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V. As at all times it becometh the people of God to be fhewing themselves fons of peace, bleffed peace-makers and promoters of peace, amity, friendship and hearty concord, one with another; fo efpecially in a time when offences do abound; and the serious propofing of peace and concord as our end, and using all means to reach the fame, will much prevent that dangerous evil of fcandalizing and ftumbling one another; therefore he fays, Let us follow after the things that make for peace.

VI. Chriftians ought to be moft ferious in minding peace, and earneft in the profecution of what makes for peace; and notwithstanding of the many difficulties lying in the way, rendering it improbable, if not impoffible, ever to win to it; yet to be pursuing it, by all means poffible, even when it flyeth from us, with eagerness, zeal, conftancy and firm refolution: We must follow after the things that make for peace; purfue it, as perfecutors do their defigns. See Heb. xii. 14.

VII. In hunting after peace, our great defire and earnestnefs to have it, fhould not make us take any finful way to obtain it: for however peace be defirable, yet peace upon finful terms is curfed and abominable; therefore with a purpose to have peace, he would have them joining a purpose to edify their brethren; and therefore these two are put together: Follow after the things that make for peace, and the things that edify one another; fois peace and holinefs joined, Heb. xii. 14.

VIII. Tho' believers be, by faith perfectly juftified, and put in a juftified ftate, yet the work of conformity unto the image of God, the work of holiness and fanctification in them, comes on by degrees, and comes not to perfection on this fide of time, but they are still advancing, and the building of grace is coming up; this is cleared by the metaphor here used, taken from a building; here believers are called a houfe or temple, 1 Cor. iii. 9. that muft grow

by getting one ftone laid upon another: Things that make for edifying.

IX. As it is a duty lying upon Chriftians (tho' principally upon minifters, Eph. iv. 11. 12. 1 Cor. iii. 9.) to be promoting the work of grace, in the fouls of their neighbours at all times, according to their places and power; fo efpecially should they be feriously endeavouring this in a day when that work is meeting with demurs, thro' the abounding of offences; for at this time he puts them all to it, to be following after thofe things that edify one another; and in this they fhould not be fuperficial, but serious and earnest.

X. The confideration of the bitter and fad fruits of stumbling our neighbour by the practising of indifferent things, (as the lafting war, broils and ftrife, utterly unbecoming Chriftians, and the maring and retarding of the work of God in fouls, and fo a croffing and contradicting of God in his building up of fouls for himself,) fhould conftrain all Chriftians to forbear the practice of fuch things, at such a time: Let us follow after the things that make for peace, and the things wherewith one may edify another.

VERSE 20. For meat destroy not the work of God. All things indeed are pure; but it is evil for that man who eateth with offence.

profecutes his former purpofe, with oN the first part of this verfe, the apostle I former o ther two arguments. The tenth argument then is this, Thy eating in this cafe of fcandal, is a destroying of the work of God, therefore forbear it: The work of grace and fanctification, of holiness and comfort in thy brother, is the work of God, and thou, by ftumbling him with thy eating, doth what in thee lyeth to hinder the progrefs of that work, and fo doth that which tendeth to the hurt and utter destruction of that work. The eleventh argument is this,

Thou

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pediments from others about us, and that not only by their doing of what may fofter, or excite corruption in us; or doing that which is finful in itself, before us; or in a carnal, finful manner, what is lawful and neceffary; but alfo, by their very ordinary carriage in matters of fmall moment, and indifferency: So tender a thing is grace in a foul, that a fmall contrary blaft will mar the growth thereof, even the unfeasonable eating and drinking of others: For thy meat, destroy not the work of God.

Thou destroyeft the work of God, for a very fmill inconfiderable matter: For meat destroy not thou the work of God; thy meat, tho' ufeful, is little in comparifon of this work of God, and for fo fmall a matter as that, wilt thou endanger the everlafting good of thy brother. In the latter part of the verfe, there is an objection loofed. The objection which thofe, to whom the apoltle was now fpeaking, were ready to ftart, was this: All meats are now pure and clean; fince Chrift is come, all ceremonial uncleannefs is now out of the way; and why may we not then make ufe of meats which are now cleanfed to us, and which the Lord alloweth us the ufe of? He anfwereth, granting that indeed all things are pure, but he denieth the confequence, faying, But it is evil for that man who eateth with offence; that is, notwithftanding that thofe meats be now morally pure, and free of any ceremonial uncleannefs, yet it is finful and unlawful to eat thofe meats, to the offence and scandalizing of thy brother.

