strnted by all nature, by all consciences, as well as by the Bible. 1. He is a Father .. "'!'he Father, of whom," etc. The Creator of the universe, but the Father of spirits; .spirits arc his offspring. 2. He is the Source of all things. "Of whom are all thing,s." The mighty universe and all it contains are but streams from him, the Fountain of life. 3. He is mir End. "\V c in him," or "unto him," more properly. The supreme End of our existence and Object of our love. In connection with him there is another," one Lord Jesus Christ." This one Lord Jesus Christ was not only bis creative Agent," by whom are all things," but bis redemptive Agent, the Mediator between God and men. And we by him," or "through him." As Christians, we are what we are through him. Now, the will of this one God, as coming through Christ to us, we are morally bound to folfil. An obligation this which not only can never be abrogated, but never modified by any circumstances, age, or revolution. I!. THAT WHAT MIGHT BE WRONG FOR ONE MAN TO DO MIGHT NOT BE SO FOR ANOTHER. The apostle teaches that those in the Corinthian Church who bad reached the conviction that an idol was nothing in the world, and that consequently there was no harm to them personally in eating of the sacrifices that were offered to idols, would commit no wrong in doing so. 'l'be meat itself bad not been corrupted because it had been offered to idols, it was as good as any other meat, and as their consciences were not against i~ there would be no wrong in them participating in it as food. On the other band, those who had a superstitions idea that they ought not to touch the meat they sa,v the priests feeding upon in heathen temples, would commit wrong in using it as food. " Meat commendctb us not to. God: for neither, if we eat are we the better; neither, if we eat not, arc we the worse." The right or the wrong depended on each man's conscience. That which is against a man's conscience may not be a~ainst the eternal law of right, but is against bis own sense of right, and therefore should be avoided; and that which is in accord with a man's conscience, though it may not be in accord with the principles or absolute rectitude, would not be wrong to him. Though sincerity is not a virtue, it is always relatively binding; insincerity is always an absolute sin. Thns what is relatively wrong to one man is not so to another. Here is the principle, "\Vhatsoever is not of faith is sin." "To him that knoweth to do good and doetb it not, to him it is sin." Therefore, "let every man be fully persuaded in his own mind." Ill. THAT TO OFFEND TIIE CONSCIENCE OF A GOOD MAN, HOWEVER WEAK, IS A WRONG IN ALL. "Take heed lest by any means this liberty of yours become a stumbling- block to them that are weak." Respect for the weak consciences of good men: 1. l\Iay require self-denial on ow· part. A truly enlightened and healthy minded Christian may feel at perfect liberty to do that from which a weak-minded disciple would recoil with horror. The apostle, for example, might have felt at perfect liberty to sit down in heathen temples, and feast on meat that had been offered to idols, for his great soul had risen up out of the letter and form of religion, concerning meats, and drinks, aud cere- monies, and statutory laws, and exulted in that "liberty wherewith Christ makes his people free." Therefore any restriction in such matters would involve more or less self- deuial, and this Paul willingly accepted, rather than" offend" a" weak brother." On this principle it becomes all to act. Men who have reached the higher stages of Christly lifo may feel at liberty to do many things; but if they are surrounded by good people whose consciences are in the strongest antagonism to all such things, it is their duty to deny themselves of such liberty. 2. Is urged on the strongest considerations. (1) The lack of it me.y inflict serious injuries on the weak. (a) It may" become a stumbling-block to them that are weak." This means, I presume, an occasion of sin. '!'heir faith may be shaken, and they may become apostates; and, more, (b) they may be" emboldened," encouraged to do the wrong. Without your moral streu~th, imitation or you will be pernicious. (c) It may ruin them. "And through thy knowlctlgc shall the· weak brother perish, for whom Christ died?'' Christ died for all, tasted death for every man; yet his death, it seems, does not necessarily ensurt' the salvation of any. What a Rolemn thought, that the conduct even of an advanced Christian may lead to the spiritual rnin of others! (2) The lack of it is a sin both against the weak brethren and against Christ. "When ye sin so aaainst the brethren, and wound their weak conscience, ye sin against Christ." 3. Is ex~mplified in the sublime resolve of the apostle: "If meat make my brother to offend, I will eat no flesh while the world standcth, lest I m~kc my brother to offend." Here is benevolent expediency, the strongest grouud on which the -268 THE FIRST EPISTLE TO THE CORINTHIANS. [en. vnL 1-13.
temperance reformation can b 7 ''.'iscly and effectively advocated. In this sublime utterance you hav~ tbe self-s,,cnficmg and magnanimous spirit of the gospel. Give up all rather than rum souls. Such an utterance as this is characteristic of Paul. "But I could wish that I myself were accursed for my brcthrcn's sake mv kinsmen accorilino-0 to the flesh." ' • CoxcLUSI?N· _\:VherP, in. the s_tate or in the Church, can you find a man who approaches m spmt the sublime philanthropy of Paul'! Jn the state we have men who call themselves reformers, who grow eloquent in proclaimincr the ricrhts of man and the glorie_s of liberty; but.can you find ~ith~r in their speeches ir deeds° the matchless spirit of plnlanthropy, heammg and booming m these words of the apostle?-" \Vherefore, if meat make my brother to offend, I will eat no flesh while the world standeth." Are not our reformers, alas! more or less traders and hirelin"'s? Where even in our Churches ~o ~e _fin~ prea_ch~rs aglow with this unconquerable "'love for man? And yet this is Chnshamty:,t'~1s 1s what t?e ,;'orld w:ints: what it must have ere it can be morally rndeemed. 'I here never did, says Sir \V alte1· Scott, "and never will exist anythino- permanently noble and excellent in a character which was a strano-er 'to the exercis~ of resolute sclf-,lenial. Te~ch self-denial! and make its practice pl~asurable, and you -create for the world a destmy more sublune than ever issued from the brain of the wildest dreamer."