a'tr-eatifof theSabboth. ìl9 Intricate cohtrouerfies, whichthey cannot conceìue : but fo gentlynitrated, and mildly dealt withall,asboth the good things which are inthemmay be noarifhed andconfirmed, as alfo theymay bewon co the fight and fence ofthings,wherein as yet theybe weake.Nei- ther mutt wethinke, that the Apoftle meanethhere inch imperfeEtions, as may bein the nioft perfeet,but rather firth weakneflés,as are found inmolt chriftians.This is thegeneral fcopeofthe Apoftle in thisplace : whereunto alfo agreed) the conclufion, which isin the firftverfé ofthe chapter following : We whichare ftrong,ought toBeare the infirmitiesof the weake, andnot topleafe omrfelues. 2. Therefore let emerymanpleafe hisneighbor in that,that is good toedification. 3. For Chriflalfowould notpleafe bimf lfe, bat asit is written, The rebukesof them that rebuke thee, fellonme,Where Paidhis fenfe is filch :'Ifwehauegotten snoreknow HietheJfronl ledge,and attained higher gracesthen other menhaue, we arenot in reipeft thereof. to de. trbdée;ed fpifeothers:butwemuffinwildome and patience fuftainetheir error awhilerandltrongly theesd éf 1'upporttheir weaknes,not that wefhould noufle andnourifh-them in their erroror weak- 1 nes, butthat by humilitieand patienceweinightthebetter build themvp in knowledge and truegodlines. To this endheaikadgeth the exampleofour Sauiour Clirift, who did notonely beare with the infirmities ofhisfriends, but alfowith the errorsof his enemies, even asthough he himfelfehad reprochedGod.So that this then is the truevfeof Chriftian faith mingled with loue, that who fo is cometo Chrilt,asweare,our wifdome may fuftaine their error,and our ltrength mayfupport their weakenes, and as Chrilt did bearewith his weakedifciples,fo mutt wewith our weake brethren not counting them as no Chriftians, becaufeofinfirmçiudgement they diflentfrom vs inTomeparticular,but in loueovercome their infirmities,becaufe they confent with Vs inthe generali. The faminehereof is alto fet downe t .Cor.31t.Otherfoundation canno manlay,then thatwhich islaid;Iefms Chrif . r 2.And ifany man build vponthis foundation,gold,filner,precions flones,timber,hay,orflmbble, 13. Emery mansworks 'hall bemade manifefl:for the dayJhalldeclare. it,becaufe itJhall be.reteealedbythe fire: andthe firefhalltrie emery mans worke,ofwhatfortitis. 14. Ifanymans worke that hebathbuilt Tspon,abide,he fhallreceiese wages: L5 If any many workeburne,he/halllofe,bat heJhatlbefife him- lfe:neuerthelefeyetasitwereby thefire,In which placewefee,that folongaswe be in Cbrilt by faithand repentance,akhough ourfaith bemingled withforce weaknes,and our repen- tancewith forceerror,thoughwebuild with our gold,filuer,and precious f#ones,tometun. ber,bay,or ftubblryecthe Lordwill beare with vs: much more then for this refpeEl in like caufesmutt we beare onewithanother.Now for example faketheApoftle bringeth inthis inflance :Onebeleeneth that be mayBate ofallthings: andanotherwhichotweake,eatetleheroes, &c. Some tbinke that this eatingofall things wastneantofthel3pinans, and that theca-. tingof herbs wasvnderltoodof the lewes thenbeing at Rome. Butthis feemeth not to be a foundopinion, in thatwe readenot in anyEcclefiaftscall hiftorie, that theIewes were at Rome: neither doch the Apoftle write amixed epiftle partly to the Romans and partly to the Iewes, but writethit wholly, andentituletli it onelyvntothe Romans. Againe, we canncitgather out ofany records ofthe writers,that the lewes did Bateherbs alone. True itis, thatpedagogically the vfe ofmany creatureswas forbidden to the Iewes : howbeitit o dochnot feeme likely that theywere tied fo 1triEtly to theeatingofherbs. This I amPure î mearer, of,thateuen now adates thediuellhathperf adedmany ChriftiansnewlycornetoChrilti thatiftheyBate any thingeither inoi alictemoredelicatly,orin quantitie moreliberally, ., then barenecef itiedothrequire,theyhauefinned.Andyetintherementhereis ,nodoubt, a generallgood meaning : but yet in thisparticular they holdan error.In this example the Apoftle fetceth downe the ftronger part, and the weaker, the ftrongerpart is prefixed, which is a workeoffaith : theweaker part followethafter, which is the weakenesof faith. For marke, hefaith, One beleeneth that he mayeate allthings.: here is a worke of faith, be-. When"; be- caufe hebath theword for his warrant : and thenbee faith, another eatethherbs, he faith lecce wehase not hebeleeneth, that hemay cate herbes, for hedochitin weakenesoffaith, and bath not the's dfoi' the' word for his warrant, neither dots he beleeue that he canvfe other meates. This example inferred, the Apoftle vfeth this exhortation; Let not him that eaterb, defpife him that eatethnot as ifhefhouldhauelaid,let nothimthat isfoftrongin faith, therefore thinkehim tobeno Chriftian, thathath thiserror,tothinke himfelfemore holy, ifheBate nothing
RkJQdWJsaXNoZXIy OTcyMjk=