cafe, by Uncharitableness, he fins against SER M. his Brother, and confequently against God. II. For, fince the promoting of Virtue and Goodness in the World, is the most important of all things; it becomes us at all times, and in all our Actions, to look upon it as our main End. And though the Perverfenefs of malicious perfons, who are apt to mifreprefent things, is by no means an Obligation upon any Good man to forbear doing any thing that he himfelf knows to be innocent; yet the Weaknefs of fincere and well-meaning Perfons, who by relying upon His Example might be led to do what would in Them be Sin, is a very strong reafon, (unless he has otherwise fome Great Occafion or Neceffity of Acting,) it is (I fay) in point of Charity a very strong reafon, why he fhould forbear doing that which would be fo hurtful to Them. Where the thing that gives Offence to Others, and either drives or leads them into Sin, is fuch as not only upon account of this Circumftance or Confequence, but intrinfically alfo and in its own Nature is unlawful; there the Scripture denounces against the Offender the utmost Severity of Woe, as against II. SER M. against a prefumptuous Dishonourer of God: Matt. xviii. 6. Whofo fball offend one of thefe little ones that believe in Me, it were better for him that a milftone were banged about his Neck, and that he were drowned in the Depth of the Sea: Woe unto the World, because of Offences; for it muft needs be that Offences come, but Woe to that man by whom the Offence cometh. But where the thing done is innocent in itself, and only by accidental confequence proves an occafion of Sin to Others; yet even There, he who forefees this confequence and takes not care to prevent it; is in Scripture charged with Uncharitablenefs towards the Soul of his Brother, if it be a Fellow-Chriftian whom he so causes to offend; or with want of true Concern for the Glory of God, if the Offence be given to an Unbeliever. As to the Cafe of Unbelievers; the Apostles thus exhort, 1 Pet. ii. 12. Have your converfation boneft among the Gentiles; that -they may by your good works which they shall behold, glorify God in the day of Vifitation. Again, 2 Cor. viii. 21. Provide for honeft things, (that is, things of good reputation as well as law ful,) II. ful,) not only in the fight of the Lord, but SER M. alfo in the fight of men. Abstain from all Appearance of Evil, 1 Th. v. 22. Provide things honeft, that is, reputable, in the fight of all men, Rom. xii. 17. Walk boneftly towards them that are without, 1 Th. iv. 12. Honestly, that is, wifely, circumspectly, so as to afford them no Objection against your religion; Thus the fame Apostle explains himself, Col. iv. 5. Walk in Wisdom towards them that are without. As to the cafe of Fellow-chriftians; how the Glory of God is to be promoted, by our behaviour towards Them; by our taking care to avoid even fuch innocent things, as we fee likely to lead any of Them into Sin, and may be forborn without any great inconvenience to Ourselves; the Apostle explains himself at large, by putting a particular and very remarkable inftance, in the chapter whereof my Text is a part; and in the eighth chapter of This Epistle; and in the fourteenth chapter to the Romans. THE Cafe he puts, is, whether it was lawful for Chriftians to eat of fuch meats, as the Heathen had facrificed to their VOL. II. Idols. D II. SER M. Idols. In the prefent chapter, whereof my Text is a part, he thus refolves the queftion, ver. 25, 27. Whatfoever is fold in the shambles, or fet before you at a friend's bouse, That eat, asking no question for conScience fake; i. e. Care not, whether the Heathens have fuperftitioufly offered it to their Idols, or not; For the Earth is the Lord's, and the Fulness thereof; ver. 26. The Meaning is; God made all things, and every creature of His is good, if it be received with Thanksgiving; nor can any man's Folly and Superftition make That to be unclean, which God has made clean to us. But if any man fay unto you, This is offered in facrifice unto Idols, ver. 28. then eat not, for his fake that fhewed it; that is, forbear Then, out of charity to Him, leaft Your Liberty cause Him to ftrain his Conscience, and fo fall into Sin. And then he fums up all in the words of the Text, Whether therefore ye eat or drink, or whatfoever ye do, do all to the Glory of God: Give none Offence, neither to the Jews, nor to the Gentiles, nor to the Church of God. IN II. IN the eighth chapter of this epiftle, SER M. he again propofes and refolves the fame queftion: Ver. 4. As concerning the eating things offered in Sacrifice unto Idols, we know that an Idol is nothing in the World, and that there is none Other God but One. Howbeit, faith he, ver. 7. there is not in every man That knowledge: For fome with confcience of the Idol unto this hour, eat it as a thing offered unto an Idol; and their Confcience, being weak, is defiled. Wherefore, though in reality, and to a man of understanding, the good creatures of God are not at all the worse, for having by others mens vain and fenfeless fuperftition been offered to an Idol; yet take heed, fays the Apostle, ver. 9. left by any means this Liberty of yours become a ftumblingblock to them that are weak: For if any man fee Thee which haft knowledge, fit at meat in the Idols temple, fhall not the confcience of Him that is weak, be emboldened, (in the original it is expreffed very emphatically, fhall be not be edified,) to eat thofe things which are offered to Idols? And through Thy knowledge, Shall the weak Brother perish, for whom Chrift died. And then he concludes, ver. 12. When |