Commentary on 2 Peter, Commentary on 2 Peter volume 2 · Chapter 3 · Verse 18 (5 of 6)
5. Laſtly, his low humiliation deſerves glory. It is the Promiſe of Chriſt; Every one that humbleth himſelfe, ſhall bee exalted: and ſhall not He himſelfe ſpeed ſo?mPhil. 2.9. This was a ſufficient cauſe of his exaltation: Humilitas gloriae meritum, gloria humilitatis praemium. n2 Cor. 4.6.As, by CHRIST, GOD brought light out of darkeneſſe at the firſt: ſo hee will bring glory out of humilitie at the laſt. Let us looke downe a little to his deſcent, that his riſe may appeare the more glorious. Firſt,oPhil. 2.6. The Perſon was God; and there is firſt mention of that high Majeſtie, to give the more luſtre to this low humilitie. For a man of meane condition to be humble, is no ſuch hard matter, no great praiſe, if he be: a great fault, if he bee not.p2 Sam. 6.22. But for a king thus to ſtoope, to riſe from the royall Throne, and fall upon his knees; this was great humilitie. Secondly, the freedome of the action; he was not forced to it, but humiliavit ſe. qMat. 27.32.Simon of Cyrene was compelled to beare his croſſe, his necke was humbled under it by conſtraint: Chriſt willingly ſubmitted himſelfe to it. The willingneſſe makes it acceptable, to have done it by compulſion, had beene miſerable. Thirdly, the depth of his humiliation, uſque ad naturam hominis: in his very aſſuming of humanitie, there was great humilitie. But more,rPhil. 2.7. uſque ad formam ſervi: asſ1 Sam. 25.41. Abigail to David, ſo Chriſt to his Apoſtles, even to the waſhing of the feet of his ſervants. Yea,tIohn 13.5. uſque ad mortem, which is more. This would ſtagger the beſt of us: wee love humilitie in a whole skinne. Indeed there was no reaſon in the world,uPhil. 2.8. that obedience ſhould bee put to death; for death is the wages of diſobedience: obedience, in juſtice, is rewarded with life. Adde to all this, that it was mors crucis, to which hee humbled himſelfe. It was the fowleſt death of all other; the death of Malefactors, and of the worſt ſort of Malefactors. So it was not onelyonly uſque formam ſervi, but uſque mortem malefici. Nor did hee onelyonly ſuffer without pitie, but not without ſcorne: his paine was their ſport. This were worſe than death to a generous and noble ſpirit: for if it be ſo miſerable to live with infamie, what is it with infamie to die? This was low enough; yet his body muſt bee laied in the grave; one ſtory lower. Yea, he deſcended into hell, and lower he could not goe. All this for us; Deſcendit ad inferos, quò nos oportuit, ne nos deſcendamus unquam. Wee have him now at the loweſt; and have kept him all this while in the Preſſe; it is now high time that he ſhould come forth in Print.
For his Humiliavit, let him have his Exaltavit: for mortem crucis, gloriam Patris. xPhil. 2.9.See how God doth advance him, from death to life, from ſhame to glorie, from a death of ſhame to a life of glorie. He was not raiſed up like Lazarus, to die againe: but being raiſed up,aRom. 6.9. Hee dieth no more; death hath no more dominion over him; nay, he hath full dominion over death: Neither did hee riſe onelyonly to the upper face of the earth, but from the earth: from De profundis, to in excelſis: above the clouds, above the ſtarres, above the heavens, and the heavens of heavens. As he deſcended into hell, that we might never come thither: ſo aſcendit in coelum, ut praeparet locum nobis, ubi nos nihil juris.
