Ver. 1. Be ye therefore followers] In forgiving one another. As dear children] God hath but a few such children. [See Trapp on “Mt 5:45”] [See Trapp on “Mt 5:48”]
Ver. 2. Hath loved us, and hath given] When Christ wept for Lazarus, “Lo, how he loved him,” said the Jews, John 11:35,36. When he poured forth his soul for a drink offering for us, was not this a surer seal of his endeared love? An offering and a sacrifice] By this to expiate our sins, by that to mediate and make request for us; and so to show himself a perfect High Priest.
Ver. 3. But fornication and all uncleanness] As standing in full opposition to that sweet smelling savour, Ephesians 5:2, being no better than the corruption of a dead soul, the devil’s excrement. That people fitly punished this filthy sin, who put the offenders’ heads into the paunch of a beast where all the filth lieth, and so stifled them to death. Let it not be once named] Much less acted as in stage plays. Ludi praebent semina nequitiae. (Ovid. Trist.) How Alipius was corrupted by them, St Austin tells us. How the youth of Athens, Plato complaineth. One of our countrymen professeth in print, that he found theatres to be the very hatchers of all wickedness, the brothels of baudery, the black blasphemy of the gospel, the devil’s chair, the plague of piety, the canker of the commonwealth, &c. He instanceth on his knowledge, citizens’ wives confessing on their death beds that they were so impoisoned at stage plays, that they brought much dishonour to God, wrong to their marriage beds, weakness to their wretched bodies, and woe to their undone souls. (Spec. Belli Sacri.) It was therefore great wisdom in the Lacedaemonians to forbid the acting of comedies or tragedies in their commonwealth, and that for this reason, lest either in jest or earnest anything should be said or done contrary to the laws in force among them. (Plutarch.) What a sad complaint was that of the apostle, 1 Corinthians 5:1, that that which was not so much as named among heathens was done by a Christian; whereas the rule of piety here is, that those sins should not be so much as named among Christians which are done by the Gentiles.
Ver. 4. Neither filthiness] Borborology (rumblings?), ribaldry, the language of hell. Some men as ducks have their noses always guzzling in the gutter of obscene talk. Of Eckius’ last book concerning priests’ marriages, Melancthon saith, Non fuit Cygnea cantio, sed ultimus crepitus: Et sicut felis fugiens pedit, sic ille moriens hunc crepitum cecinit. Legi librum, subinde accipiens partem ad cloacam; alioqui non legissem. These filthy speakers make podicem ex ore, excrement from their mouth, as one phraseth it. Nor jesting] Salt jests, scurrility, jocularity, dicac ity, to the just grief or offence of another. This consists not with piety and Christian gravity. Aristotle useth the word ευτραπελια, here found in a good sense, for urbanity, facility, and facetiousness of speecb, in a harmless way. But Jason in Pindarus saith, that he lived twenty years with his tutor Chiron, and never in all that time heard him speaking or acting ουτ εργον ουτ επος ευτραπελον, anything scurrilous or abusive to another. On the contrary, our Sir Thomas Moore never thought anything to be w ell spoken, except he had ministered some mock in the communication, saith Edward Hall the chronicler, who therefore seemeth to doubt whether to call him a foolish wise man or a wise foolish man. Quid nobis cum fabulis, cum risu? non solum profulos, sed etiam omnes iocos arbitror declinandos, saith Bernard. What have we to do with tales and jests? Tertullian saith he was Nulli rei natus nisi poenitentiae, born for nothing else but for repentance. Crede mihi, res severa est gaudium verum, saith Seneca, True mirth is a severe business. Which are not convenient] τα μη ανηκοντα. As not conducing to the main end of our lives. But rather giving of thanks] A special preservative against the former evils, the filth and power of those base vices. And the word rather imports an extraordinary earnestness to be used in giving thanks to God. Debauchery, lasciviousness, vice. Obs. ŒD
Ver. 5. Who is an idolater] Dancing about his golden calf, and saying to his wedge of silver, “Thou art my confidence,” Job 30:24; which yet shall prove but as Achan’s wedge to cleave his soul in sunder, and as that Babylonish garment to be his winding sheet.
Ver. 6. Let no man deceive you] So as to make you think there is no such danger in fornication, covetousness, &c. There wanted not such proctors for hell in the primitive times, as may be gathered out of 2 Peter 2:1-3 Jude 6-11. Against these he here cautioneth.
Ver. 7. Be not ye therefore partakers] Lest by infection of their sin ye come under infliction of their punishment. We are accountable as well for sins of communion as of commission; and he knew what he said, that prayed, From mine other men’s sins, good Lord, deliver me. Evil men endanger good men as weeds the corn, as bad humours the blood, or an infected house the neighbourhood. And when an overflowing storm sweeps away the wicked, the tail of it may dash their best neighbours, Zechariah 9:3. Hamath lay near to Damascus in place, and therefore partook with it in punishment.