1 Corinthians 10

MOreover, brethren, I would not that ye should be ignorant, how that all our fathers were under the cloud The Apostle saw that many in this Church of Corinth were puffed up with their knowledge, and other gifts and great priviledges with which God had blessed them; as also with the opinion of their being a Gospel-Church, and some of the first-fruits of the Gentiles unto Christ, and might therefore think, that they needed not to be pressed to such degrees of strictness and watchfulness; to beat them therefore off from this confidence and vain presumption, the Apostle here sets before them the example of the Church of the Jews, when he tells them, he would not have them ignorant, his meaning is, he would have them know and remember, he would have them well acquainted with, and to reflect upon this, That all the Jews in Moses his time, whom he calls their Father's, not according to the flesh; for the Corinthians were not descended from Jews, but with respect to the Covenant, and their relation they stood unto God, as they were the only people God had on Earth; these, he says, were all of them (the whole Camp of Israel) under very great priviledges, of which he reckoneth divers, they were under the conduct of the Cloud, Exod. 13.21., and all passed through the sea and they all obtained the favour of God so far for them, as to divide the Red sea, so as they passed through it upon dry ground..

And were all baptized unto Moses in the cloud, and in the sea There are two great difficulties in this verse: 1. What is meant by Moses. 2. How and why the Israelites are said to be baptized unto Moses. Some understand by Moses the person of Moses: others, the Law or Doctrine of Moses. Those who by Moses understand the person of Moses, are divided in their opinions, Whether the Preposition, which signifieth divers things, were better translated by, or into, or unto, or together with. Some think it were better translated by, and thus all the Jews were baptized by Moses in the Cloud and in the Sea, that is, by his Ministry, and thus this very Particle is translated, Acts 7.53. & 19.3. Some think it were better translated in Moses, that is, Moses going before them, when they were under the conduct of the Cloud, and when they passed through the Red sea. Others judge it better translated into Moses, that is, either Moses going before them: or, 2. as Moses was a Type of Christ, Gal. 3.19. Some would have the Particle here to signifie together with. Others even unto Moses, Moses himself not being excepted from that Baptism in the Cloud and in the Sea. Others by Moses here understand the Doctrine and Law of Moses: thus the term Moses is used, Luke 16.29. Acts 15.21. So they say, that to be baptized into Moses, is to believe Moses so far, as to follow his conduct through the Sea, and under the Cloud. 2. The second difficulty, is to resolve what is meant by being baptized: the word signifieth in the common acception of it, a being washed; in the Ecclesiastical acception, it signifies an holy Institution of the New Testament, according to which Christians are initiated into the Church of God, by washing them In the Name of the Father, Son, and Holy Ghost. Now how could the Jews be sad either to be washed (that is, baptized) either in Moses, or by Moses, or with Moses, or into Moses? Whenas the History of the Old Testament tells us, That both Moses and all the Israelites went through the Sea on dry ground, and we do not read, that the Cloud under the conduct of which the Israelites journied, ever poured down any water with which the Iews, or Moses their Leader, could be washed. Answ. Some think, that the Cloud which passing over the Israelites, was all darkness to their Enemies, yet poured down water for the refreshing of the Israelites, as it passed over their heads, and that this is hinted to us by the Psalmist, Psal. 68.7, 8, 9. Others think, that the Apostle applieth the term of Baptism to a priviledge of which the old Israelites had as much reason to glory, as the Corinthians had of their Baptism, properly so called. Others say, that the Israelites walking under the Cloud and through the Sea, which was darkness and destruction to their Adversaries, was a figure of Baptism, the Seal of the New Testament, by which Christs Victory over our spiritual Enemies is confirmed to us, and in that respect the Apostle maketh use of this term baptized. Others most probably think, that the Apostle useth this term, in regard of the great Analogy betwixt Baptism (as it was then used) the persons going down into the waters, and being dipped in them; and the Israelites going down into the Sea, the great receptacle of water, though the water at that time were gathered on heaps on either side of them; yet they seemed buried in the waters, as persons in that Age were when they were baptized, and for being baptized in the Cloud, there is a great probability that the Cloud did showre down rain, according to what is quoted out of the Psalmist..

