by counteracting the light of their own con- SERM. fciences. When a cafe is fo ftated that the I. ufe of our liberty has fo vaftly different and directly opposite effects upon our neighbour

on the one hand, doing what we may think in itself not finful, tends to his edification in wickedness, to his ruin, and fo far defeating the defign of chrift's death; on the other, abstaining, which no man can judge unlawful, tends to his edification in faith and virtue, and the preservation of his integrity, to the faving of his soul, and the honour of the gofpel, when, I fay, a cafe is fo ftated, what chriftian heart would not chufe the charitable fide and abftain 2 St. Paul for himself carries his charity fo far as to declare, verfe 13, Wherefore, if meat make my brother to offend, I will eat no flesh while the world ftandeth, left ·I fhould make my brother to offend.

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I conclude, that thus far to please their neighbours for good to edification is a standing rule to chriftians in all ages, where the cafe is parallel to that stated and decided by the apostle. But then we must take care that the cafe be indeed parallel, that is that in a diverfity of opinions concerning the fame action, it is on the one fide known to be indifferent, and on the other judged to be fimply

SERM. unlawful; and that the tendency of acting

against the opinion of the weak, is not merely to irritate, or difoblige, but to fhock them in their religious faith and profeffion, or induce them to violate their confciences by imitating what their hearts condemn as an evil example. It is plain no man can be bound under pretence of pleafing his neighbour to edification, to do what himfelf judges unlawful, or to omit a pofitive duty; that would be doing evil that good may come; pretending to edify another at fo great an expence as deftroying himfelf; in fine, introducing univerfal wickedness among chriftians, by taking away moft abfurdly the neceffary differences of duty and fin: noryet,

Secondly, Does it appear, by the precedents and decifions of the apoftle, that our judgment concerning expediency is to be fubmitted to others. The meaning of expediency in the language of St. Paul is the conducivenefs of an action, in itself indifferent, to promote the interest of religion and the good of others, which in a great measure depends on their opinion concerning it. The very reafon for his abftaining from fome lawful things, was, that the circumftances with which they were attended, rendered them inexpedient, that is dif-ferviceable to the honour of chrifti

anity, and the fpiritual good of weak chri- SERM. ftians, especially, because those weak chri- I. ftians judg'd them unlawful. But, if they

had judg'd them only inexpedient, their opi nion could not affect him in the fame manner, and be an argument for his forbearing in compliance with them; because there the reafon doth not hold, offence is not given in the fcripture fenfe of the word; no one can be supposed to be weakened in his belief of, and adherence to the gofpel, by feeing the profeffors of it do what he only accounts inexpedient; nor is an action only inexpedient, and not reputed in itself wicked, a temptation to prefumptuous wickedness, as an example.

Befides, if the rule to please our neighbours were carried fo far, no man would know how to conduct himself, there is fuch a variety and contradiction in the opinions of men upon the point of expediency, which depend wholly on mutable circumstances, there I wou'd be no certain measures for our direction that which fome efteem expedient, others efteem inexpedient; he that would please all, muft find it impracticable, and fhould not know how to act. And the truth is, in that way of proceeding, a chriftian would find himself poffefs'd of no liberty at

;

all.

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SERM, all. In the matters of pofitive duty and fin, the I. law of God has prefcribed to him; and if in leffer things, not determined by the rule of his religion, his judgment and practice must be directed by his neighbours, wherein is he free? But St. Paul was jealous for liberty, as every wife and good man will be, for it is one of the most valuable rights of the human. nature and of the chriftian ftate. It was his principle and his rule, to contend for it when any unreasonable encroachments were made upon it. If any thing, which in general was indifferent, fo that it might be done or not, done as prudence confidering circumstances should direct, was made neceffary by the will of men, his fellow chriftians, in whatever fta tion, he would by no means fubmit to it. Of this we have a remarkable inftance in his different conduct with refpect to the Jewish ceremonies. He fometimes complied with them, when it only appeared expedient, but still left a matter of liberty. He circumcifed Timothy to recommend him the more to the Jews, and he practis'd fome of the ceremonies himself, by the advice of his brethren * But if the fame things were infifted on as neceffary, which happened at Antioch, where

Acts xxi.

the

I.

the circumcifion of Titus was peremptorily SE RM. demanded to qualify him for religious com munion, there he contended earnestly for freedom, and, as he fays himfelf, would not give place by fubjection for fo much as one hour, that the truth of the gospel might continue with the churches, uncorrupted by any fuch additions to it. I conclude, then, that li berty must not be given up to the pretence of edification, and that it is not the meaning of of the rule in the text, that we fhould please our neighbours, by fubmitting to a standing, conftant neceffity laid upon indifferent things, merely by their opinions, or their wills.

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I fhall conclude this difcourfe with the following inferences, Firft, from the account which has been given of the nature and meaning of edification, it appears that christians are often miftaken in the judgment they make concerning edification, both of themfelves and others. If it really means an increase of profitable knowlege, of faith, virtue and charity; they judge very wrong who efteem inftructions to be edifying merely by the found of words, the pleafing of the fancy, or even executing fome fudden, unabiding warmth of affections, without giving any light to useful points, or tending to pro

mote