This glorie hath God given him, but have we no glorie to give him for all this? We, for whom he ſuffered all thoſe torments, can we bee emptie of his praiſes? The Angels ſang, Glorie to God on high; when the God of all glory lay low enough. He was then in the Cratch; afterwards on the Croſſe, but now is advanced to the Crowne. Shall they more honour him in his Humility, than we doe now in his Majeſtie? They in infimis, than we in altiſsimis? bPſal. 136.23.He remembred us in our low estate: and ſhall not wee remember him in his glory? Hee hath it there, though wee ſhould never give it him heere. Yet this moſt royall Prince lookes downe from his Throne to his footſtoole; to ſee which of his Servants give him moſt honour, and what requitall they make of his favour. Chriſt ſeemed to loſe his glory, by hanging on the Croſſe; therefore let us make him a Coronet of our praiſes. Wee tooke ſome from him, ſhall wee not wiſh ſome to him againe for it? That was his Ignominia in infimis, and ſhall wee not give him gloria in altiſsimis in lieu of it? Yes, as it was ſaid of Babylon, cRev. 18.7.How much ſhee hath glorified her ſelfe, give her ſo much torment and ſorrow: ſo looke how much torment Chriſt felt, if it were poſſible, let us give him ſo much glorie. As there was no ſorrow like to his ſorrow, ſo let there be no glorie like to his glorie. It is hee which gives us beautie for aſhes, and joy for heavineſſe; that lifts us up from the dunghill, and ſets us among Princes; that changeth all our teares into comforts; and at laſt advanceth us from a vale of miſeries, to the Mount Royall of eternall Bleſſedneſſe: Thus hee exalts us, and ſhall not wee exalt him? As hee was humbled to the loweſt, ſo let our praiſes lift him up to the higheſt.dPſal. 128.1. Let us ſing his praiſe on earth, ſo as our ſongs may pierce the clouds, and enter into the heavens, and become a pleaſant incenſe to the Lord of hoſts. That ſo the glory which we give him below, may make for our ſoules to his glory above.
Aquibus, from whom muſt this Glory come? But here ariſeth a doubt, what Verbe is to be put here; for there is never a Verbe in the originall: whether Eſt, or Esto: whether an Indicative, that ſo it is: or an Optative, that ſo it may be. The former is by way of gratulation, the other by way of exoptation. Chriſt now hath Glory, ſaith the one: let Chriſt have Glory, ſaith the other. That is Vox confitentium; they acknowledge that all Glory is his: this Vox petentium; they deſire that it may ſtill be given unto Him: either is Vox laudantium; they praiſe Chriſt, and ſhew that Hee is moſt worthy to bee praiſed. Ipſi ſit Gloria, which is per modum voti, doth well befitte the Church militant:eRev. 5.12. Est Gloria, which is per conceſſum facti, is more fit for the Church triumphant. It is either a praiſe, or a wiſh; Gratulatory, or Apprecatory: and conſiſts in demonſtranda, that this Glory is his; or in exoptando, that it may be, and daily more and more be given Him. Either is well; but both are beſt, for both are moſt true.
1. This Glory then muſt have an Vndè; As there is Terminus in quo, on whom this Glory reflects, and in whom it reſides: ſo there muſt be Terminus à quo, from whence it comes: without an emiſſive terme, there can bee no receptive terme. Who then ſhould give this Glory to Chriſt? For the Angels to doe it, is no new thing. From the beginning, it was their occupation ſo to doe.fIob 38.7. The morning ſtars ſang together: and what is their ſong, butgEſay 6.3. Holy, holy, holy, the whole earth is full of his Glory? Nor doe they ſing this onelyonly to God in his his owne Nature, but even to GOD incarnate. So when the Angell had done his Sermon,hLuke 2.13. the whole Queere begunne their Antheme. They gave Him Glory, when Hee was in great humility: the Cratch was the laſt word of the Sermon, and yet Glory the firſt word of the Song. To ſhew that all that externall baſeneſſe, which ſeemed to tend to his diſgrace, was but the Auſpicium of his Glory. All that appeared beneath, Ignominia in imis, is pronounced Gloria in excelſis, and ſo celebrated by the holy Angels. No ſooner was the Speech ended, but as if the word Cratch had been their reſt, immediately the Hymne beganne. It was an Antheme that did properly belong to the Sermon, and it was a Sermon that did properly require ſuch an Antheme. And all this to a Babe in the manger; In infimis puero, in altiſsimis Deo: for He was both. Such Hymnes and Anthemes they ſtill continue in heaven: good cauſe have they to praiſe the Lord; but why this honour to Chriſt? Why doe they ſo rejoyce at his Birth? Quid illis concio, vel cantio? iHeb. 2.16.He tooke not on Him the nature of Angels: Why doe they make ſuch a doe about it, when it concernes them not at all?kLuke 2.10. I bring you tydings of joy; To you is borne a Saviour: he does not ſay, To us. Yet they doe it; not only upon command;lHeb. 1.6. Let all the Angels of God worſhip Him; let the whole Hoaſt of heaven doe Him honour: but chearefully and willingly, in relation to us.mLuke 15.7. They rejoyce at our converſion; hoc angelicum est. The Divels maner is to grieve at the good of others. If Chriſt come to ſave us, they cry out thatnMarke 1.24. He torments them: hoc est Diabolicum. They, in whoſe owne particular this concernes not, rejoyce: they for us, and not we (by good inference) for our ſelves? The Queere of heaven begane the ſong, but to ſet us in: we are to beare a part, and the chiefe part, becauſe the beſt part of it is ours. They tooke it up, we are to keepe it up, and never to let it goe downe, or die on our hands: but to ſing it after the Angels below, that wee may ſing it with the Angels above.
