no flesh while the world standeth, lest we make our brother to offend'."]
4. Be anxious, not to proselyte to a party, but to
edify your brother in love —
[Here almost all classes of the Christian world are greatly to blame. If a brother begin to have his conscience awakened, the first object of the generality is to bring him over to their own particular party. For this end they set before him those particular points which may lead his mind into the particular channel which they wish. But St. Paul expressly forbids such hateful conduct : " Him that is weak in the faith receive ye, but not to doubtful disputations s." How many hopeful blos- soms have come to nought in consequence of their being thus blighted by the breath of vain dispute ! How many, instead of coming fully to Christ, and devoting themselves entirely to him, have been led to rest in the adoption of some particular creed, an union with some particular party, or a submission to one particular rite ! Verily, they who, by such an use of their influence, keep back an inquiring soul, have much to answer for. To build up a brother in faith and love should be our only object ; and, whether he belong to our particular party or not, it should satisfy us to see that he " grows in grace, and in the knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ." Instead of labouring to proselyte him to our party, we should forget that we ourselves are of any party* : or, if of a party we must be, let it be of that which Moses approved, and which comprehends the universal Church, — " the Lord's sideu." To unite each other unto him, and build up each other in his faith and fear, is the only proper exercise of Christian love, and Christian influence.]
r ver. 21. with 1 Cor. viii. 9—13. s ver. 1.
* 1 Cor. ix. 9 — 22. u Exod. xxxii. 20.