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SER M. conscience. Ver. 24. Let no man therefore Seek bis own, but every Man another's Wealth: That is; be not fo much follicitous to keep up the full Extent of your own innocent Liberty, as to do That which will more generally and effectually prevent Men's falling into Sin. This ought always to be the main End, the great and prevailing confideration, in every Action of a good Chriftian; what will moft tend to promote the Kingdom of God, the Practice of univerfal Righteoufnefs and Truth amongst Men. In order to This End, it is not indeed Lawful to do any thing that is Evil, but it is at any time very commendable to forbear doing what is innocent. This End, all our Great and Religious Actions ought always actually and directly to aim at; and all our fmaller and indifferent Actions, ought by a general and habitual intention, to have the fame Tendency. For fo the Apostle concludes his whole Discourse, in the words of the Text; Whether therefore ye eat or drink, or whatfoever ye do, do All to the Glory of God: Give none Offenfe, neither to the Jews, nor to the Gentiles, nor to the Church of God: Even as I pleafe all men in all

things,

things, not feeking mine own Profit, but the SER M. Profit of Many, that they may be faved.

THE words of the Text contain a Doctrine of the highest importance in Religion; And therefore, in the following Difcourfe upon them, I fhall more largely and diftinctly confider; 1, What is the true meaning, and full Intent, of that Phrafe which we fo often meet with in Scripture, The Glory of God: And 2dly, What it is, that is required of men in Practice, in order to their fatisfying the Precept in the Text; Whether ye cat or drink, or whatever ye do, do All to the Glory of God.

I. As to the true meaning of that Phrafe which we fo often meet with in Scripture, The Glory of God: 'Tis to be obferved that the

ift and original Signification of it, is to denote to us the Effence, the Perfon, or the Majefty of God; that is, God himfelf, who is the Fountain of Glory. Thus 2 Pet. i. 17. There came to kim, (to our Saviour at his Baptifin,) fuch a Voice from the Excellent Glory: From the Excellent Glory, that is, from God, his Father; as 'tis literally expreffed, in the very fame B 4 Verfe.

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SERM. Verfe. In This fenfe, the Name of God, I. the Majesty on High, and fome other fuch Phrafes, are alfo ufed in the like manner, to fignify God himself. And, fitting on the right hand of Power, Matt, xxvi. 64, is, fitting at the right hand of God, who Alone has properly All Power.

2dly, THIS phrafe, the Glory of God, fignifies in the next place, the Manifestation of God's Perfections or Attributes, by the external Exercife of them towards his Creatures. God, was effentially Happy, before any thing was created, in the injoyment of his own unspeakable Perfections : But the Manifeftation of the Glory of thofe Perfections, and the Communication of Good to Others, could not be till the Creation of Things. Hence the Prophet Ifaiah, reprefents God Thus fpeaking, (ch. xliii. 7.) I have created him for my Glory, I have formed him, yea I have made him. In Allufion to which expreffion it may probably be fuppofed to be, that St Paul fays, 1 Cor. xi. 7. that Man is the Image and Glory of God,

AND because in every one of the divine Perfections in particular, when manifefted fingly in their proper and refpective

Acts,

Acts, there is fomething diftinctly worthy SER M. of Adoration and Praife; 'tis therefore

not unfrequent in Scripture, to express any one of those Perfections fingly, by the Title of the Glory of God. Thus concerning the Divine Power, Pf. xix. 1. The Heavens declare the Glory of God, (that is, they show forth unto Men the Power of God in creating, and his Wifdom in difpofing things;) and the Firmament fleweth his handy-work. And Joh. xi. 4, 40. This Sickness of Lazarus, faith our Lord, is not unto Death, but for the Glory of God,

that thou fhouldeft fee the Glory of God,and that the Son of God might be glorified thereby: The Meaning is; It was intended for a manifeftation of God's Power to raise the dead, and of his having communicated That Power alfo to the Son of Man. And here we may observe, by the way, that the Tyranny indeed of weak and vain Mortals, is apt to take pleasure in Power for Power's fake; and their great Complacency and Glory is, in being able to exercise it arbitrarily and without reason, But God, whofe Power is truly infinite, makes it His Glory to exercife Power, only in doing Good, (for almost

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Acts of Beneficence, as well as of Power ;) or at leaft, if the Subject is not capable of Good, yet the Exercife of his Power, even in Acts of Severity, is according to Juftice always. Rom. ix. 22. What if God, willing to make his Power known, endured with much long-fuffering the vejels of Wrath fitted to deftruction! He did not fhow his abfolute Power, in fitting a certain Number of men to deftruction; as Some have abfurdly understood this Text, directly contrary to the words themselves; but he showed his Power in justly punishing Thofe, who after much long-fuffering and forbearance with them, appeared finally fit for nothing but Deftruction.

AGAIN: Because Mercy and Goodness are represented in Scripture, as the Attributes wherein God chiefly delights; according to that of St James, ch. ii. 13. Mercy rejoiceth against Judgment; or, as it is in the Original, Mercy glorieth over Judgment: therefore This alfo is, in a particu lar and emphatical manner, called the Glory of God. Rom. ix. 23. That he might make known the Riches of his Glory, on the veffels of Mercy: And Ephef. iii. 16.

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