And as many as walk according to this rule, peace be on them, and mercy, and upon the Israel of God.
The Christian’s walk and rule
1. Christianity is a walk; a free and voluntary motion, an uniform and even motion, a progressive motion, a constant motion.
2. This walk is a walk by rule. A Christian is not a lawless person to range up and down as fancy leads him.
3. The rule is the law of the new creature. The new creature, in the principles and workings of it, is made the ground, the pattern and direction of our obedience, and we frame and square all the actions of our lives according thereunto.
4. The blessed privileges belonging to those who thus walk--peace and mercy.
5. Such are the true Israel: a thousand times greater privilege than to be the children of Abraham’s flesh. (W. Burkitt.)
The true canon of Christianity
This “rule”--
I. Does not consist in party watchwords.
II. Does consist in a spiritual change of the inner man (2 Corinthians 5:17).
III. Practically followed brings blessing. “Peace and mercy.’’ (Canon Vernon Hutton.)
Canonical obedience
I. The rule.
1. Glorying in the Cross.
2. The new life.
3. Called a rule of faith and practice because by it all doctrines and acts are to be examined.
4. We are to walk by it warily, circumspectly, in order and measure, without swerving, but making straight steps to our feet.
II. The blessedness of walking by this rule.
1. Peace.
(1) With God (Romans 5:1).
(2) With ourselves.
(3) With the world.
2. Mercy--all spiritual blessings flowing from the love and favour of God in Christ. (R. Cudworth.)
Peace and righteousness
Peace may be sought two ways. One way is as Gideon sought it when he built his altar in Ophrah, naming it “God send peace,” yet sought this peace that he loved as he was ordered to seek it, and the peace was sent, in God’s way: “The country was in quietness forty years in the days of Gideon.” And the other way of seeking peace is as Menahem sought it when he gave the king of Assyria a thousand talents of silver, that “his hand might be with him.” That is, you may either win your peace or buy it--win it by resistance to evil; buy it by compromise with evil. You may buy your peace with silenced consciences; you may buy it with broken vows; buy it with lying words; buy it with base connivances; buy it with the blood of the slain, and the cry of the captive, and the silence of lost souls. (Ruskin.)
Christianity a rule of life
I. That Christianity is a rule of life. “And as many as walk according to this rule.”
1. Christianity is a Divine rule. Christianity is of God.
2. Christianity is a perfect rule. “The law of the Lord is perfect.”
3. Christianity is an unchangeable rule. “The word of the Lord standeth for ever.”
4. Christianity is a precious rule. “The law of Thy mouth is better unto me than thousands of gold and silver.”
5. Christianity is an influential rule. “Converting the soul.”
II. That conformity to Christianity as a rule of life imparts great blessings.
1. Harmony of soul. “Peace be on them.”
2. The favour of God. “And mercy”
3. Relation to the children of God. “And upon the Israel of God.” (J. O. Griffiths.)