24. Mutual Edification, the Duty of Chriflians. SiRM., unlawful; and that the tendency of aking L againft the opinion of the weak, is not merely v`^) to irritate, or difoblige, but to (hock them in their religious faith and profeflion, 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 pre- tence 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 fogreat an expence as deftroying him - felf; in fine, introducing univerfal wickednefs among chriftians, by taking awaymoft abfurdly the neceffarydifferences of duty and fin : noryet, Secondly, Does it appear, by the precedents and decifions of the apoftle, that our judg- ment concerning expediency is tobe fubmitted to others. The meaning of 'expediency in the language of St. Paul is the conducive - nefs of an action, in itfelf indifferent, to pro- mote the intereft of religion and the good of others, which in a great meafure 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 unity,
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