36 8 Of doing all to the Glory of God. Vol. H. to his own hoof?, glorifying God; that is, praifing God for his great mercy to him. And Luke 17. 18. our Saviour fpeaking of the ten lepers that were healed, fags, that but one ofthem returned togive glory to God ; that is, to return thanks to God for his recovery. II. Men are faid in Scripture to give glory to God by the acknowledgment of their Sins, and Repentance for them. 70i.7. 19. And yofhua Paid to khan, My fon, give glory to the Lord God of Ifrael, and make con felon to him. In Iihc. manner the Prophet yeremiah exhorting the people to Repentance, ufeth this ex- preffion, yer. 13. i6. Give glory to the Lord your God, before he caufe darküefs, andbefore your feet Humble upon the dark Mountains. And Rev. i6. 9. it is faid, that thofe upon whom great Plagues fell, Repented not to give God glory. \Ve glorifie God by confeffions of our Sins and Repentance, becaufe in fo doing we acknowledge his Authority, and the holinefs of thofe righteous Laws which we have broken. III. We are faid likewife in Scripture, to glorifie God by our Holinefs and Obedience. Thus we are commanded to glorifie God by the Chaftityof our Bo. dies, and the Purity of our Minds, a Cor. 6. 20. Glorifie God inyour body, and in your fpirit, which are his. Thus our Saviour is faid to have glorified God in the World, by his perfe&Obedience to his Will, yohn 17. 4. Father I have glori fled thee upon earth. And thus he tells us we may glorifie God, by the fruits ofHolinefs andObedience in our lives, john 15. 8. Herein is my Father glorified, ifye bring forth much fruit. So likewife St.Paul prays for the Philippians, that they they may be filledwith the fruits of righteoufnefs, which are by yefus Chr unto the glory and praife of God. IV. We are faid likewife in an efpecial mariner; to glorifie God by our'fuffe rings for his Caufe and Truth. ,ohn 2T. 19. our Saviour foretelling St. Peter's Martyrdom, expreffeth it by this phrafe of glorifying God by his death, This fpake he, fignifÿing by what death be fhould glorifie God. V. And Lally, Andbecaufe Religion is the folemn honour; and publick own= ing and acknowledgment of the Deity : Hence it is that in Scripture we are faid to glorifie God in a peculiar and eminent manner, when in all our allions we con- fult the honour and advantage of Religion. Upon this account St. Peter exhorts the IVlinifters of the Gofpel, fo to preach to the People, and fo to perform the publick Offices ofReligion, as may be for the honourpfReligion ; and this hecalls glorifying of God, s Pet.4. i i. If any man fpeak, let him (peak as the Oracles of God ; if any man miniller, let him do it as of the ability which God giveth ; that God in all things may be glorified. Andbecaufe the Peace and Unity ofChriftians is fo very much for the honour and advantage of Religion, thereforewe arefaid in an efpecial manner to glorifie God, by maintaining the Peace and Unity of the Church, Rom. 15. g, 6. Now the God of patience and confolation grant you to be like minded one toward another, that ye may with one mind, and one mouth glorifie God, even the father of our Lord yefus Chrifl. And here in the Text, we are faid to do all things to the glory of God, when in all our allions we have a regard to the promoting and advancing of Religion, and the edification of Chriftians. For here by eating and drinking to the glory of God, the Apofile plainly means, that when things offer'd to Idols are fet before us, we- fhould refrain from them, when by our eating, the intereft of Religion, and the edification of Chriftians may receive any prejudice; that is, when our eating may be a fcandal to others, that is, a fumbling block, or an occafion offalling into fin. And that this is the Apoftle's meaning, is evident from ver. 23. All things are lawful for me, but all things are not expedient, á wxga ovt¢Epn, all things profit not' - all things are lawfid for me, but all things edifie not; that is, tho' I know it is a thing very lawful in it felf, to eat things which- have been offered to Idols , if they be bought in the Market, or accidentally fei before me at a Feaft ; yet in force circuünftances it may not be for the advantage of Religion, and be fo far from edifying, that it may be an occafion offin to them. For inftance, I am invited to a Featt, where things offer'd to Idols are fet before me; and one fays, this was offer'd r'al in facrifice unto
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