Man's chief End To glorify GOD, OR Some Brief SERMON-NOTES On 1 Cor. 10.31. By the Reverend Mr. John Bailey, Sometime Preacher and Prisoner of Christ at Limerick in Ireland, And now Pastor to the Church of Christ in Watertown in New-England. John 17.4, 5. I have Glorified thee on Earth, and now Father glorify me with thine own Self. 2 Pet. 1.15. I will endeavour that after my Decease you may have these things always in remembrance. Boston Printed by Samuel Green, and ar● to be Sold by Richard Wilkins Book-Seller near the Town-House. Anno. 1689. To the READER. THE Reverend and Worthy Preacher of the Ensuing Sermons desires none of my Commendation, the most precious and seasonable Subiec● needs it not, the manner of Handling it has already had the best Letters Commendatory, viz. in the Consciences, Hearts, and Lives of some of them who first sate under the dropping of these Heavenly Showers that fell upon them in Ireland where they were preached. And altho' they could not but forget many of the words, yet retaining the savour of those Truths then sucked in from his Mouth, they importunately desired that not only themselves might have their minds stirred up by way of Remembrance, but also that theirs and others their fellow-travelers in the same way, by the same Rule, and unto the same end, might share in the Benefit of this Awakening and Affecting Discourse. To gratify whose Importunity, The almost inexorable Author did in the end( and indeed not till a great fit of sickness had brought him in all appearance near his end) consent to be passive in the publishing of the same. And purely passive he was therein, utterly refusing( whether out of modesty, melancholy or Bodily Infirmity I say not) to be any otherwise concerned than barely to allow of their Publication. The Notes were taken by one who was a very faithful and ready Scribe, yet( because written in Long-hand) many things must needs be omitted, and others not so distinctly penned. Had they been taken by a quicker Pen, and perused by himself, it might well have been expected they would have been more polished and better dressed than they now appear. Perhaps they will not so please a curious and critical Age wherein men are more for words than things, for fine Language than substantial Truths, for pleasing their Fancy, than feeding their Hearts in order to mending their Lives, a sort of Preaching that Paul carefully avoided, 1 Cor. 1.17. and 2.1. and rather choose to use great plainness of Speech, 2 Cor. 3.12. whom our Author has also imitated, as considering that those are the best Sermons that do the most good,& those do the most good that are most understood. However, serious Souls will relish serious Truths. The foolishness of Preaching is Gods way to save Souls, 2 Cor. 1.21. and the wisdom of God tho' not dispensed in the words of mans wisdom shall be the power of God to Salvation, Rom. 1.16. and Wisdom is and will be justified of her Children. I am well assured that our Errand into this world and Business here is to glorify God; and am as fully satisfied that those who mind their Errand and are engaged in the pursuit of their Business, will be thankful for any help they meet with in the way. To have the whole heart and Soul bent and set for glorifying of God here will be found one of the most infallible Characters of a man appointed for Glory with God hereafter. When many whose parts and Gifts both natural and acquired have made a considerable figure in the world, and rendered them observable among Christians, shall be rejected by Christ as seekers of themselves, and workers of Iniquity; then shall those honest, upright Souls who tho' moving in a lower sphere have aimed at this most high and glorious end, be accepted of him who demands the Heart, and valves every man by his Heart. The answer to that great Inquiry, Whom have we truly and hearty been for? and whose glory have we sought? will over a little while determine the Question concerning the Eternal Estate of all Mankind. God will abate us nothing of this, Thou shalt be for me and no other, Hos. 3.3 Nor can any thing be more equal than that he from whom all things are, should have all things to be for him, and all honour and glory rendered to him. While those Jews sought Glory to themselves one of another and not the Honour that came from God only; our Lord Jesus Christ declares their coming to him impossible, John 5.44. And by like reason whosoever pretends to be a Believer, and yet has not learnt to deny his own vain glory,& to give all the honour that arises from ought done by him unto God only, will thereby discover and evince himself to be a mere pretender. Gods Holiness is that whereby he seeks himself, or his own glory as the ultimate end of all that he does; and hence all that are partakers of his Holiness( as all his Children are) must necessary( though most voluntarily) do the same. It is a solemn caution given by that blessed Apostle, 2 John 8. Look to yourselves that we lose not what we have wrought, but that we Receive a full Reward. What God has we shall not lose, and what we do for his Glory he has, and we shall have a good account of in the day of recompense. How many great contrivances, costly Actions, splendid performances, which were materially good, and rendered the Agents famous in the world, shall yet miss of acceptance with God, and be eternally lost to the Doers, because in the doing of them they only sought themselves, and not Gods Glory! See 1 Cor. 13.1, 2, 3. The Arrow may be drawn to the Head, but if not well levelled shall never hit the Mark. All such Labour will prove Labour in vain. Since man by Sin lost his true end, he makes himself his end, and can do no other till he has a new Nature infused from above, which disposes him to higher Things. No Hypocrite can ever get one Hairs-breadth beyond himself; Self is the Principle he acteth from& the End he moveth towards. The new Creature being Gods Workmanship, and Created after his own Image, is only capable of acting like his Maker, and for his Maker. The New-heart alone can love this Text, and practically close with this Doctrine. And therefore it behoves every Reader that would be a Doer, and not a Self-deceiver, to be a restless Inquirer for that Heart which the Lord can give, and right Inquirers shall receive, Ezek. 36.26, 37. This farther I have to advertise the Reader of, viz. That there is a Valedictory Epistle annexed, which was penned by the same Author, and left as his last Legacy to that People among whom he had spent so many Laborious Years, and for the everlasting Weal of whom he had such vehement Desires. I must own that I had not the opportunity of perusing it before it was gone to the Press, yet coming from one who understands what he speaks, and lives what he writes, I doubt not of its usefulness to the end propounded, viz. nextly the Edification, Consolation and Establishment of those to whom it was directed, and ultimately the Glory of God, and therefore is very properly joined to such a Treatise that handles that Subject. I commend both the one and the other firstly to those who were nextly concerned in the Studying and now in the publishing thereof; then to all others into whose Hands Divine Providence shall cast this Directory. Let it be red, Studied, Lived. And that such little Books may not be among the Witnesses for the Lord and against any of us in the Great Day of judgement, is the Hearty Prayer of J M. 1 Cor. 10.31. Whether therefore ye Eat or Drink, or whatsoever ye do, do all to the glory of God. I Shall not stand upon the Coherence of the Words; only some hints to let you see how the Text comes in. I have formerly upon another Occasion observed divers things concerning this great Apostle, and this famous Church he here writes unto; and so need not say any thing more here. The Text is an Exhortation to all Christians to the end of the World. After the Apostle had Treated of many things, as in the beginning of the Chapter, That the Israelites were Baptized unto Moses in the Cloud, and in the Sea, and that though they did eat the same spiritual meat, and drink the same spiritual drink, yet they were heavily plagued for their sins, which especially were Idolatry, Fornication, Tempting of Christ, and Murmuring against God. And then the Apostle makes use of it to caution us that we do not so, and tells us tbey are our Examples, and that these things are written for our Admonition: and in ver. 13. help is promised under temptation; then he hints at the Lords Supper, exhorting them to flee from Idolatry, because that at that Ordinance they have communion with the Body and Blood of Christ, and by Idolatry they should have communion with Devils, which would be very provoking to God. And having desired them to take heed of giving offence to others, especially in Eating and Drinking, ver. 25. he tells them they may lawfully eat and drink what is set before them, and sold in the Shambles, ver. 26, 27. asking no question for Conscience sake; but if any should say it were offered to an Idol, then not to give offence by eating, and gives the same reasons both for eating, and not eating, to wit, ver. 26.28. The earth is the Lords and the fullness thereof: q. d. Though such meat be abused by Idolaters yet it ceaseth not to be Gods creature, who made it to be eaten with Thanksgiving: and yet if notice were given that it were offered to an Idol, not to eat it, for fear of giving offence, for the earth is the Lords and the fullness thereof, ver. 28 there are more meats created of God, and you need not eat with offence. And then comes in the Text, they are Exhorted to mind the Glory of God whether they eat or no. In the Text you have a precious and necessary Duty exhorted unto, To glorify God: and this is laid down both in general in whatsoever we do, and in particular, in our Eating and Drinking: ●s if those natural Actions were steps in our way to Heaven, and so not to be despised, or l●st by us. DOCTRINE. It is the grand Duty, and it ought to be the daily desire, and design of every gracious Soul to glorify God in all it doth, yea even in its very Eating and Drinking. This is the grand, main duty that runs, or should run through every duty: and it should be our desire, and design, and that daily, and that both in general and particular actions. And if this be not your design in all you do, God hates your performances as he does your iniquities, Isai. 1.13, 14. That man was never Regenerated that does not every day( or ordinarily) set out for God. And you ought not only to design Gods glory in general but in particular Actions. Three things are to be attended here. 1. To show what it is in general to glorify God. 2. What it is to glorify God in particular and especially in eating& Drinking, and Recreation which may be added to it; though in this I shall be very brief, it has been so well handled by others. 3. Why this should be our design in every thing: but this shall come under the Use of Exhortation, and the Motives may serve for Reasons. 1. What is it in general to glorify God? Ans. 1. Negatively, it is not to make him better, greater or more glorious, for what can be added to Infiniteness? his essential glory was, is, and will be still the same; its impossible to add to that, but his declarative glory in the World is here meant. 2. Positively it lies in three things. 1. In giving him the glory of his wonderful Perfections, by getting and careful maintaining such Notions and Apprehensions of him, in the secret of our Souls as do beget suitable dispositions towards him, and Impressions before him. 2. It consists in this, when the glory of God is plainly to be seen upon the outward face of our acknowledgement and Deportment, or( take it in these words) worshipping and Walking.) 3. It lies in an actual Proposing of the Glory of God, as our outmost end in all our particular actions. Now to speak to each of these distinctly: 1. It lies in giving God the Glory of his wonderful Perfections, by a getting and cheerful maintaining such Notions and Apprehensions of him, in the secret of our soul; as do beget suitable Affections to him, and Impressions before him. Gods Glory is seen in his Perfections, in his wonderful Holiness, Goodness, Wisdom, Faithfulness, &c. So that a person is said to glorify God when he has a right knowledge of his Perfections; and this knowledge is right when it puts a man upon magnifiing, exalting,& extoling God above every person and thing. The Saints are often said in Scripture to magnify God, and to call on one another to do so, Psal. 34.3, 4. Luk 1.46. the word magnify, signifies to make great but this( as you heard before) we can't properly do: our Righteousness adds nothing to him, Job 35.7, 8. it's only a declaring him great( who was infinitely so from Eternity) in our apprehension affections Impressions and Conversations. Hence God is said to magnify himself when he makes himself known, Ezek. 38. ult. and often said to magnify his mercy, and his great Name when he shows mercy, and works for his Name sake. Indeed when God magnifies man( as he is said to do, Job 7.17.) He then really adds to him, and makes him greater. God magnified man by Creation, in giving him a rational Soul, capable of Communion with himself; he has magnified him much more by Redemption and Regeneration, Rom. 8.30. He is said to glorify them whom he calls, by putting a beauty and splendour upon them, who before were little and unworthy, and he does it both by giving them Grace here, and by raising them to Glory hereafter. Thus God magnifies man and makes him great. But we magnify God when we set up an high Throne for him in our hearts, and make room for him in our Souls: when we do most highly, gloriously and honourably conceive of God, this is a giving Glory to him, Jer. 13.16. with many such like Texts that may fall in our way afterwards. He is glorious in himself, but we make him so to us, when we rightly conceive of him, and are suitably affencted towards him. In Scripture Gods Glory is said to be his Excellency, and that is above all other things Isai. 35.2. the Glory of the Lord, and the[ Excelloncy] of our God. When we daily conceive of God as the most Excellent one, this is a Glorifying God as God. Herod was destroyed for not giving God the Glory, Act. 12.23. how can you glorify God when you forget him all the day? this cannot be: we are then Christians to purpose when we glorify God as God, preferring him above all, see Rom. 1.21. O how many are guilty of the sins of the Heathen! they do not glorify God as God; else they could never do that in Gods sight, which they would not do in the sight of a holy Minister, nay not in the sight of a Child. Now our notions of God will appear to be right when they beget suitable Dispositions toward him, and Impressions before him. 1. Suitable Dispositions toward him, and they are five. 1. These Notions put persons upon observing of him daily, such do not ordinarily forget God, but every thing puts them in mind of him; and they that would glorify God must begin every day, and every duty with a design so to do. Hence says David, My eyes are ever towards the Lord, Psal. 25.15. the Saints observe God, and God observes them, Hos. 148. I have seen him, and[ Observed] him, and they that are wise and willing will observe these things, Psal. 107. ult. the whole Creation puts a good Soul in mind of God; its Gods Library, you may red your fill, it was the first Bible that ever God wrote: gracious Souls see God in every thing that he has made, and his glorious perfections in all, and give him the glory of them both in the work of Creation and Providence: as 1. His wonderful Power in making and upholding all things in their being, beauty, and order, and 2. His wonderful Wisdom that preserves this World, notwithstanding all the disorders that are in it. 3. His sweetness, when he tastes sweetness in any creature, O thinks he then how sweet is he that made it! the Fountain must needs have more than the Stream, Psal. 19.1. The Heavens declare the Glory of God, and the Earth shows his handy work. Hab. 3.3. His Glory covered the Heavens, and the Earth was full of his praise, this makes them glorify God. 2. These Notions put them upon loving him dearly; even above all. Do you thus love him? why should you not? seeing his Excellency is above all. Many pretend to love him, but love their Lusts above him; they love him not at all, and many mens Notions of him are such as make them either hate him or fly from him, Rom. 1.30. but gracious Souls love to give him the Glory of his Grace and Mercy, &c. O its not every one that has a Right Notion of pardoning Mercy; but they that have it love him dearly: and this Love of theirs, is not only of a restraining, but a constraining nature; it constrains them unto all good, having had discoveries of God in a covenant of Grace, of God in Christ, and of God as a Father sitting upon a Throne of Grace: Hence these affections are begotten in them. Christ is called the Glory of God, yea, the brightness of his Glory, Heb. 1.3, 4. Phil. 2.9, 10, 11. the Glory of God the Father, he is the Glass of the Father. Gods Glory is to be seen plainly in the Mediator, both in his Person, Miracles& Doctrine. The Saints see much of the Glory of God in the work of Redemption, in the Mediation and Intercession of Christ; and this makes them love him, Psal. 104: 34. their thoughts are sweet of him, and for this end, God has given you his Name in Exod: 34: 7: that you might know and love him. His Name ought not to be in vain to us, we are not to think of it in vain, or think of it with trouble, as the Psalmist under Temptation did, Psal: 77: 3. I remembered God and was troubled, but we should think of him with delight. 3. These Notions of God( when Right) put them upon Trusting in him duly; Yea though he slay them, they will trust in him; Job. 13.15. they give him glory by Leaving their ( All) with him, and Laying their ( All) upon him. Sometimes when you know a man to be faithful, you will say, I could venture all upon such a mans word. What time they are afraid, they trust in him, Psal. 56.3. Its a sign they know his name, Psal. 9.10. Are there any that trust not in him? They know him not; for they that know him, will put their Trust in him, and that at all times, when not under Temptation, Psal. 62.8. They have had such Discoveries made to them of his Truth, Faithfulness, Power, and Promises, in Christ, that they cannot but give him the glory of them, by Trusting in him; Abraham is said to glorify God by believing, Rom. 4.20.( and it's no small mercy that God will account himself glorified by you, though it be but by one act of Faith.) The Word is called his glory, but chiefly the Gospel, and the Promise( which especially is the ground of Faith) is called the glory of God, or the Glorious Gospel, 2 Cor. 4.4. and he is said To magnify his Word above all his Name, Psal. 138.2. Many things which are the ground of our Trust and Comfort, are called the Glory of God, As 1. Pardoning mercy, Prov. 25.2. It's his Glory to Conceal a thing; and that( as some think) is meant of pardoning sin by the Antithesis; its the honour of princes to search out a matter; that is evil matter, some Treacherous matter: when God pardons he Conceals or covers sin. 2. The Redemption of lost man is said to glorify God Isai. 61.1, 2, 3. that he may be glorified. 3. Gods goodness and gracious nature is called his glory, Exod. 33.18, 19. I beseech thee show me thy glory, says Moses; I will cause all my goodness to pass before thee says God: thats good news for us, for its that we stand the most in need of; and Eph. 3.16. Its called Riches of glory, that is of grace. 4. The coming of Christ is called the glory of God Isai. 40.5. its meant of the Righteousness of Christ that is offered in the Gospel. 5. The Ark of the Covenant 1 Sam. 4. last nay the place where his Gospel is preached is called the place where his honour dwells in Psal. 26.8. his Mercy and his arm is sufficient for your Trust Psal. 52.8. I trust in the mercy of God, Isai. 51.5 on my arm shall they trust. The tokens of Christs grace and power are called his glory, John 1.14 John 11.40. 4: These Notions and Apprehensions put them upon fearing him filially, Hos. 3: 5: Though they have never so much of a Spirit of Adoption yet they cannot but fear him; they have had such Discoveries of his Greatness and Purity that they fall down before it, Rev: 15: 4. Jer: 10: 7. 