OBSERVATIONS.

I. The work of grace, and comfort in a foul, is a work which God owneth as his, he being the first author of faith, and all other graces in a foul, Heb. xii. 2. Pfal. ii. 13. and of the comfort and joy of believ ers, 2 Cor. i. 3. 4. the daily nourisher and carrier on of the work, by his daily influences, upon their fouls, and the finisher and crowner thereof, in his own time; hence it is called, The work of God.

II. Hovbeit this work of grace and confolation in fouls, be in fuch a hand, as fhall certainly carry it on to a perfect clofure, and fhall not fuffer it to mifcarry; yet it is liable to many flops, demurs, and obftructions, and to fuch cafual occurrences, as interpretatively are means to deftroy the fame: Deftroy not thou the work of God.

III. As this work meets with many retarding obftructions, from corruption within a man's felf; fo doth it meet with im

IV. The confideration of the dependance that the work of grace, and of comfort, hath upon God, as the author and principal carrier on of the fame, fhould ftrongly move all his people to carry themfelves fo tenderly and circumfpectly in their daily carriage, as that they obftruct not nor mar the fpiritual good and edification of their brethren, and the progrefs of the work of grace and confolation in their fouls; for he ufeth this argument, that in fo doing they were deftroying (or doing that which tended that way) the work of God.

V. The smaller and more inconfiderable the matter be, in doing whereof we endanger and endamage the happiness and welfare of the foul of our brother, the greater is our guilt, if we shall thereby do that which tendeth to the hurt of his foul; and fuch hearty love fhould we have unto the benefit and advantage of our brother, that we should be loth to lay the good we can reap, by the ufe of fuch or fuch meats, or any other indifferent thing, once in the balance with the inevitable hurt which fhall redound thereby unto his foul: For meat deflroy not the work of God.

VI. Tho' we will readily be convinced of our guilt in wronging the fouls of our neighbours, when we do that which is finful upon the matter, whereby they are fcandalized; yet we are ready to fhift any conviction of wronging the work of God in our brother's foul, if that which we do be lawful upon the matter, thinking that God's allowing us that liberty, and not re3 Z

ftraining

brother ftumbleth; and this hath been cleared before, and will afterwards be more cleared, both as to the firong, and as to weak; therefore, &c. Now he cleareth further, what it is to eat with offence, by adding fome words boonymous; upon the matter, faying, It is god neither to eat flesh, nor to drink wine, nor any thing whereby thy brother stumbleth; that is, is made to trip and VII. Not only is there real matter of fall at the ftumbling-block, laid in his fcandal and offence given, when we do and fo is drawn to fin; Rom. ix. 32. or is that, which upon the matter is finful and offended, and made to go off the way he prohibited, or yet hath the appearance of was walking in, and fo is retarded in his evil, Theff. v. 17. Phil. iv. 8. 9. Gal. journey, or is made weak; that is, weightii. 3. &c. but alfo when the matter is law-ed and made fad, and not fo able to walk ful, and indifferent, and not neceffary; tho' all meats are pure, yet one may eat with offence: All things indeed are pure; but it is evil for that man who eateth with of-way, or step leifurely. fence.

ftraining us by his law, is warrant enough for us to go the full length, fumble or not ftumble who will; for we fee the apostle preventing this objection, which he faw they would readily start, and under which | they thought to hide themfelves from the challenge: All things indeed are pure; but it is evil for that man who eateth with of fence.

VIII. Our very use of indifferent things becometh finful unto us, when thereby our brother is offended, and the work of God in his foul is mared, tho' otherwife we may lawfully ufe them or not, according to our own pleafure: All things indeed are pure; but it is evil for that man who cateth with offence.