And did all eat the same spiritual meat Those of the Jews that perished in the Wilderness, did all eat the same Manna which Caleb and Ioshua a e of, who went into Canaan. Or those Iews that so perished in the Wilderness did eat the same spiritual meat that we do, they in the Type, we in the Antitype. Manna is called spiritual meat: 1. Because it was bread came down from Heaven, the habitation of spiritual Beings, Ioh. 6.31. 2. It was miraculously produced. 3. Because it was Angels food given out by their ministry. 4. But principally, because it signified Christ, who was the true Bread from Heaven, Ioh. 6.32..

And did all drink the same spiritual drink And all the Jews, as well those that perished in the Wilderness, as those that were preserved to go into Canaan, they drank of the water which came out of the Rock, of which we read, Exod. 17.6. Num. 20.11. which water was spiritual drink in the same respects that the Manna was spiritual meat, being miraculously produced, and being a figure of Christ. For,: for they drank of that spiritual Rock that followed them, and that Rock-was Christ says the Apostle, That Rock was Christ, that is, that Rock did signifie or prefigure Christ, the Rock was Christ in the same sense that the Bread in the Lords Supper is the Body of Christ, that is, a sign which by Divine Institution did signifie Christ. Here ariseth a question in what sense it is said, That the Rock followed them? That by the Rock is to be understood the water that God made to flow out of the Rock, is evident; but though we read of water twice fetched out of the Rock upon Moses smiting of it, once at Rephidim, before they came so far as Mount Sinai, Exod. 17.6. another time at Cadesh, Num. 20.7, 8. yet we no where read in the History of the Jewish journeyings to Canaan, that the Rock followed them. But this is not the only thing that we read in the New Testament relating to the History of the Old Testament, with some circumstances which we do not find recorded there, it is enough that it is plainly asserted here, and it must be presumed, or how can we imagine, that the Israelites were supplied with water for forty years together? Whereas some object, That if the water, which came out of the Rock at Rephidim, had followed them, there would have been no need of Moses striking the Rock at Kadesh: It is answered, That God, to try them, probably caused the water to stop. For the Analogy betwixt the Rock and Christ, Divines make it to lie in these particulars. 1. That Christ is the firm and unmoveable Foundation of his Church, called therefore a Stone, a tried Stone, Isa. 28.16. Rom. 9.33. 1 Pet. 2.6. 2. As this Rock sent out no water for the refreshment of the Israelites, till Moses had struck it: So all the benefit we have from Christ as Mediator, floweth from him as smitten of God, and afflicted. 3. As the water of the Rock served both for cleansing, and upholding life in satisfying thirst: So the Blood of Christ is useful to the Soul, both for washing from the guilt of sin, and the upholding spiritual life in a Soul. 4. As the Rock that followed the Israelites, afforded water not only to that generation that were alive and present when the Rock was smitten, but to all the succeeding generations, until the Israelites came in Canaan: So the Blood of Christ is not useful only to his people in this or that place or Age, but to all that shall believe in him, and that till they shall come into the heavenly Canaan..

But with many of them God was not well pleased These many were no less than that whole generation, which were at that time twenty years old and upward, according to the threatning, Num. 14.28, 29. of the accomplishment of which we read, Num. 26.64, 65.: for they were overthrown in the wilderness as an instance of Gods being displeased with them, he giveth their falling in the Wilderness It is very possible, that many of these were the objects of Gods eternal and special love, and eternally saved, notwithstanding their joyning with worser men, in their rebellion and murmuring; but that signal judgment of God upon them, was enough to prove, that their being baptized into Moses, in the Cloud, and in the Sea, and being made partakers of those great priviledges of eating spiritual meat, and drinking spiritual drink, typifying Christ, did not set them out of the danger of Gods judgments, which is the use the Apostle maketh of it..

Now these things were our examples Our Types or Patterns (as the Greek word signifies) we may, by Gods dispensations to them, learn what God will be to us: as they were patterns to us, of persons injoying great spiritual priviledges, so they are also examples or patterns to show us what we may expect from God,, to the end that we should not lust after evil things and to deter us from such practices, as brought the vengeance of God upon them: which was their sinful lustings or desirings of things which God had forbidden,, as they also lusted as they did the Flesh-pots, and Onions, and Garlick of Egypt, and to return thither again. Num. 11.4, 33. Chap. 14.2, 3, 4..

