"weak brethren" n.s may give us a power of influence upon them. If we condescend to them, it can only be that we may lift them out of their weakness into strength. Such helpful influence we may exert (1) by direct teachings; (2) by our own personal example. Others may see that what they call "our Ii bert_y" in no way injures our spiritual life, and seeing that may best help them to correct their mistakes. III. 'l'HE PRL'fCIPLE OF SELF-SACRIFICING CHARITY. Actually depriving ourselves of pleasures, and what we think to be both permissible and good things, in order that we may be no hindrance or injury to others. lllustrate in the case with which St. Paul is dealing here; and show bow many good Christians nowadays abstain from such things as balls and theatre~ because they are anxious not to set a stumbling-block in the way of others. Our practical difficulties in life apply to things indifferent; and in such matters it is proper that we should regulate our conduct by the effects which it may have on others. 'l'he true Christian spirit would lead us to say, "Rather let me suffer by abstaining from what I should enjoy, and could do without any personal injury, than let my brother suffer, either by the judgrnent which be would form of my doings, or by his imitating my example to his own serious hurt."-R T. Ver. 13.-The law of Christian self-restraint. No more perplexing questions are presented to the Christiau than those which deal with the limitations of his Christian liberty. Were the Christian man alone in the world, or were he assured that his actions would in no way influence those around him, there are many personal enjoyments in which he could freely indulge, and he would have little call to self- rnstraint. He would at least be a "law unto himself," and need make no laws for himself upon consideration of others. But none of us can live under such conditions. \Ve are not only a "spectacle unto men and angels," but every act of ours beam influence on some one, affecting others either for good or for evil. And this fact we must take into solemn account. The relationships of life arc main sources of ou,· pleasure, but they brini:: us all our responsibilities, and, though our couduct in all essential things is to be determined only by what is right, in all matters that are le!'t to our decision we are bound to consider how others will regard our conduct; and we should eveu take into account how they may misunderstand and misrepresent, an,l so make mischief out of our actions. It is true that "the fear of man bringet h a snare," but it is also true that the love of man, and sincere desire for the blessing of others, will always help us to form good judgments concerning what is prndent and advimble. Sincere hearts are full of anxiety lest, by any personal indulgences or need loss displays of superior moral strength, they should "sin against the weaker brethren." It should bo observed that upon things doubtful God lays down no direct rnles. The Christian man is expected to make his own wise laws of self-restraint. If he be sincero r.nd earnest he will make for himself two supreme laws. I. 'l'HE LAW OF CHARITY TOWARDS OUR DROTIIER. '!'hat is, in every disputable or doubtful case he will give the advantage to his brother, and net taking iuto account even his weaknesses, It should be clearly understood: I. 'l'hat when, in a spirit of charity, a Cbristian man puts himself under strong restraints, he does not alter his views of the weakness of his brother's difficulty or of the possibility of his own actiug or enjoyiug without personal injury. 'l'he very point of his Christian virtue is that, while recognizing the rightness of the thing for himself, he refrains for the sake of others. 'l'here would be no virtue in his self-restraint if he changed his opiuion as to the rightness of the act. He holds his own opinion, but in Christian love he yichls to tho opinion of another. 2. We may also see that, when tho Christian puts himself under restraint for the sake of a weak brother, it is that he may p;ain inHuence upon him tbat shall lift him up out of his weakness. It can be no part of Christian duty to condescend to a brother's weakness, and leave him weak. lf St. Paul rcfrninc,l from eating the meat that had been offered to idols, it was iu the hope of presently getting the weak brethren to see that, since an idol is "nothing at all," he cannot defile any meat. Our charity rloes not conccm the particular case, but the entire 1vell-being of our weaker brother. 3. It may further be shown that tho restraints under which the Christian man puts himself, by the persuasions of his brotherly love, may be severe and trying at first, but become easier at'tcr a while, and will often turn i.uto blessing for himself at the last. 'l'his may bo cfl1cicntly illustrated in the ea,,• 286 THE FIRST EPISTLE TO THE CORINTHIANS. [ea. 1x. 1-:n.
of a man giving up all alcoholic drink for the sake of helping a brother who is in peril f~om the enticement~ of the drink-demon. If he be of a social disposition, it may cost bun a great deal to ~1ve up long-settled habits, but he may prove, in both health and means, that the self-restraint of Christian charity can become a blcssin" to him who manifests it, as well as to him for whose sake the sacrifices have be;n made. God ever graciously secures to us the rewards of right-doing, and makes "charity twice blessed." II. THE LAW OF LOY AT.TY TO CHRIST. Our one ~upreme purpose must be to serve him, and he has told ns that what is done unto "the least of the brethren" is "done unto him." ,ve think that, in the greatness of our loyalty, we would do anythin" for Christ, and put ourselves under any kind of restraints, were he really here with ~sin the flesh. But he puts our loyalty under a severe test when he says, "Do to your weak brother, do for your weak brother's sake, just what you would have done for me." ,ve think we could go without meat, or put away drink, at once and for ever, if Jesus wished. It is Christ's wish that is expressed to us when we are led to see- that our ''.liberty" is injuring a brother; and our Lord counts it loyalty to him when we restram ourselves !or a brother's sake. St. Paul makes this plain. To offend against a weak brother, to refuse proper limitations of our own liberty when such limitations would help a brother, is to sin against Christ, even against Christ who- at the uttermost self-sacrifi~c-even died that he might save and sanctify the weak brother. Conclude by showmg that the appeal may be made to us, in relation to this matter, which is made by the writer of the Epistle to the Hebrews in a more general way, "Ye have not yet resisted unto blood, striving against sin." Jn how few of us the self-restraints of Christian charity can be said yet to have reached the sublime heights of self-sacrifice !-R. 'l'.