SERM.quity. I Cor. vi. 20. Glorify God, in your I. Body, and in your Spirit: Being filled with ~ the Fruits of righteousness, which are by

Jefus Chrift, unto the Glory and Praife of
God. (Phil. i. 11.)

IN a word: Whatever tends to the true Honour of Religion, to the promoting and establishment of Virtue and Goodness Phil. iv. 8. among Men; Whatfoever things are true, whatsoever things are honeft, whatJoever things are just, whatsoever things are pure, whatsoever things are lovely, whatsoever things are of good report, if there be any Virtue, if there be any Praife, thefe are the things which promote the Glory of God. God, is himself a Being of infinite Holiness and Goodness; a perfectly just and righteous, as well as Supreme, Governor of the Univerfe: And the Glory of fuch a Governor, is the establishment of his Moral Kingdom, the univerfal establishment of the Dominion and Power of Virtue, in the Wills of all reasonable and intelligent Creatures. His natural Kingdom, is by Neceffity; for the material World cannot but obey him: But his moral Kingdom which is his greatest Glory, is the Dominion of Righte

oufness

oufnefs and Virtue. Hence the Apostles, SER M. in their Exhortations to the Practice of I. Any Virtue whatsoever, frequently urge This Argument, that it will be to the Glory of God: (Rom. xv. 5.) God—grant you to be like-minded one towards another,that ye may with one mind glorifie God, even the Father of our Lord Jefus Chrift. And in the words of the Text; Whether ye eat or drink, or whatfoever ye do, do all to the glory of God: Do every thing, even the most common actions of Life, in fuch a manner; as may become the Profeffors of the Gospel of Chrift, and may promote the Honour and Interest of Religion. The words are of the fame import, with thofe in Col. iii. 17. Whatfoever ye do in word or deed, do all in the name of the Lord Jefus; do every thing fo as becomes the Disciples of Chrift, giving Thanks to God, even the Father, by Him; that God in all things may be glorified, through Jefus Chrift, 1 Pet. iv. 11; or, as 'tis expreffed, Tit. ii. 10. that ye may adorn the Doctrine of God our Saviour in all things. To adorn the Doctrine of God; is, by your Practife to cause it to appear lovely and beneficial to VOL. II. mankind,

C

SER M. mankind, to fhow how glorious 'tis in its

I.

.

Effects, and how worthy to be embraced,
and practifed by all men. This is what
the Scripture elsewhere calls, glorifying
the word of the Lord, Acts xiii. 48; glo-
rifying it, and caufing it to have its free
courfe; fo St Paul explains it, 2 Th. iii. 1.
'Tis promoting the intereft of Religion
and Virtue, and the general Salvation of
Men; 'Tis fpreading the Knowledge of
God, and bringing men over to the
Obedience of his Commands, in order to
their becoming capable of being Partakers
of his Happiness. Which Happiness and
Perfection of rational Creatures, being
the great End and Defign of God's Crea-
tion, and what both Nature and Scrip-
ture calls the Kingdom of God; therefore
whatever tends to the promoting of Vir-
tue and True Religion in the World, is
promoting the Honour and the Glory of
God. When Many of the Jews, convin-
ced by our Saviour's Miracles, embraced
the Truth of his Doctrine; the Scripture
thus expreffes it, Mat. xv. 31. that they
glorified the God of Ifrael. When our Sa-
viour promises his Difciples, for the fur-
ther confirmation and establishment of

.

I.

n

their Faith, that God would certainly SER M. grant them the Petitions they should rightly put up in his Name; he does it in the following manner, that the Father, fays he, may be glorified in the Son, Joh. xiv. 13. In the 21ft chapter of the fame Gofpel, ver. 19; because the Testimony and the Sufferings of the Martyrs, are one of the principal Means of propagating the True Religion, therefore our Saviour's foretelling in what manner St Peter fhould die, is by the Evangelift thus expreft, that our Lord fignified by what Death Peter fhould glorify God. For the fame reafon, the Spreading of the Knowledge of the True God, among the Nations of the World, is by the Prophet called, fetting his Glory among the Heathen, Ezek. xxxix. 21. And because Nothing does This more effectually, than the virtuous Lives, and good Examples of those who profess the Truth; therefore the Apoftle tells the Corinthians, (2 Cor. iv. 15.) that the abundant grace which was in them, did, thro' the thanksgiving of Many, redound to the Glory of God. And our Saviour, exhorting his Difciples to be bright Examples of Virtue to the World, does it in C 2

this

I.

w

SER M. this manner, (Matt. v. 16.) Let your Light, fays he, fo fine before Men, that they may fee your good works, and glorify your Father which is in Heaven.

ALL that has been faid upon This Head, concerning the Glory of God, is ftill further confirmed by the confideration of the Contrary, what is meant by the Dishonour of God. Literally and ftrictly fpeaking, 'tis evident God cannot be dishonoured, because his effential Honour or Glory is immutable. But as the promoting of Virtue and Righteousness, is glorifying God; fo the bringing any Reproach upon Religion and Goodness, is dishonouring of God, who is the Author of true Religion and the Fountain of Goodnefs. Thus, under the Old Teftament, the Wickedness of Eli's Sons, [1 Sam. ii. 17.] caused men to abhor the offering of the Lord. And the Sin of David, (2 Sam. xii. 14.) gave great occafion to the Enemies of the Lord to blafpheme. Upon This ground, Nehemiah thus exhorts the Jews. at their return from the captivity, (ch. v. 9.) Ought ye not to walk in the Fear of our God, because of the Reproach of the Heathen our Enemies? And God complains by the

Prophet