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though there be a mixture of principles and of operations, yet there is not a mixture of interests ; there is hut one chief good ; their great design is to please God in all things.
[2.] As a person is holy hy his principle, so an action is holy by the rule, when it agreeth with it as to manner and matter and end. The substance of the matter must be such as is warranted by the law of God, which meteth and sets out the bounds of sin and duty : ' For by the law is the knowledge of sin/ Eom. iii. 20 ; Kom. xii. 2, ' That ye may prove what is that good, and acceptable, and perfect will of God ; ' Gal. vi. 16, 'As many as walk according to this rule, peace be on them, and mercy, and upon the Israel of God.' So for the manner ; it must be done in such a way as will suit with the nature of the action we are about. A man may sin in doing good when he doth not do it well : Luke viii. 18, ' Take heed how you hear ; ' Eccles. v. 1, ' Keep thy foot when thou goest into the house of God, and be more ready to hear than to give the sacrifice of fools ; for they consider not that they do evil.' And in our ordinary conversation : Eph. v. 15, ' See then that ye walk circumspectly, not as fools, but as wise ; ' Prov. iv. 26, ' Ponder the path of thy feet, and let all thy ways be established.' The end must be to glorify God : 1 Cor. x. 31, ' Whether therefore ye eat or drink, or whatsoever ye do, do all to the glory of God ; ' Col. iii. 17, ' What- soever ye do in word or deed, do all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God and the Father by him.' A common rule for all our actions, that they be undertaken in Christ's name, and thanks be given unto God for the event and success of them. In short, to be ruled by Clii'ist's command, depending on his help, aiming at his glory ; the heart must be habitually inclined to all things in him and for him,, so as in the issue and close of their actions to yield them matter of thanksgiving to God ; this is that universal holiness which is required of all christians.
III. Eeasous why this eminent holiness, both of persons and actions, should take place in the gospel, above the times of the law.
1. Because of our principle, the new nature wrought in us by the Spirit of God, which is suited to the whole will of God : Eph. iv. 24, 'And that yeput on the new man, which after God is createdin righteous- ness and true holiness.' As thou art a creature, thou art bound to do the whole will of God, for no creature can be exempted from subjection to his creator ; but now as new creatures, so are we fitted and prepared or put into a capacity to serve and please God in all things : Eph. ii. 10, ' For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus unto good works, which God hath before ordained that we should walk in them.' Every creature is fitted for the operations which belong to that life which it hath ; so the new creature, if created anew, is fitted anew, and therefore the new nature must show itself in all our actions towards God and men. The new nature must still show itself in all our actions with God, our neighbour, and ourselves : Titus ii. 12, * Teaching us that, denying ungodliness and worldly lusts, we should live soberly, righteously, and godly in the present world.' In our worship, taking all occasions of conversing with God ; as Cornelius, ' a devout man, and one that feared God with all his house, which gave much alms to the people, and prayed to God alway,' Acts x. 2. la
448 SERMON UPON ZECHARIAH XIV. 20, 21.
our dealings with men : Eom. xii. 17, ' Provide things honest in the sight of all men.' In charity : Acts ix. 36, Dorcas, a devout woman, ' full of good works and alms-deeds which she did.' Nay, in oar recreations and delights of the present life, use them still in order to God : 1 Tim. iv. 4, 5, ' For every creature of God is good, and nothing to be refused, if it be received with thanksgiving ; for it is sanctified by the word of God and prayer.' God's permission, and prayer calling for a blessing on it. The word showeth what is commanded as neces- sary, what is lawful or indifferent. Prayer on all things showeth the seriousness of a chi'istian ; in lesser matters, he would go about nothing but what is recommended to God.
2. Because of the exactness of our rule, which teacheth us how to walk in our several businesses and employments. A christian in his walk, either as to faith or manners, is not left indifferent to choose what rule pleaseth him best ; but there is a fixed determinate measure of all our actions, how we shall enter into a state of grace, how we should behave ourselves in it : Micah vi. 8, ' He hath showed thee, O man, what is good ; and what doth the Lord God require of thee, but to do justly, and to love mercy, and to walk humbly with thy God ? ' and Ps. cxix. 10.5, ' Thy word is a lamp unto my feet, and a light unto my path.' Carnality is a walking Kara rov aliova rod Koafiov rovrov, ' according to the course of this world,' Eph. ii. 2. Holiness is walk- ing Kara Kavova, ' according to the rule,' Gal. vi. 1 6. The one accord- ing to the fashions of men, and the guise of fleshly-minded creatures, the other according to the holy will of God : Kom. xii, 2, ' Proving what is that good and acceptable and perfect will of God ; ' or, ' as becometh the gospel,' Phil. i. 27 ; a conversation strict, spiritual, and heavenly.