others is highly criminal : it argues a want of love ; without which divine principle, whatever a man may have, he is no better than " sounding brass, or a tinkling cymbal5." Those around us have immortal souls, for which we ought to be tenderly concerned : and, as they must of necessity be more or less affected by our conduct, and have their estimate of our principles influenced by the fruits which they produce, it be- comes us, for their sakes, to avoid casting any stumbling-block before them, or giving them any unnecessary offence. We should, as far as possible, " prevent even our good from being evil spoken of *." Nay further; we should endeavour to "please men," yea, to " please all men." " Let every one of us please his neighbour for his good to edification : for even Christ pleased not himself11." Nay, I go further still, and say, that we ought to be ready to make considerable sacrifices for this very end : for St. Paul, speaking on this very subject, says, " Give none offence, neither to the Jews, nor to the Gentiles, nor to the Church of God : even as I please all men in all things, not seeking mine own profit, but the profit of many, that they may be saved x." Now, this is a point on which religious people, and young people especially, need to be put upon their guard. There is a self-will, and self-pleasing, in religious matters, as well as in things unconnected with religion : and there is a disposition to magnify the importance of matters that are indifferent, and to urge the claims of con- science for things which are really dictated only by inclination, and an undue pertinacity in these things frequently proves a greater stumbling-block to our friends and relatives, than a firm adherence to any positive duty would do. Still, how- ever, I must guard this on the other hand ; and say, that, in any concessions which we may make, we must look well to our motives, which none but God can see. We must not comply with the wishes or solicitations of men, merely to please them, or to avoid exciting their dipleasure : we must do it simply " for their good to edification." This was the Apostle's motive, in all his compliances : " Though I be free from all men, yet have I made myself servant unto all, that I might gain the more : unto the Jews I became as a Jew, that I might gain the Jews ; to them that are under the law, as under the law, that I might gain them that are under the law ; to them that are without law, as without law, (being not without law to God, but under the law to Christ,) that I might gain them that are without law: to the weak, became I as weak, that I might gain the weak : I am made all things to all men, that I might by all means save some. And this I do (not for my own
s 1 Cor. xiii. 1. l Rom. xiv. 16. u Rom. xv. 2, 3.
x 1 Cor. x. 32, 33.