2. Thus wee have found out the Parties, to whom this duety belongs: wee are they that muſt give Glory to Chriſt. As for us men and for our ſalvation, Hee expoſed Himſelfe to ignominy: ſo from us men, for our ſalvation, Hee expects Glory. The Vndè is from the earth, and men the Aquibus from whom this Glory is looked for. I deny butoProv. 16.4. that God made all things for his Glory: and Glory He will have in all things that He hath made.pPſal. 19.1. The Heavens declare the Glory of God: andqPſal. 148.7. Praiſe the Lord, O ye Heavens, &c. How ſhould theſe praiſe Him? The Heavens and Starres, the Earth and Seas, Fire and Vapours, Trees and Mountaines, have no tongues. Dragons and Lions, Whales and Fiſhes, Ravens and Fowles, are called upon to praiſe God: yet they cannot ſpeake. The former cannot ſpeake, becauſe they have no tongues: the latter have tongues, but they cannot ſpeake. Why are all theſe Creatures ſaid to praiſe God, and bidden to praiſe Him? They cannot doe it but by the apprehenſion and expreſſion of man: it is he that carries the tongue for them all. Therefore after the catalogue and liſt of the Creatures, muſtered up to Gods praiſes, man is inſtantly mentioned; and that in all the kindes and conditions of men; Kings, Iudges, old, young. So in the Song of thoſe three holy ſervants of God, after that copious enumeration of the Creatures, ſummoned to this retribution of Glory, Man is plentifully brought in: O yee children of men, O yee Priests, &c. As if all the reſt could doe nothing without man: and he were not onelyonly their Interpreter and vocall Orator, to tell their meaning; but (as it were) their Prieſt, to offer up their ſacrifice of thankefulneſſe to God: and their Lord and Maſter, to whom they owe and doe ſervice: by which ſervice of theirs to him, they put him in minde of the ſervice hee owes to his Maker. If the Heavens declare the Glory of God, how doe they it, but to the eyes of man, and by the tongue of man, for whom they were made? For what end hath man thoſe two priviledges above his fellow-Creatures; Reaſon and Speech, but that as by the one he may conceive of the great workes of God, which the reſt cannot: ſo by the other hee may expreſſe what hee conceives, to the honour of his Creator, which the other doe not? He that hath eares, let him heare: and ſo hee that hath a tongue, let him ſpeake. With his owne precious bloud He hath redeemed us, wee have cauſe to doe it: He hath furniſhed us with Reaſon and Language, we have meanes to doe it: and if wee doe it not, the worſt will bee our owne. For Chriſt will have it done: if wee will not, others ſhall: yea, wee our ſelves ſhall, whether we will or no: If not with Iacob, under a ſhowre of bleſſings; yet with Achan, under a ſhowre of ſtones. If not with Mary, in a floud of penitent teares; yet with Iulian, in a deſperate ſtreame of bloud. It is wofull, when Balaams beaſt muſt come to ſpeake to her maſter: when the very Sunne that ſhines upon us, and the earth that beares us, ſhall condemne our ſilence: and all the Creatures ſhall be called to give in their teſtimony, that we have not given Chriſt the Glorie.