5 These Notions put them upon Admiring and Adoring him inwardly and superlatively. Every converted Soul is an admiring Soul; and they account every thing in God, and about him to be wonderful. Do you thus know what it is to lie in the dust at his feet and admire him? Admiration is the running over of the Understanding, whereby the Soul is as it were lost in God. When God at any time puts forth an Attribute, there is a wonderful Glory attends it; as when he puts forth acts of Justice on his and the Churches Enemies; Numb: 14: 21. Ezek: 28: 22. Ezek. 29: 13. So on the other hand, when he puts forth acts of Grace and Mercy to his poor Church there is a wonderful glory attends it, Psal: 85: 9. that Glory may dwell in our Land. These are the suitable Dispositions that you are to have if you would evidence your notions of God to be right; and prove yourselves to be them that glorify God. And especially this of Admiration: there is none like God, therefore none to be so admired, all Right worship is full of Admiration. Gracious Souls cannot but admire God, and all the ways he hath taken with them;( and this also make them admire themselves in a contrary sense, viz: in their own vileness and unworthiness, and that they are out of hell.) And when at any time( though its pity it is so seldom) they have some small transient views and discoveries of him as he is now in Heaven, which is( indeed) a place of Glory they can't but fall admiring of him; and say, Oh! what a day will that be when God shall come to be Glorified in his Saints, and admired in( all) them that believe, 2 Thes. 1.10. Heaven is such a place of glory that it s called glory itself in 1 Tim. 3. last Luk. 24.26. And when they view God as in Heaven( where he especially is gloriously revealed) by an eye of Faith; they cry out he is all glorious and their worship is spent in Admiration. And when their Apprehensions are Ripened they come to hope much, as well as love and fear much, they rejoice in hope of the Glory of God, Rom 5.2. and though the day of judgement be such a terror to the wicked yet to poor Souls that have saving Apprehensions of God, its the day of their hopes and expectations. And they glorify God by marveling, Mat: 9.8. they may well admire Heaven, for if all the glory and splendour of this lower World should be made to pass by Heaven-Gates, the glorified Souls there would not think it worth one glance or cast of their eye in comparison of the Glory they behold. This is now the first Branch, viz. suitable affections to him. 2. Branch, Suitable Impressions before him. These will sink deep into the Soul if your Notions of God be right. And these are begun in their first Conversion when their hearts are pricked, Acts 2.37. they lye much under the sense and feeling of God, he works in them such wonderful Impressions of his Greatness, sovereignty, Holiness, Goodness, &c. as are never worn out, but are maintained and increased in them to their very dying day They have deep and abiding Impressions of all the blessed Attributes of God, but especially of those three, his Greatness, Holiness, and Goodness. This might now. 1. Let us see whether we have Glorified God or no, and be in stead of a Use of Trial to us, what are our Notions and Apprehensions of God? have they had this blessed effect upon us? have they produced such Dispositions as those before name, and these deep and lasting Impressions yea or no? 2. It might also serve to direct us how we may come to glorify God, viz. By getting right Notions and Apprehensions of Him. 3. It might greatly shane us, that the best of us have no more Glorified God, and done so little this way: may we not all of us now lay our hand upon our mouths, and put our mouths in the dust for this? The best has done little, and many have done nothing, they have not glorified God at all, nay it may be many have very much dishonoured him, and done much against his declarative glory though they cannot hurt his essential glory; this is matter of shane and Lamentation. This might also reprove many that make false Representations of God, or such as walk not up to their right Notions of God. 4. It is matter of Comfort to all such as so apprehended of God as you have heard; that God will account himself Glorified by you. Many never drew so near to God in all their lives as rightly to apprehended of him; but if you have been thus happy to draw so near to him as to have such apprehensions of him that have made you, Love him, Admire him, and prefer him above all, and love Heaven because it is a place where you shall do nothing else but glorify him; then have you glorified him. Does He come into your hearts often, and make himself known to you? does he led you along guiding your hand, and break in upon you with glorious Discoveries of himself, as a God and King of Glory? Acts 7.2. the God of Glory appeared to Abraham, and Psal. 24.7, 8. there is a fair promise made you, that he will come in if you shut him not out by Ignorance, Unbelief, Impenitency and Obstinacy. He is called the Father of Glory, Eph. 1.17. and his eyes are called the eyes of his Glory, which makes gracious Souls afraid to provoke him, Isai. 3.8. Christ is called the Lord of Glory, 1 Cor. 2.8. have you closed with him? then have you Glorified God and may be comforted. So much for the first thing of the three what it is to glorify God; we come to the second; To glorify God is this, 2. When the Glory of God is plainly to be seen upon the outward face of our acknowledgement and our deportment, or of our worshipping God, and walking before him. There are two Branches in this Particular. 1. Branch, When the Glory of God is plainly to be seen upon the face of our acknowledgement, the Worship of God ought to be so managed by you, as that others may see Gods holiness upon you in it, and fall in love with it. When your Postures, Gestures and Expressions are such as beget such high though●s of God in others as you pretend to in yourselves. No doubt this is included in the Text, thô it be not mainly meant, Whatsoever you do, &c. and if we are to glorify God in eating and drinking, much more in our Worship. And other Scriptures speaks it more plain, Psal. 29.12. if our natural and civil Actions should glorify God, much more our Religious Actions. Your Worship in secret should be so performed, as that you may believe yourselves to be serious and in good earnest. And so when you Worship God with others, you should so manage it, as that others may glorify Gods Holiness upon your account. Not to Worship God in Spirit and in Truth, but to do it slightly and carelessly, is a sad sight, and a God-dishonouring thing, Levit. 10.3. Before all the People I will be Glorified; but alas! how little is this minded by most worshippers? how few are made in love with Worship through the zeal of others in it? But might they not rather say of some kind of vain worshippers, that they are Mad? As 1 Cor. 14.23. Many red their Bibles with no more devotion than they would a Play-Book, and say their Prayers( as they call it) just like Parrats that have learnt to talk, and understand not what they say: this is a great dishonour to God, and is hardening to others. The vain, idle way of Popish worshipping, has stood in the way of the conversion of the Jews, and of the Mahometan World a great while. And as for others, most mens Religion is the fruit of their conceits; they little think that every word they red has Gods Image, and Gods Authority stamped upon it. But while I am thus calling upon you to glorify God before others in your Worship, do not mistake me, do not with the Hypocritical Scribes and Pharisees, do all this to be seen of Men; but do all with a sense of God, and of Eternity upon your spirits. Here I have five Words to say to you, viz. that you would labour to glorify God, 1. In your Confession of Sin, which is one part of Prayer. Let the glory of God be seen in it, that others may be provoked by your seriousness herein to count sin an odious thing. That you would take heed of complementing with God and so lose all your Prayers, as too many do, they confess their sins as coldly as they committed them boldly. And let Conscience be witness to this: do you not often confess them so coldly that even yourselves scarce believe yourselves to be in good earnest? That man glorifies God in confession of sin, that does it with self-loathing and shane, even for those sins which none but God can charge him withal. Its not every Confession that glorifies God, Josh. 7.19. give glory to God by confessing, do it so as yourselves and others( when they join with you) may believe you hate it. 2. In your begging of Mercy from God, labour in this part of Prayer to glorify God. But alas! how few beg as if they were in earnest, as a Subject would beg favour from his Prince? or a Poor Tenant a boon from his Land-lord, or a poor starving Creature would beg for an Alms, or a Malefactor for a Pardon from his Judge? Do you know the worth of Pardoning Mercy when you pray for it?& so of all other spiritual mercies? do you so pray for mercies as others may believe that you esteem them worth asking and waiting for, and that you are at the right door? It is an excellent thing when you strive with God in Prayer, both in secret and with others, that you beg so humbly, confidently and importunately, that others may believe that you are at the door where everlasting Mercy dwells; and that God only is the God of all grace and comfort, and that you are for other kind of things than profits, pleasures and preferments here, but that you are for Blessings indeed, as he was in 1 Chron. 4.10: O that thou wouldest bless me indeed, &c. 3. In your Blessing and giving thanks to God for mercies already received, Do this so as that God may be glorified. This the Scripture is full of, I shall only hint at it; but you see how God accounts of it in Psal. 50. ult. Whoso offereth praise glorifieth me: and Luk. 17.15. He glorified God, and Christ says, He gives glory to God, ver. 18. that was, he gave Thanks. I might show you how all these three parts of Prayer Glorify God in all his Attributes, his Omnisciency, sovereignty, Holiness, &c. but I forbear enlargement▪ But in giving praise, you are to set the Crown upon the right head; when God puts any glory upon you, by making use of you,& you give it back to him again▪ then do you glorify him; Luke 19.16. Lord, thy pound hath gained Ten: and when you say, as 1 Cor. 15.10. By the grace of God I am, what I am, and I Laboured more abundantly, yet not I, but the grace of God which was with me; and as Gen. 41.16. it is not in me, God shall give Pharaoh an answer of Peace; and Acts 3.12, 13, 16. he puts power and holiness together. It's not by our own power and Holiness. It's excellent to do much, and yet to be nothing in our own eyes; 1 Chron. 29 11, 12, &c. That was the Proclamation when Christ came, Glory to God in the Highest! Peace and Good-will is for us, but Glory or God Alone, Luke 2.14 But some glorify themselves Rev. 18.7. There is a Dreadful Doom concerning them. 4. In your spending the Lords-Day, Labour so to carry yourselves, that Gods Glory may be seen in it. It is a Day set apart only for Gods Worship; but, oh this is an undoing thing That our Sabbaths smell so rank of our Week-days! and the great reason, is, because we have so little Tincture of the Sabbath in the Week-days. The Lords-Day is seriously,( the whole of it) to be spent with him, either in our closerts, Families, or in the House of God. See what the Prophet says, Isa. 58.13. Honouring and Glorifying is the same. 5. In your ordinary Discourse, you are to speak 1. Reverently, And 2. Magnifyingly of God; then do you cause his Glory to be seen in the face of your acknowledgement when you do thus. A word to each of these: 1. When we speak of God, we are to speak with great Reverence and Seriousness, that others may be affencted and Edified therewith. Not after a slighty careless manner. As a man may dishonour God by profane speeches, so he may also, by the manner of his speaking of good things. Many gracious Souls, have had an holy Awe and Dread on their Spirits, upon their very mentioning the Name of God, in Prayer itself; so tender have they been of it, that they have been afraid to abound in using that great Name too frequently, even in their Prayers: How horrible a thing then is it to bring that most Fearful and Glorious Name into matter of Jests? Oh, it's too great and Sacred a Thing to be thus brought into your mouths. It's the Temper of a gracious Soul, always to have a secret Reverence attending every word it speaks of God, either before, or after the speaking of it. And this Lesson was Taught it at its first Conversion. You may as truly dishonour God, by speaking lightly of what is good, as by speaking evil. You should la●●●r to Glorify God, both with your mind and your mouth; and excite others so to do also by your doing it, Rom. 15.6. And upon this account David calls his Tongue his glory so often in the Psalms, and it is your glory when you use it to the glory of God: But the Lord knows it may well be called many a mans shane. 2. We are to speak Magnifyingly of God, we should extol him, and Recommend him to others; and Ascribe greatness to him, goodness and holiness to him; and to say as Rev. 4. last Thou art worthy, O Lord to Receive Glory, &c: The Psalms abound to this purpose;( the Reading frequently of which I commend to you) see Psal. 86 9. Psal. 105.1, 2, 3. Talk ye of all his wondrous works; Psal. 145 6, 11. Psal. 35. last. 1 Pet. 4.11. If any man speak, let him speak as the Oracles of God; that God in all things may be glorified. Though this may be meant especially of an Authoritative way of speaking in the name of God, yet it may include the other; Paul concludes his Epistle to the Romans with giving glory to God. See Phil. 4.20 Heb. 13.21. But how ●hould others glorify God on your account, when you speak lightly, hardly, or discouragedly of God? So much of the first Branch, when the Glory of God is to be seen upon the outward face of our acknowledgement. The second Branch, when the Glory of God is plainly seen upon the outward face of our Deportment, or our Conversation; then indeed do we Glorify God. This is mainly and especially meant in the Text, though the other is included also: It's not enough to have high and honourable thoughts of God in our hearts, and also to perform a seeming zealous Worship to him, but these things are to be diffused abroad into our Lives and Conversations, that others may see by our holy Lives, that the God we worship is an Holy God. Else how are we said to glorify God? and how came others by observing us, to glorify our Father which is in Heaven? It's not enough to be serious alone, others know not what we do there, but we must bring our Religion out of our closerts, into our Shops, Houses, and Fields; we are not only to be Religions in Gods House, but in our own Houses also. Athiestical Livers are great Enemies to a God-head. But then do you glorify God, when your words, ways, course, and Discourse, give others a fair occasion to lift up the Name of God in their Hearts. You ought not only to serve God yourselves, but to carry it so, as to win others to God; carry it so, as that others may know there is a God, and that he is a very Holy God; that their Hearts may thereby be raised up to God, that they may begin to Admire, Adore, Observe Love,& walk in the fear of this God. Our Loves and our Lives ought to be like flames, catching hold of all about us. No doubt there are thousands in Heaven, that are Blessing God for the holy Lives of others. All Gods Attributes are his glory, but especially his Holiness: therefore when much of this is seen upon the face of our Deportment, then do we very much glorify God. He is said to be glorious in Holiness; this Attribute runs through all his other Attributes, he is infinitely Holy in them all: And if Holiness be the glory of God, why should it not be our glory? Exod. 15.11. And he is not only glorious in Holiness, but he glories in it: he is called Holy three times together, Rev 4.8. Isa. 6.3. he is infinitely happy in his Holiness, Hab. 1.13. Sin never yet had a good look from him, nor ever will. David smarted severely for it, and all the Saints that fell into it ever since, have smarted for it, more or less: God hates it, and the workers of it, and the Saints know it, Psal. 5.4, 5. Thou hatest all the workers of iniquity. He will have nothing about him, but what is holy; his Son, Angels, Sabbaths, are called holy; and he has also willed and commanded you to be Holy, 1 Thes. 4.3. 1 Pet. 1.16. Be Holy, as he is, for quality, though not for quantity: Hence by these inward Affections, Impressions, and holy Conversations, we are said to sanctify him, Lev. 10.3. that is, by Recommending him to others Admirations, by your God-glorifying Conversations, 1 Pet. 1.15. you are to be holy in all manner of Conversation; which takes in both our Relative Duties, and our Callings, Conditions and Company. You red of the Beauties of Holiness; and indeed the more Holiness, the more beauty in any: Holiness puts a Beauty upon any, let them otherwise be never so mean or deformed. The more there is of three things in your Deportment, the more is God glorified by it. 1. The more there is of God in your Deportment. 2. The more there is of Christ in it. 3. The more there is of Heaven in it. 1. The more there is of God in your Deportment ( or your Conversation) the more is he glorified; he is glorified by nothing, but what is of himself Adam was made after Gods Image, that is in holiness; and this carries Reverence in it from the worst of men, whose Consciences honour it, though their wills and affections hate it. Then does a man glorify God, when Holiness to the Lord is engraven upon all his Faculties, and all his Affa●rs upon all the Faculties of his Soul, Mind, Will, Conscience, and Affections, though this is invisible to men▪ but he glorif●es God in his Deportment, when its plainly written upon his Affairs, and there will such a day come when Holiness to the Lord shall be upon the Horses Bridles, and every Pot in Jerusalem shall be holy, &c. Zech. 14.20, 21. A vain jungling Spirit is not becoming a Christian, t● be always Jesting, this is not to be used as your Ordinary Food, though mirth be allowed sometimes, yet it is to be used with great sobriety and moderation. God is( as one well saith) the real glory of every thing, person, word or work; if God be not in your Health, Houses, Relations, Employments; and in every word you speak, and every work you do, there is no glory in it; if it have not more or less reference to God it is worth nothing. And you may know if Gods Glory be to be seen in your Conversation by these things. 1. When you are afraid to offend God tho● none know of it. 2. When it appears to others( as far as they can judge) that Gods Glory is your only Rule to walk by, both in Heart, Lip and Life, in Thoughts, Words and Actions. 3. When it appears( as far as they can see) to others, that in your whole Conversation you are swayed by the consideration of eternal and invisible things, and you carry and look like men that believe unseen and eternal things, and consult not Profits, Honours, Ease, &c. 4. When it appears to others that you only live to God; that his Glory is that you live for, and that his Work you mind, and that you place your whole happiness in his favour, and make it your only business to please him in all you do, and it appears that you mind Gods work more than your own; and that you carry towards him as your Owner and Benefactor, and as one with whom you expect to live for ever. 2. The more of Christ there is in your Conversation the more God is glorified by you. Christ is the glory of God, and hath wonderfully glorified him. Gods Glory did most eminently appear in him when he was upon Earth, Joh. 1.14.& 2. ●1. The Father also was glorified by him, Joh. 17.4. I have glorified thee on Earth, &c. let the same mind be in you that was in Christ Jesus, when you show forth the virtues of Christ, then you glorify God. God loves Christ, and his Image in him, it is so like himself, like Loves its like, we use to say, John 14.8. He that hath seen me hath seen the Father also. If the Father had been clothed with flesh he would have carried just as Jesus Christ did. God accounts a Christ-like spirit of great price. To be sweet, patient, charitable, humble, useful, evangelical in all we do, to be fruitful in every good work is to be like Christ, and you show yourselves to have the spirit of Christ by the fruits of it. Gal. 5. 22, 23. 1 Pet 3.4. he had been in the Chapter before recommending Christs Example, and here tells you such a spirit is of great price in Gods sight? and John 15.8. Herein is my Father glorified, and Mat. 5.16. We are so to glorify God, as that others may fall a doing so too. Phil. 1.11. the glory of God and of Christ are put together, John 1.14.