own piety is brought into suspicion. 2. Others may be unnecessarily grieved, and the communion of saints be interrupted. 3. Some may be led by your example to do the same things in opposition to their conscience, and even to go much further in what is wrong.

Still this deference to the opinions of others, has its limits, nor does it, in any case, forbid the attempt to remove their scruples by argument and persuasion. We are not obliged to consult the whims and caprices of every ignorant or fastidious individual who chooses to take exception to our conduct; nor to submit to the unreasonable and impertinent interference of every one who assumes a right to call us to account; much less to solicit the opinions of our neighbours on all occasions, for this would be endless and ridiculous; but still a man who is regardful, and every man ought to be regardful, of his own Christian reputation, the credit of religion, and the comfort, especially the safety of his neighbour, will often say to himself, in reference to a particular action, or course of actions, Well, although I could do this with a clear conscience, because I believe it is quite lawful; yet, as I am not obliged to do it, and I know it is thought to be wrong by others, I will abstain from it, lest I injure my religious profession in their estimation, or lead them, by my example, to do the same thing, in opposition to their own conscience." Many a professor has injured, if not ruined his reputation for ever, in the estimation of some persons, by actions which appeared quite lawful in his own eyes, and, perhaps, were really so, but they were not thought so by those observers of them. Their decision was contrary to charity; but his conduct was no less contrary to prudence. Reputation is a thing which no man may trifle with,

but which every one must watch with a sleepless and jealous vigilance; and it is assailable from so many quarters, and wounded by such small, and seemingly contemptible weapons, that we must never be off our guard. It is not enough to do what we know to be good, but we must ever be studious to avoid what others imagine to be evil. We must not only be harmless as doves, but wise as serpents. It is our duty, in some cases, to yield to the ignorance we cannot enlighten, and to give way to the prejudice we cannot convince. We must never, I allow, carry our candour so far as to give up principle to our own harm, nor bow to prejudice to our neighbour's; but when we can give way without the risk of injury to ourselves or our neighbour, and with the probability of good to both, no obstinate attachment to our own opinion should prompt us to stand out. Great sacrifice of feeling, and considerable self-denial, will be sometimes necessary to act upon this plan: but, then, what is religion but one continued course of self-denial. Taking up the cross is the condition on which alone we can be accepted as a disciple of Christ. It may, perhaps. occasionally inflict a wound upon our pride, make a deduction from our self-importance, and be felt as an abridgement of our independence, to make this concession to weakness or fastidiousness; but it is due alike to ourselves, to our neighbour, and to God. It is the law of religion; and, after all, is the perfection of human character, which consists of the admixture, in due proportions, of the opposite elements of selfwilfulness and servility. Sin, in any form, and in any degree, is so evil, and should be felt by the Christian to be so hateful and disgraceful, that he should wish to stand clear of it, and be acquitted, not only in the court of conscience, and of God, but

at the bar of every human being upon earth. His religious character, as a professor, should be as dear to him, and guarded with as much care, as that of her social reputation to a female, to whom it is not sufficient to know that she has committed no violation of the law of chastity, but wishes to avoid what might appear to be such, in the estimation of all, and who would not be suspected by a single individual in the world.

action,

"

must we say,

but י

66

Professors, consider this close and comprehensive rule of conduct. It is not enough not to do evil, for we must not even seem to do it: we must avoid the first for the sake of conscience, and the second for the sake of reputation; the first for our own sake, the second for our neighbour's sake; and both for God's sake. It is not enough to ask concerning an Is it lawful?" but "is it seemly?" nor "Prove that it is evil, and I will abstain from it; If it has the shadow, though it has not the substance, the mere show of evil, I will avoid it." And if, then, we are to avoid the resemblances of evil, how much more evil itself: if what only some men think to be sin, how much more what all men know to be such. And while we are to abstain from the mere likenesses of evil, we are also not to be content with the mere likenesses of good; the former as too much, and the latter as too little, to content a Christian mind. By giving ourselves to follow the shadows of evil, we may sink to perdition, while the mere shadow of good will never lead us to heaven.

CHAPTER VIII.

ON CONFORMITY TO THE WORLD.

There

THERE is such a precept as this in the New Testament, "Be not conformed to this world." It is unrepealed, and in full force; and is as binding upon us, as it was in the days of the apostles. may exist difficulties in the way of ascertaining its meaning, its applicableness, and its limits, but it has a meaning Christians, and even expositors of scripture, may differ in their opinions of its import, but still it is a rule of Christian conduct. There are passages similar to it in the word of God; such as the following, to which the reader is earnestly requested to turn.—1 John, ii, 15, 16. Matthew, vi. 24. Gal. i. 10, James, iv. 4. To what does the the rule apply? Not merely to actual vice: immorality is forbidden in other places where its acts are enumerated and branded: nor on the other hand, can it intend to set the Christian in all things in direct contrariety to the world. It is not a command to useless and unmeaning singularity for the sake of singularity. The world is sometimes and in some things right; and in all that is kind, courteous, polite and honourable, in all the innocent usages of society, in all the pure tastes and lawful pursuits of our neighbours, we may be conformed to the world. But there are many things which occupy a kind of middle place between these two things; they are

not absolutely immoral, nor are they innocent, pure, lawful for a Christian. They are sinful, but yet not what are usually denominated vicious: and some of them are things lawful in their nature, and made wrong only by excess. They are matters which a man may carry on, and yet not lose his reputation with the multitude, even as a professor; and yet they are forbidden.

What is the meaning of the rule?

It will help us to determine this, if we turn back and consider what a profession of religion implieswhich is, that we take the Lord Jesus Christ as our Saviour, Lord, and example; are supremely intent upon the salvation of our souls as the great end and object of existence; and make the word of God the rule of our conduct. In these things we are different from the world around us. This, in fact, constitutes the difference. We acknowledge ourselves to be a peculiar people, and that this separation is visibly maintained by our entire subinission to the laws of Christ. We say to all around us, Whatever you seek, I am seeking salvation; whatever rules of conduct you observe, I obey the laws of Christ, as laid down in the New Testament. I am governed by these laws in all things; and I cannot allow you to obtrude upon me your rules of action. I am determined in what is right or wrong, not by the law of honour, or fashion, or ambition, but by the commands of Christ." Now this is really the import of a Christian profession, and therefore conformity to the world must be tried by this. The member of a community or of a family situated in the midst of other states or families, must be governed by the laws of his own community, and must not allow the laws of these other states or families to be obtruded upon him, but must obey his own. So the Christian