t thine own, but of the other: for why is my
liberty judged of another man's conscience? For if I by grace be a
partaker, why am I evil spoken of for that for which I give thanks?
Whether ye eat, or drink, or whatsoever ye do, do all to the glory of
God._" (1 Cor. x. 23-31.)

Free use of all God's good gifts with bold conscience is to be the law
of Christian living, the daily practice and habit of the life. Voluntary
abstinence, forbearance in the use of the freedom, is demanded of us by
a yet higher law, the law of Christian charity, the charity which has
Christ for its model and inspiration; but only when we find that it will
be helpful to a weak brother in our personal intercourse with and
influence over his soul. That Paul did not adopt this as his rule of
living seems quite indisputable. He could not have omitted to refer to
it and explain it in such a passage as 1 Tim. iv. 1-5, if his own rule
had been abstinence. "_Now the Spirit speaketh expressly, that in the
latter times some shall depart from the faith, giving heed to seducing
spirits, and doctrines of devils; speaking lies in hypocrisy; having
their conscience seared with a hot iron; forbidding to marry, and
commanding to abstain from meats, which God hath created to be received
with thanksgiving of them which believe and know the truth. For every
creature of God is good, and nothing to be refused, if it be received
with thanksgiving; for it is sanctified by the word of God and prayer._"
At the same time we cannot question that he frequently acted on it when
brought into personal contact with brethren of weak faith and tender
conscience, whom he sought, by sympathy with their doubts and
difficulties, to educate to a more vigorous and healthy life. In order
to understand what we have every reason to believe was the habit of the
apostle's life, the free and temperate use of all the good gifts of God,
we must consider--

III. That the adoption of a rule of abstinence, in permanent deference
to weak consciences, would simply transfer to the weak the regulation of
the order of human life and the progress of the world. The pace of
progress would thus be permanently adjusted to the strength of the
weakest, instead of being so regulated as to stimulate and help the
weaker to press on into the front line. The result would be a grievous
impoverishment of moral and mental power; and Christianity, instead of
being the power of God unto salvation, would be the instrumen