Seim. CLVI. Of doing all to the Glory ofGod. 3 65 to Men, and to their Families; and thofe who are above this neceflity, and are in a better capacity, to maintain good Works properly fo called, works of Piety, and Charity, and Juflice ; that they be careful to promote and advance them, according to their Power and Opportunity, besaufe thefe things are publickly goodand bene- ficialto mankind. And betides this, (as St. Peter exhorts, 2 Pet. t. S, 6, &c.) And befades this, giving all diligence,add toyour faith, virtue; and to virtue, knowledge; and to knowledge, temperance; and to temperance, patience; and to patience, godli- nefs; and to godlinefs, brotherly kindnefs; and to brotherly kindnefs, charity. For if theft things be in you, and abound, they make you that you 'hall neither be barren, nor unfruitful in the knowledge of our Lord fefue Chr,. But he that lacketh theft things is blind, and cannot fée afar off, and bath forgotten that he was purged from his old fins; that is, doth not confider that the defign of Chriflianity is to renew and reform the hearts and lives of Men. Wherefore the rather, brethren, as he goes on, give diligence to make your calling and elePhon fire: for ifye do thefe things, ye"hall never fall. For fo an entrance (hall bemini'red untoyou abundantly, into the everlafling Kingdom of our Lord and Saviour .7efue ChrfI. I will conclude all with that excellent faying of St. Paul in this Epiflle to Ti- tus, which fo fully declares to us the great defign, and the proper Efficacy of the Chriflian Dofirine upon the minds and manners of Men; Chap. 2. I1, 12, I3. For the grace of God that bringeth falvation, bath appeared to all men, teaching us, that denying ungodlinefs, and worldly lulls, we fhould live foberly, ri hteoufly, andgod- ly in thisprefent world : Looking for that ble/fed hope, and the glorious appearance of thegreat God and our Saviour fefus Chrifi. To whom with the Father, and the Holy Ghofl, be all Glory andHonour now and for ever. Amen. S R O N CLVI. Of doing all to the Glory of God. I COR. X. 31. Whether therefore ye eat or drink, or whatfoever ye do, do all to the glory of God. THE SE words are a general conclufion inferr'd from a particular cafe, which the Apofle had been difcourfing of before; and that we may the better underfland the meaning of this general Rule, it will not be amifs to look back a little upon the particular cafe the Apoflle was fpeaking of; and that was concerning the partaking of things offer'd to Idols, and that in two cafes; either by partaking of the Idol-leads in their Temples, after the Sacrifices; or by partaking of things offer'd to Idols, whether theywere bought byChriflians in the Market, or fet be- fore them at a private Entertainment, to which by force Heathens they were in- vited. The firfl he condemns as abfolutely unlawful: the other not as unlawful in it felf, but in force circumflances upon the account of fcandal, The
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