& 11.4. He was a great Example of Seriousness and Gravity when he was on Earth; you often red of his Groaning, Weeping, &c. but never can you produce that Chapter or Verse that speaks of his jesting or laughing away his time; he tells us he came to do the will of him that sent him, and to finish his work. And what a serious pattern was he in his Preaching! though very plain in it, yet never Man spake like him; O his tenderness, weeping over Sinners! and his great in offensiveness to all, and what a wonderful Instance of Humility was he! especially when he washed his Disciples feet: hence he invites you to learn of him, John 13. from v. 4. to the 15th. Do as I have done to you, Mat. 11.29. Learn of me for I am meek and lowly in heart. And for his Obedience to the Law, he was a mere Commentary upon it, and for pleasing of God what an Example was he! I do always the things that please him; and for his Charity and Love, how did he feed Multitudes! and for Self-denial and Contempt of the World what a rare instance was he? John 6.15. When he perceived they would come and take him by force to make him a King, he departed, &c. he was not fond( as many are) of great preferments, but steals away from them:& for patience, how many reproaches did he bear? altho' they were very grievous to his most tender Spirit, in somuch that he says in Psal. 69 20. it had broken his heart, for this is spoken of Christ, of David only in the Type. And for meekness, how do you find him riding upon an Asses Colt, he slighted all the Pomps and Bravery of the World when his Disciples showed him the goodly Stones wherewith the Temple was adorned, how little did he regard them! Carry like this meek humble crucified Christ, if you would glorify God. The contrary of all this that you have heard does greatly dishonour God. How many are witness that your Christ-like Conversation has made them to glorify God? do you verily think in your Consciences that Christ would carry as you do, in such and such particulars which you best know of? that he would so vainly squander away his time in mirth and jollity, and vain and wicked company? do you think that he would spend his time in jesting, telling idle Tales, in laughing and sporting? not but that a man may laugh, for it is a power of Gods creating: but by this I mean a giving up yourselves to live in carnal pleasure, and to let out your hearts unto such things as these. It is true many acts of Christ were not imitable by us, as his sa●●●fying Justice, his forty dayes Fast, &c. but as he was an Example of all manner of Holiness, &c. we are to walk as he walked as much as in us lies; you ought to speak and walk as he did, else why are you called Christians? have you not important work that lies on your hands? why should you not( as he did) labour to dispatch it? John 9.4. I must work the works of him that sent me while it is called to day, the might cometh wherein none can work. You see how carefully he improved his season, and can you for shane bear the name of Christians and spend your time in Carding, Dicing, Drinking, &c. O this ill becomes you, and this is not to glorify God in your deportment. To be slighty and careless and slothful about those things that are in themselves good, is not to be like Christ, and so glorifies not God. I have red of one that was naturally of a proud stout Spirit, who was converted by reading that passage of Christs washing his Disciples Feet, and cried out, Lord, thou hast overcome me. I have also red of some Philosophers that were so beloved of their Scholars, that they would labour to imitate them even in their infirmities out of pride, but you have such a pattern to imitate that is infinitely free of all infirmities: one should think we should be very ambitious of such an example; no marvel that his Life was serious and holy, for his nature was so. And O what A pattern was he for Ministers, in his rising a great while before day, that he might not by his public work be hindered from his private communion with God,& it is said, that at some times he continued all night in Prayer. He was a notable Example also for improving outward Occurrences to a spiritual use, which appears in all his Parables, and many of his other Speeches, and all this was written for our Example, see what a serious charge we have in Heb. 12.2: Looking unto Jesus, that is, as our Principle, and as our pattern. Thus we are to have much of Christ for our Example in our conversation, of which you will see farther, under one of the Motives. And to make him our Principle, as you will see afterwards in the Directions. So much of the Second Particular as to our Deportment or Conversation. 3. The more of heaven there is to be seen in the face of our Deportment, the more is God glorified by us in it. Then do we glorify God when we look not like men of this World, as too many do. You are to carry so as if your business were in Heaven, your Trade and traffic there, and as Citizens of the new Jerusalem. Phil. 3.20. But the worldly, carnal lives of Professors are a great dishonour to God. If there were much of Heaven in our conversation, it would convince the most sensual and brutish Persons we converse with, that there is another World, which ought to be preferred before this World; and this would make them to wish to die your death, though they could not get up to live your lives. Let them see that you seek an unseen happiness, that you verily look to live with Christ; let all see what you are, and whether you are going. If you be Believers live up to the hopes and privileges of Believers, let all see that your hopes are bound up in the second coming of Christ, that others may see by you that Heaven is worth venturing all for, and that there is a Reward for the Righteous. Let them see that you account self-seeking to be self-undoing, and that that time that is not lived to God is lost, that what is done for God is done for ever, that this Life is short and uncertain, and that the Life to come is certain and eternal; and let it be seen, that you are by little and little Transplanting and Transporting thither. There is not a good thought, word, or action, but if you are in Christ shall meet you beyond the Grave. Be laying up apace then, and let all see that you make Heaven your Home: Live by Faith, and count all things here nothing. Scorn the Worldlings happiness, though ever so great, accounting the Lives of such Base and Contemptible, and that Riches, Honours, &c. are poor things in comparison of what you are seeking of, and hoping for, and that you are contented to endure Afflictions, as Knowing they are not worthy to be compared with the future glory, 2 Cor. 4.17, 18.& see Heb. 11.6. that you believe this Text, and herein God is glorified by you, 1 Pet. 4.14, 16. Isai. 24.15. That you can glorify God in the fire. Let the Life of Jesus hereby be manifested in you, 2 Cor. 4.10, 11. And let Christ be magnified in you, both in Life and Death; Phil. 1.20. then indeed is God glorified by you, and more eminently when you can get up to long for Death and judgement, and desire to be absent from the Body, that you may be present with the Lord. 2 Cor. 5.8. Let others see that you can live cheerfully on the hopes of Heaven, and that your Hopes, Births, and Hearts, are higher than the Highest of Carnal men, though Monarchs or Emperours. And the more of such an heavenly Conversation you show, the more is God glorified by you; for in Heaven he is perfectly glorified. Oh labour to live like the Triumphant Church, though you be yet in the Militant. Great degrees of Grace are called Glory( they look so like it) in 2 Cor. 3.18. from glory to glory, that is from one degree of grace unto another. Believers should be looking-Glasses for others to dress themselves by, then would they be forced to say as Dan. 2.47. Of a Truth your God is God of Gods, and a Lord of Kings. This would make them glorify God on your behalf, Gal. 1. last. and think more highly of God and Heaven, and glorify God for your professed subjection to the Gospel, 2 Cor. 9.13. Such Trees of Righteousness do glorify God, Isa. 6.13. It was the greatest Commendation that a scoffing Enemy gave of Mr. Baxter, that he could breath forth nothing but Puritanism; I wish it were true of us all. This would make others fall down, and confess that God were in us of a Truth, 1 Cor. 14.25. But it is very sad, that when profane persons and Christians are together, all the difference betwixt them is, that they will not Swear or Curse as they do. An Eminent Person says upon the like occasion if a man should hear of one that had the spirit of God, that was united to Christ, filled with all the fullness of God, whose Conversation were in Heaven, and had God to his Father, &c. he would expect very great things from him, not to be entertained with vain Jangling, or sinful discourse, &c. but we may well say with Erasmus, that seeing the World cannot be brought to Christianity; men have brought Christianity to the World, in too great a measure, and with too many. I conclude this particular with the definition that the Assembly at London gives of a Godly man, that He is one whose person is united to Christ by a Lively Faith, and whose nature is Elevated by the Spirit of Regeneration, and whose Principles and Practices are Supernatural and Divine. May not one then think of many( that count themselves Christians, and would have others to account them more than the common sort) that they only cheat and deceive themselves? Thus I have done with the second General Head how we are said to glorify God. 3. The glorifying of God consists in this, when we do( as much as in us lies) actually propose the glory of God, in our particular Actings; and when it is not attained, it is hearty bewailed, and acknowledged to God; and as soon as God meets with these hearty acknowledgements, he forthwith with pardons the Soul. The New Creature is seen in nothing more than in the bent of his Soul for God, and his sincere Resolutions; if you never design thus to glorify God, it is a certain sign that you are no Christians. And this you ought to do every day at least, and at the beginning of every Action either Sacred, or Civil, at the beginning of every day, and more especially on the Lords-day: and when you do come short, you ought immediately to Renew your sincere Repentance, and Cordial Resolutions. A man in a long Journey, sets out every day for his Journeys End, though he may not think of it every step he goes; thus do you, set out every day for Heaven as your Home, and often in the day think of it, and speak of it; so set out to glorify God, with a full intention of Soul, and carry your End in your Eye. We are to account of God, not only as the first cause, the most Excellent Being, but also as our chiefest Good, and our last End. And though we cannot think of this every step we take, yet we are to set our faces towards it; and though we cannot attain in every thing to glorify God, yet we are to set it as our Mark to Aim at, in all we do, both at the beginning of the day( as before) and the Lords-day, the beginning of a Solemn Duty, or sitting down at our Tables, to eat and drink for the glory of God, going to our Beds, to Rest our selves in order to our serving of God, &c. So when we go to visit, or to work at our Callings, &c. This End proposed at the beginning, hath great influence all along, as you see in the throwing of a ston into the Water, the ston sinks out of sight, but the Circles will remain sometime after; When a Bell has done Ringing, it will sound and shake for some time after; so is it here; if this design of glorifying God be maintained, it will have an influence upon our Actions. Here let me give you three words of Advice. 1. Be sure that Grace be in the Habit in your Souls, that the bent and bias of the Heart be set aright for God, else all your Resolutions will come to nothing; this work is too hard for an unrenewed, unsanctified heart. 2. Bring this gracious Habit into act, by a Renewed Resolution, and by frequent Ejaculations to God for Assistance, this do as often as you can. 3. When you have done thus, take heed of any other inordinate Intention, or Inclination, to hinder what you have done in setting out. It is said of the Nazarite, Numb. 6.12. All the days of his Separation that went before were lost, because it was defiled. So here it spoils all. Moses was offered a greater bribe than ordinary, by the Lord; and yet he would not take it, because he minded the glory of God, more than his own, that was the End he kept his Eye upon, Numb. 14.11, 12. But do not you Eat to yourselves? that is bad, God would have you not only to fast unto him, but to eat unto him. Is it the great design of your Soul to glorify God, the one thing you do? That runs through your very Soul; bearing all other things down before it. Psal. 27.4. Phil. 3.14. Do you make all things beside to stoop to this Renewed purpose of your Soul? You see how faulty Jehu was in this, and the Pharisees they did not propose Gods Glory, but themselves, in what they did, do you spend every day as for God and Eternity? and thus propose Gods glory;& well you may, for the meanest Action thus done, shall be well Rewarded, Col. 3.23, 24. Eph. 6: 5, 6, 7, 8. Any such Relative Duties if done to the glory of God, shall be Rewarded, Rom. 14.6, 7, 8. Phil. 1.21. if you don't thus live to Christ, Death will never be your Gain. God took it very ill from Eli's Sons, that they served themselves first out of the Sacrifices, 1 Sam. 2.14, 15. In all our Actions God is to be uppermost in our designs, and in Spiritual Actions he is to be All. God should be the end of all our operations; all our motions should Terminate in him( but when self lies at the bottom all is nought.) This is called a doing, 1: All in the Name of Christ, Col. 3.17. 2. And a being devoted to his Fear, Psal. 119.38. 3. A being in the Fear of the Lord all the day long, Prov. 23.17. 4. A walking up and down in his Name, Zach. 10. last. That is a blessed Promise indeed, has God made it good to you? We should( as one saith well) every morning set out on a right point of the compass, for if we set out wrong it endangers our going wrong all the day, the best that can come of it is loss of time and pains, if a Clock or Watch be wound up and set right in the morning, with good keeping, it will go well all the day. David used thus to set out, Psal. 5.3. In the morning will I direct my prayer unto thee and look up, Psal. 139.18. When I am awake I am still with thee. A mans last End is but one, and ought to be no other than this to glorify God, though subordinate ends may be minded in their proper places, yet always with respect and tendency to the ultimate end, and they ought to be wholly laid aside when they interfere with that, or that it come to be hindered by them. Our health, wealth, mirth, liberty, life and all are to give way to the last end; and for the want of thus doing, God charges Eli with honouring his Sons before him, the subordinate end prevailed above the ultimate. And thus I have showed you in general what it is to glorify God. 2. The next thing propounded is to show what it is to glorify God in eating and drinking. This is the second part of the Text, and it may also include all kind of Recreations lawful in themselves, thô not name. As cessation from Labour, Visiting, &c. for much of pleasure is set forth by Eating& Drinking, yea Heaven itself is often set forth by it. So that I may put all these things together, though not so particularly meant in the Text, Recreations, Diversions, &c. Eating and Drinking all these are to be done to the Glory of God, and not only in greater Meals of Feasting, but even in our common Meals it should be thus,( so that by the way it will follow, that we should do it in every thing) we cannot glorify God in unlawful Sports, I hope none of you will think so, as Cards, Dice, &c. nor those Sports that have either cruelty or costliness in them; things unlawful cannot be made lawful, let your end be ever so good, See Rom. 1. last. have pleasure in them, &c. neither holy things nor sinful things should be matter of our Sport. I need to say but little here, because what has been said before may save me the labour, if persons glorify God as is said in those three Particulars, they will do it in this. Only a few words briefly here: It lies in three things, our eyeing and our Glorifying of God, 1. In the Introduction of them. 2. In the Progression. 3. In the Conclusion of them. 1. We are to Eye and glorify God in the Introduction of them, in our first setting upon them. I put all Recreations under this of Eating and Drinking for brevity sake, though we are not to use Eating and Drinking only for Recreation, I mean for pleasure, but to strengthen us for Service, but most of some persons pleasure and outward Recreations is at their Tables; and Heaven as I told you is set off by it, not that we should conceive of Heaven as of a Fools Paradise, or Elysian Fields, to consist in carnal, sensual delights, but the Holy Ghost is pleased to make use of this similitude, to set off the pleasure they have there, to let us know that they have unspeakably more pleasure in Communion with God than we have in Eating and Drinking. Now when we begin upon our Eating, &c. we should keep our Eye upon the Glory of God, we should so intend and resolve by the Grace of God to eat this Meal for the Glory of God, use this Recreation, unstring the Bow now, only to be more fit for his service by it; if the Bow should always stand bent, it would not be fit for use: and though such a course as this might be hard at first, yet the more you are acquainted with it, the more skill& strength you would get for it. And this would not destroy your cheerfulness: how can this Text be otherwise expounded? if we are not thus to begin our Meals, &c. It is very sad when we have no higher an end in Eating, &c. than a Beast, to satisfy our sensual Appetite. In natural Actions, you are to have supernatural ends: you are not to walk abroad because you have nothing else to do, or to eat only because you are hungry, but you are to glorify God in it, and do it to fit you the more for your general and particular calling, and your crazy carcases stand in need of some sober, short and seasonable Diversion, and God is no hard Master, he allows you this, he has given us many things, not only for necessity but for delight, yea all things richly to enjoy. Nay he bids you by Solomon to Recreate yourselves, Eccles. 9.7, 8, 9. he speaks not like an Epicure as some might vainly think, for he in the 7nth verse gives the Reason, God hath accepted thy work.( Note by the way that wicked men have no right to any Recreations; and they abuse them as they do every thing else:) but some are blamed for not taking that lawful comfort in what they enjoy, and it is counted a sore evil, Eccles. 6.2, 3. not to rejoice soberly in what they have, Eccles. 2.24. and 3.12. its called the gift of God so to do. We are allowed to get( as well as commanded to do) all the good we can while we are here, and some persons need Recreations more than others, and are to use them out of duty. I forbear to name such, most persons are too forward this way. But shall we be as without God in the world when we use Recreations? God forbid. You ought so to intend and begin upon them as to further the Glory of God and your own good account. It was a saying of Luther, I have formerly eaten and drunk to myself, but now I am resolved by the Grace of God it shall further my good account, So Austin, he bewails his eating to himself. What shall we think then of such Professors that eat to Gluttony, and drink to Excess? I beseech you look on it as your duty to glorify God in these as well as in Gods House, and in your closerts. A curious Scribe will be careful to draw his small Letters exactly as well as his Capital, a good Builder will contrive to do his kitchen well, as well as his Dining Room; see how God blames them in Zech. 7.5, 6. there is great reason why we should eat and drink for God, for he gives us all; do we not daily live on Heavens expenses? it is Gods Wool and Flax we wear, Gods Food and raiment we enjoy, Hos. 2.9. My Corn, and my Wine, my Wool and my Flax, says God. No Christian lives to himself, Rom. 14.6. as you have all from him and by him, so you are to do all to him, Philip. 1.21. Ephes. 