176 17. 18 For he that in thefe Things ferveth Chrift, is acceptable to Gop, and approved of Men. 19 Let us therefore folmake for Peace, and Things low after thefe Things which wherewith one may edify another. But purfue the Things, that make for Peace; Sect. 31. Subjects, confifts not in Meat and Drink; it nei- GOD is not Meat and ther prohibits nor enjoins fuch Things as these, and Peace, and Joy in the Drink, but Righteousness Rom. XIV. nor is taken up with fuch little Matters; but the Holy Ghoft. great Defign of it is to regulate the Temper of its Profeffors, and in the most effectual Manner to cultivate and promote Righteousness and Peace and Joy in the Holy Ghoft, that is, a chearful Temper, fupported by a Confciousness of strict Integrity, established on Principles of universal Love, and infpired by the bleffed Spirit of GOD (d). 18 And he, that in thefe Things faithfully ferveth Chrift, and acts upon the great Maxims of his Religion, [is] acceptable to GOD, whether he abftains from the Liberties in Question, or allows himself in them: And he will also be in the Main approved by Men too; for bad as the World is, upright and benevolent Men, who put on no affected Rigor and Severities in Religion, are generally esteemed 19 and beloved in it. Thus let us therefore act, and with all poffible Diligence purfue the Things which tend to Peace, and may promote our mu20 tual Edification in our common Faith. And whoever thou art, that mayeft difrelish the Exhortation, in this Connection, do not indulge to fo mean a Taste, as for the Sake of this or that particular Kind of Meat, to destroy thy Brother; who, as a Man, would appear the nobleft Work of GOD, in this lower World, if all the peculiar Confiderations of Christianity were out of the Question. 'Tis true indeed, and I hinted above, that in themselves all Things [are] pure; yet [that is] morally evil to a Man, that he eateth with Offence and Scandal; contrary to the Rule of his own Conscience, and enfnaring to that of others. 21 In this View I may venture to fay, [it is] good neither to eat any Kind of Flesh, tho' that would be a much more rigorous Self-denial than I am now pleading for; nor even to drink Wine, tho' in the most moderate Degree; nor indeed to indulge to [any Thing] elfe, by which thy Brother is fcandalized or weakened, that is, by which he may 20 For Meat destroy not the Work of God. All Things indeed are pure; but it is Evil for that Man who eateth with Offence. 21 It is Good neither to eat Flefh, nor to drink by thy Brother stumbleth, Wine, nor any Thing whereor is offended, or is made weak. (d) A chearful Temper, &c.] This is the Interpretation, which Dr. Scott has given, in his Chriftian Life, Vol. i. pag. 285. and I think it, on the whole, preferable to any other. To enjoy their own Perfuafion, without offending others. 22 Haft thou Faith? Have it to thyself before GOD. Happy is he that condemn eth not himself in that Thing which he alloweth. 23 And he that doubteth, is damned if he cat, becaufe he eateth not of Faith: For whatsoever is not of Faith, is Sin. 177 may either be enfnared, or discouraged, in his Sect. 31. religious Course. 22. Thou wilt perhaps plead, that thou haft Faith Rom. XIV. in a fuperior Exercife, and beholdest Christianity in a more extenfive and generous View. It is well; and I could not wish thy Views fhould be more contracted. But if thou hast such a just Perfuafion of the Indifference of thefe Things, which others fcruple; yet in Circumstances like these, which I here fuppofe, have it to thyself before GOD: Content thyfelf that he is Witness to it, and conceal thofe Apprehenfions, just as they may be, in thine own Breaft, when they cannot be published with Advantage, or without Offence. But permit me to add, upon this Occafion, happy [is] be who doth not condemn himself in the Thing which he alloweth: It is a happy Thing for a Man, to be quite eafy in what he does, and free, not only from the Reproaches, but the Sufpicions of his Conscience, and to use even lawful Enjoyments only in a lawful and regular Degree. But he that really in his Confcience 23 maketh a Difference between one Sort of Food, and another, is condemned by GoD as a Sinner, if he eat out of unbridled Appetite, vain Complaifance, or weak Shame. It must in fuch a Cafe be criminal, because [be eateth] not with Faith, that is, with a full Satisfaction in his own Mind, that God allows and approves the Action. For it may be laid down as a general Maxim in all thefe Cafes, that whatsoever [is] not of Faith, is Sin; fince the Divine Authority ought to be fo facred with every Man, as to engage him, not only to avoid what is plainly and directly contrary to it, but what he apprehends, or even fufpects, to be fo; tho' that Apprehenfion, or Sufpicion, should chance to be founded on his own Ignorance, or Mistake. VOL. IV. IN IMPROVE 178 Ver. 12. Ver. 14,-23 Ver. 15. Ver. 16. Ver. 17. Ver. 18. Ver. 19. Reflections on our Obligation to avoid giving Offence, &c. IMPROVEMENT. TILL let that great and final Account, which each must render of himself to GOD, he kept in our Mind; that we may learn Obedience to him, Candor to each other, and a tender Care to avoid every Thing, that might give unneceffary Offence to our Brethren. And in the Views of it, let us learn always to reverence our own Confciences fo as never to be engaged to do what we fufpect to be unlawful: