I. Prophet Iaiah, ch. lii. 5. They that rule SER M. over my people, opprefs them, faith the Lord, and my Name continually every day is blafphemed. And again, by Ezekiel, ch. xxxvi. 20. When they entred unto the Heathen whither they went, they profaned my Holy Name, when they faid Thefe are the people of the Lord. In the New Teftament, the fame Argument is urged by St Paul, Rom. ii. 23. Through breaking the Law, dishonourest thou God? For the Name of God is blafphemed among the Gentiles, through You, as it is written. And in his particular Directions to perfons in particular Stations, his exhortation to young women is, that by fober conversation they give none occafion to the Adversary to speak reproachfully, 1 Tim. v. 14: and that they be chafte and difcreet, that the word of God be not blafphemed: Tit. ii. 5. And to young men, ver. 8. that by their uncorruptness, gravity and fincerity,be that is of the contrary part may be afkamed, having na evil thing to fay of them. And to Servants, that they behave themfelves well towards their Mafters, that the Name of C 3 God SERM. God and his Doctrine be not blafphemed, (1 Tim. vi. 1.) I. THUS have I briefly explained what is in Scripture meant by This phrafe, The Glory of God, and our giving glory to him. 'Tis promoting the intereft of True Virtue and Righteoufnefs in the World. For as the natural Kingdom of God over the inanimate Creation, confifts in his Exercife of Power and Wisdom; fo the spiritual Kingdom of God over the rational World, confifts in the Obedience of the Wills of reafonable Creatures to the moral and eternal Laws of Righteousness: And the Glory of God, as of every Good Governour in Proportion, is the Goodness and Happiness of his Subjects. When therefore we fay that God does every thing for his own Glory, and that This is his Ultimate End; the meaning is, that his Defign in all things is the final establishment of his Kingdom of univerfal Righteouf nefs in the whole Creation. And accordingly when a Man does any Action because it is good and right, or forbears it because it is evil and immoral; then only, and not when he acts upon any enthusiast ick ick principles, does he truly intend the SER M. Glory of God. THIS in General. I fhould now have proceeded in the 2d place, to fhow more particularly, what it is that is required of men in Practice, in order to their fatisfying the Precept in the Text, Whether ye eat or drink, or whatsoever ye do, do all to the Glory of God. But this, here after. I. Whether therefore ye eat or drink,. or whatsoever ye do, do all to the Glory of God. I N Difcourfing upon thefe SER M. confider, ift, what is the tent, of that Phrafe which we so 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. II. |