On the other hand, supposing again that we have this strong sense of the great responsibility in the sight of God of every man who has the privilege of a vote, we shall be exceedingly careful not to tempt him to sin by fulfilling this duty ill.  Nothing can be more natural or more proper than that those who have strong impressions themselves as to the line to be followed in public matters, should be desirous of persuading others to think as they do; every man who loves truth and righteousness must wish that what he himself earnestly believes to be true and righteous, should be loved by others also; but the highest truth, if professed by one who believes it not in his heart, is to him a lie, and he sins greatly by professing it.  Let us try as much as we will to convince our neighbours; but let us beware of influencing their conduct, when we fail in influencing their convictions:  he who bribes or frightens his neighbour into doing an act which no good man would do for reward or from fear, is tempting his neighbour to sin; he is assisting to lower and to harden his conscience,—­to make him act for the favour or from the fear of man, instead of for the favour or from the fear of God; and if this be a sin in him, it is a double sin in us to tempt him to it.  Nor let us deceive ourselves by talking of the greatness of the stake at issue; that God’s glory and the public good are involved in the result of the contest, and that therefore we must do all in our power to win it.  Let us by all means do all that we can do without sin; but let us not dare to do evil that good may come, for that is the part of unbelief; it becomes those who will not trust God with the government of the world, but would fain guide its course themselves.  Here, indeed, our Lord’s command does apply to us, that we be not anxious; “Which of you by taking thought can add to his stature one cubit?” How little can we see of the course of Providence! how little can we be sure that what we judged for the best in public affairs may not lead to mischief!  But these things are in God’s hand; our business is to keep ourselves and our neighbours from sin, and not to do or encourage in others any thing that is evil, however great the advantages which we may fancy likely to flow from that evil to the cause even of the highest good.

There is no immediate prospect, indeed, that we in this particular congregation shall be called upon to practise the duty of which I have been now speaking; and, indeed, it is for that very reason that I could dwell on the subject more freely.  But what is going on all around us, what we hear of, read of, and talk of so much as we are many of us likely to do in the next week or two about political matters, that we should be accustomed to look upon as Christians:  we should by that standard try our common views and language about it, and, if it may be, correct them:  that so hereafter, if we be called upon to act, we may act, according to the Apostle’s