This is no new exprobration of our unthankefulneſſe,rDeut. 32.1, 3. Eſay 1.2. by ſummoning heaven and earth, rockes and mountaines. When the Trumpet ſounds for the publication of Gods Glory, even they are called in for Auditors. They would expreſſe, if they could; what we can expreſſe, if we would; even the Glory we owe to our Maker.ſMic. 6.2. They ſhall all bee Witneſſes of Gods juſt quarrell againſt us, for our prodigious ingratitude. The ſenſleſſe Creatures ſhall have a voice to cry out againſt ſinne; whether it be thetHab. 2.11. oppreſſion of man, or ſuppreſſion of the Glory of God.uLuke 19.39. The Phariſees murmure; what was the cauſe of their quarrell? The people would give Glory to Chriſt: this they grudge at; this they could not endure. But Chriſt chokes their clamorous cavils; that if the people ſhould hold their peace, The very ſtones would ſpeake. And indeed at his delivery into the hand of his enemyes; when all his Diſciples fled away for feare, and his deareſt friends durſt not acknowledge Him; the very ſtones did then confeſſe Him: and that in a language not onelyonlyxMatth. 27.51. extraordinary, but contrary to their ſolid conſtitutions. His Glory then ſhall not be hid: for if men hold their peace, the very ſtones ſhall ſpeake it. Ex ore Infantum He will have it: yea, Ex ore Lapidum: As God is able to raiſe Testes veritatis, ex lapidibus fluminis, aMatth. 3.9.children to Abraham, of the ſtones of Iordan. In the body there bee ſeverall members, and they have all their offices: the eye ſees for all, the eare heares for all, the hand workes for all, the foot walkes for all: So man is the Tongue of the the world, whoſe office is to ſpeake for all. The Sunne doth his office in giving light, the Starres doe theirs in giving influence, the ſea his in ſending abroad ſprings, the earth hers in yielding fruits: if man doe not diſcharge his office, in glorifying God for all theſe benefits; all ſhall ſpeake againſt him, becauſe he did not ſpeake for all.
3. The Saints have ever been moſt carefull of this dutie. Eliſha to heale the waters of Iericho, calls for a new cruſe, and falt in it, and ſayes,b2 King. 2.20. Thus ſaith the Lord, I have healed theſe waters. The cruſe ſhall be theirs, the act his, the power the Lords. Farre was it from the Prophet, to challenge ought to himſelfe. In dividing the waters of Iordan, he does not ſay, where is the power of Eliſha? but, where is the Lord God of Elijah? In curing the waters of Iericho, he ſayes not, Thus ſaith Eliſha, but thus ſaith the Lord. He profeſſes that he can doe no more of himſelfe, than that ſalt, than that cruſe: onelyonly God workes by him. Iericho ſhall know to whom they owe the bleſſing, that to him they may returne the thankes.cAct. 3.12. Thus carefull was St. Peter, when he had cured the creeple, that none of Chriſts glory might cleave to his fingers. There be thoſe that would ſtill be filching Gods honour:dAct. 2.23. like Herod, that was ſmitten with wormes for his labour. He had a worme of pride within him, which engendred the wormes that devoured him. There is nothing that the devill can worſe abide, than that Glory ſhould be given to Chriſt: he would faine have it himſelfe.eMat. 4.9. How large a proffer does hee make for a little worſhip. The Angels ſing, Glory to God on high: but it is the devills ſtudie, to marre the Angels melodie, and to bring in his blacke Sanctus; to pull downe Glory from on high, quite out of heaven; and to confine it to himſelfe in his owne hell. But if he cannot have it himſelfe, yet let man take it: Any where he is content to ſee it beſtowed, rather than upon Chriſt.fGen. 3.5. His firſt incantation was the falſe promiſe of a higher glory: that ſame Eritis ſicut Dii, is not yet gotten out of the ambitious hearts of men. The Popiſh gloſſe is not reformed yet: that Dominus Deus noster Papa will not be left out. It is a common Text in Kings Courts,gPſal. 82.6. I have ſaid ye are gods: but if the next verſe be read by the Preacher, ye ſhall die like men; yet the glaſſe muſt firſt be out, and the Sermon done before he comes at it. There will be havocke made of peace, religion, and pietie, and all to atchive glory.hAct. 14.14. That which the Apoſtles rent their clothes to put from them, we would rend our very skinnes to plucke to us. Let Gods glory ſhift for it ſelfe, our honour muſt be preſerved. Nay we are not content with our owne allowance, but wee muſt invade Gods proprietie: Out of our owne commons, we breake into his Severall: no glory muſt ſerve our turnes, but His: As if no honour could ſatisfie the ambitious ſubject, but the kingdome: It is nothing to be great at Court, hee muſt have the Crowne. But of all breaches of the eight Commandement, there is none like theft: all of thefts, none like Sacriledge: of all ſacriledges none like robbing God of his glory. As his glory is a treaſure, which hee will not give to another: ſo the very attempt to robbe him of that, is a ſinne to which he hath ſeldome granted a pardon.
