g down to read works of theology?
The Apostle Paul tells us--No. You must love, in order to understand
love. "That ye, being rooted and grounded in love, may be able to
comprehend with all saints what is the breadth and length, and depth
and height; and to know the love of Christ which passeth knowledge."
Brother men, one act of charity will teach us more of the love of God
than a thousand sermons--one act of unselfishness, of real
self-denial, the putting forth of one loving feeling to the outcast
and "those who are out of the way," will tell us more of the meaning
of the Epiphany than whole volumes of the wisest writers on theology.

XVI.

_Preached January 25, 1852._

THE LAW OF CHRISTIAN CONSCIENCE.

"Howbeit there is not in every man that knowledge: for some, with
conscience of the idol, unto this hour, eat it as a thing offered
unto an idol; and their conscience being weak is denied. But meat
commendeth us not to God: for neither if we eat are we the better;
neither if we eat not are we the worse. But take heed lest by any
means this liberty of yours become a stumbling-block to them that
are weak. For if any man see thee which hast knowledge, sit at
meat in the idol's temple, shall not the conscience of him which
is weak be emboldened to eat those things which are offered to
idols; and through thy knowledge shall the weak brother perish for
whom Christ died? But when ye sin so against the brethren and
wound their weak conscience ye sin against Christ. Wherefore if
meat make my brother to offend I will eat no flesh while the world
standeth, lest I make my brother to offend."--1 Corinthians viii.
7-13.

We have already divided this chapter into two branches--the former
portion of it containing the difference between Christian knowledge
and secular knowledge, and the second portion containing the apostolic
exposition of the law of Christian conscience. The first of these we
endeavoured to expound last Sunday, but it may be well briefly to
recapitulate the principles of that discourse in a somewhat different
form.

Corinth as we all know and remember, was a city built on the sea
coast, having a large and free communication with all foreign nations;
and there was also within it, and going on amongst its inhabitants, a
free interchange of thought, and a vivid power of communicating the
philosophy and truths of those days t