Neither be ye idolaters, as were some of them The people of Israel being first inticed to whoredom with the daughters of Moab, were after that, Num. 25.2. invited to the Sacrifices of their Gods, and did eat, and bowed down to their Gods. So, either worshipped the Creature instead of the Creator, or worshipped the Creator in and by the Creature.; as it is written, * The people sate down to eat and drink, and rose up to play Thus it is written in Exod. 32.6. (which History mentioneth another Idolatry) they were guilty of in worshipping the golden Calf.) They were wont to have Feasts after their Sacrifices, and passtimes and diversions after such Feasts; and particularly we are told in the History concerning the golden Calf, that they danced before it. Stephen, Acts 7.41. says, They rejoiced in the work f their hands..

Neither let us commit fornication, as some of them committed, and fell in one day three and twenty thousand The story to which this verse relates is, that, Num. 25.1, 9. when Balaam could not curse the Israelites, he advised the debauching of them by the Moabitish women, first inticing them to Fornication and Adultery, then to Idolatry: and they were inticed, which caused a plague amongst them, which destroyed amongst them in one day three and twenty thousand (says our Apostle,) Moses says, that there dyed four and twenty thousand; there are many guesses for the clearing of that seeming contradiction: Some say, that Moses mentioneth not one day, there might in all dye 24000, but not all the same day, nor possibly by the same death. But nothing is in Scripture more ordinary, than to speak of things or persons in round numbers, though something over or under; and also to speak according to the common reckoning of people, who also may tal variously. Some might report 23, some 24000: or possibly Paul chose to mention the lesser, rather than the greater round number. The sense of Moses might be about 24000, or near up to that number, all of which probably had not been guilty of Adultery or Fornication. Paul says, there dyed 23000. If there did dye 24000, there must needs dye 23000..

Neither let us tempt To tempt in the general notion of the term, signifies to make a tryal, applied unto God; it signifieth to make a tryal of God, either with reference to his power, Psal. 7.8, 9, 10. or to his truth and goodness; not to be satisfied with Gods word, but to challenge him to a sensible demonstration, is to tempt God: Or else tempting may signifie more generally, to provoke God; for indeed all notorious sinning against God is a tempting of God, not believing the wrath of God, which he has revealed in his Word against sin, till men feel it. Christ The term Christ here is very remarkable to prove Christs Divine Nature and Existence before he was incarnate; for the same person who is here called Christ, is called God, Psal. 106.14. and Iehovah also in the same Psalm; neither could they have tempted Christ at that time, if at that time he had not been existent., as some of them also tempted, and were destroyed of serpents By Serpents he meaneth the fiery Serpents, we have the History, Num. 21.6, 7.

Neither murmur ye, as some of them also murmured Murmuring signifies the speaking against a person or thing, out of dislike, impatience, or discontent. It was a sin the Jews were very much guilty of, as may be read Exod. 16.7, 8. Num. 14.27. Chap. 16.11. Exod. 15.24. Chap. 17.3. Num. 16.41. The Apostle may either refer to all their murmurings, when he says,, and were destroyed of the destroyer they were (as the punishment of their sin) destroyed of the destroyer, or to that more universal murmuring upon the ill report the Spies brought up of the Land of Canaan, of which we read Num. 14..

Now all these things happened to them for ensamples All these dispensations of Divine Providence in the revelations of Divine wrath against several sorts of sinners, happened to the Jews, which were Gods first and ancient people, and enjoyed those great priviledges, which were before mentioned, not only as just punishments upon them for their sins, but as Examples or Types, to let the succeeding World know what they should find God towards such kind of sinners,: and they are written for our admonition and God in his wise Providence has ordered the Record of them in holy Writ, that others who should live afterward, might read, and hear, and fear, and take warning, and beware of such wicked actions, as pulled down such vengeance upon a people, than which none can plead to a nearer relation to God, or the receiving of greater favours and priviledges from him., upon whom the ends of the world are come The Apostles ordinarily in their Epistles speak of the World, as nigh to an end in their Age, though it has since continued more than 1600 years; which would incline one to think, that they thought it would have been at an end before this time, but had no such Revelation from God. So true is that of our Saviour, That of that day and hour knoweth no man, and it should teach us to beware of too particular determinations in the case, which the Apostles did not make, though they spake of theirs as the last times, and themselves as such upon whom the ends of the World were come..

