stumblingblock or an occasion to fall in his brother's way.

14 I know, and am persuaded by the Lord Jesus, that there is nothing unclean of itself: but to him that esteemeth any thing to be unclean, to him it is unclean.

15 But if thy brother be grieved with thy meat, now walkest thou not charitably.10 Destroy not him with thy meat, for whom Christ died.

16 Let not then your good be evil spoken of: 17 For "the kingdom of God is not meat and drink; but righteousness, and * w righteousness, and peace, and 'joy in the Holy Ghost.

8 Gr. common. A. V. 9 be made sorry in conscience. Wi. cording to charity. A. V.

Ver. 2, 20. See on MAT. XV. 11.

10 Gr. ac

1 COR. viii. 7, 10: Howbeit there is not in every man that knowledge for some with conscience of the idol unto this hour eat it as a thing offered unto an idol; and their conscience being weak is defiled. If any man see thee which hast knowledge 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?

I COR. viii. 11: And through thy knowledge shall the weak brother perish, for whom Christ died?

ROM. xii. 17: Recompense to no man evil for evil. Provide things honest in the sight of all men.

u MAT. vi. 33: But seek ye first the kingdom of God, and his righteousness, and all these things shall be added unto you.

1 COR. viii. 8: Meat commendeth us not to God for neither, if we eat, are we the better; neither, if we eat not, are we the worse. HEB. xiii. 9: It is a good thing that the heart be established with grace; not with meats, which have not profited them that have been occupied therein.

* Mat. v. 6, 20: Blessed are they which do hunger and thirst after righteousness: for they shall be filled. For I say unto you, That except your righteousness shall exceed the righteousness of the Scribes and Pharisees, ye shall in no case enter into the kingdom of heaven.

* See on JOHN, xvi. 33.

Y ROM. Xü. 12: Rejoicing in hope; patient in tribulation ; continuing instant in prayer. do, xv. 13.

18 For he that in these things serveth Christ is acceptable to God, and approved of men.

19 Let us therefore follow after the things which make for peace, and things wherewith one may edify another.

с

b

e

20 For meat" destroy not the work of God. All things indeed are pure ;12 but it is evil for 13 that man who eateth with offence.14

21 It is good neither to eat flesh, nor to drink wine, nor any thing whereby thy brother stumbleth, or is offended, or is made weak.

11 For the sake of meat, Pu. 12 clean. Co. Pu. 13 but the evil is to. Ham. by giving offence. Rh. with hurt of his conscience. Co. Ma, Cr.

22 COR. viii. 21: Providing for honest things, not only in the sight of the Lord, but also in the sight of men.

See on MARK, ix. 50.

Roм. xv. 2: Let every one of us please his neighbour for his good to edification. 1 COR. xiv. 12, 26: Forasmuch as ye are zealous of spiritual gifts, seek that ye may excel to the edifying of the Church. Let all things be done unto edifying. 2 COR. xii. 19: We do all things, dearly beloved, for your edifying. EPH. iv. 11, 12, 29: He gave some, apostles-for the edifying of the body of Christ. Let no corrupt communication proceed out of your mouth, but that which is good to the use of edifying. 1 THES. v. 11: Comfort yourselves together, and edify one another, even as also ye do. 1 TIM. i. 4: Neither give heed to fables and endless genealogies, which minister questions, rather than godly edifying which is in faith. JUDE, 20: Building up yourselves on your most holy faith, c Ver. 15.

Ver. 14. See on MAT. xv. 11.

e 1 COR. viii. 9-12: But take heed lest by any means this liberty of your's become a stumblingblock to them that are weak. For if any man see thee which hast knowledge 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; and through thy knowledge shall the weak brother perish, for whom Christ died? But when ye sin so against the brethren, and wound their weak conscience, ye sin against Christ.

1 COR. viii. 13: If meat make my brother to offend, I will eat no flesh while the world standeth, lest I make my brother to offend.

22 Hast thou faith? have it to thyself before God. Happy is he that condemneth not himself in that thing which he alloweth.

h

23 And he that doubteth 15 is damned 16 if he eat, because he eateth not of faith: for whatsoever is not of faith is sin.

CHAP. XV.

1 The strong must bear with the weak: 2 we may not please ourselves, 3 for Christ did not so, 7 but receive one the other, as Christ did us all, 8 both Jews 9 and Gentiles : 15 Paul excuseth his writing, 28 and promiseth to see them, 30 and requesteth their prayers.

WE then that are a strong ought to bear the infirmities of the weak, and not to please ourselves.1

с

2 © Let every one of us please his neighbour for his good to dedification.

e

3 For even Christ pleased not himself; but, as it is written, The 'reproaches of them that reproached thee fell on me.

16 con

15 discerneth and putteth a difference between meats. A. V. demned. Gen. Wh. We. Pu. 1 to stand in our own conceits. Co. Ma.Cr.

