1. For their Conviction, 1 S. Pet. ii. 12, 15. 2. For their Imitation, 1 Cor. xi. 1. Hebr. xiii. 7. 2. That they may glorify your Father which is in Heaven.

1. By Approving his Ways, 2 S. Pet. ii. 8. Rom. ii. 24. and on the contrary, Col. ii. 5. 2 Cor. ix. 13. 2 Theff. i. 7.

2. By Turning to them, I S. Pet. iii. 2. 2 Theff. i. 7.

3. By Praising his Mercy, for giving fuch Grace to Men, 1 Cor. xiv. 25. i S. Pet. ii. 9.

OBSERV. I. It is Chrift's Command that his Difciples be eminent in good Works, S. Matt. V. 47. S. Luk. xii. 48.

1. What are good Works? Such as are done, 1. By good Men, Prov. xv. 8. and xxi. 27. Ifa. i. 11, 15.

2. Out of Regard to God's Command, Deut. xii. 8. S. Mar. x. 19. 1 Cor. vii. 19.

3. With a willing Mind, i Chron. xxviii. 9. 2 Cor. viii. 12.

4. With all our Might, Ecclef. ix. 10. Deut. X. 12. Rom. i. 9.

5. With Humility, At. xx. 19. 1 S. Pet. V. 5. Mic. vi. 8.

6. For God's Glory, 1 Cor. x. 31.

2. What fort of good Works are here required?

1. Works of Penitence for Sin, S. Matt. iv. 17. Act. xxvi. 20.

2. Of Faith in Chrift, 2 Theff. i. 11.

3. Of Piety towards God, 1 Tim. iv. 7, 8. Hebr. xii. 28.

4. Of Sobriety and Mortification towards ourfelves.

1. Sobriety,

1. Sobriety, Rom. xiii. 12, 13. 1 Theff. v. 6, 7, 8.

2. Mortification, Col. iii. 5. Gal. V. 24. 5. Of Charity to the Poor, 1 Tim. vi. 17, 18. Hebr. xiii. 16. S. Matt. xxv. 35, &c.

6. Of Equity and Juftice towards all, Rom.xiii. 7,8. 1 Theff. iv. 6.

3. Why fhould Chriftians be fo Eminent, above others, for their good Works?

1. Because they have more Knowledge, S. Job. iii. 19. S. James iii. 13. and iv. 17. 1. Of God, Act. xvii. 23- 27. Gal. iv. 9. 2. Of Christ, Rom. x. 4, and xiv. 9. 1 Cor. i. 23, 24.

3.

Of the Soul's Immortality, and the Rewards and Punishments of the other Life, 2 Tim. i. 10. S. Matt. xxv. 46. 2. They have more Advantages of being fo, S. Luk. x. 13. S. Joh. xv. 22. 2 Cor. xii. 9.

3. They have vowed and covenanted to do it, S. Matt. xxviii. 19, 20. 1 S. Pet. iii. 21. Ecclef. V. 4, 5.

4 They have had more efpecial Mercies, A&t. xx. 28. Tit. ii. 14. 1 S. Pet. ii. 24. 1 Cor. vi. 19, 20.

5. They are pofitively enjoined to labour after Perfection, S. Matt. v. 48. to grow in Grace, 2 S. Pet. iii. 18. and to ftrive for the Maftery, 1 Cor. ix. 24, 25. And are directed by S. Paul, to prefs forward towards the Mark fet before us, Phil. iii. 13, 14.

USE.

1. How fad, then, is the Cafe of fuch as are not thus eminently Holy? S. Luk. ix. 62. A. xvii. 30.

1

2. How much worse their Cafe, who are eminently wicked, as too great a Part of the World are? Job xxxvi. 8. S. Matt. xxiv. 48, 49, 50, 51.