Wherefore let him that thinketh that he standeth Either in a right and sound judgment and opinion of things, or in a state of favour with God, or confirmed in an holy course of life and conversation. Standeth in Grace, Rom. 5.2. A man may stand in these things, and he may but think that he standeth: be it as it will, he is concerned, take heed lest he fall to take heed lest he fall, he may but think he standeth, and if so, he will fall; he may really stand in a right judgment and opinion of things, and be a Member of the Church of Christ, and yet may fall into errours and some loose practices, so as to bring down Divine vengeance upon himself; he may have Gods favour so far as concerns external privilegdes, and yet perish, as many of the Jews did in the instances before mentioned; nay, he may really stand in a state of Justification and Regeneration, and yet may fall, though not totally and finally, yet foully, so as to lose his peace, and bring Gods severe judgments upon him; therefore he that thinketh that he standeth, whether his apprehensions be false or true, had need use all means and caution that he may not fall, and that because, if he keepeth his standing, it must be by the use of due means, which God has appointed in order to that end, though he be also kept by the power of God unto salvation, 1 Pet. 1.5..

There has no temptation Temptation (as has been said before) signifieth in the general notion of it no more than Tryals, and is often so used in holy Writ. Now in regard we are tryed either by afflictive Providences, or by motions made to us, either from God, or our own lusts, or the Devil, or men of the World. Temptations in Scripture sometimes signifie Afflictions, as Iam. 1.2. 1 Pet. 2.6. Sometimes motions made to us by God, Gen. 22.2. both which sorts of Temptations are good in themselves. Sometimes the term signifies Motions made by the lusts and unrenewed part of our own Souls, or by the Devil, or by sinful men in the World; these are sinful Temptations, and what we most ordinarily call by that name. Whether the Apostle here means all or some of these, cannot certainly be determined; what he says is true of all, and therefore that is the safest interpretation of the term in this place, though he had not been before speaking indeed of afflictive Temptations. He had before affrighted them with minding them of the possibility of their falling, though they did stand, or thought they stood, and cautioned them to take heed: Here he comforteth them, by minding them, taken you, but what is common to man that no temptation had befallen them, but what was incident and common to men,, and they could not expect to be freed from the common Fate of Mankind:: but God is faithful, who will not suffer you to be tempted above that ye are able then he minds them, that that God who had promised strength and assistance to his people, Matt. 7.11. Luke 11.13. 2 Cor. 1.18. 1 Thess. 5.4. 2 Thess. 3.3. was one that would be as good as his word, being faithful, and would not suffer them to be tempted above their strength, and ability to oppose and resist;; but will with the temptation also make a way to escape, that ye may be able to bear it yea, and would make a way to escape, both the evil of the temptation, that it should not over-bear them to a total ruine of their Souls, and likewise the burdensom and afflictive evil, that it should not continually lie upon them, provided they used their just endeavours, and (as he had said before) took heed lest they fell..

Wherefore, my dearly beloved, flee from idolatry The Apostle would have them avoid all sin, but Idolatry more especially, keeping at the utmost distance imaginable from that, being of all sins in its kind the greatest transgression; upon which account it is often in Scripture compared to Whoredom, though we ought to be afraid of, and to decline all sin; yet as God has revealed his wrath against any particular sin more than other, so every good Christian is obliged more to detest and abhor that sin. How the Corinthians were concerned in this caution, we shall read afterwards v. 20. For though Idolatry be properly where the failure is in the ultimate or mediate object of our Worship, and the Creature is made either the ultimate term of our Worship, or the medium in and by which we worship the Creator; yet there are many other ways by which we may be partakers of the sins of others, and this sin of Idolatry in particular: and Idolatry being a sin of the greatest magnitude, from which they were bound to keep the furthest distance, they were bound to take heed of being partakers of other mens sins of this kind..

I speak as to wise men: judge ye what I say As to the present case, you are persons that understand the Principles of Christian Religion, I will make you Judges in this case..

