HOMILY XXV. 1 COR. X. 25. Whatsoever is sold in the shambles, eat, asking no question for conscience sake. HAVING said that they could not drink the cup of the Lord, (1.) and the cup of devils, and having once for all led them away from those tables, by Jewish examples, by human reasonings, by the tremendous Mysteries, by the rites solemnized among the idols; and having filled them with great fear; that he might not by this fear drive them again to another extreme, and they be forced, exercising a greater scrupulosity than was necessary, to feel alarm, lest possibly even without their knowledge there might come in some such thing, either from the market, or from some other quarter; to release them from this strait, he saith, Whatsoever is sold in the shambles, that eat, asking no question." For," saith he, " if thou eat in ignorance, and not knowingly, thou art not subject to the punishment: it being thenceforth a matter, not of greediness, but of ignorance." Nor doth he free the man only from this anxiety, but also from another, establishing them in thorough security and liberty. For he doth not even suffer them to question; i. e. to search and enquire, whether it be an idol-sacrifice, or no such thing: but simply to eat every thing which comes from the market, not even acquainting one's self with so much as this, what it is that is set before us. So that even he that eateth, if in ignorance, may be rid of anxiety. For such is the nature of those things which are not in their essence evil, a Savile conj. idwasios, “in the idol Temples:" but idλs is the actual reading. 338 Double Caution of St. Paul about Idol-sacrifices. HOMIL. but through the man's intention make him unclean. WhereXXV. fore he saith, asking no question. Ver. 26. For to the Lord belongeth the earth, and the fulness thereof. Not to the devils. Now if the earth, and the fruits, and the beasts be all His, nothing is unclean: but it becomes unclean otherwise, from our intention and our disobedience. Wherefore he not only gave permission, but also, Ver. 27. If any of them that believe not bid you, saith he, to a feast, and ye be disposed to go; whatsoever is set before you, eat, asking no question for conscience sake. See again his moderation. For he did not command, and make a law, that they should withdraw themselves, yet neither did he forbid it. And again, should they depart, he frees them from all suspicion. Now what may be the account of this? That so great curiousness might not seem to arise from any fear and cowardice. For he who makes scrupulous enquiry, doth so as being in dread: but he who, on hearing the fact, abstains, abstains as out of contempt, and hatred, and aversion. Wherefore Paul, purposing to establish both points, saith, Whatsoever is set before you, eat. Ver. 28. But if any man say unto you, This is offered in sacrifice unto idols; eat not, for his sake that shewed it. Thus it is not at all for any power that they have, but as accursed, that he bids abstain from them. Neither then, as though they could injure you, fly from them, (for they have no strength ;) nor yet, because they have no strength, indifferently partake for it is the table of beings hostile and degraded. Wherefore he said, eat not for his sake that shewed it, and for conscience sake. For the earth is the Lord's, and the fulness thereof. Seest thou how both when he bids them eat, and when they must abstain, he brings forward the same testimony? "For I do not forbid," saith he, " for this cause, as though they belonged to others: (for the earth is the Lord's:) but for the reason I mentioned, for conscience sake; i. e. that it may not be injured." Ought one therefore to inquire scrupulously? "Nay," saith he: " for I said not thy conscience, but his. For I have already said, for his sake that shewed it.” And again, v. 29. Conscience, I say, not thine own, but of the others. 10. 29. How the Greeks might be guarded against all offence. 339 [2.] But perhaps some one may say, "The brethren indeed, 1 COR. as is natural, thou sparest, and dost not suffer us to taste for their sakes, lest their conscience being weak, might be drawn in to eat the idol sacrifices. But if it be some heathen, what is this man to thee? Was it not thine own word, What have I to do to judge them also that are without1? Where- 1 1 Cor. fore then dost thou on the contrary care for them?" "Not for him is my care," he replies, "but in this case also for thee." To which effect also he adds, 5. 12. For why is my liberty judged of another man's conscience? meaning by liberty, that which is left without caution or prohibition. For this is liberty, freed from Jewish bondage. And what he means is this: "God hath made me free, and above all reach of injury, but the Gentile knoweth not how to judge of this high morality of mine, nor to see into the liberality of my Master, but will condemn and say to himself, 'Christianity is a fable; they abstain from the idols, they shun dæmons, and yet cleave to the things offered to them: great is their gluttony."""And what then?" it may be said. "What harm is it to us, should he judge us unfairly?" But how much better to give him no room to judge at all! For if thou abstain, he will not even say this. "How," say you, " will he not say it? For when he seeth me not making these enquiries, neither in the shambles, nor in the banquet; what should hinder him from using this language, and condemning me, as one who partakes without discrimination ?" It is not so at all. For thou partakest, not as of idol-sacrifices, but as of things clean. And if thou makest no nice enquiry, it is that thou mayest signify, that thou fearest not the things set before thee this being the reason why, whether thou enterest a house of Gentiles, or goest into the market, I suffer thee not to ask questions; viz. lest thou become a startler at sounds2, 4.0and entangled3, and shouldest occasion thyself needless ins. trouble. Ver. 30. If I by grace be a partaker, why am I yet evil spoken of for that for which I give thanks? "Of what art thou by grace a partaker? tell me." Of the gifts of God. b oixovounty. qu. oixodounen, "might boldened." cf. c. viii. 10. be edified," or "instructed," or em 2 3 λινο πλήξ. XXV. 340 Scandal to be especially avoided on Occasions of Thanksgiving. HOMIL. For His grace is so great, as to render my soul unstained, and above all pollution. For as the sun sending down his beams upon many spots of pollution, withdraws them again pure; so likewise we, and much more than so, having our conversation in the midst of the world, remain pure, if we will, by how much the power we have is even greater than his. (2.) "Why then abstain?" say you. Not as though I should become unclean, far from it; but for my brother's sake, and that I may not become a partaker with devils, and that I may not be judged by the unbeliever. For in this case it is no longer now the nature of the thing, but the disobedience, and the friendship with devils, which maketh me unclean, and the purpose of heart worketh the pollution. 66 But what is, why am I yet evil spoken of for that for which I give thanks?" I, for my part," saith he, "give thanks to God, that He hath thus set me on high, and above the low estate of the Jews, so that from no quarter am I injured. But the Gentiles, not knowing my high rule of life, will suspect the contrary, and will say, 'Here are Christians indulging a taste for our customs; they are a kind of hypocrites, abusing the dæmons, and loathing them, yet running to their tables; than which what can be more senseless? We conclude, that not for truth's sake, but through ambition and love of power they have betaken themselves to this doctrine.' What folly then would it be, that in respect of those things whereby I have been so benefited, as even to give solemn thanks, in respect of these I should become the cause of evil-speaking?" But these things, even as it is," say you, " will the Gentile allege, when he seeth me not making enquiry." In no wise. For all things are not full of idol-sacrifices, so that he should suspect this: nor dost thou thyself taste of them as idol-sacrifices. Be not then scrupulous overmuch, nor again, on the other hand, when any remark on its being an idol-sacrifice, do thou partake. For Christ gave thee grace, and set thee on high, and above all injury from that quarter, not that thou mightest be evil spoken of, nor that the circumstance, which hath been such a gain to thee as to be matter of special thanksgiving, should be a mean of thy so injuring others, that they should even blaspheme. "Nay, why," saith he," do I not say to the Gentile, I eat, I am no wise injured, and I do not this as |