8 ECCLUS. xiv. 2: Blessed is he whose conscience hath not condemned him, and who is not fallen from his hope in the LORD. 1 JOHN, iii. 21: Beloved, if our heart condemn us not, then have we confidence toward God.

h TIT. i. 15: Unto the pure all things are pure: but unto them that are defiled and unbelieving is nothing pure; but even their mind and conscience is defiled. HEB. xi. 6: But without faith it is impossible to please him for he that cometh to God must believe that he is, and that he is a rewarder of them that diligently seek him.

ye

CHAP. XV.

:

a GAL. vi. 1: Brethren, if a man be overtaken with a fault, which are spiritual, restore such an one in the spirit of meekness; considering thyself, lest thou also be tempted. b Roм. xiv. 1.

See on ROM. xiv. 1.
d See on ROM. xiv. 19.

* See on JOHN, vi. 38.

f Ps. lxix. 9: The zeal of thine house hath eaten me up; and the reproaches of them that reproached thee are fallen upon me.

4 For whatsoever things were written aforetime were written for our learning, that we through patience and comfort of the Scriptures might have hope.

5 Now the God of patience and consolation grant you to be likeminded 2 one toward another according to Christ Jesus:

6 That ye may with one mind and one mouth glorify God, even the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ.

m as

7 Wherefore 'receive ye one another, Christ also received us to the glory of God. 8 Now I say that "Jesus Christ was a minister

2 the same mutual affection. Dod. after the example of. A. V 8 See on Rom. iv. 23.

h Roм. xii. 16: 1 COR. i. 10: PHI. iii. 16. See on JOHN xvii. 11.

ACTS, iv. 24, 32: And when they heard that, they lifted up their voice to God with one accord, and said, Lord, thou art God, which hast made heaven, and earth, and the sea, and all that in them is. And the multitude of them that believed were of one heart and of one soul: neither said any of them that ought of the things which he possessed was his own; but they had all things common.

* 2 COR. i. 3: Blessed be God, even the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of mercies, and the God of all comfort. EPH. i. 3: Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who hath blessed us with all spiritual blessings in heavenly places in Christ. 1 PET. i. 3: Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ.

ROM. xiv. 1, 3.

m ROM. v. 2: By whom also we have access by faith into this grace wherein we stand, and rejoice in hope of the glory of God. "MAT. xv. 24: I am not sent but unto the lost sheep of the house of Israel. JOHN, i. 11: He came unto his own, and his own received him not. ACTS, iii. 25, 26: Ye are the children of the prophets, and of the covenant which God made with our fathers, saying unto Abraham, And in thy seed shall all the kindreds of the earth be blessed. Unto you first God, having raised up his Son Jesus, sent him to bless you, in turning away every one of you from his iniquities. do. xiii. 46: Then Paul and Barnabas waxed bold, and said, It was necessary that the word of God should first have been spoken to you: but seeing

of the circumcision for the truth of God, to confirm the promises made unto the fathers :

9 And that the Gentiles might glorify God for his mercy; as it is written, 4 For this cause I will confess to thee1 among the Gentiles, and sing unto thy name.

r

10 And again he saith, Rejoice, ye Gentiles, with his people.

11 And again, Praise the Lord, all ye Gentiles; and laud3 him, all ye people.

12 And again, Esaias saith, There shall be a root of Jesse, and he that shall rise to reign over the Gentiles; in him shall the Gentiles trust.

praise thee. Ma. Cr. Bi. confess thee. Pu. magnify. Rh.

ye put it from you, and judge yourselves unworthy of everlasting life, lo, we turn to the Gentiles.

ROM. iii. 3: For what if some did not believe? shall their unbelief make the faith of God without effect? 2 Cor. i. 20 : For all the promises of God in him are yea, and in him Amen, unto the glory of God by us.

P JOHN, X. 16: And other sheep I have which are not of this fold them also I must bring, and they shall hear my voice; and there shall be one fold and one shepherd. Rom. ix. 23: And that he might make known the riches of his glory on the vessels of mercy, which he had afore prepared unto glory.

9 Ps. xviii. 49: Therefore will I give thanks unto thee, O LORD, among the heathen, and sing praises unto thy name.

DEUT. xxxii. 43: Rejoice, O ye nations, with his people. Ps. lxvii. 3: Let the people praise thee, O God; let all the people praise thee.

Ps. cxvii. 1: 0 praise the LORD, all ye nations: praise him, all ye people.

* Isa. xi. 1, 10: There shall come forth a rod out of the stem of Jesse, and a Branch shall grow out of his roots. In that day there shall be a root of Jesse, which shall stand for an ensign of the people; to it shall the Gentiles seek, and his rest shall be glorious. REV. v. 5: And one of the elders saith unto me, Weep not: behold, the Lion of the tribe of Juda, the Root of David, hath prevailed to open the book, and to loose the seven seals thereof. do. xxii. 16: I Jesus have sent mine angel to testify unto you these things in the churches. I am the root and the offspring of David, and the bright and morning star.