The cup of blessing which we bless It is on all hands agreed, That the Apostle is here speaking of Believers communicating in the Sacrament of the Lords Supper; by the Cup of blessing, he meaneth the Cup there, which he so calleth, because we in the taking of it bless the Lord, who gave his Son to die for us; and Christ for that great love which he showed in dying for us, we are said to bless it, because we by solemn Prayer in the Consecration of it, set it apart for that sacred use, and beg of God to bless it to us., is it not the communion of the blood of Christ This Cup (says the Apostle) is the Communion of the blood of Christ. The Cup is put for the Wine in the Cup (which is very ordinary) the Cup or Wine of Blessing signifieth that Cup of Wine to which the blessing is added, or with which in that holy Institution we thankfully remember the Death of Christ, and bless his Name for that great mercy, and the Wine or Cup of blessing, also here signifieth our religious Action in drinking of that Cup of Wine so blessed, This, says he, is the Communion of the blood of Christ, that is, it is an Action whereby and wherein Christ communicates himself and his Grace to us, and we communicate our Souls to him; so that Christ and Believers in that Action have a mutual Communion one with another:? The bread which we break, is it not the communion of the body of Christ? And as it is with the one Element in that holy Sacrament, so it is also with the other. The Bread which the Minister breaketh (according to the Institution and Example of Christ) for the Church to make use of in the Celebration of the Lords Supper, that is, their Action in eating of that Bread so broken, and divided amongst them is the Communion of the Body of Christ an Action wherein Christians have a Fellowship and Communion with Christ..

For we being many, are one bread and one body Believers, though many, yet are one Body, and declare themselves to be one Body mystical, by their fellowshi together in the Ordinance of the Lords Supper; as the Bread they there eat is one Bread, though it be made up of many grains of Corn, which come into the composition of that Loaf or piece of Bread which is so broken, distributed, and eaten; and the Wine they drink is one Cup, one Body of Wine, though it be made up of many particular Grapes.: for we are all partakers of that one bread And they declare themselves to be one Body, by their joynt partaking of that one Bread. Some have from hence fetched an Argument to prove the unlawfulness of communicating with scandalous sinners at the Lords Table, because we declare our selves one Body with those that communicate: but whether it will (if examined) be cogent enough, I doubt; for one Body signifieth no more than one Church, and that not invisible, but visible. So as we only declare our selves to be fellow-members of the visible Church with those with whom we partake in that Ordinance, and the visible Church may consist of persons that are ad mixed with the good. So as, though undoubtedly scandalously wicked persons ought to be excluded from the holy Table, yea, and no Unbeliever has a right to it: yet it may reasonably be doubted, whether those that partake with Unbelievers, do by it owne themselves to be Unbelievers, they only owne themselves Members of that Church, wherein there are some Unbelievers. But the scope of the Apostle is from hence to argue, That by a parity of reason, those that communicated with an idolatrous Assembly in their Sacrifices, declared themselves by that action to be one Body with those Idolaters..

Behold Israel after the flesh Israel after the flesh, was the whole seed of Iacob, the whole Body of the Jewish Church; for Believers only were Israelites after the Spirit, Rom. 9.6. called the Israel of God, Gal. 6.16.: are not they which eat of the sacrifices, partakers of the altar? If in the Jewish Church any persons ate of the flesh of Sacrifices offered upon Gods Altar, did they not by that act manifest, that they were Members of the Jewish Church, and owned that God, to whom those Sacrifices were offered, and that way of Worship by which God was so worshipped. By the same reason these Corinthians eating of the flesh of those Beasts in the Idols Temple, which had been offered unto Idols, did by that act declare their owning of the Idol, and that idolatrous Worship which had been there performed, and were really partakers of the idolatrous Altar..

What say I then? that the idol is any thing, or that which is sacrificed to idols is any thing? I do not by this contradict what I before said, nor now affirm, that an Idol is any thing, or the Sacrifices offered to it any thing. An Idol has nothing in it of a Dei y, nor can it either sanctifie, or pollute any thing that is set before it; the errour is in your action, as you communicate with such as are Idolaters; it is your own action that polluteth you, not the Idol, nor yet the meat set before it..

