the table of demons being inconsistent with the Lord's table. 291 21 Ye cannot drink And indeed this is most inconsistent with those SECT. xix. the cup of the Lord, solemn badges of your holy profession, by which and the cup of devils: ye cannot be your baptismal covenant is so frequently rati partakers of the fied and renewed. Ye cannot with tolerable Lord's table, and of decency and consistency, at one time, drink of the table of devils. the cup of the Lord, in that holy rite in which than he ? you commemorate his death, and at another 1 Cor. x. 21 22 Do we provoke Do we, by such a conduct as this, deliber- 22 the Lord to jealou- ately mean to provoke the Lord to jealousy, by sy are we stronger thus caressing those whom he abhors as his rivals? Must it not incense him exceedingly? and must it not, in its consequences, be detrimental, and even fatal to us? Or are we stronger than he ? so as to be able to resist, or to endure the dreadful effects of his displeasure. it IMPROVEMENT. 22 LET us hear and fear: for it is the tendency of every wilful verse sin, to provoke the Lord to jealousy; it is a challenge to him, as were, to let loose the fierceness of his wrath. And alas, how can such feeble creatures as we, endure its terrors! Let the consideration urged by the apostle, to deter men from partaking in idolatrous sacrifices, be weighed by us, as extending to every thing whereby God may be dishonoured, and Christ affronted. eating the flesh of these sacrifices. Elsner, down at one board." The altar was call(Observ. Vol. II. p. 108,) has sufficiently ed the table of the Lord, Mal. i. 12. Comconfuted this his weak inference from pare Deut. xxxii. 17. But then, as Dr. some mistaken passages of Firmicus, and Cudworth hath shewn, we are not to conJamblicus. But this learned and judicious clude from hence, that under the gospel critic has proved at large, from incontest- dispensation, the table of the Lord is propible authorities, that the demons were con- erly an altar; for the Lord's Supper is not sidered as present at these sacrifices, and as a sacrifice, but a feast upon a sacrifice. Cudtaking their part with the worshippers in worth on the True Notion of the Lord's Supthe common feast; by which means, as per, chap. 5. Maimonides expresses it, in a very remarkable passage, (More Nevoch. Part. III. cap. 46,) Friendship, brotherhood, and familiarity, was contracted between them, because, all eat at one table, and sat To jealousy, &c.] Alluding to the notion of idolatry, as a kind of spiritual adultery, which moved the jealousy of God. Yet every deliberate sin is in effect daring his omnipotent vengeance. 292 SECT. xix. verse Reflections on our partaking of the Lord's supper. They who are Christians indeed, and partake of that feast which the blessed Jesus hath instituted in commemoration of his dying love, do herein partake of the body and the blood of 21 Christ: Let it be remembered as a pledge of everlasting obedi. ence, since it is a memorial of infinite obligation: it shews that we belong to him, as his willing and peculiar people, that we renounce all his rivals, particularly Satan, and his kingdom, and whatever favours and supports his accursed cause. Let us be faithful to our allegiance, and have no more to do with any of these abominations. 17, Let us also remember this as a pledge of everlasting peace and &c. love; we are all one bread, and one body. Let us not envy and provoke, grieve and revile one another; but study mutual comfort and edification. And when little jealousies arise, and our secular interests seem to interfere, which may often be the case; let us open our minds to those exalted sentiments which our common relation to Christ tends to inspire; and let the sweet remembrance of the communion we have had with him, and each other, in that holy ordinance, blot out of our minds the memory of every difference which might tend to promote disgust and alienation. SECT. x. 23 SECT. XX. The apostle gives more particular directions as to the cases and circumstances in which things sacrificed to idols might, or might not, lawfully be eaten; and urges further considerations, to engage them willingly to resign their own gratification in some instances, for the glory of God, and the good of their brethren. 1 Cor. X. 23, to the end. Chap. XI. 1. I 1 CORINTHIANS X. 23. 