6, 5.7. And when you visit, you should resolve to get or do good, and leave a good savour behind you. So you should eat, drink and sleep to refresh( as one says well) a weary Servant of Christ. Recreations should only be used as sauce to whet our Stomachs, not as our food to live on. You would wonder to see a man whetting his Sythe all the day instead of Mowing; you should use these only as oil to the Wheels, to make them go on more readily. Its very sad indeed to do all for to gratify your Lusts, or to pass away the Time, you will have Time little enough when you come to die. schoolboys learn hard that they may play; but wise men play that they may work. This godly Introduction would put you upon asking your Fathers leave for what you do. How often was this used in Scripture? Shall I go up to Ramoth Gilead? when David had a mind to go against the philistines, he asks Gods Leave first, so should you, in every thing you go about. The very Heathens had a notion of this, A Jove Principium. Baalam seems to have something of it Numb. 22.8. and in your thus doing, you acknowledge Gods Dominion and sovereignty over you, and, it argues your dependence on him also. And as you should ask his Leave, so you should ask his Blessing also. Gen. 24.12. That good Servant asks Gods Blessing before he would go on his Errand. Jer. 10.23 The way of a man is not in himself; it is not in man that walketh to direct his paths. You should crave a Blessing upon all, or else they are easily cursed to you, Every thing is Sanctified by the Word and Prayer. Christ looked up to Heaven before he broke the Bread, if you do not ask Gods Blessing, you may Eat and not be satisfied,( as sometimes God threatens) and you may sleep and not be Refreshed, For it is he that giveth his Beloved Sleep: and we should labour to maintain Communion with God in our asking his Blessing. For that is true, Mat. 4.4. Man lives not by Bread only. 2. We are to Eye and glorify God in our progression in them, in our management of these things; and that by a frequent Renewing of Ends, and Aims, and by a secret Ejaculation to God in them. Your Intention should be often brought thus into act. And you should beware( as was said under one of the General Heads) of any other inordinate Intention arising, or prevailing, to hinder this; we are to Eat and drink for Eternal Life, as minding that one thing. It is said of Socrates, that he did as really benefit his Scholars in their Recreations, as when he was Reading Lectures to them. We are in nothing more apt to forget God, than in the midst of Friends, Eating& Drinking, &c. And( which is worse) more apt to let down our Watch in good Company than in Bad, but you should take heed of laying aside your seriousness when you go about these things. Job was afraid his Children had missed it in their Feasting by forgetting God. Job 1.5. for that is it he means, by Cursing God; they were better Taught than so, but he means they had forgotten God, or carried unsuitably to his Presence. It is no good sight to see good men themselves extraordinary merry. You red of some that feed themselves without fear, judas 12. without the fear of God. You may eat and drink with cheerfulness, but must there be nothing else? See what mad work they make in their mirth, Job 21.12, 13, 14. They take the Timb●el and Harp, and Rejoice at the sound of the Organ, and they spend their dayes in Mirth, &c. Therefore they say unto God, depart from us, &c. There is dreadful Language indeed! but a gracious Soul would not be at a Distance from God in any place, or Company. Solomon tells us that the way of Life is above to the wise, and that is a shorter, fairer, safer way than below. It is said Exod. 18.12. They did Eat before God. We ought continually to keep the sense of the Divine Presence, upon our Souls in all we do, and in all we Enjoy. God commands Abraham to walk before him, and to be Upright. It is an Excellent thing when it may be said, That every Pot is Holiness to the Lord. And as we are thus to Renew our Ends, and Aims to glorify God in our Eating, &c. So we are also to be often breathing forth holy Ejaculations, and Affections to God, in them. That was an excellent Commendation of an holy Minister, That to him each Thought was a Prayer, each Prayer a Song, each Day a Sabbath, and each Meal a Sacrament. This need not to hinder our moderate cheerfulness, nor our necessary Discourses, about other Affairs. It is thought, that most of Solomons Proverbs were spoken at his Table, and there is a whole Folio Book, written of Luther's Table-Talk. If all News, idle Talk, were written in a Book, which many speak at their Tables( as Plato would have it) What volumes of vanity would there be? however Angels take notice, and Conscience Books it all. Two of Gods Attributes chiefly are matter for our thoughts at such times, his Goodness, and his All-sufficiency. His Goodness, that so spreads our Table, and fills our Cup, and gives us all things Richly to enjoy, especially in these sad times, when many far better than we, are deprived of them, how good is He that makes all these good? especially if they come swimming unto us in the blood of Christ. And his Sufficiency, what a great House-Keeper is he who opens his hand, and satisfies the desire of every Living Thing! We red of the Primitive Saints they did Eat their Bread with Cheerfulness, and singleness of heart, Acts 2.46. they were so delighted with the thoughts of God, and in Neh. 9.25. They delighted in his Goodness, &c. It's true, That Meats and Drinks Commend us not to God, and the Kingdom of God consisteth not in them( as the Apostle says) but yet you may think of God, and of his Kingdom in the use of them; how often doth Christ give us an Example this way? Luke 14.15: his blessed Discourse Ravishes that man so that he cries out, Blessed is he that may Eat Bread in the Kingdom of God. You have his Discourse from the seventh to the fourteenth verse. And if you would do thus, it would be the ready way to observe all the other Rules given by Divines about these things, as to do them soberly, moderately and seasonably, &c. As to the seasons of Recreation, note, they are altogether unseasonable upon the Lords-day, also when the Church is in Trouble they are less seasonable; the more seldom and short at such a time, the better, Amos 6.3, 4, 5, 6, 7. Isa. 22.12, 13. You are to Eat and Drink, &c. so as to be fit to pray. You were not made only for pleasure, as the Leviathan to sport in the Deeps? Do you only as Jonathan, that tasted a little Honey on the end of his Rod. You red of some that live in pleasure upon the Earth, you should do all as persons upon Earth; too much mirth suits not that state. These things often become Clouds, and clogs to us in our way to Heaven, instead of helping us. It is said of those in Noahs time, they did Eat, Drank, they Married, &c. as if they did nothing else. Some are said not to serve the Lord Jesus Christ, but their own Bellies, that is sad. There is bread and salt at every Feast, so your Discourse should feed, and season others. 3. In the conclusion of them you should glorify God; and that by humble and thankful Reflection. You should look back, and be humbled for your miscarriages, if you have missed it, and thankful for Gods goodness, presence, and help if you have had it. As we are apt to forget God in, so after them. Christ charges us to beware of surfeiting, &c. because that makes us unmindful of, and unfit for, the great day, Luke 21.34. Wine, and new Wine take away the heart, Hos. 4.11. fullness often breeds forgetfulness, Deut. 6.11, 12, 13. Deut. 8.10.32.15. Jesurun waxed fat, and Kicked. That was an Excellent Prayer of Agur, Prov. 30.9. We are apt to forget God, and Gods poor, when we are full ourselves, considering little the many naked Backs, and empty Bellies of others. Christ has bid us sand for the poor, Lame, and Blind, to feast them, if we will feast, but few do so? however, tho' we don't sand for them, yet we might sand unto them. Great Eaters and Drinkers are seldom Friends to the poor. Few are like Job, not to eat his Morsel alone, Job 31.17. but most like churlish Nabal, 1 Sam. 25.11. But its bad to be thus forgetful, you would thank your Neighbour for your entertainment, and will you thus requited God? The best way to be thankful is to live well, to do as good Servants, when they have dined they go to their work. Thus I have done with the 2d. thing propounded, what it is to glorify God in Eating and Drinking? &c. More might be said, but I leave it. As for the third thing to show us why we should thus glorify God, both in the course of our Lives, and also in our Eating and Drinking, &c. That I leave to the Use of Exhortation, and the Motives to serve instead of Reasons. Application. There might be divers Uses made from what has been said, But I mainly Aim at the Use of Exhortation. Tho' here might be a Use of Information; or here you may infer from what has been said, 1. That Religion is a serious, and industrious thing, there is much to be done, God sent you not into this world as into a Playhouse, but a Work-house. Religion is not your by, but your main business, it is called Running, Fighting, Wrestling, &c. all which denotes Labour and Hardship, though pleasant. 2. It informs you, what your work is. 3. That Religion extends itself to small things comparatively. You are to glorify God in all places, and in all things. Also a word of Reproof, and that 1. To them that never in all their Lives glorified God; does not your Conscience tell you, you never did it? nay, some carry as if it were their work openly to dishonour God, O their Wickedness! 2. To those that though they know God, yet do not glorify him as God, Rom 1.21. 3. To such that instead of glorifying God, glorify themselves, Rev. 18.7. 4 To those that set up others in Gods room, that honour and Love something more than God, 1 Sam. 2.29 3. It might also be an Use of Trial, have you right Apprehensions of God? do you live a holy life? and design the glory of God in your particular Actions? 4. But the main Use is of Exhortation, and it calls upon us all seriously to mind the glorifying of God, and to make it our great business so to do, both in Heart, Lip and Life, as you have heard at large. And begin at your Hearts, else it will all come to nothing. One would think there were no need of Motives, but our backwardness to it is such that I shall give you a few, and subjoin some Means or Directions. Motive, 1. This is your great& very important Duty: The Doctrine tells you so, and what have you and I to do, as we are Creatures, and Governed by a Law, but to mind our Duty? ●… nd its not an ordinary Duty, but its 1. A very weighty Duty, that much de●… ends upon( to wit) Gods Honour, and ●… our own comfort. 2. An absolute indispensible Duty, the neglect of this can never be dispensed with, though some other Duties have for a time been dispensed with, as Circumcision, and the Passeover, when the People were in the Wilderness, because God loves Mercy rather than Sacrifice: but his Glory he cannot give to another; he will have his Glory whatever he wants, he says Psal. 50. last, Thou shalt glorify me. 3. This is the most reasonable& acceptable Duty in the World, as its indispensible, so its indisputable, Rom. 12.1, God is well pleased with it. Its a plain Duty, some Duties are dark, but this is not; its a right Duty, and no fault is to be found in it, therefore reasonable, and its brought in with a Therefore in the Text, as if he would tell them of a Duty that none disputed against God has made you rational Creatutes, wil●… you deny him reasonable Service? 4. It is your only Duty; you have bu●… this one thing to mind, Phil. 3.13. 5. Its a most comely, lovely, useful comfortable Duty, how does it sweeten all w●… do? and fills as with marrow and sweetness when we can but get up to it. 6. Its a universal Duty, and that both,( 1.) As to all Men, none to be excused. and( 2.) All of and in Man is to be improved this way, his Soul, Body, Spirit, Heart, Lip, Life.( 3.) At all times, both in Life and Death, John 21.19. This he spake signifying by what death he should glorify God.( 4) In all places and companies, and upon all occasions, in all states and stations, prosperity, adversity, yea you are to glorify him in the very Fires, and 1 Pet. 4.11. you are to do it in all things. 7. This is a perpetual everlasting Duty: its never out of date in time, nor in Eternity; see Heb. 13.15. Continually you are to praise him. Motive, 2. It is the peremptory command of the great God; and this well follows the former. This tells you why its your absolute Duty, &c. because God hath enjoined it, and this is reason sufficient in any case. Its enough to stop all mouths but those that have a mind to fight against God;( which you would be loth to do with your Governours for their reasonable Edicts) he is wiser and stronger than you. And this is also good in itself, therefore commanded; some things are good because commanded, as keeping the Sabbath on such a day of the Week and not another, the manner of the Administrations of Sacraments, with many other things; these are good because he hath commanded them, but this is good in itself, and he hath also seriously commanded it, his very heart is in it, and he expects it at your hands. And he also commands it frequently, and such commands are especially to be noted, that are so inculcated; this is not only in the Text, but is the great scope of all the Scriptures which would be too tedious to show, and the other Motives will sufficiently prove. Sometimes he speaks of this as a King commanding it, sometimes as a Judge reproving the neglect of it, sometimes as a Friend entreating of you to do it, this often repeating of it denotes, 1. The weightiness of the matter, and 2. It also denotes his great concernedness in it. If a great King should thus often command a thing you would take notice of it, and you will see this often repeated if you do but look over the Scriptures mentioned under the three first Heads. And I tell you it is his peremptory Command, so that he will abate nothing of it; he hath declared it( and there is no disannulling of it) he will be glorified by you, or upon you to your utter ruin. Do not think it hard, for its a reasonable Duty, Neh. 9.13. they are right Statutes and good Laws, Hos. 14. last All the ways of the Lord are right: I say as Acts 4 19. Whether are you to obey God, or the Devil, world and Flesh? judge ye. This is a right command because it is your life, Deut. 32.46, 47. John 12. last what an excellent Text is that! he does not only say the Promise, but the Commandment is Life everlasting. And I know it( says Christ) denoting the certainty of it. May not God put that question to your Consciences, Prov 22.20. Have not I spoken to thee excellent things in Counsel and knowledge? what could you say against it? its the most excellent command in the World, and if you are convinced of it, your sin is the greater that you neglect it. The Spirit speaks expressly not implicitly in this thing, and shall not the wrath of this King be as the roaring of a Lion to you Amos. 3.6 Shall a Trumpet be blown in the City and the people not be afraid? I may say here as in Dan. 3.22. the Kings command is urgent: and though you think it hard, yet the Saints have loved such commands and embraced them. I'll only instance in David, Psalm 119: 11. he would hid them, he loved them, ver: 127: and delighted in them, ver: 47: and longed for them, ver: 131. and would not forget them, ver: 176: but do them▪ ver. 166: Motive, 3. Our Creation, Redemption and Sanctification by the sacred Trinity have reference to this very thing. You know the works of God are either essential, ( viz) those that are common to the whole Trinity, or personal which are proper to each Person, and both these are either as to external or internal Objects. The internal are those that have no reference to any Object without God, as the generation of the Son, &c. the external have reference to some Object without the Trinity, as Predestination, Creation, &c: and that's a Rule here, that one and the same external work( in a different consideration) is both essential and personal, as Creation, Redemption and Sanctification, they are essential works of the whole Trinity, and yet in another respect are personal: and hence the Father being the Fountain of the Trinity, is said to Create, and the Son taking our nature, is said to Redeem, the Holy Ghost proceeding from both, is said to make Application of all this to us. Three Branches in this Motive. 1. Our Creation was to glorify God; We were not made to Eat and to Drink, &c. but to glorify God,( as the first answer in your Catechism shows) he made you to Work and Labour, not to play; to give all Diligence, &c. You should ask yourselves seriously, have I answered the great end of my Creation? A man had better lose his Life than the End of his Living. He made you for this End, Isa 43.7. I have Created him for my[ glory] I have formed him, yea, I have made him. He made you to be Factors for him, not to Set up for yourselves. And he made you at first after his own Image, that you might with ease glorify him: But it may be said of too many, as in Hos. 10.1. They bring forth Fruits to themselves. Eph. 2.10. You are Created in Christ Jesus unto good works, and Psal. 102.8. as if he should say, they shall be to my glory, Rev. 4. last. For thy pleasure they are and were Created, that we should be to his wel●-pleasing, Isa. 60.21. The work of my Hand, that I may be glorified. It is a dreadful thing to be made in vain. Gen. 6.6. It Repented God that he had made man; may not God( if I may say so with Reverence after the manner of men) Repent that he made your Tongues that Swear, and lie, and Talk vainly, &c. Your Feet that led you into wicked Company and to wicked Actions? &c. He Repented that he made Saul King, in 1 Sam. 15.35. so he may of many of us, he Repents he has made us, and made us men, honourable in any respect or degree. May he not say to us, as Matth. 20.6. why stand you here all the day Idle? why did God make you different from Beasts? giving you Understanding, and Language? but that you should glorify him? this is the fruit he expects from you, your Tongues should be your glory, as it was Davids, Psal. 16.9. Psal. 30. last. The second Branch, Your Redemption by Christ was for this end, all that he did, and suffered for you, was for this very one End. He has bought you, both Soul& body for this, 1 Cor. 6. last. Ye are bought with a price therefore glorify God in your Body, and in your Spirit, which are his You should do it, both in Soul and Body, Rom. 15.6. Titus 2.14. Who gave himself for us, to Redeem us from all iniquity. In Creation God gave you yourselves, but in Redemption he gives you Christ, which is much more, and he Redeems from Sin, and that is it only that stands in the way of Gods Glory. Hence he that Redeems is called, The Holy One, Isa. 41.14. we are said to be Redeemed to God, Rev. 5.9. and from all iniquity. Psal. 130. last. as well as from Hell And Christ died for you, that you might Live. unto God. 2 Cor 5.15. It is a blemish to Christ when you do not live to God, and yet profess to be Redeemed by him. Let the Redeemed of the Lord give him praise, Psal. 107.1, 2. Luke 1 54, 75. He hath Redeemed us, &c. That we should serve him in Holiness and Righteousness all the days of our Life, 1 Pet. 2.24. He bare our Sins for this. The Third Branch. Our Sanctification by the Holy Ghost is for this End. He is called the Holy Spirit, not only Formalitér said Effectivé, he is not only Holy himself infinitely, but his work is to make you holy. And shall God( as I may with Reverence say) foul his fingers with you to make you of day? Shall the Son take Flesh, and die to Redeem you? and the Holy Ghost make it his work to apply all this to you? and will you not glorify God? It is the work of the Holy Ghost to sanctify you, and if you be not sanctified, you cannot glorify God, and he is grieved when you oppose him in his sanctifying work, and refuse, or neglect to glorify God. That it is his work, see 1 Pet. 1.2. and that Conversion and Sanctification glorify God, see 1 Pet. 2.5.9. you are said by these to show forth the praises of him, &c. And hence Grace is called Glory, 2 Cor 3. last. 1. Because it leads to glory. 2. Because God is glorified by it, both by giving it, preserving it, and drawing it out into Exercise: They that have Gods holy Image on them are called his glory, Isa. 46. last. and the Church is called a glorious Church, Eph. 5.27. So much for the third Motive. The Fourth Motive. It is Gods chief End in all that he daily does, to glorify himself. Prov. 16.4. The Lord hath made all things for himself, &c. And not only Creation, but Preservation( which is a continued Creation) is for this End, this is, 1 The end of all Gods works, and all his Providences. If you Refuse to glorify God you do as much as in you lies to make voided all the Creation. Does God give you the Sun, to give you Light, to sin against him. The Creatures serve you, that you might serve him. What a wretched Creature is a Sinner! He would command every thing, and not be commanded by his Creator, but lifts up the heel against him. He does not give you his Creatures, that you should fulfil your Lusts with them, no doubt they shall rise up in judgement against such as have not glorified God. It is observable, that God calls upon the irrational Creatures to praise him, in Psal. 148.3. To praise him is to glorify him; This might reprove us, for not doing it. q. d; I have made man to glorify me, but he does not, Come you and praise me. As he calls upon the Earth to hear, when men are deaf to him; but it especially means that we should when we behold the Curiosity, and Constancy of them, be Excited to praise God. Though they have no Tongues yet are said to declare his glory, Psal. 19.1. Hab. 3.3. though they cannot( as Plato thought) do it with understanding, yet with a dumb Eloquence they call on us to do it, and reprove our negligence; and they are the matter of our praise. Nay, all these things are upheld in their Beings, while waiting upon you, that you might honour God. All Gods Providential Acts are for this, viz. for his glory. As 1. When he preserves, protects, provides for his people, when he prevents their trouble, or delivers out of it, he has but this one end in all; when he works Miracles for them it is for his glory, John 2.11. Psal. 85.9. Temporal Salvation and Glory are put together, Salvation is nigh to them that fear him, that Glory may dwell in our Land. So Psal. 3.3. a Shield and glory, is put together, so Psal. 102.16. when God builds up Zion, he will appear in his Glory. 2. And when he destroys his peoples Enemies, when he disappoints and frustrates them, this is for his glory, when he makes them fall into their own Pits. red Exod. 14.17. to the twentieth verse and so on, you have the proof of this; and Numb. 14.13, to 21. Moses pleads with God, and in the conclusion is heard, and says God, All the Earth shall be filled with my Glory. That is, with the glory of his wisdom in frustrating them, of his power in Crushing them, and his Justice in being Revenged of them, and his Goodness to his people and his Truth both as to his Promises and threatenings. 