3. Let us ftrive to be thus eminently Holy, 1 S. Pet. i. 13, 14, 15, 16.

Confider,

1. Good Works are the beft Sign of a good Faith, S. Fam. ii. 18, 26.

2. They are the best Means of keeping a good Confcience, 2 Cor. i. 12.

3. They are the only way of being in the Favour of God, Ifa. i. 18.

4. They are the best Cordial in time of Affliction, Ifa. xxxviii. 3.

5. Do well here, and have well hereafter, S. Matt. XXV. 21. 2 Cor. v. 10.

OBSERV. II. The ultimate End of all our Actions, fhould be God's Glory, 1 S. Pet. iv. II.

1. What are we to understand by God's Glory?

Anfw. Not the adding any thing of Glory to him, of which he is incapable, being infinitely Perfect and Glorious, Exod.xv.11. Rom.xi.36. But the manifefting the Glorious Properties that are in Him, in like manner as our Saviour is faid to manifeft his own Glory, S. Joh. ii. 11. and as he pray'd to be glorified, S. Joh. xvii. 5. Ifa. lx. 21. 2. What Glory hath God by good Works?

Hereby we manifeft,

1. His Sovereignty over us, Ifa. lxiii. 19. Rev. xix. 6, 7..

2. The Certainty of his Promifes, Phil. iii. 20, 21. 1 S. Pet. i. 3, 4.

3. The Excellency of his Commands, Pfal. xix. 9, 10, 11.

4. The Greatnefs of his Mercy, Hebr. viii. 10, 11, 12. Rom. ix. 23, 24.

5. The Power of his Grace, 2 Cor. xii. 9. 3. Why fhould God's Glory be our ultimate End?

1. Because he has commanded it, Levit. x. 3. I Cor. X. 31.

2. Because it was his End in all things, Prov. xvi. 4. Pfal. cxxxviii. 5.

3. Because it is the End of our Creation, and Preservation, and Power to do any thing, Fer. ix. 23, 24. 1 Cor. i. 31. 2 Cor. x. 17.

4. Because it is the best of Ends, Pfal. xcix. 9. S. Matt. iv. 10,

USE to be made; That we aim continually at God's Glory; as remembring,

1. How Angry God is at fuch as do it not, A&t. xii. 23.

2. How he Threatens them, Mal. ii. 2.

3. No Actions are good, that are not done for his Glory, S. Matt. vi. 2, 5, 16.

4. Hereby you will antedate the Work of Heaven, Rev. vii. 9, 10, 11.

5. Laftly, Give him Glory now, and he will give you Glory hereafter, Pfal. 1. 23. 1 Cor. ii. 9.

S. MATT.

S. MATT. V. 24.

But I Say unto you, Swear not at all.

I.WHAT it is to fwear?

Anfw. It is a Calling upon God as a Witnefs, to confirm what we say; Tov edr ná“ a palve. Chryfoft. Solet Deus ad probandam fidem in juratione ab hominibus nominari. Optat: Meliv. 1. 2. p. 58. Et cum per folum Deum folent homines jurare. Id. 1. 3. p. 65.

Μαρτυρία γὰρ ὅτι Θεῖ πεὶ πραγμάτων ἀμφισβητεμθύων, ögn. Phil. Jud. de Decal. p. 583.

1. It is a Calling upon God, Deut. vi. 13.

and x. 20.

2. As a Witness. Eft enim jusjurandum affirmatio religiofa. Quod autem affirmatè, quafi Deb tefte, promiferis, id tenendum eft. Tull. de Offic. 1. 3.

C. 29.

3. To confirm what we fay, Hebr. vi. 16. εἰς βεβαίωσιν, it is πέρας ἀντιλογίας. Ὅρκος μαὺ γὰρ ὅτιν ὁμολογία καθορισικὴ μετὰ προπαραλήψεως θείας. Clem. Alex. Stro. l. 7. p. 728.

II. Whether it is lawful under the Gospel, in any Cafe, to swear?

Answer. It is. For,

1. The Matter of it is as lawful now as ever, S. Matt. v. 17.

2. It was a Part of the Moral, not the Ceres monial Law; Command. III.

3. It is a Part of God's Worship, Deut. vi. 13. and x. 20.

4. By it we give much Glory to God; Thereby acknowledging,