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of the rectitude of his administrations : Ps. cxlv. 15 , ' The Lord is righteous in all his ways, and holy in all his works ; ' so a christian must not satisfy himself with an imaginary holiness within, but must really manifest the frame of his heart in his conversation and visible actings, that he may express God to the life, and be a perfect resem- blance of his purity to all that see him, and are conscious to his walking. Yea, they must be holy iv Trdaj] uvaaTpo(f)fj, ' in all manner of conversa- that is, in every creek and turning of his hfe ; there is no part of his conversation which ought not to savour of holiness ; not only his religious but even his common and civil actions ought to be done in the Lord, and for his glory. And in all conditions he ought to prove himself a hater of what God hateth, and a lover of what God loveth. This is one place that expresses a christian's duty, and the Lord help us to fulfil it. And as here our duty is expressed by holiness, and all manner of holiness, so the next place will acquaint us with the branches of it. And that is in Luke i. 74, 75, ' That being delivered out of the hands of our enemies, we might serve him without fear, in holiness and righteousness before him all the days of our lives.' Our duty there is made the end of our deliverance ; Christ came to deliver us from the curse of the law, but not from the duty of the law ; not that we might not serve God, but that we might serve him the more cheerfully, with- out fear, with peace of conscience, and joy of heart. But how will God be served ? and wherein must we express our duty to him ? There are two words — ' In holiness and righteousness.' Holiness noteth our consecrated estate, and expresseth the duties of the first table ; and righteousness the duties of the second table ; and both together, universal obedience prescribed in both the tables of the moral law. Mark it, our duty liethnotin external shows, butin inwardand substantial graces, expressed in a full conformity to the will of God. And this ' before him,' that is, before the all-seeing God, to whom no hypocrite can be acceptable. And ' all the days of our lives ; ' not for a fit or start, we must be con- stant all our life ; it is not enough to begin well, but we must hold out in such a course. Take another place : Col. i. 10, ' That ye might walk worthy of the Lord unto all pleasing, being fruitful in every good work, and increasing in the knowledge of God.' Still the work of a christian groweth upon our hands ; we are not only to be subject to God, but with such a subjection as will become such a Lord to exactor receive. And what is there not due to him ? ' Worthy of the Lord/ so as the world may see there is no terror comparable to his frowns, no comfort comparable to his smiles, or the sense of his favour. There is a repugnancy and unbeseemingness in a slight careless conversation to so great a Lord as we profess to serve and obey. And this ' unto all pleasing ; ' it is not enough to regard the matter of our actions, but also the scope and end of them. A thing done may be good for the matter, yet the end may be faulty ; as a piece of money may be good metal, yet if it have not the king's stamp, it is not current ; there must be in every action at least an habitual, and in actions more solemn and weighty an actual purpose to please God by our obedient walking. ' Walk worthy of the Lord in all pleasing,' and that too with fruitful- ness, tliat ye grow better every day, ' being fruitful in every good work ; ' praying better, hearing better, loving God more, and abounding in his
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Avork ; and this not only in practising what we know, but searching- that we may know more of his will concerning us — ' Increasing in the knowledge of God.' If all this beget not in you a sufficient sense of the duty that belongeth to a christian, take one place more : Heb. xii, 28, ' Wherefore, we receiving a kingdom which cannot be moved, let us have grace, whereby we may serve God acceptably with reverence and godly fear.' All the privileges of the gospel kingdom are given to us to oblige us ' to serve God ; ' and if we would serve God, we must ' have grace,' that is, we must take fast hold of gi'ace, otherwise we have neither heart, nor hand to serv^ him. But how will God be served ? ' Acceptably,' in a cheerful manner, as being persuaded of his accept- ance and good-will to us in Christ. And then in the other part of this scripture our duty is expressed by two words — ' Keverence and godly fear.' ' Eeverence,' in God's service, looketh at his excellency and glorious majesty, that there may be a due respect shown to him, and at our unworthiness, and the infinite distance between him and us — a sense of our vileness to come near him, and to be concerned in anything that concerneth his glory, who is so great a God. And then with ' godly fear,' that vre may circumspectly handle and meddle with his service, with a care not to offend, but please him in all things ; as with the greatest humility, so with the greatest caution. By this time I suppose you see what it is to serve God, and what obedience is required of us ; that he will not be put off with everything. No, he requireth that men should be like him, walk worthy of him, in holiness and righteousness all their days, and that with reverence and godly fear.