another 2. : : . , {weaker Chriſtian. He that doubteth of the lawfulneſ; f ew This Verſe is the Application of the foregoing Diſcourſe, in which | her hey he may or may not eat it, is damned if he et, (|, hel vin you have an Exhortation to the praQice of two great Duties. The Conſcience condemns him, or he makes himſelf liable tg Dir one is peace, Or peaceableneſs ; the other. is mutans! Edification. He had tion, becauſe he eateth not of Faith. The word (eaterh > ; perſwaded before to peace with all Men, chop. 12. 18. And here {in the Original, bur it is aptly inſerted by our Tranſlators Te he ſpeaks more eſpecially of Peace and Concord amongſt Brethren ; | a man doth doubtingly, he doth finfully : He ſheweth 2 vicky wid. 2 Cor. 13- 11. Eph. 4. 3. Col. 3. 15. 1 The/ſ. 5. 13, Heby, 12. heart that 1s not afraid of Sin, but in great readineſs to com a 14. This Peace is - very neceſlary , and Chriſtians ſhould endea- [ir. s This is a corfirmation of the foregoing atlertion, "xrk. vour all things thar will promote it , and avoid all things that ſhere is meant knowl:dge or full perſwalion, as v. 22. 4.4 WW Ga will obſtru& ir. And they muſt nor only live pcaceab!y , but 9r6- jever a man doth with a wavering mind , withour being 0 "I f:ably one with another, They ſhould build one anvher up in Gra- [ded that it is pleafing to God, and warranted by ts Wes fs ce and Knowledge. ſinneth in' the doing of it. Though we may not nouriſh dou and ſcruples, yer we muſt not att againſt them; an erring ( ; * Ma:.ts, 29 For meat deſtroy not the work of God ». * All;ſcience binds us to a& nothing contrary to ir. He fins char dot buy things indeed are pure; but #t is evil for that man who {any thing agaiaſt it , though the fa& or thing done thould no; | > be ſinful. Nature it ſelf teacheth as much. Thar ji; ;...* Ags 10. eateth with offence 0. ſaying of Cicero, Quod dubitas, equum ſit an ini 2 om L5.VET 14. Here you have a farther Argument againſt Scandals. 9. 4. For is. ord mia. Jem, ne feceris, j » Here you ha : thou doubteſt whether a thing be lawful or nit lawful, thyy foal me 5 ſo inconliderable a matter , as eating 2 little Acar, or for the uſe {,,. via wn s, E ad. of an indifferent thing, Ds nor deſtroy the work of God. By the ; work of Gea', ſome underſtand the Sou! of a _ m_ _ G ar work by way of Eminency : 1t was one of rhe chifeſt works - of the 5 00e+ : bd made, = were, with the Conſultation of CHAP. XV. the whole Trinity, the Image of God, afcer a ſort, was Engraven therein ; and if this be the Senſe, t'is a Repetition of the Ar- !7The Strong are exhorted to bear with the Weak , from th, ry, , gument in 47.15. Bur by the Work of G4 in this place, other | © of Chrift; which he coufirmeth out of the Scriptures which Kits things may be underſtood , Ex. gr. The Unity and Peace, which written for our comfort, 1—— 4 He prayeth for them , and yl. God worketh amongſt Believers of different Perſwaſtions in in-| reth them, 5 7. Chrift ſerved the Jew, and alſo the Gentile different things: Or elſe the work of Grace , or Faith, which God, as us proved by the Scriptures, $—12, His wiſh for hes, ot hath wrought by his Mighty Power in the Hearts of Men , wa, | hapes of them, 13, 14. His Miniſtry, Gods Bleſong with hin,
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Fm 6. 29. 1 Theſſ. 1. 3. The work of God in either of theſe | and his faithfulneſs in it, 15 —21. He muſt go u 16 Jcrufalem Senſ:s, may be diſturbed or hindred by the abuſe of Chriſtian | #0 carry thither the Alms of the Churches of Macedonia ani 4. Liberty ; and he that ſcandalizeth his Brother, goes about, as Chaia; He would then ſee them in his Journey to Spain, 1219 much as in him lyeth, to diſſolve and demoliſh that which hath | Hs requeſterh rheir Prayers for him aud his Miniſtry; ani wike God alone for its Aurlor and Worker. o Here you have a Conceſ. | thern all Good from God, 30 33-
ſion and an Exception ; He granteth , Thar all things are pure
Ry I ir ow t d. v. 14. | and clean, « e in themſelves, or in their own Nature, wid. v. 14 l V E then «that are ſtrong b, ought c to bear
1 Cer. 6. 12. Tit. 1. 15. But then he addeth, That rr is Evil for, p _ or to, that man that eateth with offence, or that offends another the infirmities of the weak d, and not to with his eating ; It is not Evil ſimply in it ſelf, but accidentally, pleaſe our ſelves e.
| fS I. ; k 1y reaſon of Scanda « This Particle ſheweth, that what followeth is infcrred fon
. | T - what went before. b By the firong , he means thoſe who har 21 7: good neither to eat fleſh, nor to drink wine, attained to a good meaſure of knowledge and underſtanding,
nor any ching p whereby thy brother ſtumbleth, or is offen- that are inſtrufted in the Chriſtian Faith, and particularly iu the ded, or 1s made weak 9, Doftrine of Chriſtian Liberty. He purteth himſelf in the nun-
p The Apoſtle proceedeth to enlarge his DoQrine tonching _ Re Bughngd Glowing , _ wr Sane —
this particular, beyond the Controveriie that occaſioned this his bonnd both” b , y the Law of God and Nature, d By th wi, Diſcourſe ; for he ſhewcth , that to avoid the ſcandal or offence he means thoſe who are weak in Faich and Knowledge, cy.
of our Brethren, we are to abſtain, not only from things prohi- : _ . 4 _ , 4 A. 14. 1. By their Infirmities, he means their Ignorance Frownd:
bited by the Law, but alſo from things thar are not prohibited : . - dy + as from Fleſh or Win: , or ny indifferent thing what- neſs , Cenſoriouſnels , Oc. He doth not ſpeak of Hereſies al foever. Theſe words ( any thing ) are not in the Original , but manifeſt Enormiries 5 bur of ſuch Errors _ Dodtrine and Life they are underſtood, and well ſupplyed in our Tranſlation. Thus wry ng, oy In oageey _— L - b DHA . . : V r: o , . R aninpg zz, ” to dn, he faves is good, as the contrary in the foregoing Verſe muſt bear witch them, as we do with Children or ſick Perfonsi
was ſaid to be evi/; it is good in regard of Gol, to whom it 1s . , acceptable and pleaſing ; in regard of our Brethren, to whom cheir waywardneſs : Though nt be a —_— burthento us, ay [EET FINNE 5 268 ſu Fegors'© 1 muſt bear it; we muſt not impatiently Contradi& them, butpn
It is profitable and advantageous, the poſitive ( it may be) 1s put dently inſtru& them, Exod. 23.5. 1 Cor. 9.22. Gal. 6. 2. e. q.d. ve