3. Gods daily pardoning, supporting, strengthening, counseling, Comforting, and giving greater degrees of Grace to his people; yea his very Afflicting of them, are all for this ●nd; and his hearing of their Prayers, affording his Presence in his Ordinances, all is for his Glory. Exo. 32.18. His Goodness is his glory, and he cannot put forth a greater act of glory, than in pardoning of Sin, Isa. 61.2, 3. last clause of it, 1 Kings 3.11. There was an extraordinary Appearance of Gods Presence, and that is his glory. All these are called his glory, as formerly you have heard in the first Explaining of the Doctrine. Gods Holiness lies in a willing of his glory as his ultimate end, and our holiness lies in making it our last End in every thing, and willing of other things in subordination to it; even the meanest Believer in this sense lives the life of God, from him, and unto him. They have all their grace, peace, strength, &c. from God, and all they do, is with a design to glorify God in it. There is in every mercy two things; Comfort, and Glory; the Comfort he allows us to take, but the glory he will have himself, and good reason he should. The Fifth Motive. All that God hath done from Eternity, and all that he will do to Eternity, are for his glory: Why should not you then glorify him in time? this was it that God was doing from Eternity, he was delighting himself, in himself, and designing his own glory. Two Branches here. The First Branch. All that he has done from Eternity, those Eternal Purposes of God, which Relate to the Creature( to wit) Election and preterition. 1. Election, in his choosing some here, some there as he pleases, He only designs his glory in all; nothing out of himself moves him, he will choose because he will, only for the glory of his Grace; and this is it that affords Rivers of oil, to feed the Flames of Eternal ecstasies among the Glorified, Eph. 1.6, 12, 14. You see it is for his Glory. Hence his mercy is called his glory, Eph. 3.16. The Riches of his Glory, and it is that we should be to the praise of the Glory of his Grace. 2. preterition also, that is a good Rule in Divinity, that Damnation is not the end of preterition,( or passing by of any) but the manifestation of the glory of Gods Justice. These things many stumble at, because Gods Word is a savour of Death to them, but it is for his glory, Rom. 9.22. It is to make his power known, as he did on Pharaoh, Exodus 14.4. Rom 9.17. It is not Gods pleasure in mens ruin, but his own glory he designs in all. The Catechism tells you, it is for his glory, That 1 His Decrees are an Eternal fore-ordaining all that comes to pass. 2 That the Cause of them is the good pleasure of his Will. 3. That the end is his own Glory. I might also have mentioned the eternal Generation of the Son of God, which was hinted at before; this being an immanent act from Eternity, was for his Glory: hence the Apostle in this sense calls Christ the Glory of God, Heb. 1.3. yea, the brightness of his Glory: this he says when he is speaking of his Son-ship in that Chapter. Also his giving Christ a Body, &c.( ●hough done in time) was also for his Glory, John 1.14. The Second Branch of the Motive is, All that God will do to all Eternity is for his Glory. The salvation of his People for ever, everlasting Glory sits upon the head of his mercy and truth; his Saints shall be for ever with him, and ever be giving him the glory of it. They shall admire and adore him for ever; Heaven is the Land of Hallelujahs, we shall not then be as we are here, one day in a praising, admiring frame, and two or three dayes out of it: there is not one Soul in Heaven but Glorifies God as much as he would have it to do. They do their work well and God likes it as well. Heaven is called Glory, Luk. 24.26. Christ the Head is Glorified, and he will never leave praying, till he have all his Members with him, and the hopes of Heaven is called the hopes of Glory, Rom. 5.2. Heaven is called Glory. 1. Because much of Gods Glory is to be seen there, that could not be seen here. 2. Because it was created for his Glory. 3. Because he will be there perfectly 〈◇〉 eternally glorified, they shall begin betime● to do it, and shall hold on for ever, 2 Thess. 1.10. And now what a strong Motive is this to us all, to make it our business to glorify God: Consider here but these four things in it. that, 1. All that God has done from first to last is for his Glory, stop here and think, why should not we do thus? 2. That God will glorify his People to all Eternity. And is not this a sufficient Motive to you to glorify him now? Rom. 8.30. ( Glorified) that is, He has adorned them with grace here, and will adorn them with Glory hereafter. If you could be assured that you should within this month be glorified with him at what a rate would you live! and though you walk in darkness, and see no light, yet its your duty to glorify God; and a good Child will love ●nd serve his Father, though he have no Inheritance to give him. A spirit of Adoption lies much in this, that the Soul would glorify God, though it be not sure that God will glorify it. But ha●● you no probabilities? if you have the least degree of probability, there is infinite reason you should glorify him. Have you closed with the call of the Gospel? are you willing to go with Christ? then you are as good as glorified. God will make you glorious, he will so deck you with Glory, that you shall love yourselves for Gods likeness on you. But I conclude you never expect to be Glorified by God, if you make it not your business to glorify him. 3. You have but a little time to glorify God in, after that manner that you do it here. Indeed in Heaven you shall glorify him perfectly, but not after such a manner in all respects as you do it here, viz. by Faith, Repentance, &c. 1 By Faith, as it glorifies God in times of temptations, Desertions, &c. Rom. 4.20. O think, why should not I glorify God under my temptations, &c. I have but a little time to do it in. 2. By Repentance, living a life of Godly sorrow confessing Sin, lying low before God, Josh. 7.19. how should you now be looking back upon that has been amiss, and mourn! for Repentance is out of date in Heaven. 3. By standing up for the cause and interest of Christ in the World, and in the places where you live. 4. When you can do no more, you should be willing to suffer for Christ: there is no martyrdom in Heaven, and God is glorified by this, 1 Pet. 4.14, 16. this was an honour that the holy Angels were never capable of, this Father Latimer very much desired and had at last. 5. You should do it by an exemplary conversation, in the midst of a crooked and perverse generation, Mat. 5.16. this you may see more of under the Explication how you are to glorify God in your deportment. 4. Consider also, that your glorifying God now, will fit you the more for it when you come to do it in Heaven. Begin Heaven upon Earth; settle to your work now, the more you glorify God now, the more you will do it then, and the more you will be glorified also: for none doubts but there are degrees of Glory, and Grace is Glory begun. I do not here put you upon the thought of meriting, for there is infinite disproportion between the work and the reward; that glory that shall be revealed in you infinitely sheeps your endeavours and attainments: however you should in a way of Love and Gratitude desire to glorify that God now, that will so glorify you, and by using yourselves to it, you would be Masters of your Trade( as we use to say of some that have served an Apprenticeship to a Trade.) That makes Religion so hard, you accustom yourselves to it so little. If God should take up unsanctified persons to Heaven, they would not be fit for the employment there; what haters of God spend their Eternity in praising him! that's not likely, they are weary of holy exercises now, how should they rub out endless Eternity in such work! So much for the fifth great Motive. Motive, 6. The Lord Jesus Christ began betimes to glorify his Father, and held on so to do till the very last moment that he drew breath in this World. Here you may look back to what was said in the former part of the Discourse, about a Christ-like Deportment; but I may add by way of Motive more to what was there said. He did thus, and shall not the same mind be in you that was in him? if Christ be not your principle and pattern, he will not be your price, you ought to walk as he walked, to be daily Looking unto him, Heb. 12.2. as a man that's drawing a Picture, or a School-boy at his Copy. And he grew in Grace betimes, Luk. 2.49. and made it his business to glorify God, and you may see he held on in so doing, by John 17.4, 5. I have glorified thee on Earth, I have finished the work thou gavest me to do, now O Father glorify thou me, &c. this confirms what was said before, that they that glorify God shall be glorified by him. It would be a blessed thing to be able to say at death, as Hezekiah did, Isai. 38.3. and as Paul did, 2 Tim. 4.7. I have fought a good fight, I have finished my course, I have kept the Faith, &c. And Christ did all along glorify God, though he found it costly work yet he finished it, he was concerned for his Fathers Glory, Father glorify thy Name, &c. John 12.27, 28.& 13.31. God is glorified in him. Not but that Christ as God is as much an Object of honour as the Father; but we now speak of him as he is a Mediator, and so subject to the Father; and his Fathers mind and will, was his meat and drink, John 4.34. and his only business, John 6.38. he came not to do his own will, but the will of him that sent him. And he tells us, the zeal of Gods House had eaten him up; and at death says, Lord, not my will but thy will be done, O what an excellent Example is this! and what a Motive might it be unto us! Motive, 7. Gods Glory is the most weighty and precious thing in Heaven and Earth: and will you rob him of that? O give him his glory then, for it is the most dangerous thing in the World to rob him of it, he has said He will not give it to another, Isai. 42.8. and its repeated again in Isai. 48.11. this is the forbidden Fruit, he will have none to finger it, he has but this one thing incomparably dear to him, its all he aims at, all he is concerned for; and if you have not glorified him, you have done nothing in the World to any purpose: God says to us all as he did to Christ, John 12.28. I have both glorified my Name, and will do it again: I will have every body to do it, or neglect it at their utmost peril. Sometimes his glory is said in Scripture to be great, exceeding great, higher than the Heavens, and its said to fill all the Earth. It is more worth than your Souls, and Salvation. Who or what are we? that God should mind our Salvation, and bring us to glory by Christs Death? who can think he should die ultimately for us? Though our Salvation was the immediate and Proxime End of his Death, it was Gods glory that was the ultimate end of his Death. He dyed not ultimately to glorify himself, Heb. 5.5. It was his Fathers Will; he did not thrust himself upon it. although it is true, his Exaltation came after his Humiliation, yet this was not his ultimate end. Much less then was your Salvation his ultimate end, though at the same time he shewed the highest Love, both to God and you, that could be. The Glory of God is infinitely better than our Salvation; so that if Gods Honour should have been impaired, Justice violated, and his Truth broken, who durst have been seen in it? But it is so ordered by infinite Wisdom, that God is no loser by it, but all his Attributes are eminently glorified by the death of Christ, never such an instance of Grace and Mercy, as in the death of Christ; you have many instances of his Mercy, in Psal. 136. but no such an instance as this. And this makes the sin of the Devils so great, that in opposing of your Salvation, they oppose the glory of God, by the death of Christ, for God in infinite grace has joined his Glory and our Salvation both together: So that it is matter of great comfort, that when Christ is said to glorify God in Dying, it is meant his grace and mercy is glorified by your Redemption, and his glory and your good, are never to be separated. So that God is a gainer by this way of Salvation, as well as you, his Justice not only satisfied, but Grace exalted by it. And as it glorifies the true Grace, so also the wisdom of God Solomons Wisdom was admired in giving judgement between the two Harlots. We have a Story in History, Of a great Emperour that made a Law, That every Adulterer should have his Eyes bored out; and his own Son being found guilty, he had no other way to save the honour of his Justice, and yet to save his Sons Eyes; but caused one of his Sons Eyes, and one of his own to be Bored out. This Story has been much admired, but we have infinitely more cause to admire the Wisdom of God in the death of Christ. And as it glorifies his Grace and Wisdom, so also his Justice; it is both a merciful Justice, and a just Mercy. So also his power: Christ is called both the Wisdom and Power of God in this Respect. Thus God is glorified by the death of Christ, and this was his ultimate end in dying. For he did not glorify God that we might be saved, but dyed to save us, that God might be glorified. All the Souls in the world are nothing compared with the glory of God; better we all should perish, than God should lose his Glory; though one Soul would weigh down ten thousand Worlds of other things. Gods glory is a greater good than your Salvation; for your Salvation is but as the Medium, his glory is the Ultimus finis. His Glory must needs be of more worth than your Salvation, for that is only the good of a Creature, his glory is like himself. However, these are not to be partend, for God hath joined them, he has commanded you to seek his glory, and also Immortality and Eternal Life. And now from this you may infer two things. 1. How should Christians walk that are trusted with such a weighty thing, as the glory of God! how very provoking are the sins of Professors, and their scandalous Lives? You should walk blamelessly, and depart from iniquity, for Gods name is upon you, and you should be more tender of the Name of God, than of your own names. Moses was Eminent, for that he was more concerned for Gods glory than his own. You should carry so, as to stop all mouths,( at least when they come to die, 1 Pet. 2.12.) James 2.7. Rom. 2.23, 24. The wickedness of a Servant reproacheth his Master. And do not you pretend to be Gods Servants& Children? Salvian used to writ much against the bad Lives of the Christians, and told them, that the Heathen might well say, Christiani sancté vixissent, si Christus sancta Docuisset. Christians would have Lived better, if Christ had taught them better. Oh, wipe off this Reproach by your blameless Lives. Gods glory is his Spouse, he is very jealous as to this, Joseph had the charge of all Potiphars House except his Wife. But God has trusted you with the best thing he has in the world, viz. his glory, and then how tender and careful should you be of it. 2. Again we may infer this, That if our Salvation be to be referred to the glory of God, then much more all outward things, Health, Honour, Parts, and Wealth, &c. What have you all for, but to glorify God? The End is beyond the Means, you are to account it so, and to look beyond them, and desire no more of them, than leads unto the End. As an Old Saying, Media movent Bonitate Finis. The Means moves through the goodness of the End. You do not desire all the water in the Fountain, but as much as will quench your Thirst, nor all the Cloth in the world, but what is needful to cover you. So here you ought to desire these things only with Reference to the glory of God. So much for the seventh Motive. Motive 8. If you will not glorify God, he will be glorified upon you. Put him not to strain for his own. If you will not sanctify him, he will sanctify himself; if you do not glorify him intentionally, he will be glorified eventually, if not actually, he will be glorified passively, if you bear not witness to his Holinefs, He will do it himself by his Judgments.( as one well saith) There is not one in a Congregation, but the Holy God is sanctified by him, or else upon him, by Spiritual Plagues and Judgments, which are the worst, and always certain, though not always visible. We may plainly see in that instance of Nadab and Abihu,( though the Eldest Son● of a good man, and in the Priests Office.) That Gods glory is dearer to him than mens Lives, Lev. 10.3. God would not bear with them. Another instance of this, is Herod;( though a very great man) God would not bear with him, Acts 12.23. You have his death, and the manner of it, he was smitten, and that immediately, by the Ministration of Angels, and mortally, he gave up the Ghost, and shamefully, Eaten of Worms, or Lice, as his Grand-father Herod was before; and then you have the Reasons of it, He gave not God the glory, being unjust, and unreasonable therein. This might seem but a small thing, but God took it very ill. The Apostles did otherwise, Acts 14.13, 14. When the people would have done Sacrifice to them, they ran in amongst them, &c. And Peter when Cornelius fell down at his Feet, Acts 10.26. bids him stand up, &c. I have heard of a man, that Lived a very Atheistical Life, who was in a sad case when he came to die, crying out, if there be a God, I am undone for ever. Thus you see God will have his glory, if you will not give it him. Motive 9. God is infinitely worthy of it. Therefore I beg it of you: if he do not deserve it at your hands, I'll give you leave to deny me. It is gross Idolatry to give it any other. And this is the Reason of the last Motive. He may well take it ill, when you do not give it him, seeing he is worthy most worthy, altogether, only and infinitely Worthy, Rev. 4. last. Thou art worthy O Lord, of Glory, praise, &c. God exceeds all things in glory, Heaven& Earth is full of his Glory; and he should have it all. God deserves the glory on a double account. 1. He is his own glory. 2. He is your glory also. 1. God is his own glory, he is absolutely and independently so. Why should you not give God his own? Sometimes Riches are called Glory in Scripture, and outward Honour, Learning, Victory, a good Name, Authority, Prosperity, and Grace is called Glory: but all these are but derivative, and none have all of these; but God is his own glory and he needs none to add to him. Hence he is called Glorious, Exod. 15 11. and he is so, not only in his Holiness, but in every thing else. Every thing in God is glorious; he is incomparably glorious. And if he be so glorious in the world, The Sun, Moon, and Stars, declare his Glory, &c. So glorious in his Church, in his Word, Works, and in his Saints, Psal. 45.13. The Spouse is all glorious within; in his Angels, his Sanctuary, Ministers, Gospel, Sacraments, &c. What is that God that hath ordered and Beautified all these, Psal. 66.2. You should then make his praise glorious; his Right-hand is called glorious, his power is glorious, Col. 1.11. he is so glorious, that he doth and can, without weakness, glory in himself. How many glorious descriptions have you of God in Scripture! which I have opened upon other occasions, as in Isa. 40. and in Isa. 57.15. and in many more places, yet we cannot say his glorying is not good, for his glory is infinitely above all other glory, and it is his own. I am not able in the least to set him off to you, his back-parts are only seen in this World, you cannot see his face and live: if you knew him, you could not but fall in love with him He is called the God of Glory, and the Father of Glory, Eph. 1.17. Acts 7.2. there is a glory of God that is absolute, and none can conceive of, Exod. 33.18, 22, 23. and he is called the Lord of Glory and King of Glory; Glory and Honour are said to be in his presence, &c. thus he is his own Glory. Branch 2. He is your Glory also. He puts an honour upon you, 1 Pet. 2.7. margin, to them that believe he is the Honour. I am almost out of heart to speak to others, I would now speak to Christians, Christ is your Glory and Honour, Luk 2.32. just as a person of Honour Marrying a mean person makes her Honourable, Isai. 43 4. since thou wast precious in my sight, thou hast been honourable, &c. and you find in Scripture, that the Saints have accounted God their glory, Psal. 3.3. and if you have any interest in God, you may say thus, so Psal 62.7. I shall show you in five things how God is the Glory of his People and in what Respects. And these things might all serve as Motives, to persuade you to glorify him. 1. He is their Glory, in that he does not only permit them, and command them to glorify him, but is also pleased to account himself glorified by them. This is a piece of great condescension indeed in him, who is infinitely above the Admirations and Services of the Holy Angels themselves,( and therefore he is said to humble himself, to behold things done in Heaven,) that he should account himself, glorified by you, and that he should take any thing well at your hands; he not only commands it, but commends it, Psal. 50 ult. That he should account you make him glorious by your right conceptions of him, and your Gospel conversations; this is your Glory, and might be a strong Motive to you. That he should be found of you, and suffer you to come so near him, and to stand in his Courts, is your honour, but that he should be pleased to account himself glorified by you is more. He is said to be glorified on your part, 1 Pet. 4.14. and Hag. 1.8. he takes pleasure in it, as if he should say, I take it well, I account myself glorified by you. And old Divine expresses himself thus, that when any man glorifies God, he is accounted by God to make him glorious, and to give him as it were a new Being,( though this is soberly to be understood.) No doubt when any person does eminent●… y glorify God, he sets him off as it were a●… ew before others. And that God should account thus of it, is a very great Honour. You red of the blind and lame, the Lepers and Centurion, and the Gentiles, that they glorified God, and he takes notice of all these, as I might give Scriptures for them all: he took it well from them; O this is your glory, when God accepts of you in what you do. The Saints in the worst of conditions may live upon their present acceptance and their future recompense. 