circumstances necessarily invokes a differ- which has been compured with Rom. xiv. 16, encein the mode of Yicwing rnatt~rs which in " Let not your good bo evil spoken or."· themselves are unimportant. For the earth is Whichever view be taken, it is olear thnt the Lord's. It is doubtful whether the theoretically St. Paul sided with the views repetition of this clause is genuine. It is of the " strong," but sympathetically with omitted by all the best uncials. those of the " weak." He pleaded for some Ver. 29.-Conscience, I say, not thine own, concession to the scrupulosity of ever-morbid but of the other. You may be well aware consciences. He disapproved of a defiant, that you intend no sanction of idolatry, but ostentatious, insulting libemlism. On the if the oiher M1pposes that you do, you wound other hand, he discouraged the miserable his conscience, which you have no right to micrology of a purblind and bigoted super- do. Your own conscience has already stition, which exaggerated the importance of decided for itself. For why is my liberty things external aud indifferent. He desi- judged of another man's oonscience 1 These derated more considerateness and self-denial words explain why he said "conscience not ou the one side; and on the other, a more thine own." The mere fact that another robust and instructed faith. He would person thinks that we are doing wrong does always tolerate the scruples of the weak, not furnish the smallest proof that we are but would not suffer either wealmess or doing wrong. We stand or fall only to our strength to develop itself into o. vexatiollil own Master, and our consciences are free to tyranny. form their own independent conclusion. Ver. 31.-All. There is much grandeur Perhaps in this clause and tbe next verse we in the sweeping universality of the rule have an echo of the arguments used by the which implies that all life, and every aet Corinthian "liberals," who objected to of life, may be consecrated by holy motives. sacrifice themselves to the scruples of the To the glory of God. Not to the glol'ifica- weak. The independence of conscience is tion either of your own breadth of mind or powerfully maintained in Rom. xiv. 2-5. your over-scrupulosity of conscience, but Ver. 30.-For if I. The "for" should be "that God in all things may be glorified" omitted. There is no copula in the best (1 Pet. iv. 11). manuscripts. :By grace. The word may also Ver. 32.-Give none o1fenoe. Of course mean "with thankfulness" (comp. Rom. St. Paul means "give no offence in unim- xiv. 6, "He that eateth, to the Lord he portant, indifferent matters " (comp. Rom. eateth, for he gir!tth God thanks;" l Tim. iv. xiv. 13). "Offence" means "occasion of 3, "Meats which God hath created to be stumbling." The word only occurs in Acts received with thanksgiving;" compare our xxiv. 16; Phil. i. 16. Nor to the Gentiles; phrase, " saying grace"). Another view of rather, nor to the Greel<H. these clauses interprets them to mean "You Ver. 33.-That they may be aa.ved. All should refrain because, by not doing rn, you the sympathy, tolerance, forbearance, which give occasion to others to judge you "-a rule I try to practise has this one supreme object.
HOMILETICS. Vers. 1-15.-The ages. "Moreover, brethren, I would not that ye should b& ignorant, how that all our fathers were under the cloud, and all passed through th& sea; and were all baptized unto Moses in the cloud and in the sea; and did all eat the same spiritual meat; and did all drink the same spiritual drink: for they drank of that spiritual Rock that followed them: and that Rock was Christ. But with many of them God waR not well pleased: for they were overthrown in the wilderness. Now these things were our examples, to the intent we should not lust after evil things, as they also lusted. Neither be ye idolaters, as were some of them; as it is written, The people sat down to cat and drink, and rose up to play. Neither let us commit fornication, as some of them committed, and fell in one day three and twenty thousand. Neither let us tempt Christ, as some of them also tempted, and were destroyed of serpents. Neither murmur ye, as some of them also murmured, and were destroyed of the destroyer. Now all these things happened unto them for ensamples: and they are written for our admonition, upon whom the ends of the world are come. Where- fore let him that thinketh he standeth take heed lest he fall. There hath no tempta- tion taken you but such as is common to man: but God is faithful, who will not suffel" you to be tempted above that ye are able; but will with the temptation also make a way to escape, that ye may be able to bear it. Wherefore, my dearly beloved, flee from idolatry. I speak as to wise men; judge ye what I say." From this passage several things may be inl~rrcd concerning the ages of human history. uH. x. 1-33.] THE FITIST EPISTLE TO THE CORINTHIAXS. l)f,- U- I