upon earth, (even as there be gods many, and lords many, worshipped by them in different countries,)

6 Yet, to us Christians, there is in the whole universe but one God, justly styled the Father, because of him all things are as the original cause, and we direct our worship to him; and one Lord, ruler, and mediator, even Jesus Christ, by whom as the efficient cause, all things are created, and we by him worship the Father.

7 However, this knowledge that an idol is nothing, and that there is but one God, and one Lord, is not in all Christians. For some, until this hour, in the belief of the idol's existence as a tutelar inferior god, eat the sacrifice, as a thing, offered to the idol as a real God; and their conscience being erroneous, is defiled with idolatry, through their eating these sacrifices.

8 But ye tell me, meat does not now recommend us to God. For neither if we eat all kinds indifferently, do we thereby abound in goodness; neither if we do not eat of some kinds, are we on that account deficient; therefore, we have a right to eat the sacrifices of idols, even in their temples.

Ver. 8.-1. For neither if we eat, do we abound. This is the argument by which the false teacher and his adherents justified their eating of the idol sacrifices. For they reasoned thus: Since the idol sacrifice consists of meat which the gospel allows us to eat, and the eating, or the not eating of that meat, hath no influence to make us either better or worse men, it is a part of our Christian liberty to eat of the idol sacrifice, if we choose to do it. That this is the import of their argument, is evident from ver. 9. where the apostle replies, Nevertheless, take heed, lest perhaps this liberty, or right of yours, become a stumbling-block to the weak.

9 But take heed lest by any means this liberty of yours become a stumbling block to them that are weak.

10 For if any man see

thee which hast know

ledge sit at meat in the idol's temple, shall not the

conscience of him which

is weak, be emboldened to eat those things which are offered to idols:

11 And through thy knowledge shall the weak brother perish, for whom Christ died?

12 But when ye sin so against the brethren, and

wound their weak conscience, ye sin against Christ.

13 Wherefore if meat

make my brother to offend, I will eat no flesh while the world standeth,

9 Βλεπετε δε, μήπως ἡ εξουσια ἱμων αυτη προσκομ μα γενηται τοις ασθενουσιν.

1ο Εαν γαρ τις ιδη σε, τον έχοντα γνωσιν, εν είδω λειῳ κατακειμενον, ουχι συνειδησις αυτου, ασθενους οντος, οικοδομηθήσεται εις το τα ειδωλόθυτα εσθίειν ;

11 Και απολειται ὁ ασθε νων αδελφος επι τη ση γνωσει, δι' όν Χριςος απεθανεν ;

12 Οντω δε, ἁμαρτανοντες εις τους αδελφους, και τυπτοντες αυτών την συνειδησιν ασ θενουσαν, εις Χριςον ἁμαρ

τάνετε.

13 Διοπερ ει βρωμα σκαν δαλίζει τον αδελφον μου, ου μη φαγω κρεα εις τον αιω

Ver. 9.1. This right of yours. The word εξεσια has this sense, chap. ix. 4.. The apostle does not mean, that they had a right to eat of the sacrifices in the idol's temple. For the sinfulness of that practice, he proves afterwards, chap. x. 15.-23. But his meaning is, This right which ye claim.

Ver. 10.—1. An idol's temple. Ειδωλεια. Josephus in his discourse against Appion, lib. 2. says, The beatbens offer hecatombs to their gods, και χρωνται ἱερείοις προς ευωχίαν, and use their temples for their banqueting houses This appears likewise from Judges ix. 27. Amos ii. 8. See ver. 4. note 1.

2. Be built up. So the Hebrew word Nibnu, is translated by the LXX. Mal. iii. 15. Οικοδόμενται ποιέντες ανομα, They that do wickedness are built up. The same metaphor is used by the Latins : Plaut. Trinum. Act i. Sc. 2. ver. 95. Qui exadificaret suam inchoatam ignaviam. The word build, in the metaphorical sense, is applied to things bad as well as to things good. For as Le Clerc observes, it signifies simply to increase, as those increase a house, who, after laying the foundation, build upon it,

9 Nevertheless, take heed lest, perhaps, this right1 of yours become a stumbling-block to the weak.

10 For if any one see thee who hast knowledge (κατακείμενον) αἱ table in an idol's temple,' will not the conscience of him who is weak (oixodounInca, be built up)2 be encouraged to eat things sacrificed to idols?

11 And (T) through this thy knowledge shall the weak brother perish, (see Rom. xiv. 15. note 2.) for whom Christ died.

12 But by thus sinning against the brethren, and wounding1 their weak conscience, ye sin against Christ.

13 Wherefore, if meat make my brother stumble, I will (un Eus asara) never 1 eat flesh,

TOY

9 Nevertheless, though it were lawful to eat these sacrifices, ye should take heed, lest perhaps by your indiscreet use of it, this pretended right of yours become a stumblingblock to the weak.

10 For if any Christian, who does not know that an idol is nothing, see thee who hast that knowledge, eating a sacrifice in an idol's temple, Will not the conscience of him who is weak, and believes thee to join in the worship of the idol, be encouraged by thy example, to eat things sacrificed to idols, as real Gods?