2 He puts a great glory upon his People, in that he hath, he daily doth, and will magnify them to all Eternity. 1 He not only hath magnified man( as before) in Creation, Redemption, &c. in Creation making him but little lower than the Angels, and putting all things under his feet, that if he had stood all the Creatures should have been subject to him, having furnished the World plentifully and magnificently for him, before he came into it, this was a great Honour, but he has honoured his People much more by Redemption, in that when you had sold yourselves to Satan to your sins, and to the justice of God, he should be at such cost to Redeem you, is not this an honour? Would it not be an honour for a Prince to give many thousand pounds to redeem a poor Slave out of Turkey? how may you admire God then, who has put such an honour upon you in Redemption, and that by his own Son too, and by his precious blood! this indeed is an honour, and might be a great Motive to glorify him. And he has also put an honour upon you in your conversion to him, whereby the Image of God is renewed in you, and you are made partakers of the Divine Nature, and come to live the life of God, all which is a mighty glory to you. And if God be thus your glory and have so magnified you; why should not you glorify him? 2. He daily doth magnify and put Honour upon his People, in that he preserves them even by a Guard of Angels, Heb. 1.14. admits them to communion with him, that at any time he smiles on them, accepteth and embraceth them, counseling supporting, supplying them as they need; and that also he should afflict them rather than lose them,( for he loves them too well to let them live in any sin uncorrected) all this is their honour; thus God is their glory. Its an honour to you that so glorious a God should contend with you by affliction, 1 Sam. 24.14. and more, that he should cause it to work for you an eternal weight of glory, and bring you to glory at last: thus he puts a glory upon his People both in life and at death. 3. He will glorify them to all Eternity, this I but name, it has been hinted at before: but God is both your glory in life, at death, and after death? he might have forbidden you to glorify him, and then you had been miserable: O glorify him then to your utmost. 3 He is your glory, in that he hath put you into so near a Relation to himself, and put himself into so near a Relation unto you: he calls himself your Father, your Husband, your God, your Shepherd,( I might bring Scriptures for all these) and your Saviour, yea your own God. Can you do too much for your Father, your heavenly Father? if you be true Christians God is really your Father. What a great thing did David account it to be Son in Law to a King? but happy are they whose God is the Lord. This is the highest Honour that can be, and whilst others boast of this and that, you may make your boast of God for ever▪ Glory in your Knowledge of him, and of your interest in him, Rom. 5.11. in the Greek, But we Boast in God, through Jesus Christ. I may say as Esth. 6.11. You are such as this King delighteth to Honour: why then should you not honour him, with all you are, have, and can do? Its observable how many Names God gives to his People in Scripture, which sets forth this thing, and you should answer your Names. Are you called the Sons of God, and will you not honour your Father? Mal. 1.6. you are called Vessels, and are you leaking Vessels? Can you hold no glory for God 2 Tim. 2.20, 21. when a man makes a Vessel he has it for some use or other. Who made you Vessels of Honour? and why did free Grace choose you? but many are Vessels in whom there is no pleasure, Jer 22.28. not meet for their Masters use. You might have been suffered to have been Vessels of wrath, Rom. 9.21. it was Grace that made you otherwise: you are also called Members of Christ, and will you not honour your Head? will you rise up in rebellion against your Head? nay, you are called his Flesh, and his Bones, Eph. 5.30. and will you dishonour your Head? 1 Cor. 11.4. Are you not called Temples of the Holy Ghost; and will you not honour God? In his Temple should every one speak of his glory. Ps. 29 9. Much of glory was in the Temple, and God was Glorified and worshipped in his Temple. If you be Gods House, then he dwells in you, and by so doing he honours you; Will you not glorify the Master of the House? 1 Cor. 3.16. What, know you not that you are the Temple of God? And that the Spirit of God dwelleth in you? 1 Cor. 6.19, 20. Wherefore glorify God, &c. And you are called the people of his Choice, his chosen Generation, and what was it for? see 1 Pet. 2.5, 9& in Exod. 19.5. his Peculiar Treasure. Acts 9.15. Chosen Vessels. And will you not glorify him? You are called the Heirs of Glory, and ere long you must inherit glory, and will you not glorify him? Heb. 1. last. Heirs of Salvation, Heb. 6.17. called the Heirs of promise; How should such honour God! 4. He is your g●●● in that he hath invested you with many great privileges that are your glory. As his affording of you many means of grace, seasons and opportunities of glorifying him, planting you in his Vineyard.( I wish you understood your mercy in this) Isa. 61.3. shall God thus honour you? and will you not honour him? This very thing hath honoured our Nations more than any part of the world, the greatest part of the world are not thus honoured. He has made you Trees of Righteousness: Your great Clusters of sin, and vanity should fall off; and you should be Laden with fruits of Righteousness to his Glory. Phil. 1.11. But O what Clusters of wrath do some bring forth! What a lovely thing would it be for you to bring forth Clusters of Faith and Love, &c. he hath not dealt with other Nations as by us, Psal. 147. last. Has he not Created a Defence upon your glory? Isa 4.5. Your good fruit would glorify your Father and Christs Father, John 15.8. John 20.17. Our Sabbaths are our glory, Isai. 58.13. and your Ministers are to be honoured for their works sake, nay, they are called the glory of C●●●●( though accounted the off-scouring of all ●●●ngs) 2 Cor 8.23. and they are your honour, for whether Paul, or Apollos, or Cephas, &c. all are yours; they are the gift of Christ, and it is said, no man takes this honour unto himself, but he that is called, &c. It is a blessed thing when Gods Word Runs and is Glorified. But it may be our glory is departing, then call your Comforts Jchabod, as she in 1 Sam. 4.21, 22. 5. God has put a mighty glory upon you in that he does in so many words call and account you his glory, Isa. 46. last. Israel my glory. Indeed it is very much he should be your glory, but that you should be his glory is much more, Isa. 60.7. You are the joy and Crown of Christ, which is more than to be Pauls joy and Crown, Phil. 4.1. Isa. 62.3. Thou shalt be a Crown of glory in the hand of the Lord, and a Royal Diadem in the hand of thy God. So that I may say glorious things are said of you through free grace, and will you not glorify God? So much for the ninth great Motive. Motive 10. The greatest part of men in the world do downright dishonour God: and you yourselves have but very little glorified him hitherto. And shall God have no glory in the world● and this well follows the last; it aggravates your doing so little this way if God be your glory. Two Branches here. 1. The greatest part of mankind do downright dishonour him; they generally provoke the Eyes of his glory, they know no shane, they hid it not, but instead of glorifying God, they turn his glory into shane, Psal. 4.2. yea, they glory in their shane. It was an old complaint in Rom. 3 23. and those sins that are most common amongst us, I could show you how they are said to dishonour God. But now when others do so, let us grow more holy by it. Methinks the Name and glory of God cries out, Who will be on my side, Who? It hath few faithful Friends in the world, now turn to him, and glorify him so much the more. Let him not have your blow amongst the Rest, nor let your helping hand be employed to thrust his glory out of the World. The whole world lies in wickedness there is none that does good, whole Volleys of Impieties are daily discharged against him. We may say of most, as Dan. 5.23. The God in whose hand is their breath, and whose are all their ways have they not glorified. It may be wondered at, Rev. 15.4. Who shall not fear thee, and glorify thy name? All things but Devils and wicked men glorify him, and they shall( though against their wills.) He may complain of the most of the world that they have Robbed him. The Second Branch. You have but very little glorified him yourselves hitherto. Is it not time now to begin? shane might help you a little here; grow the better this could time. David did so, Psal. 119.126, 127. They have made voided thy Law, Thorefore I love thy Commandments, &c. but you have yet done little, how little in your closerts, Families, or the Church, have you done? how little have you been in praise, in Prayer? how little have others glorified God through you; how seldom have you been in thinking, speaking, Admiring, Loving, Commending of him to others? how little on week-days have you glorified him? and how little on Lords-Days? O now begin your Reformation, and lay your foundation in deep Humiliation, lay your hand upon your mouth, and Resolve through Christ, that you will be more holy, and heavenly, useful, and prayerful, than formerly; be now more for serious godliness than ever. O it is high time to mend, and God expects it at your hands, see what he would have you be, Jer. 13.11. a praise and a name, and a glory to him. Do not refuse as they did there. But alas, the greatest part of the world may be reduced unto three Ranks. 1. Such that have done very little, considering the abilities and opportunities they have had, they have Prayed, Repented, Loved, and Lived little, that came late into the Vineyard, or have been loiterers in it, or have gone back from his work, they have put their hands to the Plough, and look back. Some indeed é contrà have lived much in a little time. Abraham it is said, Dyed old and full of years, though he lived not so long as many others. But he was full of God, of Grace and Comfort. 2. Many that have done nothing at all, but only have lived to Eat and Drink, Buy and Sell, &c. and so have only cumbered the Ground; it is said in Gen. 5. such and such they lived so many years and they dyed, and nothing set down Remarkable in their Lives. Thus it is with very many. 3. There are many that have done worse than nothing, that live in Rebellion, and are bad Examples, Corrupting all about them; that in stead of living to God, live to themselves, and the World, yea to the Devil. And this should Excite us the more to glorify God, to Repair the loss of his Glory what in us lies. So much for the Tenth Motive. Motive 11 This hath ever been the Language of all true Converts, at the very first; What shall we do to glorify God? bewailing bitterly the former neglect of this. And if this be not the care and business of your Lives,( if there be a Living God) your state is nought, though you may reform, and do much, you are yet unconverted. Acts 13.48. When the Gentiles begin righty to apprehended of God, they then glorify him; thus do you, and that both in himself and people, and every thing else. And see this, the Day will come when Ministers shall not lose their Love upon any Hypocrite, they shall know who have glorified God, and who have not. See the Language of that Heavenly Host, in Luke 2.14. Glory be to God in the Highest, and Paul that great Convert concludes some of his Epistles with Glory to God. O see that you be such as thus do, else you are not Converted. And to come near the Kingdom of Heaven and not get into it, will make your Condemnation the greater. The Twelfth Motive. This would be the only way to glorify Jesus Christ your Saviour, and to be glorified with him for ever. It is meet that you should glorify him, that spent his breath, and his precious blood for you. Oh who would not live to the Glory of such a Redeemer! That day is lost that is not spent( in part at least) in thinking of, and Admiring of Jesus Christ; if you would glorify Christ, then glorify God 2 Thes. 1. last. It is the best prayer in the world next to the prayer of Christ, That the Name of our Lord Jesus Christ may be glorified in you, &c And there is great reason we should glorify Christ, for God the Father has glorified him: He has not only received him to Glory, and set him at his own Right-hand, but he also glorifies him in that he will do nothing without him, Hab. 3.13. Thou wentest down with thine Anointed. He directs us always to go to him under all our difficulties, and hath committed all power to him, and has given him a Name above every name. Some have been called Jesus, some have been called Christ, but none besides himself called Jesus Christ God is well pleased when you glorify Christ, Joh. 17.10. and the Holy Ghost glorifies Christ, John. 16.14. I need not to tell you Christ is glorious, for the Scriptures are full of that. Christ is most glorious When most contemptible, Isai. 53.2. Now if you would glorify Jesus Christ, you must glorify God by choosing him for your happiness and portion, and daily pursue your choice. Nothing more glorifies Christ than conformity to him; we honour him most when we do as he did, and his Life was a continual living to God( as before) John 8.29. And you are also to magnify Christ at your death, Phil. 1.20. and this you do when you die believingly, and at Christs Command, Deut. 34.5. witnessing to the Truth of Christ, John 21.19. and this is the way to be glorified with him, He that honours me I will honour, says God, and John 12, 26. he that serveth me, him will my Father honour, and where I am there shall my servant be also. Motive, 13. By Glorifying God much now, you lay a Foundation for your glorifying of him, upon Earth, even when you are in Heaven. No doubt God hath much glory here upon Earth, by means of his holy useful servants, when they have been long in eternal glory; and not only from holy Ministers, who have left converting Books behind, that have been much blessed to survivors, and whereby with Abel, they being dead yet speak: and holy Examples too, as Heb. 13.7. but also private Saints are concerned herein, to be laying in a stock to trade with for God when they are gone to glory. And thus many have done, and we ought to do, by good words, works, holy and exemplary lives, Exhortations, Admonitions, Instructions and Consolations, by doing and suffering fo●… Christ, &c. Let me entreat you in the Name of Christ, to be laying in a rich stock of al●… these to leave with your Posterity, Friends and Families, nay all that ever had to do with you, that they may trade with it for the glory of God, and hand it down to them that shall come after them. O let us be writing good Copies every day for them that come after us, Nulla dies sine lineâ. That they may say so, and so, did my Father and Mother, Husband and Wife, &c. walk, so did they behave themselves in Closet Families, and in the Church of God; so did they perform Duties, hear burdens, suppress their Passions, and deny themselves, &c. thus be, doing good after your Death. Heb. 11.4. Preach your own Funeral Ser-Sermons every day by living for Posterity, Nay the Motive is yet stronger( if that be true which some Divines have positively asserted) that the good you now do upon E●●th does not only increase after your death, but also as that increaseth so your Glory will increase, say they: God will not only reward men according to their works, but according to the fruit of them, Jer. 17.10. so that if their holy Actions on Earth do fructify after their Death, the fruits of them shall be rewarded, and follow them; Rev. 14 13. And so do the evil works of wicked men, as Jerob●hams did for above 300 years after his death, which made his Hell more hot. This is thought to be the Reason why Dives did desire his Brothers might avoid that place of Torment, because it would increase his own, for we cannot imagine natural affection, or the desire of the Salvation of others, to be in Hell. Nay it is said that the Glorified shall by their enlarged Crowns, and Additional glory, know the good they did here, and left behind them, doth fructify, which shall make them break forth into new Songs of Praise to God, and the Lamb, that helped them to sow that seed on Earth, that Reacheth them in Heaven. They know when any thing they have do●e on Earth is Blessed for others good, and Gods glory by two things, the Augmentation of their own Glory, and the Acclamation of Angels. Luke 15.20. speaks for this. Verily it is not then in vain to serve God; Godliness is great gain, its the most profitable, yea present gain, the most creditable, and prudential gain, in the whole world; O who would not glorify God? who is it that would not have plentiful Crops of Comfort, A whole Harvest of happiness, Incomes of Glory, not only going with him at his Death, but continually coming after him in Glory? There is a three fold benefit of Gospel good works. 1. Unto them that do them. 2. To those they are done for. 3. To them that see them done( but this may especially relate to works of Charity either to the Bodys or Souls of others.) I do again Exhort you to Glorify God, for you shall certainly in a very little time not only come to the Gates of Death, but also pass through them up to Gods great Tribunal to give an answer to this one Question, What have you all this while done for me? when ever God comes, he comes to Reckon, and when ever you go, you go to Reckon with him, how your time, strength, Parts, Estate, &c. have been Improved; And let me tell you in the Name of God, that it's not worth your while to live here, if it were not to glorify God. And let me tell you also, that if you do not, you take the ready way to shane yourselves;( and that's a thing none loves) when you look back at last on the many years you have Rubbed through in the world, and think that of all that time, you never lived one day. For he that lives not to God, but lives in pleasure, is dead whilst he lives. Oh! how will these thieves that have Robbed God all their dayes be ashamed when catched at last by Death! Jer. 2.26. But the Apostle living for God, and lifting up the name of God, was confident that he should not be ashamed, Phil. 1.20, 21. According to my earnest expectation that in nothing I shall be ashamed, &c. For to me to live is Christ, and to die is Gain. And take notice for your encouragement, to propose the glory of God as your utmost end, this is a way to put a beauty and lustre upon your meanest Services, to make all acceptable to God through Christ. So much for the Motives. I shall now give you a few helps or Directions how to glorify God. It should be the language of all, how shall I come to glorify God? I might show you how to do it in your hearts, in your Lips, and in your Lives distinctly: But. I shall only give you a few general helps, and put them all together. Direction I. Get a Renewed Mind. Get into a State of Grace, else you can never glorify God. The Apostle often makes this his Exhortation to, and his supplication for, those he wrote unto. If you have the old carnal heart still, all other means will be ineffectual. You should Eye the glory of God in all you do: but how can you do this with no Eye, or a blind Eye? The Renewed Mind is the eye of the Soul, and if the Eye be dark, how great is the Darkness? You may seem to Pray, Hear, and meditate, &c. but you can never glorify God without a new heart. Heb. 11.6. Rom. 8.7, 8. They that are in the Flesh cannot please God, that is, glorify God. The Apostle when he Exhorts to prove the acceptable will of God, advices to this, Rom. 12.2. The Renewing of the mind: so Col. 3.10. Eph. 4.23. And they are happy, whose Inward Man is Renewed Day, by Day, though their outward man decay. Give God no rest till he give it you, Psal. 51.10. And be sure to Eye the Holy Ghost, to Renew the Spirit of your mind, that is, the Soul of your Soul, &c. or the most inward part of your Soul, &c. Renewing work is the work of the Holy Ghost, Tit. 3.5. and when you are Renewed; be much in waiting on God, Isa 40. last. Such shall Renew their Strength. There is a specifical Renovation in first Conversion, and a gradual Renovation afterwards. And both these are the work of the Holy Ghost; let Sinners pray for the one, and Saints for the other. Direction II. Having got into a State of Grace, keep up the Lively Exercise of Grace daily. Especially some graces, without the Exercise of which God cannot be actually glorified; while they are only in a dull sleepy habit, they do not so glorify God. And these are especially. 