Ch. 8. Of Offending I. Corinthians. t e weak brother. Ch. 8. man that knowledge: for Tome with Ihall the eak brother perifh, for eat it as a thing offeredunto an idol ; r r, And whereasatilt died, rote, and revi- ved, that he might be Lord of theDead and defiled. being Living, andhathaRightofProprietyuntoall, 7. But when every Man knoweth not this having purchafed for thema Conditional Giftof thst an idol is nothing, but Cuftom hath fixed and them of their Salvation, Chriftof hibu Right, and oftheir Salvation, b the abufe of in Men the conceit nfrnan Subordinate Demi- thy pretended Knowledge. geds,'to whom they think they owe force Worship, fume Novicesand corrupted Profeffors 12. But when ye fin fo againft the of Chriftianity are not yet cured of thefe dan. brethren, and wound their weak con- gerous Opinions, and really intend fore Honour science, ye fin againft Chrift. to the idol; and their Difeafd Souls will be 12.. Know therefore, thatthus enfnaring the More defiled, when they are herein encouraged Confidences of the weak by Temptation, is not by your Exampleand fee you do the Game out" ón15; uncharitable wrong to them, but Sin and ward Ad., thoughyou do it not with the fame Injury againft the very Blood and Right of Opinionand intention. Chrift. Gore, Some Expontors rather think that this 13. Wherefore if meat make my is the Senfe; [Some know not that an Idol is nothing, bur think them real Demons that are brother to offend, I will eat no fiefh worfhipped, and that eating things offered to while theworld ftandeth, reft Imake 'them is real \irorship; and are tempted to it by my brother to offend. fear to fave themfdves, and will be hardened 13. I conclude then, That I do not makefo and defiled by the encouragement of your Ex- light ofanothers Sin, nor fee fo light by the ámple.l But feemeth not fo agreeable to the Soul of a weak Brother, or by the Blood and i'hrafe) flight of Chrift, as for Flefh, or any uuneceffa- ry thiug,to abufe my Liberty, when it will prove to them a dangerous Temptation to Sin. Though it be their culpable weaknefs that ma- keth them in fuch danger, I will forbear Fleth as long as I live, if that conduce to fave them from Sin, (unlefs God lay on me a nccellity to do otherwife, and leave it no longer to my Liberty as indifferent.) To prefer my Liberty or Commodity in the ufe of things otherwife lawful, before the laving of theSoul, even of, the Erroneousfront Sin, is todefpife both Chrift andSouls. te.te, O then what have thole Papal Church. Tyrants to anfwer for, chat by their numerous, vain, yea, noxious Canons, to fhew their ufurp- ed Dominion over $ouls, will rather tempt Men, and excommunicate Chriftians, and burn' them, and keep the Chriftian World in fcandalous per- nicious Strife, than they will give Men leave todeny Obedience to their Ufirrpation in inch things' And how unlike Pax1 are they that fay, They will not deny their own Liberty or Convenience in an unnecefíary Humour or Pleafure, for any Man, whole Errour orWeak- nefs is the caufeof his Offence or Stumbling? Andmany good Christians miftake this and furls Texts, thinking=that by nfending theweak, is meant .lifpleafing them, and doing that which others take for Sin : When as by ffendine, is meant laying a Stumbling-block, or caufelefs occafroningor tempting Men ro Sin and Ruine. cónfcienceofthe i of unto this hour, whom Chrift died ? R But meat commendeth us not to God: forneither if weeat arewe the better ; neither if we eat not are we the worfe. 8. it is not themeet. eating or not eating the Mear, that is any great matter, nor twakejhone better and more acceptable to God, and'auo- khcr worfe. 9. But take heed left by any means this liberty ofyours become a ftumb- lirg- lalüèk to them that are weak. r 9. But take heed, though the eating of that Mear, as filch, be lawful, left by outward Sym- holiVng with Idolators, pói; feem to worfhip the Idol, and fo tempt others Goth to the mutu- al Errorr and corporal Sin, (againft Charity and Piety, viz. the Second Commandment.) For weak unletieci Persons are too ealily reduced: io For if any mar: Ice thee which haft know ledge, ;it at meat in the i- dol's temple, 111111 not the cónfcience of him which is weak be emboldened to eat thole things which are offered to idols : so. For though thou fay, that thou dolt not offer it to an idol but eat it in that Temple, to avoid danger as a common Meal yet thy A&ion will perfuade the weak, that that is lawful, which Ioknowing a Mandan kern by his own Fr, ;ice to approve. s' -sough thy knowledge CHAP. IX. . ANI I not an apoftle ? am I II. not free ? have I not leer'.. Jefus.
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