Lord. This interpretation of the verse is suited to the mean- ing of the words and to the connection, and has the sanction of general approbation. The connection indicated by for is between what precedes and the latter part of the verse, * I judge not myself, /or he that judgeth me is the Lord.' It need hardly be remarked, that when Paul says, he was con- scious of nothing wrong, the declaration is to be limited by the connection. He speaks of hunself elsewhere as the chief of sinners, which is perfectly consistent with his saying that his conscience acquitted him of failure in fidelity as a minister. The clause, I am not hereby justified^ must also be ex- plained in reference to the connection. He is not speaking of the doctrine of justification ; and, therefore, is not to be understood to say, ' My justification is not thereby secured.' That is, he does not mean to say that ministerial fidelity is not the ground of his justification. This would be entirely out of keeping with the context. All he means is, that the question whether he was faithful, was one not to be decided by his conscience, but by the Lord. Lord here evidently means Christ, who is therefore a higher judge than conscience. As a moral agent, as a believer, and as a minister, Paul felt him- self accountable to Christ. This inward allegiance of the con- science is the highest form of worship. The Lord Jesus was to the apostle the object of aU those sentiments and feelings which terminate on God. And he must be so to us, or we are not Christians ; because, what makes a man a Christian, is to feel and act towards Christ as God.
5. Therefore judge nothing before the time, until the Lord come, who both will bring to light the hidden things of darkness, and will make manifest the coun- sels of the hearts : and then shall every man have praise of God.
As the Lord is the only judge, we must wait for his ap- pearance, and neither assume his prerogative, nor anticipate his decision. Judge nothing before the time (Kaipd?), i. e. the appropriate, or appointed time. What time is intended is in- timated in the next clause. UntiLthe Lord come^ (cws av eX^y, shall have come,) i. e. until the second advent of Christ, which in the New Testament is constantly represented as contempo- raneous with the resurrection of the dead and the general