4. Men are commanded to give this glory: but how can they give it? Giving preſuppoſeth having: we have no glory, how then ſhould we give it? We may as well find fire in the bottome of the ſea, or a well of water in the body of the Sunne, as glory in man. Beſides, if honour be in honorante; than as the leſſe is bleſſed of the greater, ſo here the giver of glory ſhould be more excellent than the receiver. But properly, neither can we give it, nor can God receive it: For both he is ſo infinitely full of glory, that no more can be added unto him: and we are quite empty, and have not one droppe to give him. Yet both wee are ſaid to give, and he to receive: We to give what hee hath firſt given us: and hee to receive, what before he had in himſelfe. It is his grace planted in our hearts, that brings forth the fruit of glory to his Name: and if we have the former, we cannot but give the latter. Suum Simile; it is naturall to grace, to beget the like: for beneplacitum Dei, to beget beneplacitum Deo. If we thinke to ſpinne this glory out of our owne bowells; and thereof to make a garment of honour for Chriſt, wee are groſſely deceived: for he will not accept it, he ſcornes to weare it. So heretickes will undertake to blaſon Chriſts armes; but the Device muſt be their owne. Theſe are falſe Heralds; let them keeper their honour to themſelves. But if out of thoſe innumerable graces, which his holy Spirit hath ſet in our hearts, we ſhall ranſacke our garden for flowers, and thereof make a garland of thankfulneſſe; this he will accept, and account it a honour to weare. Thoſe coronation flowers of humble gratitude, and hearty love, he will ſticke in his owne Crowne. If we could make a happy marriage betweene a perfect Red (ſuppoſe the Prince of the land of Roſes) and a perfect white, (ſuppoſe the Lady of the nation of Lillies) betweene the zeale of a religious profeſſion, and the innocencie of a ſpotleſſe life; they would beget the beſt colour: the Lord would be well pleaſed with us, if we could preſent him ſuch a glory. But to talke of any glory of our owne, or to offer that; were as if the darkneſſe ſhould proffer light to the day, or the dry pitte to lend water to the ſpring. The Lord found usiEzek. 16.6. polluted in our bloud; there was all our beautie.kIob. 14.1. We come up, and are cut downe like a flower; there was all our glory: And were not this rich ſtuffe, to offer unto Chriſt? Once we did ſo, and he was contented with it: Our ſinne was all the favour, and our death all the honour, and our condemnation all the glory we gave him. We lodged him in a ſtable at his birth, and houſed him with contempt all his life, and for a farewell nailed him to the croſſe at his death: and there we left him. From under all theſe clouds of abuſe, our Sunne roſe glorious, to his owne orbe in heaven: Have wee no better thing to preſent him with now? Will no glory yet come from us?