1. Faith in the blood of Christ. Every day make it your work to believe as for your lives. Be much in Resting, and Rolling upon the Righteousness of another, you should not only fill your days with Duty, but every Duty with grace, and this of all graces glorifies God, and he honours it. You ought not only to mind your being Justified and saved at last by Faith, but you should every day live by it. God is only glorified in and through Christ, and that especially by the Exercise of Faith. Abraham gave glory unto God by believing. Faith honours God by taking his bare naked word and Resting on it, and on him that they never saw. Our Divines have said, That a man glorifies God more by believing, than if he had never sinned, but perfectly obey-the Law. But it is certain, Faith makes a man Righteous in Gods account as though he had not sinned, which no other grace doth. Repentance, &c. does not make a man Righteous, but Faith doth. Christ( as you have heard under the Motives) glorified God, and he was eminent for Faith, he was the greatest Believer in the world, for he not only believed for himself, but his whole mystical Body, his Faith was strong, Isa. 50.7, 9. Psal. 16.1. The grace of Faith glorifies all Go●● Attributes, his Son, Word, and Spirit, and it will correct sense and Reason. For when sense saith such a thing will not be, and Reason saith it cannot be, saith Faith but it both Can, and will be, for God hath said it, it gives God its Testimonial, Joh. 3.23. It hath set to its Seal that God is true, and saith as Moses, when he must not go into Canaan, Deut. 32.4. he is a God of Truth and without iniquity, Just and Right is he, thus it honours God, and Justifies God, not imputing Sin to him, as he justifies the Soul, so Faith justifies him, &c. 2. You glorify God by the lively Exercise of the grace of Love; and a Dormant Love doth not actually glorify God. But Love will keep you doing, and will think nothing hard. Some things you may find more difficult than others, but Love covers many Infirmities, it suffers long, is not easily provoked, seeks not her own things, thinketh no evil, it will bear, believe, hope, and endure all things; hence the Angels that are all in a flamme of Love to God, cry out, as Luke 2.14. Faith works by Love, its called the Labour of Love, Heb. 6.10. Love is of an opening nature, it expands and enlarges the heart towards God; hence it glorifies him, Psal. 24.7, 9. and it is of a constraining nature, 2 Cor. 5.14. A Spirit of Adoption will make a man do more than all things else will, either shane, hell, &c.& if you let a Spirit of Adoption down, you can neither live usefully nor comfortably; hence the Saints in Heaven glorify God perfectly, they Love him perfectly. Love counts none of Gods Commandments grievous, 1 John 5.3. This made David do so much, he loved much, as you find throughout the 119. Psalm in many verses of it. So much as you Love, so much you glorify God; if you Love not, you glorify him not at all. 3. Keep up the hopes of eternal glory, and this would help you to glorify God, and despise all things below, and glory in Tribulation &c. Rom. 5.2, 3, 5. Its the love of God shed abroad in your hearts, will help you in all the Rest. See what was said in the former part of the Discourse, We must have much of Heaven in our Deportment, if we would glorify God. That is, the hopes of heaven. This hope will purify you, and so it glorifies God. It puts the Soul upon waiting quietly, expecting earnestly, and preparing carefully for the Coming of Christ, as persons do for a great Wedding. How should that Soul live to day that knows not but that it may live with God to morrow! You are begotten to this Hope, 1 Pet. 1.3. Hope is both of an Elevating, and endearing nature, and both these ways it glorifies God. The soul that has it, scorns the best of sublunary happinesses. And this Hope makes the Soul to cleave to its object. Hope suits your present condition, for it is an Anchor: nay, it gives you a sweet light in a night of Adversity. See how Hope glorifies God, Tit. 2.11, 12, 13. It will teach to deny all ungodliness, and to live Soberly, Righteously and Godly, &c. What will not your hopes of enjoying God for ever, make you do? 4. Keep up in fear, Keep down in humility, and keep on in Repentance and godly Sorrow, I put them all together. Take heed of making too bold with God, be humble, daily Repent and Confess your sins. You have heard already how these glorify God, Isai. 8.13. sanctify the Lord in your hearts, and make him your fear and your Dread. And if you would glorify God, hate vain glory, and be much in denying yourselves. Paul was an excellent Example in this, Phil. 3.4, 5. &c. And God will have no flesh to glory before him, therefore he has said so much to prevent our glorying in any thing but God, and hath carried so in his Dispensations, 1 Cor. 1.26. to the 29. verse. Rom. 4.2, 6, 7. if you will glory, do as Paul did, 2 Cor. 12.9. Glory in your Infirmities, that the power of Christ may Rest upon you: And Repent daily, for that gives God the glory which your sins took from him. So much for the Second Direction. Direction III. Labour to know God, and be mindful of him. These are of great use, for if you know not God, you cannot glorify him: and though you do know him, if you forget him, you are like to do little at glorifying him, for actual Communion with God is not ordinarily without an act of the Memory. Two Branches here. 1. Labour to know God. This makes way for every thing that is good, by this you have right Notions of God,( as under the first Head in the Explication you may see) your Glorifying of God will be according to your knowledge o●… him, sometimes God seems to hid himself, Job 23.3. O that I knew where I might find him! or it may be red, O that I knew how I might know him! For your help here take three Words of Advice; 1. Beware of any idle, vain, or childish representations of God, or imaginations in your thoughts. These disshonour God as much as may be: never think of comprehending him; for he is vastly, infinitely above you. Take heed of imaginary, corporeal, carnal shapes of God, cast them out with indignation, Exod. 20.4. Acts 17.22. Deut. 4.15. Isai. 40.18. yet in that Chapter you have glorious Descriptions of God. Images are forbidden in the second Commandment, and that in our Heads as well as in Churches. Some Men have been so wicked as not only to picture God in their thoughts, but also in their Churches and Chambers, which is enough to make one tremble to think that they should go about to paint the infinite and everlasting Being. If it be hard and needless to picture an Angel because it is a Spirit, how much more Blasphemous is it to paint an increated Spirit, the Object of all Worship! But so brutish have some been, that they have painted the Father as an old Man, the Son as a young Man, or as a Lamb, and the Holy Ghost as a Dove; and the Trinity( in some Books) like the Sun with Beams, and the word Jehovah in the midst. These are idle and unprofitable: for Christ himself( though a Man) cannot be pictured, it being hard to tell his features, and you must not please your fancies in it, and say as in other things so it pleased the Painter you would not like to have your own Picture so drawn. But if you could draw his bodily feature, yet you can't picture him fully, because of his two Natures. Though you have a Soul you may say men picture your Bodys, but still you have but one Nature. And though God was pleased to appear in Shapes, yet what is that to the purpose. It was in Love and Mercy he thus Condescended, and will you so abuse it? These things beget carnal thoughts of God, and are so far from being profitable that it is an horrible abuse, Rom. 1.22, 23, 24. And as these are unlawful, so carnal Representations of him are very dishonouring to him. Yet often times gracious Souls may be afflicted with these, and greatly perplexed from Satan, but if you hate them its matter of Comfort. To such I would say that if indeed you hate them, 1 God will not charge you with them, but lay them at Satans door, though its great cause of Humiliation to you to be capable of suffering such temptations, its a fruit of the Fall. 2. You are not alone in this case, for many gracious Souls have been thus afflicted, and many all their dayes subject to them. 3. They will be but short, and if they last long they shall work for your good. And for Direction to such I would say, 1. Pray often to God about it, as a poor Prisoner at a Window, look out and call in Heaven against them, and God will Rate off Satan at last. 2. Resist them speedily, and don't think of them too much: the way to resist other Temptations is to study the evil of them, but these are to be thrown out immediately, they are not to be disputed with. 3. Be diligently and spiritually employed, be not idle, that gives great advantage. 4. Keep reading the Promises, and avoid all needless solitude, be much in godly, serious and lively Company. 2. If you would know God then study him much, and that in his properties, works, Word, Son, Spirit and Heaven. This would help you to Know him and glorify Him. 1. Study Him in his Properties, look upon him as your Catechism speaks, Infinite, Eternal, unchangeable, Incomprehensible, &c. And this is the way to apprehended his Being. 2. Study him in his Works: All the Creatures are his Preachers, they are his Library, and his Ladder: how wonderfully were all things made! Psal. 19.1. Rom. 1.20. and as wonderfuly preserved and governed even from the Angel to the Worm: there are great mysterys in all. He works still John 5.17. that his Providence should so extend itself and that also both to good and evil, and yet pure notwithstanding is wonderful, and its both perfect, punctual and perpetual, if he should but take off his eye a moment, how would Sun, Moon and Stars drop? What a wonder is it that this Massey Earth should hang in the Air, when we cannot make a Feather to hang in it. Study these great Mysteries of Creation and Providence, and be before hand with Satan and your vain imaginations. Who is it that Thunders so marvelously, Psal. 29.3.& 145.4. O all his Works praise him, and men should praise them, by and for them. You should do as they did, Mat. 15.31. Luke 7.16. Look upon God as the Marrow, the Soul the Glory the All of the Creation 3. Study God in his Word: Be well acquainted with the Scriptures they testify of him. Glorious Descriptions you have of him there, I mention none. accustom yourselves to think of him as set forth in his Word, this is more than in his works; here he is drawn to the life, his Characters much fuller and clearer: in his Works you may plainly guess there is a God, but here you may see what a God he is in part though you can never fully know him. Here you have the Trinity set forth( which the Heathen never dreamed of, and the Quakers have sinned themselves into the unbelief of) and so that mystery of Gods being a Redeemer which could never be told by Natures light. How should you then prise the Scriptures! cleave close to them, and pity others that have them not, or that will not use them, their case is sad indeed, its a sign they never saw that Glory and Majesty that is in them. 4 Study God in his Son. The clearest, manifestation of God is in the Person of the Mediator, He hath Expounded him, Joh 1 18.( in the Greek) He is the Fathers Glass, Joh. 14.9. Heb. 1.3. Col. 1.15. in a clear Glass you may see every feature perfectly 2 Cor. 4.4, 6. He is the Image of God, so a Gods Glory shines in the face of Christ, he is Gods face; the most beautiful part of a Man is his Face. God who dwells in Light that none can approach to, 2 Tim▪ 6.16▪ may be seen here in his glory, which otherwise we could not behold: as we may see the Sun in a dish of water, which else cannot be looked at▪ Gods Glory especially in his wisdom, and goodness shines clearly in the Mediator, you may see Gods Majesty in himself, and yet his condescendency in Christ. O that lovely and useful Remedy that is appointed to heal our ignorance of God! 5. Study God in his Spirit. He discovers himself in Christ by his Spirit. Study God in the new Creation as well as in the old in the works of Grace as well as in the works of Nature. O what a God must that be that makes a blind Soul to see! a dead Soul to live and breath! See him in this, and Admire. 6. Study God in his Heaven. There he is most glorious. Suppose that( with Stephen) you saw the Heavens opened, and God there with that innumerable Company of glorious Saints and Angels about him, praiseing and magnifying of him, and if you could hope to be one of them ere long, would it not raise your Spirit? He directs us to this in the Lords Prayer ( Our Father which art in Heaven) as if he would have us at the beginning of every Service to wind up our hearts to Heaven, it denotes his glory that he dwells in such a place. You count him poor that lives in a Cottage, so on the contrary, great, that lives in a Palace. 3. If you would know God be often in those places where he most discovers himself in his Glory. There are not only some times, but some places also, where God especially discovers himself; and you should not only study him, but wait on him in those places: And they are two principally; 1. In the Temple, be no strangers to public Ordinances, hearing the Word opened and applied, &c. We are most familiar in our own Houses, so is God in his it is called, the place where his Honour dwelleth; He comes to his Temple, Mal. 3.1. Christ was found in the Temple Luke 2.46. He will feed there, Mic, 5.4. He is usually found there at first and afterwards, 1 Pet. 2.2. You should love the Word and desire it. 2. In the Closet, upon your Knees, O pray for this, that God would discover himself unto you. Pray as he did, Exod. 33.18. and as Psal. 63.2 To see his Glory. O pray whatever you do. A Prayerless man is a godless, graceless man,( but this I have largely spoken to from other Texts.) And when you have thus prayed, be Tractable and Ready to receive his Impressions and Discoveries. Pray and Look up, Psal. 5.3. it will come by little and little; pled with God for it, and you have many arguments to pled. 1. That he has given you a Soul capable of knowing him. 2. That he has enlightened as blind and dark Souls as yours are. 3. That he has made a Covenant-promise of this, That he will give a heart to know him, and that they shall be all Taught of God, &c. 4. And( if you can pled it) that you desire to know him, only that you might love and serve him. And he has said, you shall know if you thus follow on to know him. The Second Branch. Be mindful of Him, for if you forget him, you cannot glorify him. Let him be in your thoughts much, Psa. 16.8. I have set the Lord always before me. Luke 1.75. Before Him. Let your knowledge further your Remembrance of him. To forget him argues open Impiety, or secret hypocrisy, Job. 5.13. Psal. 10.4. Some persons think of him after a bad manner, and so dishonour him; and others do it by forgetting of him, as if God were not worthy to be thought on. And you are all prove to this Evil. Learn to sand, to Bend, and to bind your Thoughts this way to abide with God. Labour to know and think so much of God, as to prefer him, and Communion with him above all things, so as to set up an high Throne for him in your Souls, desiring nothing more than to glorify him, and to be glorified with him, so as to say with him, Psal. 73.25. Whom have I in Heaven but thee? &c. It is a wonder we can forget him, for the Creation is full of him, which might put us in mind of him; his mercies are many, and are as so many Motives and Memorandums to us, and there is one Ordinance that is on purpose appointed for this end that we might Remember. Do this in Remembrance of me: And though this sin of forgetting God be little noted, yet it is a Mother-sin, and sorely threatened, Psal. 9.17. The wicked shall be turned into Hell, and all the Nations that forget God. Psal. 50.22. Consider this all ye that forget God, lest God tear you in pieces, and there be none to deliver you. What a dreadful word is this? So much for the Third Direction. Direction IV. accustom yourselves very much unto a Life of Praise, this is the way to glorify God. This would fit you for Heaven; the first word you shall say There is Hallelujah. It is Angels work, and Heavens work, be found much in it; and it would also help you against Unbelieving melancholy, for there is Love, Gratitude, and Joy in it. It keeps off Satan, and keeps you near God, and though you may be at a loss about your interest in him, yet praise him for his Divine Properties, and bless him for his Christ, and what he hath done for you, though evet so little. And red those Scriptures often that put you upon this duty, the Book of Psalms is full to this purpose. And this is most suitable for a Lords Day especially. We have all something to bless him for, either what we have had, what we have, or what we hope to have. But if you have nothing else to bless him for, bless him that you are out of Hell, and under the Call of the Gospel. Praises ought to have their due share in all our Prayers; but alas, how often are they shut out, and all our time filled with Complaints! we either forget to praise, or are short and perfunctory in it. Christ did not teach us so to do, for the Lords Prayer begins and ends with praise. If you can't bless him for some benefits, as saving grace, &c. yet you might praise him for his own Excellencies. I say as Psal. 107.8.15. &c. O that men would praise the Lord, for his Goodness, and for his wonderful works to the Children of Men. This would set off God and his ways in the world. And if you would accustom yourselves to it, it would make it become easy to you. Direction V. Keep your Eye upon the whole Compass and Circumference of your Duty, and see that all be done as God expects it from you. Much is to be done if you would glorify God. Look not at it with a squint Eye, Obedience doth much glorify God, but do not pick and choose your Duty, you must be universal in your Obedience, or else you will be ashamed, Psal. 119.6. There must be no sin loved, no Duty neglected. And the Commandment is exceeding broad, Psal. 119.96. When an Instrument hath many strings, it requires the more skill in managing it. You are to mind both Law and Gospel. The Moral Law is a Rule though not a Covenant to Believers,( do not think that Christ who was made a Curse for fin, will be a Cloak for it,) and this Law condemns heart sins, and sins of Omission, &c. You are to hate every false way, and in all things to live honestly; to have a good Conscience both towards God, all men, and yourselves, &c. You must see to Faith in Christ, and Repentance towards God. You are to mind the Duties of both Tables, and to see that there be Faith in all you do towards God, and towards men Charity, Justice, meekness; and as to yourselves Sobriety, and Self-denial. Take heed of minding one duty so, as to neglect another. In general see to an humble, heavenly, blameless Conversation; that so others may glorify God for you. Nothing like practical Godliness, 2 Thes. 1.11, 12. Let God be glorified by your walking worthy of your Calling. Profaneness dishonours him, Phil. 2.15. Some Professors carry as if they had nothing to do for God in the world, others carry as if they came from Hell to do the Devils work, and to glorify Satan, and many walk as if they carried Christ up and down in the world only to Reproach him, this is woeful. But mind you your whole Duty, and leave not out those Duties especially, that even some wicked men have skill in, as Justice, Temperance, Mercy, Charity, Meekness, &c. But be you spiritual in all this is to be like God and Christ, Eph. 5, 1, 2. To be Imitators of Christ, as he imitated his Father, John 5.19. Imitation eve-discovers high Estimation. Compare Mat. 5. ult. with Luke 6.36. Carry witnessingly, Convincingly, Tit. 2.10. 1 Pet. 3.1. 