Neither must we do evil for our oion advantage. If an act be sinful, we must, like the Hebrew Youths, refuse to do it, even though we saw the fiery furnace, already burning with seven-fold intenseness, ready to destroy us. So likewise, if a duty be clear, we must not be deterred from the performance of it, even though we knew that the consequence of our per- severance must be an immediate incarceration in the den of lions : like Daniel, we must prefer the maintenance of a good conscience to the preservation of courtly favour, and the avoid- ance of a cruel deaths In all such cii'cumstances we must embrace the proffered alternative, and surrender up our lives rather than violate a command of God.]
2. Which is not evil in its consequences —
[An act perfectly innocent in itself may, by the circum- stances in which we are placed, become no longer innocent.
a Dan. vi. 10.
1966.] NATURE OF CHRISTIAN LIBERTY. SO'i
If, for instance, the eating of meat offered to an idol be likely to prove a temptation or a stumbling-block to a weak brother, we are then no longer at liberty to eat it, notwithstanding in itself it is a matter of perfect indifference. We are bound to have respect to his weakness, and to abstain from a thing which may become an occasion of sin to him : and, if we do not abstain from it, " we sin against him," and " we sin against Christ^."
So likewise, if a thing would be injurious to ourselves, we must not do it, even though others might be at liberty to do it. Suppose, for instance, we know from experience, that splendid equipage or apparel administers to, and calls forth into exercise, the pride and vanity of our hearts ; or that a luxurious table is apt to lead us to intemperance ; or that some particular amuse- ment operates as an incitement to covetousness, or a provo- cative to wrath ; we should deny ourselves in those particulars, and not seek an indulgence that we have reason to fear will become an occasion of sin. The express command of God in all such cases is, " Make not provision for the flesh, to fulfil it in the lusts thereof'^."
Thus under a variety of circumstances is our liberty abridged, even in things that are, under other circumstances, indifferent : for though all things may be lawful, they may not be expedient; and we must not so " be brought under the power of any,''' as not to be able to forego them, if the welfare either of ourselves or others demands the sacrifice '^.]
Such, we apprehend, are the limits beyond which Christian liberty has no existence. But within these limits there is abundant scope for, II. Its legitimate operations —
In all that we do, we should keep in view the best interests of mankind —
[Whatever Paul did, or whatever he forebore, his one object was to promote the salvation of his fellow-men. This he tells us six times in the short space of four verses : and in another place he tells us, that he had the same object in view in all that he suffered : " We endure all things for the elect's sake, that they may obtain the salvation which is in Christ Jesus with eternal glory ^." Such must be our object also in all that we do. We must not be seeking merely to please men ; for " if we please men, we cannot be the servants of Jesus Christ :" in as far as we seek to " please them, it must be solely for their good to edification^." To remove their prejudices, to conciliate
'' 1 Cor. viii. 8 — 12. <= Rom. xiii. 14. ^ \ Cor. vi. 12.
« 2 Tim. ii. 10. f Rom. xv. 2.