1 COR. X. 23. HAVE said a great deal, to guard you Alawful for me, against all approaches to idolatry. In answer to this, I know, it may be replied, that but all things are not expedient: all things 1 Cor. there are certain things which may accidentally are lawful for me, lead to it, and yet, being in their own nature but all things edify indifferent, may be so used as to decline the not. danger. Granting it then, that all these things are lawful for me, I am persuaded, nevertheless, you will readily acknowledge, that all such things are not in every circumstance expedient. Granting, I say, that all these things, about which we have been discoursing, are lawful for me, yet it is undeniably apparent, that all things edify not; and I ought certainly to con The poastle says, that what was set before them they might eat: 293 sider what may most effectually conduce to SECT. the edification of my neighbour, and of the XX. church in general, as well as what may suit my 1 Cor. own particular inclination, or convenience: for x. 23 I may find good reasons for declining many things, as insnaring to others, which, were I to regard myself alone, might be perfectly in24 Let no man different. Let no one therefore seek the gratifi. 24 seek his own but cation of his own humour, or the advancement every man another's of what may seem his personal interest; but let every one pursue another's [welfare ;] endeavouring to enrich all that are around him in holiness and comfort. wealth. 25 Whatsoever is 25 Believe me, my brethren, I am desirous not sold in the shambles, to lay you under any unnecessary restraints. that eat, asking no And therefore, whatever [flesh] is sold in the question for conscience sake. shambles, that I allow you to eat; asking no questions for conscience sake, that is, not scrupulously inquiring, whether it have, or have not, 26 For the earth is made a part of any idol sacrifice. For as the 26 the Lord's, and the Psalmist expresses it, (Psal. xxiv.1,) the whole fulness thereof. earth [is] the Lord's, and the fulness thereof. All these things therefore are to be taken as they come to our hands, and used with cheerfulness and thanksgiving, as the common bounties of 27 If any of them his Providence to his human creatures. that believe not, bid farther, if any of the unbelievers, who live in you to a feast, and ye your neighbourhood, invite you to his house, be disposed to go; and set you are disposed to go, eat whatever is set before you, eat, ask- before you, at the entertainment; not asking any ing no question for questions for conscience sake, but receiving it, conscience sake. whatever it be, as that supply which Divine Providence has then been pleased to send 28 But if any man you. But if any one say to you, This food is 28 say unto you, This part of what hath been sacrificed to an idol, eat is offered in sacrifice it not; both out of regard to him that shewed thee this circumstance; whether he be an hea whatsoever is unto idols, eat not, for his sake that b And 27 ilies could consume, it was natural for them to take this method of disposing of it to advantage; and at times of extraordi nary sacrifice, it is probable the neighbouring markets might be chiefly supplied from their temples. Sold in the shambles.] Herodotus observes, that the Egyptians, when they had cut off the head of their victims, used to carry the carcass to the market, and sell it to the Greeks, if they could find any to purchase it; if not, they threw it into the river, judging it unlawful to eat it them- Invite you.] That xax, often signiselves. Raphel. ex Herod. in loc. And fies to invite, Raphelius (Annot. ex Xen.) though the Grecian priests had no such has shewn at large; but to conclude that scruples, yet as they had often more flesh it must generally be so rendered, is very of their sacrifices than they and their fam- unwarrantable. 294 1 Cor. Unless they were told it had been sacrificed to an idol; the earth is the SECT. then who may hereby be confirmed in his idol- shewed it, and for XX. atry, or a brother, who may otherwise be in- conscience sake. For snared by thine example, and tempted to vio- Lord's and the fulx. 28 late the dictates of his own mind; and, I may, ness thereof. say, out of regard to conscience too; for thou canst not injure thy brother in this respect, without subjecting thyself to some remorse on a serious reflection. And the scripture I mentioned before, may suggest a pertinent consideration here for as the earth [is] the Lord's, and the fulness thereof, thou mayest reasonably hope he will provide for thee some other way, and mayest be assured, that he cannot 29 want the means of doing it. I say [for the 29 Conscience, I but of the others: sake of conscience; but I mean, not thine own say, not thine own, immediately, but that of