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SERM. in his actions. And if this principle be but rooted CCX. and fettled in his mind, it is sufficient to govern his

life, and is virtually, and to all purposes as true and constant an intention of glorifying Gop, as if we did actually and explicitly propound this end to ourselves in every particular action of our lives.

Secondly, Whether a man be bound to prefer the glory of God before his own eternal happiness as Moses and St. Paul seem to have done; the one in being content to have "his name blotted out of the book " of life, the other to be " anathema from CHRIST, " for the falvation of Israel?" To this I answer.

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If we could admit the supposition, that the glory of God and a man's eternal happiness might come in competition, there could be no obligation upon a man to chuse eternal misery upon any confideration whatsoever. The preference of one thing before another, supposeth them both to be objects of our choice; but the greatest evil known and apprehended to be so, cannot be the object of a reasonable Choice; neither the greatest moral nor natural evil of fin, or mifery. Sin is not to be chosen in any cafe, no not for the glory of God. The apostle makes the supposition and answers it; that " if the truth and glory of GOD *" could be promoted by his lie, yet we are not to do " evil that good may come," Rom. iii. 7, 8.

Nor is the greatest natural evil the object of our choice. Gop himself hath planted a principle in our nature to the contrary, to seek our own happiness, and to avoid utter ruin and destruction; and then furely much more that which is much worse, as eternal misery is, whatever some learned men, in despite of nature and common sense, have asserted to the contrary, that it is better and more defirable to be extremely and eternally miferable, than not to be; for what

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what is there defirable in being, when it serves to no SERM other purpose but to be the foundation of endless and CCX. intolerable misery. And if this be a principle of our nature, can any man imagine that God should frame us so, as to make the first and fundamental principle of it directly opposite to our duty ?

As to the instance of Moses, it does not reach this cafe; because the phrase of " blotting out of the " book of life," does in all probability signify no more than a temporal death. As to that of St. Paul, it is by no means to be taken in a strict sense, but as a vehement and hyperbolical expreffion of his mighty affection to his " brethren according to the flesh, for "whom, says he, I could wish to be an anathema " from CHRIST." Besides the reason of the thing, the form of the expression shews the meaning of it, I could wish, that is, I would be content to do or fuffer almost any thing for their falvation, infomuch that I could wish, if it were fit and lawful, and reafonable to make such a wish, to be accursed from CHRIST for their sakes. It is plainly a suspended form of speech, which declares nothing absolutely. But,

2. It is a vain and senseless supposition, that the glory of God and our eternal happiness can stand in competition. By seeking the glory of God, we naturally and directly promote our own happiness; the glory of God and our happiness, are inseparably linked together; we cannot glorify God by fin, and fo gracious hath God been to us, that he hath made those things to be our duty, which naturally tend to our felicity; and we cannot glorify God more than by doing our duty, nor can we promote our happiness more effectually than by the fame way. From whence it plainly follows that the glory of God and our happiness, cannot reasonably be supposed to cross and

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SERM. and contradict one another; and therefore the queftion is frivolous which supposeth they may come in competition. 1 Cor. xv. 58. the apostle exhorts Christians to be "stedfast and unmoveable, and a"bundant in the work of the Lord, knowing that " their labour shall not be in vain in the LORD." And Tit. i. 1, 2. the apostle calls himself, " a fer"vant of JESUS CHRIST, in hope of eternal life, "which God that cannot lie hath promised." Το serve God in hope of eternal life, is to glorify GOD, and therefore the glory of God and our eternal happiness are never to be opposed.

I shall briefly draw two or three inferences from this discourse, and so conclude.

I. See here the great goodness of God to mankind, who is pleased to esteem whatever is for the good of men to be for the glory of God; and whatever tends to the eternal falvation of our selves, or others, to be a glorifying of himself.

1II: We learn hence likewise, the excellency of the christian religion, which requires not only a confciencious care of ourselves, to do nothing but what is lawful; but likewise a charitable regard to others in the use of our liberty, in the doing or not doing of those things which we may lawfully do; after the securing of our own happiness by doing our duty, we are to confult the edification and salvation of others, in the charitable use of our liberty in those things which Gop hath left indifferent.

III. Here is a great argument to us to be very careful of our duty, and to abound in the fruits of holiness, because hereby we glorify God. " Herein " is my Father glorified," says our SAVIOUR, " if ye "bring forth much fruit;" and the apostle tells us, that "the fruits of righteousness are to the praise and " glory

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" glory of God." We having all from God, our SERM. very being, our fouls and bodies, and the powers and faculties of both, and therefore we should give him the glory of his own gifts; our fouls and bodies were not only made by him at first, but are likewise redeemed by him, and "bought with a price," and therefore, as the apoftle argues, " we should glorify " him in our bodies, and in our souls, which are his." IV. and lastly, we should in all our actions have a particular regard to the honour and advantage of religion, the edification of our brethren, and the peace and unity of the church, because in these things we do in a peculiar manner glorify God. In vain do men pretend to feek the glory of God by faction and division, which do in their own nature so immediately tend to the dishonour and damage of religion. Next to the wicked lives of men, nothing is so great a disparagement and weakning to religion, as the divisions of Christians; and therefore instead of employing our zeal about differences, we should be zealous for peace and unity, " that with one mind, " and one mouth, we may glorify God, even the "Father of our LORD JESUS CHRIST".

SERMON. CCXI. Doing good, a security against injuries from men.

IPET. iii. 13.

And who is he that will harm you, if ye be followers of

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of that which is good?

HE apostle in this and the former chapter, SERM. earnestly presseth Christians to an holy and un

blameable

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SER M. blameable conversation, that the heathen might have CCXI. no occafion, from the ill lives of Christians, to reproach

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christianity; particularly he cautions them against that abuse of chriftian liberty, which, it seems, too many were guilty of, casting off obedience to their fuperiors under that pretence; telling them, that nothing could be a greater scandal to their religion, nor raise a more just prejudice in the minds of men against it: and therefore he strictly chargeth them with the duty of obedience in their several relations; as of fubjects to their governors, of fervants to their masters, of wives to their husbands; and in short, to practise all those virtues, both among themselves and towards others, which are apt to reconcile and gain the affections of men to them; to be charitable and compaffionate, courteous and peaceable one towards another, and towards all men; not only to abstain from injury and provocation, but from revenge by word or deed; and instead thereof, to bless and do good, and by all possible means to preserve and purfue peace. Ver. 8. 9. "Finally, be ye all of one mind, having

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compaffion one of another; love as brethren, be pi"tiful, be courteous, not rendring evil for evil, or " railing for railing, but contrariwise blessing; know" ing that ye are thereunte called, that ye should in" herit a blessing."

And to encourage them to the practice of these virtues, he tells them, that they could by no other means more effectually confult the fafety and comfort of their lives, ver. 10. " For he that will love life, and see good " days, let him refrain his tongue from evil, and his " lips that they speak no guile; let him eschew evil, " and do good; let him feek peace and ensue it."

And this was the way to gain the favour of GOD, and to engage his providence for our protection, ver.

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