ut in view of prevailing sensuality, he recommends
marriage as generally more prudent. He advises that when people do
marry, there should be a fulfilment of conjugal duties except for {139}
occasional devotion "unto prayer." One permanently important assertion
in the apostle's teaching is that both marriage and celibacy imply a
"gift from God." St. Paul would have had no sympathy with either any
mediaeval depreciation of married life, or the modern English notion
that a man has not "settled down" until he has married (vii. 1-40).

The next question is whether converts may eat _meat that has been
offered to idols_. With strong common-sense, the apostle points out
that there is here no alternative between essential right and wrong.
You may eat it, because an idol is nothing, but you must take care not
to hurt the consciences of other Christians (viii.). You may eat
anything that you buy in the market-place, but you must not attend an
idolatrous feast in a temple, and if you are at a private house you
must not eat food offered to idols if your attention has been directly
called to its character (x. 23-32). St. Paul illustrates his meaning
by reference to his own self-denial--the policy he had at Corinth of
exacting no payment for his ministry, his tactful caution, his severe
self-control (ix.). The need of such self-control is proved by the
fact that the ancient Jews, in spite of their high privileges, fell
into carelessness and sin (x. 1-13). The Corinthians must not be like
the Jews. The nature of the Eucharist warns them to be scrupulously
careful about temple feasts. There cannot be a drinking of the chalice
of Christ and of the cup of devils (x. 14-22).

Chapter xi. deals with _public worship_. St. Paul gives directions for
women to cover the head in church, and then comes a reference to the
Holy Eucharist which is of extreme interest and importance. It was the
custom for Christians to meet together before the Eucharist for a
common meal called the Agape, which was intended to commemorate the
Lord's Last Supper. St. Paul complains that this meal has been made an
occasion of sin among the Corinthians: the richer people had overeaten
themselves, while the poor were left hungry and ashamed. The apostle
sets off the unfitness of {140} this conduct by a brief exposition of
the Eucharist; the preliminary meal, so much misused by these
ungracious and ungenerous Christians, was intended to be a preparation
for