And we in like manner, whether we proceed in an uniform tenour, or diversify our conduct according to existing circum- stances, should exclude every other consideration from our minds: "we should choose only the things that will please"^" and glorify our God.]
2. In the means by which he prosecutes his ends —
[Here the utmost simplicity of mind should always pre- vail. We should not listen to the dictates of " fleshly wisdom," but with "godly sincerity" proceed in a plain straight-forward way. Not that we are to discard human wisdom : for we are told to " walk in wisdom towards them that are without." But, though we are to be " wise concerning that which is good, we are to be simple concerning evil^," and are to com- bine the " wisdom of the serpent with the harmlessness of the dove^." In no respect are we ever " to do evil that good may come." Here, however, many fail. On two different occasions do we find even Abraham himself grievously erring in this par- ticular, and reproved for it by a heathen prince^. And Isaac also was faulty in the very same thing, denying his wife, lest for her sake he should be put to death ^. It was to the same weakness that we must ascribe the conduct of Peter, when, through fear of Judaizing teachers, he constrained the Gentiles to conform to the Jewish rites. He thought he should in that way remove a stumbling-block from the Jews : and so far he was right, in wishing to remove a stumbling-block out of their way ; but he was wrong in the means he adopted for that end: he knew that the Gentiles were not bound by the Jewish law ; and therefore he had no right to impose this yoke upon them : and he was justly blamed by Paul as " not walking uprightly " in this particular'. Whatever be our end, we must do nothing to accomplish it which will not bear the light, and stand the test of the severest scrutiny. We must act simply under the influence of " the grace of God," and never in a way of carnal policy. Our ends, and our means, must be alike regulated by the word of God, and alike conducive to the glory of his name.
Such then is to be our conversation in the world; it must not only be moral, but religious, having respect in all things to God's word as the rule, and his honour as the end ; whilst all selfish ends and human policy must be utterly discarded.]
But as internal principles are difficult to be dis cerned, we proceed to shew,
'^ Isai. Ivi. 4. ^ Rom. xvi. 19. '' Matt. x. !(>.
P Gen. xii. 13, 18, 19. and xx. 2, 5, 9, 10. '' Gen. xxvi. 7~I0,
i Gal. ii. 11—14.
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