and Nehemiah might have gone into the temple, to save him- self from dangerf: but they both chose rather to expose then- lives to any peril, rather than do what in their circumstances would have been open to misconstruction, and would have been imputed to them as sin. Thus there are some amuse- ments and indulgences which, under particular circumstances and in a limited degree, may be innocent, from which we nevertheless ought to abstain ; lest an undue advantage be taken of our conduct, and we be considered as patronizing that, which, under other circumstances, would be positively evil.]
2. The manner in which we do them —
[Much, very much, depends on the manner in which we do things which in themselves are inoffensive or even good. None can doubt but that alms-deeds, prayer, and fasting, are good in themselves ; yet they may be so performed as to be open to the imputation of vanity or hypocrisy : on which account our Lord gives us rules for the due discharge of these duties g. To give instruction or reproof to our neighbours is doubtless an important office ; but if it be performed in an unbecoming spirit, we shall appear to others to be only venting our own spleen, and all our endeavours will be lost upon them. Hence is that direction given us by the Apostle, " Let not your good be evil spoken of11."]
3. The end for which we do them —
[Daniel might with great propriety have prayed in his house with his windows shut : yea, it might have been thought, perhaps, more decorous. But, in his circumstances, he deter- mined to die rather than to suspend his devotions, or even to conceal them by shutting his windows. He was in the midst of idolaters, and therefore he judged it necessary openly to confess his God. And, when the edict was issued by the Persian monarch to forbid the offering of any petition to any one except himself for the space of thirty days, Daniel was more bound than ever to worship openly ; because the con- cealing of his devotions would have been considered as a renunciation or denial of his God. Hence he determined to make no alteration whatever in his conduct, but to abide the consequences of his fidelity to God1. Thus should we walk circumspectly, " cutting off occasion from them that seek occasion;" and determining that our enemies "shall find no cause of complaint against us, except concerning the law of our GodV]
f Nek. vi. 10—31. s Matt. vi. 1— G, 16—18.
h Rom. xiv. 16. > Dan. vi. 10. k Dan. vi. 5.