their espousals to Christ, that he could not fail to feel the deepest interest in their fidelity. I have espoused you. The vert) ap/xo^co in the active voice is used of the father who be- troths his daughter ; in the passive of the bride who is be- trothed ; in the middle voice it is generally used of the man who pledges himself to a woman. The middle form, however, is sometimes used, as in this verse, (i7p/xoo-a/x->7v,) in the active sense. To one hushcmd. The marriage relation from its nar ture is exclusive. It can be sustained only to one man. So the relation of the church, or of the behever, to Christ is in like manner exclusive. We can have but one God and Sa- viour. Love to him of necessity excludes all love of the same kind to every other being. Hence the apostle says he had espoused (betrothed) them to one man. This was done in order, in due time, to present them as a chaste virgin unto Christ. As in Eph. 5, 27, this presentation of the church to Christ as his bride, is said to take place at his second coming, this passage is commonly understood to refer to that event. Paul's desire was that the Corinthians should remain faithful to their vows, so as to be presented to Christ a glorious church, without spot or wrinkle, on that great day. He dreaded lest they should, in that day, be rejected and con- temned as a woman unfaithful to her vows.
3. But I fear, lest by any means, as the serpent beguiled Eve through his subtilty, so your minds should be corrupted from the simphcity that is in Christ.
The apostle adheres to his figure. Though they Avere be- trothed to Christ, he feared that their affections might be se- duced from him and fixed on some other object. Men are not jealous until their apprehensions are excited. They must have some reason, either real or imaginary, for suspecting the fidelity of those they love. The ground of the apostle's jeal- ousy was his fear. He feared (/x-rjTrcos) lest i^er adventure. They had not yet turned aside, but there was great danger tliat they might yield to the seductions to which they were exposed. There was one standing example and warning both of the in- constancy of the human heart, and of the fearful consequences of forsaking God. Eve Avas created holy, she stood in paradise in the perfection of her nature, with every conceivable motive