[Those who saw their Christian liberty, despised their weaker brethren, for scrupling to eat what had been offered to an idol ; whilst, on the other hand, they who doubted the lawfulness of eating such things, condemned their stronger brethren, as presumptuously disregarding the commands of God. A similar disposition to despise or condemn each other exists among the advocates for certain doctrines which have for ages divided the Church of God. Those who think they have a deeper insight into the Divine decrees, look down with pity and contempt on their less enlightened brethren ; whilst these, on the other hand, feel embittered against the others, and load them with all manner of obloquy. Alas ! alas ! when shall the professed members of Christ's body cease to exercise such dispositions towards each other, and agree to cultivate a spirit of mutual forbearance? When shall men cease to dog- matize, as if they were infallible ? The probability is, that the truth lies not exclusively with either of these parties, but is found rather with those who receive with meekness, and interpret with diffidence, the apparently opposite declarations of God, and wait his time for the fuller explication of them. No man is in the exclusive possession of all truth ; nay, per- sons may in some things pursue an opposite conduct, and yet both be right, because the things wherein they disagree may be matters of pure indifference p: therefore, whilst every man should seek to acquire the most correct sentiments, every man should leave others to " stand or fall to their own master*1."]
3. Be cautious in the exercise of your liberty —
[An action may be good in itself, yet it may become bad by being done in the presence of another who doubts its law- fulness, and may by means of it be induced to violate the dictates of his own conscience in following the example. This is a point well worthy of our attention. We should have respect to the consciences of others, and be careful " not to lay a stumbling-block or an occasion to fall in our brother's way." As we should not presume to force him to act contrary to his conscience, so neither should we tempt him to do so, lest we lead him into sin, and thereby destroy his soul. Our blessed Lord laid down his life to save such persons ; and shall we not forego a trifling gratification for their welfare ? Yea, shall we, for the sake of some small indulgence, risk the plunging them into everlasting ruin ? Shocking impiety ! In so acting, we sin against Christ, and greatly endanger the salvation of our own souls. And rather than be guilty of such wickedness, we should deny ourselves the most innocent gratification in the world : "If meat make our brother to offend, we should eat
P ver. 6. i ver. 4.