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Therefore, as the apostle of Christ, as having authority to command, and power to enforce his authority, he gives them his solemn injunction how to act. Though absent in body, he would be present with them in spirit: his spirit would be as it were amongst them when they cleared themselves from this impure contagion.

3. For I verily, as absent in body, but present in spirit, have judged already, as though I were present, concerning him that hath so done this deed,

4. In the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, when ye are gathered together, and my spirit, with the power of our Lord Jesus Christ,

5. To deliver such an one unto Satan for the destruction of the flesh, that the spirit may be saved in the day of the Lord Jesus.

Our Lord had said, (Matt. xviii. 18,) "If two of you shall agree on earth touching any thing that ye shall ask, it shall be done for them of my Father which is in heaven. For where two or three are gathered together in my name, there am I in the midst of them."

Here was a proper occasion to claim this promise. Here was a great scandal: a direct transgression of the law. What would the surrounding heathen judge concerning a society which professed a purity of morals unheard of among the Gentiles, yet permitted a practice to exist which even the Gentiles would abhor?

An example must be made, and this wicked person cut off from the church in which he had no lot or portion. Paul had judged, therefore, according to the authority committed to him, concerning him who

hath so done this deed: he had judged, that solemnly, and collected in a body, in the name and with the power of our Lord Jesus Christ, they should deliver such an one unto Satan for the destruction of the flesh. They should separate him from that church over which Satan cannot prevail or rule, as one who was no longer entitled to the protection it enjoys.

The church consists of those who are in covenant with Christ Jesus, having received him, and believing in his name. Those who are within that covenant, are taken out of Satan's power. He is "the strong man armed, who keepeth his palace and his goods, till a stronger than he come upon him, and overcome him, and divide the spoils." Thus the people of God, the disciples of Christ, are rescued from the power of Satan. But when the captive thus rescued offends against the laws of his deliverer, he withdraws himself from his guardianship: the deliverer no longer exerts his power to preserve, and the transgressor falls back into the hands of "the strong man armed." The destruction of the flesh may ensue. Satan had power against Job, to the destruction of the flesh. The Lord said unto Satan, "Behold, he is in thine hand. But save his life. So went Satan forth from the presence of the Lord, and smote Job with sore boils from the sole of his foot unto his crown." This was permitted in the case of Job, to prove his patience. A like infliction might be designed in the case of this offender, to bring him to repentance. Deliver him to Satan for the destruction of the flesh, that the spirit may be saved in the day of the Lord Jesus.

2 See Luke xi. 21.

3 Job ii. 6, 7.

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There was, indeed, no security for such a result. This man's situation was different from that of Job, whose name was in the book of life:" who was one of those who "loved God," and therefore for whose final "good all things shall work together.' Job was one of those whom Satan might "send a messenger to buffet,"5 but whom he could not injure or destroy. In this man, there was no proof of such a state; the evidence was all the other way; there was too much reason to fear that he was transgressing the commandments of Christ, because he never really belonged to him. Still there was hope. Suffering under the destruction of the flesh, he might turn unto the Lord, that he might have mercy upon him, and to our God, that he might abundantly pardon. He might exclaim, in the language of the prophet, "Wherefore doth a living man complain, a man for the punishment of his sins? Let us search and try our ways, and turn unto the Lord our God. Let us lift up our heart with our hands unto God in the heavens.”7 Thus the spirit might be saved in

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the day of the Lord Jesus.

There is, indeed, no necessary or sure connexion between suffering and repentance. Many are rather hardened, than softened, by affliction. But in the providence of God it sometimes happens that distress of mind or anguish of body become the outward means of bringing the heart to humble itself before God: from whose power, a man feels, there is no escape, and who may change temporal into everlasting sorrow.

+ Rom. viii. 28.

6 1 John ii. 19.

5 2 Cor. xii. 7.
7 Lam. iii. 39-41.

Paul looks to such an effect of the punishment which he denounces against this Corinthian offender. But, at all events, he must not be suffered to disgrace the church, or give occasion to the enemies of God to blaspheme, as if one who professed and called himself a Christian, could remain a wilful sinner. "For God hath not called us unto uncleanness, but unto holiness."8 "And let every one that nameth the name of Christ, depart from iniquity."

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LECTURE LX.

THE SOCIETY OF THE WICKED MUST BE
ABANDONED.

1 COR. v. 6—13.

6. Your glorying is not good. Know ye not that a little leaven leaveneth the whole lump?

The Corinthian Christians took much upon themselves. They boasted as if they could receive nothing and learn nothing from the apostle: were in no need of his counsels. Such glorying could not be good in any case. "For if a man think himself to be something, when he is nothing, he deceiveth himself."1 But least of all could those glory, who permitted a scandal like that which Paul had been condemn9 2 Tim. ii. 19.

8 1 Thess. iv. 7.

1 Gal. vi. 3.

ing to exist among their company. Know ye not that a little leaven leaveneth the whole lump? To suffer such an evil amongst them, degraded the whole christian body: in the same manner as a small portion of bad leaven is sufficient to alter the whole character of the mass into which it is admitted.

The principle of the gospel is, that the believer in Christ is redeemed from all iniquity, and brought over to the service of God: from a state of disobedience, converted to obedience. It was a contradiction of that principle to suppose that a man could remain a member of Christ, while living in wilful transgression of God's law. "He that committeth sin is of the devil." "Whosoever is born of God doth not commit sin;"" allows himself in no habitual wickedness. To associate with a wilful transgressor as with a christian brother, was to annul and make void this principle: it was to maintain a principle widely different: namely, that a man might continue in sin, and yet enjoy the favour of God. Such a case would as certainly corrupt the whole body, as a portion, though a small portion, of bad leaven would corrupt the whole lump into which it was introduced: or as surely as any leaven used at the season of the passover would violate the commandment of the law. If they meant to preserve their christian character, they must clear themselves of all such examples and all such principles.

7. Purge out therefore the old leaven, that ye may be a new lump, as ye are unleavened.3 For even Christ our

passover is sacrificed for us:

21 John iii. 9.

3 As ye are bound by your christian profession to be a new lump, pure from the leaven of corruption.

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