22 Mutual Edification, the Duty of Chri /tians. SERM. berty in that cafe, they were offended; that is, eí- I' ther tempted to think that the chriftian inftitu- 'tion itfelf indulged men in the profane violation of a ftanding divine law, (for they thought the law prohibiting certain meats was ftill bind- ing) and fo might be fhock'd in the belief of it ; or elfe they were tempted in imitation of the ftrong, efpecially influenc'd by a re- gard to their fuperior knowledge, to ufe the fame freedom, yet with a gainfaying con- fcience, which was in them a very heinous guilt. The apoftle fets this in a very ftrong light *. The cafe indeed he there treats of is different, but fo far parallel, that it relates to the ufe of liberty in a point 'not abfolutely unlawful, the eating of meats offered to idols, which did not become unclean of themfelves by that abufe of them. His words are, If any man fee thee who haft knowledge, fit at meat in the idol's temple, (hall not the con - fcience of him who is weak be emboldened to eat thofé things which are offered to idols? and thro' thy knowledge (hall the weak bro- ther perifh, for whom Chrill died? The word render'd, emboldened, properly fignifies, edfed; but it is the reverfe of chriftian edifi- cation, it is building up men in impiety and profaraenefs in contempt of God's authority, Y Cor. viii, io, by
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