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way,

in his chriftian courfe, with fuch affurance as formerly, but filled with doubts and fcruples, that makes him halt in the

OBSERVATIONS.

1. Howbeit many think it a thing little up or down, whether they do or leave undone, things which are in their own nature indifferent, be the circumftances what they will; yet, in cafe of fcandal, as it is moft hazardous and pernicious to act, fo is it moft ufeful and profitable, upon all hands (whatever the lofs may be otherways) to forbear acting: It is good neither to eat flesh nor drink wine, (tho' this might have its own advantage fometimes) nor any thing whereby thy brother is offended, &c. See 1 Cor. viii. 13.

I

11. It is finful and offenfive for us, to do. by alfo he further cleareth what he thefe things (tho' indifferent) whereby, had faid last, in answering of the objection. not only, our brother is drawn to fin aThe argument lieth thus, Since it is a gainft God, but alfo, when thereby he is thing ufeful and profitable, both for your- made to halt in the way, and made fad, felves and others, to abstain from the ufe and to go heavily, wanting that alacrity and of flesh and wine, which are not abfolute-chearful chriftian confidence, which for ly neceffary for the life of man, or any c-merly he had; our eating is offenfive, not ther thing indifferent, in cafe of fcandal; then fhould you abftain from the ufe of thefe meats, at which the weak do ftumble. This is clear enough in itfelf. But fo it is, that it is good neither to eat flesh, nor to drink wine, nor any thing whereby thy

only when our brother is offended and ftumbleth, but also when be is made weak: It is good neither to eat flesh, nor to drink wine, nor any thing whereby thy brother stumbles, or is offended, or is made weak.

III. Tho' the unfeafonable ufe and prac

rice of indifferent things, may not have | lenge him and condem him for unfeafonthat influence upon fome, as to ftir up and able doing thereof; and fo, in this cafe, it awaken their corruptions, and, fo draw is enough to keep the faith of his chriftian them afide actually to commit fin, and caufe liberty to himfelf before God: Again, them actually to fumble and fall; yet it Happy is he that fo practifeth these things may have influence upon their judgments, which he alloweth of, as confonant to his and raise doubts and fcruples; and upon chriftian liberty, as not thereby ftumbling their confciences, and fo awaken chal- his brother, and fo bringing guilt, and ha lenges, fo that thereby they fhall be weak-zard of condemnation, upon himfelf; and ened and more unable to advance refolute-fo, fince the practiling of things indifferent ly, and with chriftian courage and affur- and allowable, in this cafe of fcandal, is ance; tho' they fhould not ftumble or be hazardous unto your own falvation, it is ⚫ offended, yet they may be made weak: or best to be forborn; and fo he further conis made weak. firmeth what he faid, verfe 21.

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IN

N the first part of this verfe, the apoftle meeteth with another objection; and in the latter part propofeth a thirteenth argument. The objection is this, might the ftrong fay, How doth this you prefs me to, agree with my christian liberty? I believe that now the restraint that was put upon the Jews by the ceremonial law, is now removed; and if I practife not according to this liberty which Chrift hath purchased, how fhall I poffefs the faith of this liberty. He anfwereth, Haft thou faith? bave it to thyfelf before God; keep ftill thy faith of thy chriftian liberty, and walk in thy chriftian liberty fo as thou give not of fence. It is enough in this cafe that God knoweth thy heart, and that tho' thou wilt not eat of fuch meats as may give offence, yet thou believeft thou mayft lawfully eat of them in another cafe, and fo keepest the faith of thy liberty: Then he addeth a new argument, Happy is he that condemneth not himself in that thing which be alloweth; whereby alfo he cleareth the anfwer he made unto the objection, Happy is he who doth not act every thing which he alloweth as lawful, when his confcience may, in the mean time, chal

OBSERVATIONS.

I. It is no eafy matter to get folks who are once engaged in a debate, brought to a willingness to cede and pass from fome things which they have been accustomed to practife, for the good and advantage of their oppofites, tho' brethren in grace; for we fee the ftrong here, were ready to move and start one objection upon the back of another, against Paul's preffing them to abftinence in cafe of fcandal: Here is another objection, Haft thou faith?

