To his own master he siandeth or falleth, i. e. it belongs to his own master to decide his case, to acquit or to condemn. These terms are often used in this judicial sense, Ps. 1:5. 76 • 7. Luke 21 : 36. Rev. 6 : 17. Pea, he shall he holden up : for God is abie to make him stand, i. e. he shall stand, or be accepted, for God has the right and the will to make him stand, that is, to acquit and save him. This clause seems designed to urge a further reason for forbearance and kindness towards those who differ from us on matters of indifference. However weak a man's faith may be, if he is a Christian, he should be recognised and treated as such : for his weakness is not inconsistent with his acceptance with God, and therefore is no ground of necessity for our proceeding against him with severity. The objects of discipline are the reformation of oflfenders and the purification of the church ; but neither of these objects requires the condemnation of those brethren whom God has received. " God is able to make him stand;" he has not only the power, but the disposition and determination. Compare ch. 11 : 23, " For God is able to graft them in again."
(5) One man esteemeth one day above another ; another esteemeth every day alike. As the law of Moses not only made a distinction between meats as clean and unclean, but also prescribed the observance of certain days as religious festivals, the Jewish converts were as scru- pulous with regard to this latter point as the former. Some Christians, therefore, thought it incumbent on them to observe these days ; others were of a contrary opinion. Both were to be tolerated. The veneration of these days was a weakness, but still it was not a vital matter, and therefore should not be allowed to disturb the harmony of Christian intercourse, or the peace of the church. It is obvious from the context, and from such parallel passages as Gal. 4 : 10, " Ye observe days, and months, and times, and years," and Col. 2 : 16, " Let no man judge you in meat, or in drink, or in respect of a holy day, or of the new moon, or of Sabbath days," that Paul has reference to the Jewish festivals, and therefore his language cannot properly be applied to the Christian Sab- bath. The sentiment of the passage is this, ' One man observes the Jewish festivals, another man does not.' Such we know was the fact in the apostolic church, even among those who agreed in the observance of the first day of the week.
Let every man be fully persuaded in his own mind. The principle, which the apostle enforces in reference to this case, is the same as that which he enjoined in relation to the other, viz. that one man should not be forced to act according to another man's conscience, but every one should be satisfied in his own mind, and be careful not to do what he thought wrong.
(6) He that regardeth the day, regardeth it unto the Lord,- and he that regardeth not the day, to the Lord he doth not regard it. He that eateth, eateth to the Lord, &c. That is, both parties are actuated by reli-
ious motives in what they do ; they regulate their conduct by a regard