Since no Confideration can ever balance the infinite Evil of offending GoD, and bringing Guilt on our own Souls. That is to us unclean, which we efteem to be fo, and what is not of Faith, is Sin. པ མམ་ Let us alfo be cautious, that we do not incur Guilt and Condemnation, even by Things which we allow, as in the Main lawful; folicitously attending, not only to the general Nature, but the probable Confequences of our Actions. And where there is Danger of injuring the Souls of others, the let us often reflect, that Chrift died for them; and estimate, fo far as we can conceive it, the Value of Souls, by the Value of that Blood, by which they were redeemed. of Let us alfo take great Heed, that we do not give Occafion to others, by our imprudent Conduct, to speak Evil of that which is in itfelf Good. And that we may not do it, let us ftudy thofe great and generous Notions of Religion, which this excellent Paffage of Scripture gives us. Let it be written upon our Hearts, that the Kingdom of GOD, is not Meat or Drink, that it doth not confift in a Zeal for, or against, any the little Distinctions, by which Chriftians have been fo often divided, and which have been too frequently the Occafion of mutual Alienation in their Affections. Let us ftudy, and practife more Righteousness, and Peace, and foy in the Holy Ghoft. The Approbation of GOD, confequent on this, may well fupport us, tho' Men fhould cenfure us as lukewarm; yea, perhaps as hypocritical, and interested too, in the candid Regards we fhew to those which differ from each other, and from us. GOD will remember their Rafhnefs and Forwardness to these uncharitable Cenfures; but let us rather fay, may he cure, and forgive them.” Yet while we cultivate the amiable Temper here fet before us, bad as the World is, we may hope that we shall be accepted by many; and indeed, in Proportion to this Knowledge of our real Character, by all, whofe Acceptance and Friendship is most to be valued. Let us not therefore be difcouraged at any ill Ufage, which in particular Inftances we may meet with; but ftill follow the Things that make for Peace, and conduce to mutual Edification: And the GOD of Peace will be with us, and Jefus, the great Lord of the Church, which is his Houfe, will sinile on our Attempts 179 The Strong to bear the Infirmities of the Weak; Attempts to build it up into one united and beauteous Edifice, till he Sect. 31. call us to his Temple above, where all is Order, and Harmony, and Love for ever. The Apostle farther urges mutual Condefcenfion by new Motives; particularly, the Example of Chrift, and the Goodnefs of GOD to us all, and the Regard which Chrift bad fhewn to Jews and Gentiles, in bringing or fending the Gofpel to them, according to the Tenor of Prophecies, which be adds to the Lift of thofe produced above. Rom. XV. great EEING therefore, my Brethren, it is fo Sect. 32. dangerous for any to do that, concerning Rom. XV. I. which they are not in their Confciences satisfied, that it is affuredly lawful; we ought to take Care, that we do not, by our uncharitable Impofitions or irregular Examples, lay a Temptation in their Way to do it. And we who are Strong, that is, who perfectly understand the Liberty, which Chriftianity gives to its Profeffors, ought, with all tender Sympathy and Compaffion, to bear the Infirmities of the Weak, not only tolerating them, but in fome Inftances reftraining our own Inclinations, out of a Regard to their Advantage, and not, as too many do, to please ourfelves, to gratify our own Inclinations and Humours, whether others be comforted or grieved, edified or infnared. On the contrary, let every one 2 of us rather make it his Care, fo far as he lawfully and conveniently can, to pleafe [his] Neighbour, where it may be, for [his] real Good, and condefcend even to his Ignorance and Prejudices, where there is Reafon to hope it may conduce to his Edification, and that of the Church; which Z 2 is 180 Sect. 32. Rom. XV.3. For even Chrift pleafed not himself. And furely we must be disposed to act such a the 3 For even Chrift pleased not himfclf; but as it is written, The Reproaches of them that reproached thee, fell on me. 4 For whatsoever Things were written aforetime, were written for our Learning; that we through Patience and Comfort of the Scrip tures (a) The Reproaches of those, &c.] Some Expofitors refer this to Chrift's having undertaken by his Sufferings to expiate the Guilt of Sin, every Species of which may be confidered as a Reproach caft on the Law and Government of GOD. See Cradock in Loc. I have given what feemed to me the more direct and natural Senfe, but will not fay, this other should be excluded, which may well agree both with the Words and Connection. It muft, on the Principle, on which the Apostle goes in many of his Quotations, be very pleasant to obferve, how all the Expreffions of the highest Piety and Devotion, to be found in the Writings or Difcourfes of Good-men of Old, are applicable to Chrift. But many learned Criticks maintain, that the lxix Pfalm may, in its original Senfe, be interpreted as a Prophecy of the Meffiah. How inexpreffible a Grief and Butthen the Sight of fo much Wickednefs must have been to fo pure and holy a Mind, as that of our Lord, it is impoffible for us fully to conceive; but were we more like him, we might, and we certainly fhould, enter more into it, than we generally do. (b) The |