But I say, that the things which the Gentiles sacrifice, they sacrifice to devils, and not to God The Heathens might not intentionally offer Sacrifices to Devils (such a thing can hardly be supposed of men) but actually, they offered their Sacrifices to Devils; for they were Devils, that is, evil Angels, which deluded the poor Heathen, and gave Answers from the Images and Statues which they worshipped, believing the true God to be in them: which Answers they accounted for Oracles. Besides, the Apostle says, they sacrificed to Devils, because in Gods esteem it was so, though not in their intention; God judgeth of mens acts of Worship and Homage pretendedly done unto him, not according to their intention, but according to the truth and reality of the thing: Now really the Heathen in their Sacrifices paid an Homage to Devils, though such a thing was far from their intention, and this deserves the consideration, both of the Papists, who worship Images, and also of those Protestants (if any such be) who would excuse the Papists in their Idolatries from their intentions. The Nature of Idolatry does not lye in mens intending to worship the Creature instead of the Creator (there were hardly ever any such Idolaters in the World) but in their actual doing of the thing; and except they can find a direct Rule in holy Writ ordering the Adoration of the Creator in the Creature, or before the Creature, it is much to be fe ed, that in the last day God will judge their Homage performed to the Creature, not to him.: and I would not that ye should have fellowship with devils Now, says the Apostle, you had need take heed that by this action, you prove not your selves to have fellowship with Devils instead of Christ and the true and living God..

Ye cannot drink the cup of the Lord We may either take the phrase as signifying all religio s Communion under one great Act of Religion, or as particularly signifying, having a Communion with Christ in the Ordinance of the Lords Supper, which is called the Cup of the Lord, either because God has instituted and appointed the drinking of it, or because it is done for the honour, glory, and remembrance of our Lord Christ, to remember his death until he come (as the Apostle speaketh Chap. 11.) This the Apostle tells them they could not drink of, that is, not rightly, and with a good conscience; or not really, no man that is an Idolater, or has Communion with Idolaters in their idolatrous Acts, can have Communion with Christ:, and the cup of devils s: ye cannot be partakers of the Lords table, and of the table of devils The s me is meant by the Table of the Lord, and the Table of Devils. So as I cannot see how either an idolatrous Church can be a true Church, or an Idolater a true Christian, unless we will assert, That a Body of people may be a true Church, that can have no Communion with Christ; or a man may be a true Christian, and yet have no Communion with Christ. Idolatry doubtless both divides the Soul from Christ, as he is the Head of a Believer, and as he is the Head of the Church. To call any Body of Idolaters a true Church, either Morally, or Metaphysically, is to say to those Ammi, You are the Lords people, to whom God has said Loammi. Let them be what they will, the name of a Church belongeth not to them, if (as the Apostle affirmeth) they can have no Communion with Christ..

Do we provoke the Lord to jealousie Jealousie is a violent passion in a man, not bearing a Companion or a Rival as to a thing or person which he loveth. It is in holy Writ applied unto God, not to signifie any such extravagancy, excess, or vehemence, as attendeth that passion in men, but only his just displeasure at the giving that Homage to any Creature, which is due to him alone. It is most applied to God to express his anger against those who give Divine Homage to Idols. The Worship of God being a great piece of his glory which he has said he will not give to another, nor his praise to graven images, Isa. 42.8. Hence Divines observe, That jealousie is attributed to God in the second Commandment, which concerns the more external Worship of God, to deter men from the violation of it, Exod. 20.5. So Exod. 34.14. Deut. 4.20. Chap. 5.9. & 6.15. and in many other Texts, it signifieth, that the Worship of God is a thing that he is very tender of, and that his will is to endure no Creature to share with him in it, and that his wrath shall flame against that man, that offers to make any Creature such a sharer.? Are we stronger then he? So that it is not safe for any to do any thing of that nature, unless he could fansie himself to be stronger than God; for he that does it, must expect the power and strength of God to be ingaged against him. Thus the Apostle has disswaded them from eating meat sacrificed to Idols in the Idols Temple, from the impiety of it, it being a Species of Idolatry, against which God has signally revealed his wrath. He returns in the following verses to an Argument, by which he had before disswaded it, Chap. 8. as it was against Charity, and the duty of Love, in which they were indebted to their Brethren..

