The first case related to thofe Jews, who were newly brought over to christianity. Many of them were fo weak in their faith, fo uninftructed as yet in the doctrine of christian liberty, that they thought it ftill neceffary for them to observe the old Jewish fabbath, and other folemn days, which Mofes had appointed, and to abstain totally from fome forts of meats which had been forbidden by Mofes. Others again made no fcruple about these things, but looked upon those days and meats as indifferent now under the gofpel; and accordingly they used their chriftian liberty as to both, -And the whole hiftory of this matter is fet forth in the 14th chapter of the epifle to the Romans.

Now tho' St. Paul gave this rule to each party, Let not him that eateth, defpife him that eateth not; and let not him that eateth not, judge him that eateth: Yet the apostle feems most inclined (as charitable men are apt to be) to the weaker fide. And, that charity might have the cafting hand in the whole controverfy, he directed those who were thoroughly inftructed, not to use their full lawful liberty in the prefence of a weak brother,

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brother, left he fhould be tempted, either to do as others did, tho' against his confcience, or elfe to forfake the chriftian communion; either of which would have been a deadly fin. Judge this (faith the apoftle), that no man put a stumbling block, or an occafion to fall, in his brother's way. And again, If thy brother be grieved (or scandalized) by thy meat, now walkeft thou not charitably: deftroy not him with thy meat, for whom Chrift died. And again, For meat deftroy not the work of God; All things indeed are pure, but it is evil for that man who eateth with offence. It is good neither to eat flefs, nor to drink wine, nor any thing whereby thy brother fumbleth, or is offended, or made weak.

The other cafe, related to those profelytes' who had been brought over to christianity from heathenifm: Of which we find the account in the 8th chapter of the first epistle to the Corinthians.-Whereas there was a general cuftom among the heathens, to eat part of thofe facrifices, which had been of fered to their fuppofed deities; many of them, tho' they had received the chriftian faith, continued this cuftom nevertheless; believing

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believing ftill, that the things they worshipped were real beings, and that they themselves were better by much for partaking of those their facrifices.

Others knew that these were groffly miftaken; and were convinced, that thofe idols were nothing but fictitious and imaginary deities. However these too reforted to the idol feafts, for compliance fake; yet believing them not to be religious, but ordinary meals.

Now this was a very fhameful and evil practice. For tho' the eating of those meats, fingly and in it felf confidered, was a thing indifferent; yet the fcandal it gave, made it utterly unlawful, because it was a violation of charity: it confirmed others in their old heathenish opinion, and encouraged them to go on ftill, in their heathenish, finful course.

To rectify this matter therefore, St. Paul discourseth to them, fhewing, that tho' he and others had a very vile opinion of the heathen idols; yet it was a most shameful and wicked thing, to lay a ftumbling block in their brethrens way (that is the expreffion again); that is, to minifter unto them any

occafion

occafion of falling into, or of continuing in a finful practice. Meat (fays he) commendeth us not unto God; for neither if we eat are we the better, neither if we eat not are we the worse. But take heed, left by any means this liberty of yours, become a stumbling block to them that are weak. For if a man fee thee, who haft knowledge, fit at meat in the idols temple; fhall not the confcience of him that is weak, be emboldened to eat thofe things which are offered to idols? And thro' thy knowledge, shall the weak brother perish, for whom Christ died. And at the clofe of that chapter, he declared his own peremptory refolution; that if meat made his brother to offend, he would eat no flesh while the world food, left he should make his brother to offend.

Here then is a noble rule of charity, for us all to go by; namely, To be very careful that we do not at any time encourage others to do evil, by our indecent and scandalous examples in any cafe; not so much as in the use of things purely indifferent, much less by doing things that have a moral and natural evil in them: fuch things are of a moft shameful nature, and of very

dangerous

dangerous confequence; and therefore we fhould always beware of them, left we be anfwerable for other men's deftruction and ruin as well as our own.

own.

THE Second property of charity in my text is expreffed thus;-Seeketh not her That is to fay; a charitable person feeketh not his own private advantage only, but the profit of others too; and especially the good of the whole community, to which he ftands related.

This is included in the very notion of charity; for it is a kind, benevolent difpofition, that makes us lend an helping hand, wherever it is wanting.

The truth is, this is charity to one's felf too, as well as to others, if we confider the matter rightly. That we may be tied, and linked, and bound close together by mutual love and kindness, God hath fo ordered the ftate of this world, that all men have a neceffary dependance one upon another ; nor would there be fuch a fhiftlefs, pitiful, miferable creature in the world as man, were he to live alone, and by himself.