another person; for for why is my liber. how indifferent soever thou mayest esteem the ty judged of another matter, thou art obliged in duty to be very man's conscience. cautious that thou dost not wound and grieve that of thy brother: (but you will observe that I here speak only of acts obvious to human observation; for as to what immediately lies between God and my own soul, why is my liberty to be judged, arraigned and condemned at [the bar of] another man's conscience ?d I am not, in such cases, to govern myself by the judgment and apprehension of others, nor have they any authority to judge, or censure me, for not concurring with them in their own narrow notions 30 and declarations. For if I by the Divine grace 30 For, if I by and favour, am made a partaker of the common grace be a partaker, why am I evil spo gifts of Providence, why am I reviled for my ken of for that free and cheerful use of that for which I give for which I give God my humble thanks, as tracing it up to the thanks? hand of the great supreme Benefactor?) 31 Therefore, on the whole, to conclude this 31 Whether there. discourse; since no one particular rule can be laid down, to suit all the diversities of temper and apprehension which may arise, instead of The earth, &c.] Some good copies the months of the Corinthians, and to be omit these words, yet they have so evident a propriety and beauty here, in contrast with verse 26, that I was by no means disposed to follow them. thus understood, "but why should I suf fer myself to be thus imposed upon, and receive law from any, where Christ has left me free?" I rather think, that this, Why is my liberty, &c.] Some think and the 30th verse, come in as a kind of the meaning is, Why should I use my parenthesis, to prevent their extending the liberty so as to offend the conscience of former caution beyond what he designed any?" Others think, it is an objection in by it. And then they should abstain, that they might give no offence. 295 fore ye eat or drink, uncharitable contentions with each other, or sect. or whatsoever ye do, God. 1 Cor. x. 31 do all to the glory of any thing that looks like mutual contempt, let xx. us take all the pains we can to meet as in the centre of real religion; see to it then, that whether ye eat or drink, or whatsoever else you do, in the common, as well as sacred, actions of life, ye do all to the glory of God, pursuing the credit of the gospel, and the edification of the church; that he may be honoured in the happiness of his creatures, and more universally acknowledged as the author of all good. 32 Give none of In this respect, and in every other, see to it, 32 fence, neither to the that ye be inoffensive, both to the Jews, who, Jews, nor to the church of God: you know, abhor every thing that looks like the least approach to idol worship; and to the Greeks, and other unconverted Gentiles, who are so much attached to it, that they are willing to catch at all pretences of justifying themselves in the practice; and to the church of God, whether consisting of circumcised, or uncircumsised converts to Christianity, who would grieve to see the common edification obstructed, in instances wherein they them33 Even as I please selves might not be endangered. Endeavour 33 all men in all things, to follow, in this respect, my example; acting not seeking mine own profit, but the as I also do, who study in all things to please all profit of many, that men, so far as I apprehend it for their real adthey may be saved. vantage; not seeking mine own interest or gratification, but that of many, that they may be ers of me, even as I also am of Christ. saved by being brought to, and confirmed in, that religion, on which their eternal happiness 1 CORINTHIANS depends. In this grand and important con- 1 Cor. XI. 1. Be ye follow-sideration I lose every inferior view, as our xi. 1 great Lord and master did; be ye therefore herein imitators of me, as I also [am] of Christ : and you will be in the way to please him, and to secure infinitely greater advantage from his favour, than you can ever be called to resign for the good of your brethren. IMPROVEMENT. WHAT exalted and generous sentiments are these! Well do they become every minister, yea every disciple of Christ! What a glorious society would his church soon be, if each of its mem Jews and Greeks.] As these are both prejudicing them against Christianity, by opposed to the church of God, I conclude he the indulgences against which he cautions speaks of unconverted Jews, or Greeks; and them. refers to the danger there might be of |