promote the virtue and happiness of our fellow creatures; because we know, that this is what the Divine Being is most intent upon; in this he is most glorified; and in this manner we are most capable of expressing our zeal and attachment to that Being, who hath deserved so well of us, and all mankind.

4th. When we are actuated by a zeal for the glo ry of God, we, in the most effectual manner, consult our own glory. Is not that course of life by which we glorify God the most perfective of our natures, and consequently that which is attended with the noblest, and most refined satisfaction, and that which will raise us the highest in the esteem of every being who is a judge, and especially of him who is the best judge, of true worth? Compar ed to this, how empty! how precarious! how short-lived! how insignificant! is the glory that results froin any other qualification. There is no praise like that which is founded on virtue: if any thing else be the ground of it, instead of elevating," ennobling, and improving the mind; it only serves to swell and corrupt the heart that is fondly pleased

with it.

That in living to the glory of God we consult the perfection and glory of our nature, is evident;

because

because the glory of God consists and terminates in the perfection, and happiness of all his creatures. Here therefore the noblest, and the most. interested motives of action unite, and concur to enforce the same maxims of conduct, and the same course of life. Indeed, so happy is the present constitution of things, that not only those which are always the noblest, and most worthy, but those which show themselves to be in fact the strongest, and the most powerful, motives of action, if rightly understood, lead to, and enforce the prac tice of virtue: so that whatever be our darling passion, it only requires to be rightly understood, and it can never mislead us: we may allow men, for instance to be influenced by the love of pleasure, so that it be but true, lasting, pleasure; to give wholly into the pursuit of gain, so it be true substantial gain, what will in the end appear to be so; to thirst for honour and applause, so that they be not deceived in their notions of honour, and mistake not the false and delusive, for the true and substantial; so they do not, like the Pharisees, love the praise of men, more than the praise of God. And, conversely; if we are careful so to live as to glorify God in our actions, if our conduct be such as shall cast no reproach upon our maker, we may make ourselves

ourselves easy about our own glory; our own plea, sure, or our own advantage; for all those will cer tainly appear in the train, among the attendants and in the consequences of virtue. This is that wisdom, which hath in its right hand length of days, and in its left hand riches and honour.

Let our views then be single; so that whether we eat or drink, or whatever we do, let us do all to: the glory of God; so as to honour him by the wis dom and moderation we observe in all our gratifications and pursuits; and we may assure our selves, that we are those whom God will delight to honour and reward. A zeal for his glory and honour, is what no selfish consideration will make us repent of; for he will give grace and glory, and no good thing will be withhold, from them that walk uprightly.

RESIGNA

RESIGNATION

TO THE

WILL OF GOD.

165

It is the Lord, let him do what seemeth him good. 1. SAM. III. 18.

IN these words we are presented with a most

amiable view of the character of Eli. Notwithstanding a considerable flaw in his character, for which his family was justly deprived of the priesthood, his heart must, in the main, have been right towards God, when he could hear the news of the greatest calamity and dishonour, that could befal his family with such devout composure.

The religious exercise of meditation on the being, perfections and providence of God must have been very familiar to his mind before the simple apprehension, that it was God who was the author of his affliction, could give him such immediate ease: It is the Lord, says this good

1

old man; that was enough. Without farther reasoning, it was a consequence familiar to his mind, what he had a full and practical persuasion of, that then all was right, Let him do what seem eth him good. They are the best formed minds, the most devoted to God, and approved by him, that are capable of reasoning in this manner, and of feeling immediate relief from it, in scenes of real distress.

But Eli, you will say, reasoned in this manner, in a situation truly calamitous, to relieve an extraordinary pressure upon his mind, and when there was peculiar occasion to walk humbly before God. You may therefore think that reflections of this kind are proper only in cases of like difficulty and distress; and you may be saying, are the ways of providence at this time peculiarly dark and mysterious, do you apprehend that we are in more than ordinary danger of repining, and being dissatisfied with our condition. Suppose that nothing of this be the case, though it must be so at all times with many individuals, and we ought all of us to feel for others, as well as for ourselves. But suppose that the world should now smile upon you, that, in the language of the scripture, our mountain stands strong, and there is

no