sake, but) for the Gospel's sake, that I might be partaker thereof with youy." Let this distinction be kept in view, and this principle be in operation, and we shall not materially err, either by pertinacity on the one hand, or by compliance on the other.
It may be said, that this mode of proceeding will make a Christian's conduct extremely difficult and unnecessarily dan- gerous ; and that it will be better to adhere to the broad line altogether, and to wave all consideration except for the good of our own souls. But to this I can by no means accede. I agree that this would be far easier, and in some respects safer: but I cannot therefore say that it is better. It may be right to incur both difficulty and danger for the good of others ; though it would not be right to incur them merely for their gratification. It would be right to expose our own lives to a tempest in a small boat for the sake of saving a shipwrecked crew, when it would be highly criminal to do so for the amusement of those on shore : and, if we do subject ourselves both to difficulty and a measure of danger for the everlasting salvation of others, we may expect the Divine protection and blessing in our endeavours. Let us but serve our God ac- cording to his directions, and we need not fear but that " he will give his angels charge over us, to keep us in all our ways. J
2. Positively, what effect this assertion should produce —
[It must lead us to adopt a decided part, and never to swerve from the path of duty, even if the whole world should be against us. The conduct of the Apostles should be ours, whenever such an alternative is presented to us: "Whether it be right to hearken unto you more than unto God, judge ye ;" for we cannot but do the things which our God requires2. We must be very careful to examinp what the path of duty is; but, having ascertained it, we must not turn from it to the right hand or to the left, on any account whatever. We must not deviate from the path of duty, in a way either of commis- sion or of omission. Suppose it said to us, as to the Hebrew Youths, ' Bow down to this idol, or thou shalt go into the fiery furnace;' we should not hesitate to choose the fke in pre- ference to the sin. Or if it were said, as to Daniel, ' Forbear to pray to thy God, or thou shalt be cast into the den of lions a;' we should not hesitate to prefer the den of lions, to an abandonment of an acknowledged duty: nay, we should not even appear to concede the point ; but should serve God openly, and at all events*. As far as our Lord and the world
y 1 Cor. ix. 19—23. z Acts iv. 19, 20. a Dan. iii. " Dan. vi.