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CLVII.

for to create is the very fame demonftration of pow- SERM. er as to annihilate. And as for his fovereignty, GOD will never manifeft that in contradiction to his goodness, or wisdom, or any other perfection of the divine nature. To unmake a creature, and to take away the being which he had given, would argue either a failure of his goodness toward the creature, or that he did repeat he had made it, which would reflect upon his wisdom and conftancy. I do not fay, that in justice GoD cannot annihilate a creature; far be it from me: for what he gave was his own, and he may without any wrong to the creature take it again.

2. Much less can we naturally defire that God fhould be glorified in our eternal mifery. The reafons which I gave about annihilation are stronger here; therefore we cannot naturally defire it, nor reasonably, for the demonftration of his power, or fovereignty, or juftice, or holinefs, which I think are all the attributes which we can imagine to be glorified hereby not as the manifeftation of his power; for that would be as much manifested in the happiness, as mifery of the creature: not of his fovereignty; for GOD will not manifeft that in contradiction to his goodnefs, upon which nothing can reflect more, than merely, pro arbitrio, for his pleafure, to make an innocent creature for ever miferable: not his juftice, and holinefs; for thefe prefuppofe fin and demerit in the creature, out of hatred to which he makes it miferable; but God hath declared that he esteems himself more glorified by the obedience and happinefs of his creatures, than by their fin and deftruction; and if it were reasonable to defire the justice and holiness of God might be glorified in my eternal ruin, which I have deferv

3

ed

CLVII.

SERM. ed by fin; this would plainly follow from it, that it were reasonable" to fin, that juftice might abound," which of the two is a greater abfurdity than that which the apoftle condemns, of "finning, that grace may abound."

V. There is a ftrict and inviolable connexion between the greatest glory of GoD, and our obedience and happiness: I fay, between his greatest glory; because he esteems himself more glorified by the obedience and happiness of his creatures, than by their ruin and mifery; and that we may believe it, we have his oath for it; "As I live, faith the LORD, "I delight not in the death of a finner, but rather "that he fhould turn, and live." And it is obfervable, that the apoftle, in 1 Cor. x. 31, 32, 33. "Whether ye eat or drink, or whatsoever ye do, "do all to the glory of God; giving none offence, "neither to the Jews, nor to the Gentiles, nor to "the church of GOD; even as I please all men "in all things, not feeking mine own profit, but "the profit of many, that they may be faved,” explains the glorifying of GOD, by edifying and promoting the falvation of others.

VI. We may confider the glory of God as fome ways diftinct from our happiness; that is, we may confider the manifeftation of his goodnefs, and mercy, and wisdom, in our happiness, as that which refults from it; but this is not enough to make it a diftinct end, but the fame diverfly confidered; as the publick good is that which results from the general good of particular perfons, but cannot reafonably be propounded by any man, as an end diftinct from the general happiness of particular perfons, without ruining and destroying the notion of publick good.

VII. Though

CLVII.

VII. Though confidered as we are particular be- SER M ings, we can have no greater end than our own happinefs, in which God is eminently glorified; yet as we are part of the whole creation and workmanship of God, which is the nobleft confideration of ourselves, the glory of GoD, which results from the manifeftation of all his perfections in and about his creatures, is precisely our ultimate end, and yet not an end really diftinct from our own happiness; and therefore it is moft proper, and becoming, and agreeable to the wife ftile of fcripture, to give our end it's denomination, not from the more particular and narrow, but the more noble confideration of ourfelves, as we are parts of the whole creation and workmanship of GOD; as it is more generous and becoming for the members of a civil fociety to mentionthe publick good as their end, than their private happiness and advantage, though that be fo really and effectually promoted by the publick good.

Thus I have finished what I propofed on this argument, and concerning the attributes of GOD in general; "Of whom, and through whom, and to "whom are all things. To him be glory for ever." Amen.

VOL. IX.

B

SER

18.

SERMON CLVIII.

Of doing good.

SERM.
CLVIII.

GALAT. vi. 9, 10.

Let us not be weary in well-doing, for in due feafon we fhall reap, if we faint not: as we have therefore opportunity, let us do good unto all men, especially unto them who are of the houshold of faith.

THE

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HE apostle in these words recommends unto us a great and comprehenfive duty," the doing of good;" concerning which the text offers Sermon, thefe five particulars to our consideration. preached I. The nature of the duty itself, which is called

A Spital

at Chrift

Church.well doing," v. 9. and "doing good," v. 10.

on Eafter

Tuesday,

II. The extent of this duty, in refpect of it's obApril 14. ject, which is all mankind, "Let us do good unto 1691. "all men, efpecially unto them who are of the "houfhold of faith."

III. The measure of it, "as we have opportunity." IV. Our unwearied perfeverance in it; " let us "not be weary in well-doing."

V. The argument and encouragement to it; becaufe in due feafon we fhall reap, if we faint not: "Therefore as we have opportunity, let us do "good, &c."

I. I will confider the nature of the duty itfelf; of "well-doing," and " doing good." And this I fhall explain to you as briefly as I can, by confidering the extent of the act of doing good, and the excellency of it. And,

1. The extent of the act. It comprehends, in it

all

all those ways wherein we may be beneficial and ufc- SER M." ful to one another... It reaches not only to the bodies CLVIII. of men, but to their fouls, that better and more excellent part of ourselves; and is converfant in all thofe..ways and kinds, whereby we may ferve the temporal, or fpiritual good of our neighbour, and promote either his prefent, or his future and eternal happiness.

To inftruct the ignorant, or reduce thofe that are in error; "to turn the difobedient to the wisdom of "the juft," and reclaim thofe that are engaged in any evil course, by good counfel, and feasonable admonition, and by prudent and kind reproof; to refolve and fatisfy the doubting mind; to confirm the weak; to heal the broken-hearted, and to comfort the melancholy and troubled spirits: These are the noblest ways of charity, because they are converfant about the fouls of men, and tend to procure and promote their eternal felicity..

And then "to feed the hungry, to clothe the naked, release the imprisoned;" to redeem the captives, and to vindicate those who are injured and oppreffed in their persons, or estates, or reputation; to repair those who are ruined in their fortunes; and, in a word, to relieve and comfort those who are in any kind of calamity or distress.

All these are but the feveral branches and inftances of this great duty here in the text, of "doing good;' though it hath, in this place, a more particular respect to the charitable supply of those, who are in want and neceffity; and therefore with a more particular regard to that, I fhall difcourfe of it at this time. You fee the extent of the duty. We will, in the

2d place, briefly fay fomething of the excellency

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