ON AVOIDING OFFENCE.
“We know that we all have knowledge”--common knowledge in common
things, and the knowledge that there is one God. For he was writing
to believers; whence he adds, “But knowledge (_gnosis_) is not
in all,” being communicated to few. And there are those who say that
the knowledge about things sacrificed to idols is not promulgated
among all, “lest our liberty prove a stumbling-block to the weak. For
by thy knowledge he that is weak is destroyed.”[579] Should they say,
“Whatsoever is sold in the shambles, ought that to be bought?” adding,
by way of interrogation, “asking no questions,”[580] as if equivalent
to “asking questions,” they give a ridiculous interpretation. For the
apostle says, “All other things buy out of the shambles, asking no
questions,” with the exception of the things mentioned in the catholic
epistle of all the apostles,[581] “with the consent of the Holy Ghost,”
which is written in the Acts of the Apostles, and conveyed to the
faithful by the hands of Paul himself. For they intimated “that they
must of necessity abstain from things offered to idols, and from blood,
and from things strangled, and from fornication, from which keeping
themselves, they should do well.” It is a different matter, then, which
is expressed by the apostle: “Have we not power to eat and to drink?
Have we not power to lead about a sister, a wife, as the rest of the
apostles, as the brethren of the Lord and Cephas? But we have not used
this power,” he says, “but bear all things, lest we should occasion
hindrance to the gospel of Christ;” namely, by bearing about burdens,
when it was necessary to be untrammelled for all things; or to become
an example to those who wish to exercise temperance, not encouraging
each other to eat greedily of what is set before us, and not to
consort inconsiderately with woman. And especially is it incumbent on
those entrusted with such a dispensation to exhibit to disciples a
pure example. “For though I be free from all men, I have made myself
servant to all,” it is said, “that I might gain all. And every one that
striveth for mastery is temperate in all things.”[582] “But the earth
is the Lord’s, and the fulness thereof.”[583] For conscience sake,
then, we are to abstain from what we ought to abstain. “Conscience, I
say, not his own,” for it is endued with knowledge, “but that of the
other,” lest he be trained badly, and by imitating in ignorance what
he knows not, he become a despiser instead of a strong-minded man.
“For why is my liberty judged of by another conscience? For if I by
grace am a partaker, why am I evil spoken of for that for which I give
thanks? Whatever ye do, do all to the glory of God”[584]--what you are
commanded to do by the rule of faith.