From ſome, too many, it will not. We have our irreligious Polititians, that thinke on their owne glory, not his. All happy ſucceſſes they aſcribe to their owne heads, not to the Head of the Church. Perhaps if any thing fall out croſſe, Chriſt may be blamed for it. Theſe men doe that in earneſt, which we have ſeene boyes doe in ſport; ſtand on their heads, and ſhake their heeles againſt heaven. We have our impious blaſphemers, that pierce his ſide with oathes, and ſweare all his wounds open againe. The Iewes did but crucifie him below, on the earth; when hee came to ſuffer: theſe crucifie him above, in heaven, where hee ſittes on his throne. From ſuch men Chriſt hath injurie and infamie enough, but not one ſparke of glory. From us yet let him ſpeed better: ſome glory, yea all glory we muſt give him on earth, or he will give us none in heaven. If we locke up his glory, he will locke us out of his glory. He askes for our glory, and we beg his; Petimúſque damúſque viciſsim: Let us give, and we ſhall receive: as below, Grace for grace: ſo above Glory for glory. You have glorified me by your good workes, in the day of thraldome:lMat. 35.34. Come now ye bleſſed, and I will glorifie you by my mercies in may eternall kingdome.
But wherein can we glorifie him? Not in giving him what he hath not, but in making knowne what he hath.mEph. 3.10. To publiſh his glory, is all that wee can doe for him: ornIob. 36.24. to magnifie his workes. To magnifie him, is not Magnum facere, ſed Magnum dicere. His glory by our praiſes, is not made Major, but Notior. Nothing is added to the latitude or extent of it; but to the appearance and manifeſtation of it. We magnifie him, not by encreaſing the luſtre of his glory, but by plucking off the vaile of darknes from the faces of ſinners. As it is a kind of honour to the Sunne, when by opening the eyes of the blind, or bringing priſoners out of an obſcure dungeon, we enable them to take knowledge of his light. Nor hath the Sunne ſo much cauſe to thanke us for this, as they that by this helpe come to behold the Sunne. Yet he that is ever infinite, is pleaſed to enlarge himſelfe by the number of our prayers: and takes our frequent petitions as it were an augmentation of his Greatneſſe: as Princes are made famous by the multitude of clients. Still for all this, we are beholden to him, not he to us. That he will ſuffer us to take his glorious Name in our mouths, is a great honour: That he will take his Name any wayes dignified by our mouthes, is a greater honour. O what an honour hath God given to men, that they may either ſpeake to him, or ſpeake of him? We are wormes, yea, worſe by nature: why are we ſuffered to crawle on his earth? We are ſerpents, in reſpect of the venemous corruption of our ſinnes: why are we ſuffered to hiſſe?
David profeſſeth himſelfeo1 Sam. 14.14. a dead dog, to his king Saul: and ſo dothp2 Sam. 9.8. Mephiboſheth to his king David. Yet David ſpeakes to Saul, and Mephiboſheth ſpeakes to David. We have no meaſure to trie any compariſon with God: proportion is no meaſure for infinitenſſe. Yet let it ſuffice to our comfort, that God doth not eſteeme us ſo little to himſelfe, as a dead dog is to a King. Whatſoever we are indeed, yet his merciemercy doth make more account of us. The man that hath but a torne cottage to hide his head in; he that hath no cottage, no harbour, but is faine to reſt his weary limbes on the cold earth; he that hath no more of this world but a grave: he that hath his grave but lent him, till a better man muſt be buried in the ſame grave: hee that hath no grave but a dunghill: he that hath no more earth but that which hee carries, but that which he is: he that hath not that earth which he is, but even in that is anothers ſlave: yet hath as much proportion to God, as if all Davids worthies, all the monarchs of the world, and all thoſe imaginary gyants, were kneaded and incorporated into one; and as though that one were the ſurviver of all the ſonnes of men, to whom God had given the earth. Therfore how little ſoever we be, though we are as if we were not: yet he that calls things that are not, as though they were; gives us leave both to call upon him, and to call upon others to honour him; and puts the promulgation of his glory into our unworthy lippes. If wee were but meere duſt and aſhes, wee might ſpeake unto the Lord: For the Lords hand made us of this duſt, and the Lords hand ſhall recollect theſe aſhes. The Lords hand was the wheele, upon which theſe veſſells of clay were framed: and the Lords hand is the vrne, in which theſe aſhes ſhall be preſerved. We are the duſt and aſhes of the Temple of the holy Ghoſt; and what marble is ſo precious? Yea, we are more than duſt and aſhes: we are our beſt part: every man is his ſoule: and being ſo, the very breath of God, he may breath backe the praiſes of God. Yea, for this cauſe he hath his breath given him: and when he failes in that dutie, he deſerves to have his breath taken from him. It is mans greateſt honour, that hee may ſet forth the glory of his Maker as it was a high credite to him, Cujus dignatur ab ore Caeſar in orbe loqui. In this reſpect every man is a Preacher, every creature a Text, every occaſion a doctrine, every bleſſing a reaſon, every thankſgiving an uſe, men and Angels the auditors, and the whole Sermon is Gods Glory.
