A peaceable, condescending, inoffensive temper and behavior among Christians do honor to religion and

to its Author. The members of the church in Corinth, who were convents, some from Judaism, and some from Gentilism, were tenacious of those usages, respecting meats, days and festivals, to which they had been accustomed. In these things the Apostle directs them to be governed rather by a charitable condescension to the conscientious scruples of their brethren, than by a rigid attachment to their own opinions and customs. He cautions them, not to use their liberty in such a manner, that it would be judged and condemned by the conscience of others -not to expose themselves to censure in the use of those bounties of Providence, for which they gave thanks. And he comprises his whole advice on the subject in this general rule, "Whatever ye eat or drink, or whatever ye do, do all to the glory of God; giving no offence to Jew or Gentile, or the church of God, even as I please all men in all things, not seeking mine own profit, but the profit of many, that they may be saved."

Men glorify God, when, in cases of difficulty, trial and danger, they commit themselves to his care, and persevere in his service with a full reliance on his providence, grace and promise. When Abraham was called to go forth from his native land, he obeyed, not knowing whither he went. When he had the promise of a numerous offspring, at an age, which would naturally have forbidden the expectation, he staggered not at the promise through unbelief. When he was commanded to offer in sacrifice that very son, from whom his seed was to descend, he shewed a readiness to comply with the command, reasoning within himself, that God was able to raise him from the dead, from which he had received him in a figure; for he was born of parents, who for age

Thus the Apostle says,

were as good as dead. "He was strong in faith, giving glory to God, and being fully persuaded, that what God had promised, he was able to perform."

Once more. We do honor to God, when we abide in the calling, which he has assigned us, improve the abilities with which he has endued us, and faithfully apply the means of doing good, which he has given us. "As every man hath received a gift, so minister the same one to another. If any man speak, let him speak as the oracles of God; if any man minister, let him do it, as of the ability, which God giveth, that God in all things may be glorified." We have shewn what the scripture intends by glorifying God; and in what ways men are said to glorify him.

We will now make some remarks on the subject.

1. We here naturally remark, that wickedness is ever in scripture represented, as tending not to the glory, but to the dishonor of God-not at displaying, but as reproaching his true character. To the Jews, who had profaned the sacred ordinances of religion, God says, "A son honoreth his father. If I be a Father, where is mine honor, O ye who despise my name ?" To the unbelieving Pharisees Christ says, "I honor my Father, and ye dishonor me." To the hypocrites, who boasted in the law, and yet transgressed it, Paul says, "Through breaking the commandment ye dishonor God." If we speak of God's essential glory, this can neither be increased by the holiness, nor diminished by the wickedness of men. "If we sin, what do we unto him? If we be righteous, what receiveth he at our hands?" But if we speak of his relative glory, this may be. greater at some times, and in some places than othThat is to say, His character is more or less

ers.

conspicuous, according to the discoveries which he makes of it, the conceptions which men form of it, and the regards which they pay to it. The adoration, praise and obedience of his intelligent creatures tend to the display of his character. Their disobedience, impiety and wickedness tend to his dishonor, by giving others wrong conceptions of him. Hence he who despiseth the poor-he who doth ought presumptuously-he who oppresseth the righteous, is said to "reproach the Lord." God may and often does overrule the wickedness of men to display his glory. The psalmist says, "The wrath of men shall praise thee." But this is not the natural ten dency and direct consequence of wrath, or wickedness in men; for it is added, "The remainder of that wrath," or what cannot be made to praise thee, "thou wilt restrain." If the sins of men are the occasion of displaying God's glory, this is only a remote, or secondary; not a direct and immediate effect of them. The evil designs of men may, by an overruling influence, be made to promote the cause of true religion, and thus to display God's glory. Paul's bonds for Christ turned to the furtherance of the gospel. But, in such cases, God is glorified, not by the evil designs themselves but by the vir tue and righteousness, which those designs are overruled to promote. Paul was imprisoned by the enemies of the gospel, that he might be restrained from preaching it. Did this restraint tend to the furtherance of the gospel? No. But the example of faith and fortitude, which he exhibited, and the excellent letters which he wrote in his confinement, had this effect. It was Paul's virtue, not their enmity, which glorified God. The sons of Jacob, moved with envy, sold their brother Joseph into Egypt. Did they by their cruelty and injustice honor God, and lead the idolators of the country to form more exalt

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ed conceptions of that Being, whom the patriarchs worshipped? By no means, But God made Joseph, in this situation, a distinguished instrument of extensive good to mankind. Thus God honored himself. He manifested his own wisdom, power and goodness. The Jews rejected and crucified the Savior, whom God sent into the world; thus they dishonored God. Through them God's name was blasphemed among the Gentiles, and the way of truth was evil spoken of. But God made the cruci. fixion of Christ the means of displaying his mercy and bringing salvation to a guilty world. Thus he brought glory to his own name. We are to distin

guish between what God does, and what men do,He often overrules for good what they mean for evil. "But what if the Jews had all believed in Christ, and had not crucified him ?-How would he have been made a sacrifice for sin? And how would sinners have been redeemed?" This is a needless question. God foresaw how the Jews would treat the Savior; and their unbelief and enmity were suffered to be the means, by which he should become a sacrifice; and there was no occasion for any other. But have we knowledge and wisdom enough to determine, that this was the only way, in which Christ would be made an offering for sin? Can we say, that if the Jews had generally received him, divine wisdom could have found no way in which his blood might be shed for the redemption of men? This would be taking too much upon us. God is not dependent on men-he is not dependent on the sins of men for means to accomplish his purposes. "These are not his doings. The Spirit of the Lord is not straitened."

2. If it is the will of God, that we should glorify him in all things, and if he is glorified by the holiness, and dishonored by the wickedness of men,

then we may be assured, that wickedness proceeds from the wicked, and not from the energy and influence of this holy Being; for we cannot admit the supposition, that he should excite and dispose men to dishonor and reproach him. "Let no man say when he is tempted, I am tempted of God; for God cannot be tempted of evil, neither tempteth he any man; but every man is tempted, when he is drawn away of his own lusts and enticed."

3. It appears farther from our subject, that an aim to glorify God will not justify us in doing evil; for by doing evil we dishonor him, and contradict our pretended aim. Though God sometimes makes the sins of men ultimately subservient to the purposes of his wisdom, yet this effect is not their natural and direct tendency; it does not make them cease to be sinners, nor render them less offensive and dishonorable to God. They are still, what they were in their nature. And it is not by them, but by the effects to which they are overruled, that God is glorified. "God hates robbery for a burnt offering." In the Apostles' days there were some who argued "If our unrighteousness commend the righteousness of God, then God is unjust in taking vengeance; and if the truth of God hath more abounded through our lie to his glory, why should we be judged as sinners? Rather let us do evil that good may come." This, they slanderously affirmed, was the doctrine, or a consequence of the doctrine of the Apostles. But St. Paul discards the imputation; and of those who thus plead, and thus practise, he says, "their damnation is just."

We are never to imagine, that, because God can make our unrighteousness subservient to his own glory, we therefore glorify him by our unrighteousWe glorify him by doing his will. And to aim at his glory is to aim at doing his will.

ness.