All things are lawful for me All things here must necessarily signifie many things, or at least (as some think) all those things I have spoken of, to eat offered to Idols, &c. But if we interpret it in the latter sense, it is not true without limitations; for the Apostle had but now determined, that to eat meat offered to Idols in the Idols Temple, was to have Communion with Devils. I had rather therefore interpret all by many, as that universal Particle must be interpreted in a great multitude of Scriptures. So as the sense is, There are many things that are lawful which are not expedient, that is, considered in themselves under due circumstances, they are lawful, but considered in such and such circumstances, are not so, because they are not for the profit, or good, but the hurt and disadvantage of others. Thus the Apostle himself expounds it in the latter clause of the verse, where he says, they edifie not, that is, they tend not to promote the Gospel, or the Faith and Holiness of particular Christians., but all things are not expedient: all things are lawful for me, but all things edifie not y.

Let no man seek his own, but anothers wealth It is the duty of every one who is a Disciple of Christ, not merely to look at his own pleasure, or profit, but the profit and advantage of others, Chap. 13.5. Charity seeketh not her own (says the Apostle) that is, it seeketh not its own with the pre udice of another. So as admit, that in this practice there were nothing looked like Idolatry and impiety towards God, yet Charity or Love to your Brethren ought to deter you..

Whatsoever is sold in the shambles, that eat It is possible that Butchers, before they brought their meat into the market, might offer some part of it to the Idol; or it is possible that the Priests, who had a share in the beasts offered to Idols; or the people that had offered such beasts, who also had a share returned them, might out of covetousness come and bring it to be sold in the market. The Apostle dire eth the Corinthians in such cases to make no scruple, but eat of it, if it were commonly sold in the shambles, which argued, that the thing in it self, considered nakedly, was not sinful;, asking no question for conscience sake but yet he would have them in that case ask no questions whence it came? Or whether it had not been offered to an Idol? for the sake of other mens consciences, lest some others standing by, should take notice, that they bought and ate such me t. Or their own Consciences, lest though the thing in it self, so separated from a sacred use, and returned to its common use, might be lawfully eaten, yet their consciences should afterwards reflect upon them for the doing of it..

For the earth is the Lords, and the fulness thereof.

If any of them which believe not, bid you to a feast The Apostle puts another case, in which they might lawfully enough eat of meat offered to an Idol, that was in case any of their Neighbours that were Heathens, invited them to dinner or supper in a private house (some add, or in the Idols Temple, if it were a Feast of friendship, not a Feast upon a Sacrifice, but I doubt that; and also whether in the Idol-Temples there were any Feasts but upon Sacrifices), and ye be disposed to go, whatsoever is set before you eat he determineth it lawful for them to go and eat whatsoever was set before them; but in this case he would also have them ask no questions for conscience sake., asking no questions for conscience sake.

But if any man say unto you, This is offered in sacrifice unto idols, eat not The meat being out of the Idols Temple, and returned to a common use, there could be no impiety in eating it, no communion with Devils, and partaking of the Table of Devils, in and by such an action; but yet there might be a breach of Charity in the action, that is, in case one were there present, who knew that it had been so offered to the Idol, and declared his offence, by telling the Christian that was about to eat, that that meat had been so offered, in that case the Apostle commandeth Christians for his sake that showed it, and for conscience sake: For the earth is the Lords, and the fulness thereof He gives them as a reason for it, Because the earth is the Lords, and the fulness thereof, that is, because there was other meat enough to eat. This passage taken out of the Psalmist had a something different application, v. 26. there the Apostle used it to justifie the lawfulness of their eating such meat, returned again to a common use, and exposed to sale in the shambles: here he useth it to disswade them from eating, if any let them know it had been offered to the Idol..

Conscience, I say, not thine own, but of the others By reason of what we had, v. 28. (where the Apostle forbad eating these meats, in case any of the Feast told them they had been offered to Idols, both for his sake that told him so; and also for conscience sake) it is most reasonable to interpret those words, not thine own in this verse, not thine own only, there being frequent instances in Scripture, where the Negative Particle must be so restrained, as Ioh. 4.42. Chap. 6.27, 38.: for why is my liberty judged by another mans conscience? For why should my practice in a thing, wherein I have a liberty, be censured or condemned by the conscience of another, he being persuaded, that what I do and judge that I have a liberty to do, and may do lawfully, is done by me sinfully, and I by him accounted a transgressor for it; so as, though I do a thing that is honest, yet it is not honest in the sight of all men, or of good report, whereas Christians are obliged, Rom. 12.17. to provide things honest in the sight of all men, not in his own sight merely, and to do those things that are lovely and of good report Phil. 3.8..