II. Many are ready to juftify and approve of their practifing of things indifferent, to the fcandal and offence of their brethren, if they can fay that they are perfuaded of the lawfulness thereof, and that it was confonant to their chriftian liberty; this was their objection here, they knew it was a piece of their chriftian liberty, and they were perfuaded of it; they had faith: Haft thou faith?

III. Tho' the practifers of indifferent things fhould look upon themselves as fome way neceffitated and constrained to practife fuch things as are lawful and indifferent, tho' not always, (leaft they should be looked on as accounting them abfolutely neceffary;) yet fometimes at least, that their practice might be conform to their principles and perfuafions, who were perfuaded that thefe things were indifferent, and not things in themfelves finful, yet notwith322

ftanding

flanding of this perfuafion, fo long as the cale of fcandal lafteth, thefe indifferent things ought never to be practifed: Hat thou faith? have it to thyself before God.

IV. Perfuafion of the lawfulness of what we do in matters indifferent, will not juftify our practice in the cafe of fcandal; and not practifing of things indifferent in this cafe, may well confift with a full perfuafion of the lawfulnefs of fuch practice, when the fcandal ceafeth, during which cafe of fcandal we are not bound to declare our perfuafion by fuch practice; but it is fufficient if we keep that perfuafion within, and make our own ufe thereof, tho' we trouble not others therewith: Haft thou faith? have it to thy felf.

V. Not only fhould we labour to approve our external actions before the Lord, but alfo fhould look how cur inward heart perfuafions are before him; for he would have the ftrong keep ftill their perfuafion before God: Haft thou faith? have it to thyself before God.

VI. That which we do, may be lawful, and yet fo gone about as may awaken challenges in our confcience, and make our own confciences pafs a fentence against us, efpecially when we fee that our doing thereof giveth offence unto our brethren: Hap py is he who condemneth not himself in that thing which he alloweth.

VII. It is a happy and defirable thing, fo to carry ourselves in all our actions, both as to matter and manner, that not only the matter be lawful, about which we are exercised, but also that the way of our going about that work be chriftian, and edifying, and no way ftumbling unto our brethren, fo as we keep and carry along with us the teftimony of a good confcience: Happy is he who condemneth not himself in that which be alloweth.

VIII. The confideration of the evil which we may procure to ourselves by doing of what is indifferent, when thereby our brother is offended, or made weak, in awakening our confciences, and occafioning

their paffing a fentence against us, for doing that which ftumbleth our brother, and when we thereby hazard our own wel fare and falvation, fhould prefs forbearance; for this is his argument, Happy is he who condemneth not bemfelf in that thing which he allureth; and fo to do that which we allow, and yet fo as thereby to hazard our own condemnation, is to mar cur own happiness, and therefore should be forborn.

VERSE 23. And he that doubteth, is damned if he eat, because he exteth not of faith: for whatfoever is not of faith, is fint.

THe

He laft argument is taken from the inevitable hazard which the poor, weak brother is in thereby: Would he say, Thou by thy eating cafts a copy unto, and fo conftraineth thy brother to eat alfo; DOW he has not clearness to eat, but he doubteth, and if he eat in that cafe, he hazards his falvation, and fins grievously against God: He that doubteth, is damned if he eat; and the reafon is, because he eateth not of faith; he is not perfuaded of the lawfulnefs of what he doth, and fo has not faith grounded upon the word. And this reafon is confirmed by a general affertion, For whatfoever is not of faith, is fin; whatfoever we do without a warrant, and without a warrant known to us, and upon the score of that warrant, is fin to us.

OBSERVATIONS.

I. Folks may be doing that which is lawful in itself, and yet in the doing thereof hazard their own falvation, in not heeding the right manner of going about the fame; they may eat, (which is a thing indifferent, and fo lawful in itself.) and yet be damned: He that doubteth, is damned if

be eat.

II. It is a moft dangerous thing to defpife and trample under foot the authority of confcience, which is God's deputy with in us, and go over its belly to do any thing, tho' in ufelf not finful, and the

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