VERS. X.
〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉.
Sitting at meat in the Idol Temple.
COmpare those passages of the Talmudists. 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 a 1.1 He that adores an Idol out of love or fear, Rabba saith, he is free, Abai saith, he is guilty. Abai saith, he is guilty, because he worships it. Rabba saith, he is free: 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 If he take it for God, he i•• so, he is guilty; 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 But if he doth not, he is not. And a little after, If he supposeth the Idol Temple to be the Synagogue, and adore an Idol, 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 Behold his heart is towards God. 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 But if he see a statue, and adore it, if he take it for God, he is guilty, 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 as doing presump••uously. But if he takes it not for God 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 It is nothing at all. The Gloss there is Be∣hold his heart is towards God: although he know that that house is an Idol Temple, and he adores God in it, it is no crime, &c. If he see a statue, such as they are wont to set up for the picture of the King, and adore it, not under the Notion of an Idol, but in honour of the King, it is nothing.
Hieronymus à sancta Fide cites this Talmudic passage in these words. b 1.2 They say in the book Sanhedrin, If any worship an Idol out of love or fear, he is free; and R. Solomon glosseth thus; By love is understood, that if any Master should ask his Servant that out of love to him, he would adore him. By fear, that if any Master should threaten him, unless he would. Nevertheless R. Moses of Egypt glosseth otherwise, saying, that by love is under∣stood if he be in love with the beauty of the image of that Idol; by fear, that if he fear, the Idol should hurt him; as the Worshippers of it think, that it can profit, or hurt, and that if he adore it in such a case, he is free.
An excellent School, and excellent doctrine indeed! To omit other things, mark that, which prevailed also with these Corinthians 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 If he ac∣knowledg not the Idol under the notion of God, it is nothing: and these men said also, An Idol is nothing. Therefore to be in an Idol Temple, to eat things offered to Idols, is nothing: for I own nothing of the Deity in the Idol, I know it is wood or stone, &c. But saith the Apostle.
First however the Idol it self be wood or stone, yet those things which are offered to it, are offered to Devils, Chap. X. 20. And
Secondly, However you think your self so wise, as to judge of an Idol as a matter of nothing; yet all have not so accurate a judgment; and you by your example en∣courage others to eat things offered to Idols, even under the notion of things offered to Idols.