a man so to be; namely, to be a virgin or unmarried. In verses 32, 33, he explains further the reasons of this advice, which belongs especially to the condition of his disciples as Christians, occupied by religious duties. I would have you without carefulness. He that is unmarried careth for the things that belong to the Lord, how he may please the Lord. But he that is married careth for the things that are of the world, how he may please his wife. He adds (28), But and if thou marry, thou hast not sinned; and if a virgin marry, she hath not sinned. He had in the previous part of the chapter (6-9) given the same advice to unmarried and widows, with the same limitation: I speak this by permission, and not of commandment: and he repeats it again in like manner in the end of the chapter. 526 The conjugal union is further invested with a religious significance. (1 Cor. xi. 11), Neither is the man without the woman, neither the woman without the man, in the Lord. For as the woman is of the man, so is the man also by the woman. (Eph. v. 23), The husband is the head of the wife, even as Christ is the head of the church...Husbands, love your wives, even as Christ also loved the Church, and gave himself for it...So ought men to love their wives as their own bodies. He that loveth his wife loveth himself. For no man ever yet hated his own flesh: but nourisheth and cherisheth it, even as the Lord the Church. For we are members of his body, of his flesh, and of his bones. For this cause shall a man leave his father and mother, and shall be joined unto his wife, and they two shall be one flesh. This passage (Gen. ii. 24) had already been quoted by Christ (Matth. xix. 4; Mark x. 5), He answered and said unto them, Have ye not read that he which made them at the beginning made them male and female; and said, For this cause shall a man leave father and mother, and shall cleave to his wife; and they twain shall be one flesh? Wherefore they are no more twain, but one flesh. What therefore God hath joined together, let not man put asunder. 527 The precepts of the New Testament which speak of cases in which marriage may be annulled, have a reference to the law of the Old Testament. Moses had commanded (Deut. xxiv. 1), That if a man marry, and his wife find no favour in his eyes, he should write her a bill of divorcement, and send her away. After this, she might be married to another man, but never to her former husband. The practices which, in virtue of this law, prevailed among the Jews at the time of Christ's coming, led to a question which was proposed to him, (Matth. xix. 3; Mark x. 2), The Pharisees came unto him, tempting him, and saying unto him, Is it lawful for a man to put away his wife for every cause? He answered as in the passage just quoted, referring to the first institution of marriage by God, and ending, What therefore God hath joined together, let not man put asunder. They say unto him, Why did Moses then command to give her a writing of divorcement, and to put her away? He saith unto them; Moses, because of the hardness of your hearts, suffered you to put away your wives; but from the beginning it was not so. And I say unto you, Whosoever shal put away his wife, except it be for fornication, and shall marry another, committeth adultery, and whoso marrieth her which is put away doth commit adultery. 528 The part of this passage in which it is said that Moses gave the Jews his command because of the hardness of their hearts, to imply, like the rest of Christ's teaching, that the Chris |