The life and work of St. Paul

CONDITION OF THE CHUECH AT COEINTH. 88S
ing itself in its two forms of sensuality and pride had insinuated itself even
into these once simple and charitable gatherings. The kiss of peace could
hardly be other than a hypocritical form between brethren, who at the very
moment might be impleading one another at law before the tribunal of a
heathen Praetor about some matter of common honesty. The rich brought
their luxurious provisions, and greedily devoured them, without waiting for
any one ; while the poor, hungry-eyed Lazaruses half-starved slaves, who
had no contributions of their own to bring watched them with hate and
envy as they sat furnishing and unrelieved by their full-fed brethren. Greediness
and egotism had thus thrust themselves into the most sacred unions ;
and Ihe besetting Corinthian sin of intoxication had been so little restrained
that men had boon soon to stretch drunken hands to the very chalice of the
Lord!
11. Last and worst, not only had uncleanness found its open defenders, so
that Christians were not ashamed to be seen sitting at meat amid the lasci-
vious surroundings of heathen temples, but one prominent member of the
Church was living in notorious crime with his own stepmother during the
lifetime of his father ; and, though the very Pagans execrated this atrocity,
yet he had not been expelled from the Christian communion, not even made
to do penance in it, but had found brethren ready, not merely to palliate his
offence, but actually to plume themselves upon it leaving unpunished. This
man seems to have been a person of distinction and influence, whom it was
advantageous to a Church largely composed of slaves and women to count
among them. Doubtless this had facilitated his condonation, which may have
been founded on some antinonian plea of Christian liberty; or on some Rabbinic
notion that old ties were rendered non-existent by the new conditions of a
proselyte ; or by peculiarities of circumstance unknown to us. But though
this person was the most notorious, ho was by no moans the only offender, and
there were Corinthian Christians even many of them who wore impeiiitently
guilty of uncleaimess, fornication, and lasci riousness. 1 In none of
his writings are the Apostle's warnings against this sin the besetting sin of
Corinth more numerous, more solemn, or more emphatic. 2
Truly, as he heard this catalogue of iniquities while he listened to the dark
tale of the shipwreck of all his fond hopes which he had learnt to entertain
during the missionary labour of eighteen mouths the heart of St. Paul must
have sunk within him. He might well have folded his hands in utter despair.
He might well have pronounced his life and his preaching a melancholy
failure. He might well have fled like Elijah into utter solitude, and prayed,
" Now, O Lord, take away my life, for I am not better than my fathers."
But it was not thus that the news affected this indomitable man. His heart,
indeed, throbbed with anguish, his eyes were streaming with tears, as, having
heard to the bitter end all that the slaves of Chloe had to tell him, he proceeded
to make his plans. First, of course, his intended brief immediate
2 Cor, *ii, 2L > 1 Cor. T. 11 ; ri. 15-18 ; x. 8 ; xv. 33, 34,