1 Pet. 2.12. In the day of Visitation that they may be forced to glorify God, q. d. When he shall visit them. Mind comeliness in all you do, and what is of good Report, as well as what is lawful. And be always doing something more than others, that is harder and more hidden Duties than what others do. And do not do that yourselves, which you forbid others to do. The Scripture is full as to all these things, but I forbear any more. Mind also in your doing, both the manner after which you are to do all, and that you act from right ends, and from right principles, and provoked to it by Gospel Motives, and that you do all orderly, the greatest Duty in the first place, and seasonably; for if you be cutting with your Ax when you should be smoothing with your plain, you will make but a bad piece of work of it. God complains of some, that he found not their works perfect, they should be perfect in all their parts, though they cannot be so as to their degree, the want of any of these, is as an hair in your pen, that blots all. When God bids you serve him, he bids you to do it fervently; zeal and Repentance should go together. You must not only hear, but you must be swift to hear; not only give to the poor, but draw out your Soul, as well as your money. Thus you are to mind the manner of all you do. If you wind up a Watch, and do not set the finger right, it will go wrong. If the Arrow be drawn up to the head, and directed to a wrong Mark, the Game is lost: and a Man may loose by shooting short, or over, as well as by shooting wide. You are to do all, not only in Faith, and in the Name of Christ, but in fear, also or else it cannot be acceptable, Heb. 12.28. you must do all by Rule, Gal. 6.16 bring all your work to the Rule. If the master mind not every point of the Compass he will make sad work: you should Trade by Rule, Pray, Hear, &c. do all by Rule. These things have been so plainly and plentifully opened on other Subjects, that I say no more of them here. Direction VI. Get and keep yourselves in some measure fit for suffering. Get such Graces as will fit you for, and Adorn you in your Suffering. You may be near it, for ought I know▪ be fit for it, that God may be glorified by you, as( no doubt) he is by a holy, humble suffering for him. Get much Faith, Humility, Zeal, Boldness for God; O how was God glorified by the Martyrs of old! and so also by the death of Christ; so that they that stood by cried out, This is the Son of God, John 21.19. Isai. 24.15. 1 Pet. 4.14. The Spirit of Glory is more than the Spirit of Grace, and that shall rest upon you. When you suffer you should be concerned for Gods Glory, as Christ was, John 17.1. you do not know but God may call for that which is Dearest to you: O be like Christ, that in every thing denied himself, veiling his own glory, though he did not quit it; for( as one well saith) all the Honour possible is due to the human Nature of Christ, from the very first moment of of its being united to the person of the Son of God, Heb. 1.6. and yet all this he willingly laid aside to glorify God in the work of Redemption, living like a Servant, and dying like a Malefactor. And( to Comfort you) this is the way to Glory, Luke 24.26. Rom. 8.17. if we suffer with him, we shall be glorified with him, Rom. 10.10. With the mouth Confession is made unto Salvation, Gal 6.17. He went to his Slaughtering-House as to a Wedding-house, John 14. ult Arise, let us go hence; so should you suffer with cheerfulness. And if you should not be called to suffer Death, yet if to suffer shane and Reproach for Christ, you should Rejoice. The Apostles did thus: and Triumphed in Christ Jesus, 2 Cor. 2.14. to Sing in the Stocks, and embrace Faggots, is highly Glorifying and pleasing to God. Direction VII. Make it your great buisness to Glorify Jesus Christ the Son of God: if you would glorify God, 1 Pet 4.11. he is glorified( as you heard before) through Christ. When you glorify Christ you honour God, for He seeks his glory all along; hence has he suffered the worst of evils to be in them that he intends to save by Christ, that he may let us see he Loves Christ more, than he hates Sinners.( But this is no Encouragement to sin.) That must needs be on Excellent blood that takes away such stains: nay( as some of our Divines have said) God Suffered Adam to fall, that so Christ might have the Honour of Raising up fallen man again. And the Ministry is appointed to honour Christ; the Spirit in the Preaching of the Gospel takes of Christs and shows it unto us, John 16.14▪ hence( as some observe out of John 17.10.) when Christ prayed before for himself, he used that Argument that he had glorified God; now he preys for his Disciples, his Argument is, that they had Glorified him, to signify that this was well pleasing to God. And you Glorify Christ by seeing your need of him; and when you come unto him by Faith, and Close with him, when you depend on him, and profess him, and walk-seriously before him, and suffer for him when called to it ( as before) when you Bless God for Christ, and wholly Live to him, and account all things Dross in Comparison of him; when he is much in your Head, Heart, Mouth, and Life, when you walk as his Members, and trust in his Righteousness, and though the Papists have reproached it, yet you will find it will not deceive you at Death. Where pure Righteousness Leads the Van, Glory comes in the Rear Isai. 58.8. Christs Righteousness is your glory, Oh Glorify God by putting it on. Direction VIII. And Lastly. Get and Keep to high and noble Ends in all you do. This Glorifying God is in itself a Noble Work, an high Raised Work, and can never be Sincerely, Evenly, and Universally Managed with Low Ends. If your Ends be Low your Lives can never be High. Its a pitty that Heaven-born Souls should mind mean things. O be where your head the Lord Jesus Christ is, Col▪ 3.1, 2 we see it Daily and every where, that the End( let it be wherever it will) is of a Drawing, Directing, and Overcomeing Nature. This makes Sinners to be as they are, their carnal Ends in all things govern them. Hence its impossible to make a Sinner forsake his way till he hath new ends given him by heart-changing Grace. Now as the divine Glory is, or ought to be, every mans great end( as in the Text) so there are some other noble ends that would further this great end if they were daily kept up in the Conscience, Power, pleasure and Dignity of them. In Particular these six Ends, with which I shall Conclude. 1. Aim now at perfect Mortification and Holiness. Its true that you cannot attain it must be taken for granted; yet its your Duty to Aim at it, its the very nature of the new nature so to do. True Grace is not contented with Little Grace. Herein lies Gospel Perfection. 1. In giving all it hath to God in the Name of Christ. God has that from the Soul that no creature in the World hath, and he can do that for God every day, that he would nevet do for any other. And that's not all, but 2. When it hath done all this, its hearty grieved that it can do no more. And also, 3. It keeps on Mortifying Sin, and Perfecting Holiness( in order unto glorifying God) without setting any bounds or limits to itself. And in this it sheeps the most flourishing Hypocrite in the World) a good Soul would( if it could) be infinitely enlarged in love to God, and hatred to sin. It is your Duty to Aim at the perfect Mortification of your Sins, and perfect Holiness. And that not only( thô mainly) because the holy and spotless Law of God requires it, Gal. 3.10. Cursed is every one that continueth not in all things that are written in the Law to do them, Mat. 5. last. Be ye perfect as your Father which is in Heaven is perfect. And you are commanded to love the Lord your God, with all your heart, mind soul and strength, &c. And Christ teacheth you to pray that you may not be led into Temptation, but delivered from all Evil, Mat 6.13. and the Apostle prays for his Corinthians, in 2 Cor. 13.7▪ I pray God that) ye do no Evil: and 1 Thess. 5.23. Yea( as one well saith) even pardonned Persons themselves, are strictly bound unto the Law for Duty as well as Adam, though not with such evil Consequences; they may be in danger of contracting Sin, though not in danger of incurring Death by the breach of it. And the Law is as much a Rule to them as ever, though no more a Covenant, and though Believers are delivered from the Curse of the Law, yet not from the Commanding power of it. Our being set at liberty from the curse of the Law, does not discharge us from the Duty and Obedience we owe unto it. The Law of God being as just and full of equity as ever, though we have unhappily lost our power to keep it, and Christ came not to destroy the Law but to fulfil it. And when he justifies any person, he does not give him a liberty to sin, or disoblige him from Duty; so that still the Law is in force as a Rule to the end of the World, and requires perfect Mortification, and perfect holiness and conformity to God, therefore you should Aim at it.( Tho' God is pleased through the Merits and Righteousness of Christ to pardon Imperfections, when the heart sincerely Aims at and designs perfection) and not only should the Command of the Law put you upon thus Aiming at perfection, but there are two special advantages would he the Consequence of it. 1. It would be a comfortable evidence of your Uprightness: and an Upright Man God accounts a perfect Man, Gen. 17.1. Walk thou before me, and be thou perfect,( in the margin) be thou sincere: Psal: 18.23. I was also upright before him, and I kept myself from mine Iniquity. If any sin be indulged, or Duty neglected, you cannot have good evidence of your sincerity. And this aiming at perfection, both in Mortification and Holiness, would argue the truth both of your Love and Hatred. When you take your Aim, by 2 Cor. 7.1. having therefore these precious promises, let us cleanse ourselves from all filthiness of Flesh& Spirit,( there is Mortification) perfecting holiness,( there is vivification.) You are not only to cleanse yourselves from sins of the Flesh, that are of a grosser nature, but Sins of the Spirit, all Spiritual Filthiness; Spiritual Pride, Heart-Hypocrisie, &c. Nay, all Filthiness, so that the Evil One may not so much as Touch you. 1 Joh. 5.18. and to keep Unspotted of the World, Jam. 1.27. Some things are not to be name by you, Eph. 5.3. And this is not all, but afterwards you must go on, perfecting Holiness in the Fear of God; and all this from a most Gospel Motive, viz the Covenant-Promises that are mentioned in the end of the foregoing Chapter Thus if you would have an Evidence of your sincerity, you must design perfection. 2. It would also be a notable help to your proficiency in the ways of God; and your great Attainments would greatly glorify God. He that shoots at the Moon shoots higher than he that shoots at a Mole Hill. Though you cannot reach Perfection, yet you would by thus Aiming at it, Reach further than those who only set themselves such, or such a measure of Grace. O therefore if you would glorify God greatly, get great measures of grace; let your Ends and Aims be great; no less than perfection in grace. Do as Paul did Phil. 3.11, 12, 13, 14, 15. Aim at the Resurrection of the Dead, at a sinless Estate; Forgetting those things that are behind; be earnestly pressing forward, and Reaching forth( as a man Running a Race stretches forth his Body, and makes towards the Mark, so do you) toward the Mark for the prise, &c. 〈◇〉 Metaphor drawn from the olympic Games, where many Run, but one Obtained the prise. If by any means I might attain to the Resurrection of the Dead. See how earnest the Apostle was in this matter, and he makes it his one Thing he had to do. And these designs would further you greatly in your Glorifying God. So much for the first thing you should Aim at. 2. Aim at frequent sensible Communion with God. I shall be short in this, and the Rest, for the first was that I chiefly intended. But Aim at this, it is an high and Noble End; and design the Enjoyment of God in every Ordinance, and upon all occasions. This would help you to glorify God, for then you might expect to enjoy him. Let your Souls follow hard after God. But always be sure to give Christ his due place, and honour, in all your making out after communion with God, Eph. 2.18. He seems to bespeak it, John 14.6. I am the Way, the Truth, and the Life; no man cometh unto the Father but by me. Therefore be sure to mind Christ in all you do. And it would be good every Evening for you to observe what Transactions, and out-goings have passed between you and the blessed God. On Gods part, what offers of grace, what quickenings and Breathings of his Spirit, &c. And on your part, what openings unto God, what Receivings from him, what meltings of Soul, and humblings before him, and what Improvements, of his Presence and Providences, you have made, and what out-goings, and earnest Breathings of Soul, to God, have passed from you: and accordingly you are to carry in a way either of Humiliation or Thanksgiving. Whilst some are saying, Who will show us any good? Say you with David, Lord lift thou up the Light of thy Countenance upon us. Psal. 4.6, 7. While others have their Portion in this Life, and have their Bellies filled with Gods hide Treasure( both at Sea and Land) Let it be your great Ambition to Behold Gods Face in Righteousness, and to be satisfied with his Likeness Psal. 17. ult. And though you may not know what Raptures and Ravishing Enjoyments and Enlargements mean, yet see to walk humbly with God, and Aim at daily, Soul Transforming, and Endearing Communion with him. And hereby you will be holpen to this great Duty of glorifying God. 3. Aim at Universal Edification. Let every body be the better for you. Let this be the design of your Soul, although too often you may fall short of what you design. Let all things be done to Edifying, 1 Cor. 14.26. There is an ungodly Edification you red of, 1 Cor. 8.10. Emboldened, it is in the Greek edified, when we by our Example make others bold to sin, beware of this, let your Carriage be such as may Edify Beholders. And your Speech always with Grace seasoned with Salt, that you may know how you ought to answer every man, Col. 4.6. Let no Corrupt Communication come out of your mouth, but that which is good to the use of Edifying, that it may Minister Grace to the Hearers. Eph. 4.29. Especially when you mention the great Name of God, do it Reverently, and Admiringly, Take heed of speaking lightly of good things. It is to be bewailed, that many times the good Discourse of some is so weakly managed, that it rather makes sport to others, and sets them a Laughing, then Convinces and Edifies them. May you not have as much Reason to speak Admiringly and Reverently as David? and how does he Abound this way, the 145 Psalm most of it is spent this way▪ but in the 5th& 6th verses, he would so speak of God as to set others a speaking so too. And may not you say with him, as Psal. 35.10. All my bones shall say, who is a God like unto thee? so all my Sins, my Soul, my Wants, may you say, speak thus. Your savoury, holy and reverend speeches would greatly edify others and glorify God. And unto all that has been said I would give you this Advice, Wherein you fall short in one thing, Labour to abound in another Duty, that you may have more skill in, and Ability for. It is true you are to do your best in all; yet if you unwillingly fall short in Active Obedience, Labour to make it up in your Passive Obedience( if called to it) if you fall short in Action, be sure to make it up in Affection,( But beware of deceiving yourselves here) and what you cannot do yourselves, as Acts of Charity &c. Labour the more to stir up others to do it, what ever good it be, and God will set it to your Account as done by you for his Glory. And your high and Lofty aims in all this would mightily further your Glorifying of God. 4 Aim now in every thing you do, at a most Honourable going off the Stage of this World. O Aim at this, and live like them that Aim at glorifying God by their death, in passing Honourably and Gloriously through it. Be every day taking the most likely way to aveit thus. Keep Conscience so now in peace& power, that this may readily be effected at last. And though you may die in the dark, as many a good Soul hath ( for as grace is free, so Comfort also) yet now Aim at, and labour for an Abundant Entrance into the Eternal Kingdom, 2 Pet. 1.11 There is a great deal of difference in Ships coming into the Harbour, some come with their Anchors lost, Sails torn, and Mast gone, &c. But others they come in with all their Sails and Flag up: O be often Aiming to come gallantly into the Harbour of Glory. And you should be in such a Frame as to long for the day( but alas, few need Mr. Dods Advice to be patient to stay till God sent for them,) and be willing to wait his Time; very few in our days are so fond of going to Heaven, as to be in such hast; but Aim you at it, and at a Tall Stature in Christ. O labour to find,& feel yourselves daily fitting for that sinless Estate before you, Col. 1.12. to find yourselves made meet for the Inheritance of the Saints in Light: And that God is daily working of you up, framing and fashioning of you, for that self-fame thing, 2 Cor. 5.5. He that hath wrought us for the self-same thing is God, &c. Let your graces, not your sins follow you into another world, Rev. 14.13 but O the miserable case of such, whose works follow them in a bad senee, all their sins, viz. the desert of them, but not the pleasure of them, and though they would gladly have them stay behind, ( for they are said to lie down with them in their Graves) Job 20.11. yet they will not, but follow them to the judgement-seat, and down to Hell again, there to be their Tormentors. On the other hand what a Comfortable thing it is when your Prayers, Tears, Alms, Faith, Repentance, self-denial, Patience, &c. Follow you. And this is it you should in all you do be aiming at, for this you have a promise Psal. 126▪ ult▪ They that sow in Tears shall Reap in Joy, he that goeth forth weeping bearing precious seed shall doubtless come again with rejoicing, bringing his Sheaves with him; they shall have Sheaves of Comfort and Glory then, for all their Toil and Tears now. O be often taking a fair farewell of all this world, at least aiming at thus doing. And for your great encouragement take notice of this, that none of the Actings of your grace, shall ever be lost, as you see in the forenamed Text, there is an Harvest of Joy after a seed-time of grace. And the Reason is God observes all, and Books all; and though your grace may lye in a little room, so that it may well be compared to a grain of Mustard-seed, the least of all Seeds, yet it shall not be lost, and though none in the world has been able to see many of the Actings of your grace, yet you may say as she did in another case, Gen. 16.3. Thou God seest me! he is graciously by you, and sees your secret Closings with Christ, your Mournings, Meltings, Heart-breaking, Relentings of Soul, not a sigh but he takes notice of it, not ● Groan or moan but he hears it, not one act of grace but it is all naked and bare to him; and he takes himself as glorified by all these, as you have heard; and then will surely Reward them with glory in another world; and if so, then the comfortable Reflection, upon all these must needs help to make your going off the Stage very Honourable and Comfortable. O then abound in these and that's the way; daily be designing this glorious End. So much for the fourth noble end we are to Aim at daily, that so we may eminently Glorify God. 5. Aim daily to have a pleasant smiling Countenance at the Morning of the Resurrection. Aim at nothing short of exceeding joy then in the judgement day, and to be without spot or fault, judas 24. Aim now to have a Crown there, 2 Tim. 4.8. Let your happiness lie in the Second Coming of Christ; be looking at the recompense in the Resurrection, Luke 14.14 And that's the last time to take money in: Let it be your great care and Study then to have your Account weighty in a good sense, and( as was said in the last particular) abound much in the Exercise of Grace, and if you Go off the Stage well at Death, You will fare well here. And O what a Day will that be when all the Saints shall Lift up their heads before God, and Angels, while all others shall find their Faces gathering shane and Blackness! when the Arch Angel shall sound and gather all his Armies together, O what a Day of Congregation will it be! and what a sad Day will it be to some, that must find it a Day of Separation; and that for ever! But to the Saints a joyful Day and Glorious, when Each of them shall Shine as the Sun in the greatest Splendour, and more. O how will the Vaults of Heaven Ring with their joyful Acclamations! O what a Train will follow the Captain of your Solvation! and what a Shout will they give, when they take Leave of a Reprobate World. And if you would Look with a Pleasant face then, aim at, design for it now: Glorify God much, that's the way to it; and often Renewing your designs, for this would also fit you to Glorify God. 6. aim at the highest Degrees of Glory in another World. There are Degrees of Glory is plain, and many Arguments might prove it, Oh! aim at the highest Degrees of it, if you would Glorify God here under the Influence of these high and noble ends, and amongst the rest aim at Heaven, at nothing short of Heaven, Oh! Seek for Glory, Honour, and immortality. Rom. 2.7. And the greatest Degrees of it: Count it not enough to have only so much Religion as will keep Life, and Soul together, that will only bear your Charges to Heaven, but be Ambitious of being great in Heavens Court, and Intimate favourites of the Most High. Let us be persons of great Aims and Designs; and this is one especial way of Glorifying God. AMEN. Thus you have in these few and plain Discourses seen that it is your great Duty to glorify God; and had some help afforded you for the doing of it. If God may be Glorified, you Converted, Edified or Comforted I should rejoice; and if it should be otherwise, my Soul desires to weep in secret for your Pride and Misery. FINIS.