11 And through the imprudent use of this thy knowledge, shall the weak brother perish, by joining idolatry with the gospel, or by relapsing into heathenism, for whom Christ died? See 2 Cor. v. 15. note 1.

12 But, I must tell you, by thus sinning against the brethren, and wounding their ill-informed conscience, ye sin against Christ, whom ye wound in his members.

13 Wherefore, to occasion one's perishing being a great sin, I declare that if my meat make my brother fall into sin, I will never eat

Ver. 12.-1. And wounding. Kas ru@ToyTss, literally, And beating, or smiting, as men do restive beasts. But beating, the cause, is here put for wounding, the effect.

Ver. 13-1. I will never eat flesh. To understand the propriety of the apostle's resolution, we must recollect, that in the heathen countries, a great part of the meat sold in the public markets, was sacrificed to their gods. And therefore, as the Jews were extremely scrupulous in every thing that had any relation to idolatry, it might on some occasions, be necessary for the Christians to abstain from every kind of flesh, to avoid giving offence to such converted Jews as still retained their ancient prejudices. This is what the apostle told the Corinthians he would do, as long as he lived. They who impose on their weak and scrupulous brethren, things which they acknowledge to be indifferent, ought well to consider this passage of the word of God, together with what is written, Rom. xiv. For if the apostle

lest I make my brother to offend.

να, ίνα μη τον αδελφον μου σκανδαλίσω.

would eat no flesh, lest by so doing, he might lead the weak to act contrary to their conscience, how will they answer to Christ, who, by heavy penalties

CHAPTER IX.

View and Illustration of the Subjects contained in this Chapter.

THE false teacher having come to Corinth to enrich himself, we may suppose he was much disconcerted, when he found that all the time the apostle had preached among the Corinthians, he had taken nothing from them on account of his maintenance, nor on any other account. Wherefore to remove the obstruction which Paul's disinterestedness had laid in the way of his covetous designs, he boldly affirmed to the Corinthians, that Paul was no apostle because he had not accompanied Christ during his ministry on earth; and that his demanding nothing from them for his maintenance, shewed he was conscious to himself he was no apostle, and had no right to maintenance from the Corinthians. For if he knew himself to be an apostle, why did he not use the rights of an apostle? Why did he not lead about a sister, or a wife to take care of him, as the other apostles did, and demand maintenance for her as well as for himself? This I suppose the false teacher had done. But be that as it may, it cannot be doubted, that the Corinthians in their letter to the apostle, mentioned the particulars which his enemies objected to his character. Wherefore, after deciding some very difficult questions which the Corinthians had proposed to him, and particularly after affirming in the end of chap. vii. that he had decided these questions by the inspiration of the Spirit; and after shewing himself a faithful apostle of Christ, by declaring in the end of chapter viii. his resolution all on occasions to abstain from things indifferent, rather than by using his liberty respecting them, to lead his fellow Christians into sin, he with great propriety introduced the proof of his apostleship, and answered all the objections and calumnies whereby his enemies endeavoured to discredit him in the eyes of the Corinthians.

The proof of his apostleship, St. Paul discussed in a few words, by asking the Corinthians, whether they did not know him to be an apostle? and a freeman, who had a right to preach

lest I make my brother flesh, lest I make my brother fall into stumble.

sin.

constrain others contrary to their conscience, to comply with things, which they themselves acknowledge to be indifferent?

the gospel without reward, if he thought fit to do so? whether they did not know, that he had seen the Lord since his resurrection? and whether themselves were not his workmanship, as an apostle of Christ? ver. 1.-Whatever he might be to others, he was certainly an apostle to them. For their conversion from heathenism, followed with the spiritual gifts which he had conferred on them, was such an unquestionable proof of his apostleship, that they could entertain no doubt of it, ver. 2.

Next, addressing the faction, he said, mine answer to them who condemn me as no apostle, is this: I have a right to be maintained at the charges of the persons to whom I preach, ver. 3, 4.—I have a right also, to lead about a wife who is a believer, to take care of me, and I am entitled to demand maintenance for her likewise, even as the other apostles do, and the brethren of the Lord, and Peter, ver. 5.-Unless it be pretended, that of all the ministers of the gospel, I and Barnabas only have not that right, ver. 6.-His right to maintenance, he told them, was founded on the common sense and practice of mankind, who give maintenance to soldiers, vine-dressers, and shepherds, in return for their labours, ver. 7.-It was founded also on the law of Moses, which forbade the Israelites to muzzle the ox, while treading out the corn, ver. 8, 9, 10.-Wherefore, having sown in the minds of the Corinthians spiritual things, that is, having given them the first knowledge of the gospel, it was no great return if he partook of their carnal things, ver. 11.-Especially as others (meaning the false teacher) who had but lately come among them, had been plentifully maintained by them. But though he had a complete right to maintenance, he had never used that right, but had endured every hardship, that the gospel might not be hindered, ver. 12.—Farther, he told them, his right was founded still more directly on another precept of the law, which appointed those who performed sacred offices, to eat from the temple, ver. 13.-Nay it was founded on the will of Christ, who had expressly authorized those who preach the gospel, to live by the gospel, ver. 14.-But the apostle being a free