Communion with Devils. I had rather therefore
An Idol hath nothing in it of a Deity, nor can it either ſandifie, that are lawful which are nor expedient, that is, conſidered in them-
or pollute any Thing that 15 ſet before it; the errour is in your
{c]ves under due circumſtances, they are lawful, but contidered in
ation, as you communicate with ſuch as are Idolaters ; it is your _ on luch circumſtances , are not 15, becauſe they are not for own ation that polluterh you, not the Idol, nor yet the meat ſer j £2 profit, or good, but the hurt and diladvantage of others. Thos
the Apoſtle himſc]f expounds it in the latrer clauſe of the verſe,
A , . here he ſaich, they ed7f2 nor, that is, tl d OM t I ay, that the things which the Gentiles ſa-| 7 Apr Con Bran —ats cron Lip iq tak a devil, ind not” ca Ss Rk Goſpel, ur the Fai:h and Holineſs of particular Chriſtians. 2 q
ind I would not that ye ſhould have fellowſhip with}
anothers wealth z.
\ lr is thed f 7 tho i TR : HeathensSmight not intentionally offer Sacrifices to Devils, is the duty of every one who is a Diſciple of Chriſt, notÞ
(ſuch a thing can hardly be ſuppoſed of men) but a&ually, | eftred their Sacrifices to Devils; for they were Devils, that 15, e- vil Angels, which deluded the poor Heathen, and gave Anſwers fom the Images and Statues which they worſhipped, believing the true God to be in them, which Anſwers they accounted for
they
; meerly. to look at his own pleaſure, or profit, but the profit and advantage of others, Chap. 13. 5. Charity ſecketh not hey own (faith the Apoſtle) that is, it feeketh not its own with the prejudice of another; fo as admir, that in this pratice there were nothing looked like Idolatry and impiety towards God, yer Charity or Laye
. ro you th here d t Ou. Oracles. Beſides, the Apoſtle ſaith, they ſacrificed ro Devils, be- your Rrethren ought to deter you
cauſe in Gods eſteem it wasfo, though not in their intention; God
25 Whatloever is fold in the ſhambles, that eat a,
juigeth of mens a&ts of Worſhip and Homage pretendedly done asking no queſtion for conſcience ſake 5. : : unto him, not according to their intention, bur according to the | # It 15 poſſible that Butchers, beforerhey brought their meat in. truth and reality of the thing. Now really the Heathen in their to the marker, might offer ſome part of it to the Idol; or it is pol. crifices paid an Homage to Devils, though ſuch a thing was far ible that the Prieſts, who had a ſhare in the beaſtsoffered to Idols, com their intention ; and this deſerves the conſideration, both of| 0r the people thar had offered ſuch beaſts, who alſo had a ſhare re. the P2p;ſts, who worſhip Images, and allo of thoſe Proteſtanr:(if any _— chem, might out of coverouſneſs come and bring irto be ich be) who would excuſe the Papiſts in their Idolatries from their} {o]d inthe marker. The Apoſtle diretteth the Corinthians in ſuch icnties, The Nature of Idolatry doth not lie in mensintending Caſes to make no ſcruple, bur co cat of ir, it it were commonly 0norſhip the Creature inſtead of the Creator (there were hard-| fold in the ſhambles, which argued, that rhe thing in it ſelf, con- h ever any ſuch Idolaters in the World) bur in their aQual do- ſidered nakedly, was not ſinful; 5 bur yet he would have them in ag of the thing ; and except they can find a dire&t Rule in holy that caſe ask no queſtions whence it came? Or whether ir had nor it ordering the Adoration of the Creator in the Creature, or been off:red to an Idol? for the ſake of othec m2ns conſciences,
fore the Creature, it is much to be feared, that in the laſt day
leſt ſomecthers ſtanding by, ſhould rake notice, that they bought
o will-judge their Homage performed to the Creature, not to and ate ſuch meat. Or their own Conſcig4ces, leſt though thething in. 4 Now, faith the Apoſtle, you had need take heed that by |? '* {elf, ſo ſeparated from a ſacred ule, and rerurned to its com- kisa10n, you provenot your ſelves to have fellowſhip with De- |0N uſe; might be lawfully eaten, yet their conſciences ſhould
s Inſtead of Chriſt and the true and living God. 21 * Ye cannot drink the cup of the Lord 7, and
afterwards refle& upon them for the doing of ir.
le * cup of devils 5 : ye cannot be partakers of the thereof c.
'rds table, and of the table of devils z. |
r We may either take the phraſe as ſignifying all religious Com- ion under one great a& of Religion, or as particularly ſignt- "ng, having a Communion with Chriſt in the Ordinance of the
ads Supper, which is called the Cup of :he Lerd,either becauſe ſuch malign influence upon any thing, you may pollute your
Fully rememberti: Yo bath inftitured and appointed the drinking of it; or becauſe
is done for the honour, glory, and remembrance of our Lord
ſelves by your aQtion, caring it in the Idols Temple, atan Idola- ters Feaſt immediately upon his Sacrifice, but the Idol ir ſelf is no
bit to remember his death antil be come (as the Apoſtle ſpeaketh, operative thing, nor can cauſe an ill quality in the meat ; letthe
p. 11.)This the Apoſtle tells them they could not drink of, that wtrightly, and with a good conſcience ; or not realy, no man
meat beonce returned ro its common uſe (the Idolaters ſacred My. ſeries being over) it is the Lords, what he hath appointed for the
ay a - - 74, {uſe of Man. In the Idols Temple they teok the meat out of the
ry, ——_—— rr err gp oy Devils hand ; that was indeed unlawful : butif it wereonce re-
ny he Tall ofthe Ld and te Table of Dewi, So can ned 40 fes common ule, nd od in the marker, they cok
t ſee how either an idolatrons Church can be a trne Church, or an GUT OX COATS 7 ron x = , yp :
later a true Chriſtian, unleſs we wHl aſſert, That a Body of peo- _ re good, and nt to be refuſed, if they be received with thanſyiving, ? ; : *,|4 L1MN. 4.4 |
t R X My be a true Church, that can have no = . 27 If an y of them which believe not, bid you to 4
wn with" Chriſt. Idvlatry doubtleſs both divides the Soul feaſt d, and ye be diſpoſed to go, * whatſoever is ſet
n may be a true Chriſtian, and y
Chriſt, as he is the Head of a Believer, and as he is the Head
before you eat *.*, asking no queltions for conlcience
the Church. To call any Body of Idolaters a true Church, ei-| fr.
Morally, or Metaphyſically, is to ſay to thoſe Ammi, you are Urds people, to whom God hath ſaid 'Loammi. Let them be: t they will, the name of a Church belongeth not to them, if poſtle affirmeth) they can have no Communion with
read and on?