For if I by grace be a partaker If I by the goodness of God, whose the Earth is, and the fulness thereof; or by the Grace of Knowledge, by which God has given me to understand that I may do that, as to which others less knowing stumble, can eat such meat (out of the Idols Temple) as part of it has been offered to the Idol; or with Thanksgiving partake of such meat (for so signifies Luke 6.32. Chap. 17.9.), why am I evil spoken of, for that for which I give thanks? Why am I blasphemed, or evilly spoken of, for that which I can give God thanks? That is, I ought not to cause another to speak evil of me for using of meat, but rather than run that danger, to abstain from such meat which I could otherwise eat of, and give God thanks: For in so doing I should but abuse my liberty, and instead of giving God thanks, I should grievously offend God, not at all consulting his Glory..

Whether therefore ye eat or drink, or whatsoever ye do, do all to the glory of God The Apostle in these three last verses, layeth down three Rules, to direct Christians how to use their liberty as to things that are of an indifferent nature, neither in themselves commanded nor forbidden in the Word of God. His first Rule is in this verse, To do whatsoever we do to the glory of God. This is a general Rule, not to be restrained to the eating of meat offered to Idols, of which the former discourse had been. It is a general Rule, not applicable alone to eating and drinking, but to all other humane actions. The reasonableness of this Rule appeareth from our consideration, That the Glory of God was the End of our Creation, Prov. 16.4. The Lord has made all things for himself: and indeed it is impossible it should be otherwise; for whereas every reasonable Agent both propounds to himself some end of his actions, and the best end he can imagine, it is impossible but that God also in creating man, should propound to himself some End, and there being no better end than his own Glory, he could propound no other unto himself. The Glory of God being the end which he propounded to himself in creating man, it must needs follow, that that must be the chief and greatest end which any man can propound to himself in his actions. God is then glorified by us, when by our means, or by occasion of us, he is well spoken of in the World, or by our obedience to his Will: This our Saviour has taught us, Io. 17.4, 6. No man in any of his actions has a liberty from this Rule, so as, though a man, as to many things, has a liberty to marry, or not to marry, to eat meats, or not to eat them, to wear this apparel, or not to wear it; yet he is not even in such things as these so at liberty, but he ought to look about, and to consider circumstances, which will be most for the honour of God, the credit of the Gospel, and reputation of Religion. And the judgment of this is to be made from circumstances, the difference of which may make that unlawful, which otherwise would be lawful, and that lawful, which under other circumstances would be unlawful..

Give none offence, neither to the Jews, nor to the Gentiles We use to say, that men are offended when they are grieved or anger'd; but these offences are not here meant (as appears by the Greek Phrase,) but give no occasion of sin or stumbling. This care he commands us, with reference to all men; for at that time all the World fell under one of these denominations, they were either Iews, or Gentiles (that is, Heathens) or the Church of God (that is, Christians) it was always an hard matter, if not a thing impossible, for Christians to carry themselves so, as not to anger those that were no Christians; but it was not impossible for them so to behave themselves, as not to be to them any just occasion of sin: nor to the church of God Much less ought conscientious Christians to give offence to Christians, that made up the Church of God, and were with them Members of the same mystical Body, of which Christ is the Head.:

Even as I please all men in all things That is, in all things wherein the Law of God has left me a liberty; for Paul pleased no man, either in the omission of any thing which God had commanded him to do, or in the doing of any thing which God had forbidden him to do,, not seeking mine own profit, but the profit of many, that they might be saved not seeking my own advantage, either the satisfaction of my own mind, or humor, or my own gain, but the advantage of others, especially in matters that may any way affect them as to their eternal Salvation. Thus Paul, like a good Shepherd, goeth out before the sheep, and leadeth them, and as every true Minister should be himself an example to the flock of Christ. And this is a third Rule to be observed by Christians, as to the use of the liberty which Gods Law has lest them as to any particular actions, notwithstanding that liberty, yet they ought to have respect to the spiritual good and Salvation of others, and to do that part which their judgments inform them, will be, as least, to the spiritual damage and detriment, so most to the spiritual good and profit of the Souls of others with whom they converse..