3 72 Doing good, afecurttÿ Vol. II. the doing or not doing of thofe things which wemaylawfully do.; after the fecuring of our own Happinefs by doing our Duty, we are to confult theEdification and Sal- vation of others, in the charitable ufe of our liberty in thofe things which God bath left indifferent. III: Here is a great Argument to us to be very careful of our Duty, and to a- bound in the fruits of Holinefs, becaufe hereby we glorifie God. Herein is my Father glorified, fays our Saviour, ifye bring forthmuch fruit ; and the Apoftle tells us, that the fruits of Righteoufnefs are to the praife and glory of God. We having all from God, our veryBeing, our Souls and Bodies, and the Powers and Faculties of both, and therefore we fhould give him the Glory of his own gifts: our Souls and Bodies were not only made by him at firft, but are likewife re- deemed by him, and bought with a price, and therefore, as the Apoflle argues, we fhouldglorifie him in our bodies, and in our Souls, which are his. IV. And lafily, We fhould in all our Allions have a particular regard to the Honour andAdvantage ofReligion, the Edification of our Brethren, and thePeace and Unity of the Church, becaufe in thefe things we do in a peculiar manner glo- rifie God. In vain do Men pretend to feek the Glory of God by fallion and di- vifion, which do in their own Nature fo immediately tend to the difhonour and damage of Religion. Next to the wicked lives. of Men, nothing is fo great a difparagement and weakning to Religion, as the divifions ofChriftians; and there- fore infteadof employing our zeal about differences, we fhould be zealousforPeace and Unity, that with one mind, and one mouth, we mayglorifie God, even the Fa- ther of our Lord Jefus Chr?fle SERMON C;LV'IÌ. Doing good, a fecurity againft Injuries from Men. IPET. M. 13. And who is he that will harm you, if ye be followers of that which is good? THE Apoftle in this and the former Chapter, earneftly preffeth Chriftians to an holy and unblameable Converfation, that the Heathenmight have no occafion, from the ill lives ofChriflians, to reproach Chriftianity; particularly Y no cautions them againft that abufe of Chriftian liberty, which it feeins too many were guiltyof, calling off Obedience to their Superiours under that pretence ; tel- ling them that nothing could be a greater fcandal to their Religion, nor raife a more juft prejudicein the minds ofMen againft it : and therefore he ftriâly char- geth them with the Duty of Obedience in their feveral relations ; as of Subjeâs to their Governours, of Servants to their Mafters, of Wives to their Hufbands ; and in fhort, to pra&ice all thofe Virtues, both among themfelves, and towheards 5
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