DIAL. IX.
Verses 21, 22, 23. It is good neyther to eate flesh, nor to drinke, nor any thing whereby thy brother stumbleth, or is of∣fended, or made weake. Hast thou faith, (or thou hast faith) haue it to thy selfe before God, happy is hee which condemneth not himselfe in that which he alloweth. And hee that doubteth, &c.
VVHat is contained in the 21. verse?
The conclusion of the former exhorta∣tion to the strong, that in the vse of meates they giue no offence to the weake, and so generally in the vse of all in∣different things; which in themselues are good and law∣full, but beeing done with offence are euill, tending to destroy the worke of God. Hauing saide this in the former verse, that eating with scandall is euill, now on the contrary he concludes, that to forbeare eating or drinking or doing any thing else which may offend is good, as that which makes to edification and peace.
What is meant heere by good?
The positiue is put heere for the comparatiue, good for better; as if he should say, it is more pleasing to God, and more to the edifying of our neighbour, and for the peace of the Church, to abstaine rather then to eate with offence.
Why doth hee mention heere not onely flesh, but wine and euery other thing?
First, to make the instruction more generall and large, also to teach that in things simply necessary to life,