Au. If we will obey St. Paul, Let no Body mind his own Things, but every one the Things of another.
Ch. How come we by this new Divine at our Table? Whence comes this new upstart Master of ours?
Au. Because I don't like Fishes.
Ch. What, then won't you abstain from Flesh?
Au. I do abstain, but grumblingly, and to my great Detriment too.
Ch. Charity suffers all Things.
Au. It is true; but then the same requires but little. If it suffers all Things, why won't it suffer us to eat those Meats the Gospel has given us a Liberty to eat? Why do those Persons, from whom Christ has so often required the Love of himself, suffer so many Bodies of Men to be endanger'd by capital Diseases, and their Souls to be in Danger of eternal Damnation, because of a Thing neither forbidden by Christ, nor necessary in itself?
Ch. When Necessity requires it, the Force of a human Constitution ceases, and the Will of the Lawgiver ceases.
Au. But the Offence of the Weak does not cease. The Scruple of a tender Conscience does not cease. And lastly, it is uncertain with what Limits that Necessity shall be bounded; shall it be when the Fish-eater shall be a giving up the Ghost? It is too late to give Flesh to a Man when he is dying; or shall it be when his Body becomes all feverish? The Choice of Meats is not of so much Consequence.
Ch. What would you have prescrib'd then?