Quomodo: To him, but How? Since we muſt all give glory to him; all glory, by all meanes, and at all times; it is requiſite that we know How.
1. Iuſtly; for we may not thinke that we are at any coſt with God, or do beſtow ought upon him out of our own bounty: we owe it to him, & Iuſtice requires that we pay our debts. If it be Benevolentia, yet it is Debita: well taken, when it is freely given: but if not given, ſtrictly to be accounted for. There is nothing for which Chriſt wil reward us, but that wherby his glory is the greater for us.qRev. 7.14. Theſe are they which came out of great tribulation: in tribulation they confeſſed Chriſt: in the midſt of that firy tryall they honoured his Name: therfore they ſtand with joy before his Throne. Such is the merciemercy of our good God, that he gives us a reward for doing that, which without any thanks we are bound to do. As a Father gives his obedient ſon the Inheritance; becauſe he is his ſonne, not for his obedience. But the omiſſion of this duty ſhal be called to a wofull reckoning.rLuk. 12.9. He that denieth me before men, ſhall be denied before the Angels of God. His refuſall of us, for us neglect of him, is both juſt and grievous.ſRom. 1.21. Becauſe they knew God, and did not glorifie him as God, what ſhall become of them? To be caſt out from his preſence, and debarred of thoſe infinite joyes that accompany it, is the extremity of ſorrow. But there is more in it than ſo: Depart from me ye curſed: there is torment upon torment: tMat. 25.30.Cast that unprofitable ſervant into utter darkneſſe, where is weeping and gnaſhing of teeth; becauſe he did not glorifie God with his talent. It is not then left arbitrary, but impoſed as neceſſarie: No indifferent matter, whether wee render him glory, or not: but if we doe not, we ſhall die for it. He is a ſelfe-willed foole, that will not open his mouth, to ſave his life: but more ſottiſh hee, that will not open it to ſave his ſoule. This is not therefore matter of courteſie, but of dutie: nor a free largeſſe, but a juſt debt.uMat. 22.21. Render unto God the things that are Gods: Not Date, but Reddite; what is Gods; and glorie is his without all queſtion. They are miſtaken that thinke their gratitude a grauitie: as if God were beholden to us for rendring him his owne. Indeed it is often called a gift, though it be a debt: a gift in reſpect of our liberall minde, a debt in its owne nature. In our common ſpeech we ſay, What is more due than debt? And againe, What is more free than gift? The one doth not deſtroy the other. Indeed what wee frankely pay as a debt, God will graciouſly accept as a gift. Not that he uſeth us as we doe deſperate debters; glad to take this or nothing: for our Creditor can pay himſelfe at his pleaſure. If we doe not render him glory with all our hearts, he will fetch it out of our carcaſſes. Have it of us he will; either in the libertie of this earth, or in the priſon of hell: Either our pleaſure, or our paine muſt pay him. Yet ſuch is his goodneſſe, to accept kindly, what we pay heartily: and to take that as a courteſie, which is indeed our dutie.xRom. 2.18. His wrath is revealed from heaven, against thoſe that with-hold the truth in unrighteouſneſſe? If we with-hold the truth of his glory, it is great injuſtice.
2. Freely: that is but a ſowre praiſe, which is preſſed or wringed out, like Verjuyce from a Crabbe.aExod. 14.4. I will get me honour upon Pharaoh; but no thankes to Pharaoh: he ſhall get little by it, unleſſe we call plagues and death a commodity. Forced praiſe may be for the honour laudatorum, but it is nothing to the comfort laudantium. The very devils were driven to acknowledge Chriſt: their ſcholars, the Sorcerers of Egypt were compelled to ſay, This is the finger of God: yet they are all of them in hell. This is to give Chriſt the glory, becauſe wee cannot doe the contrary; to praiſe him againſt our wils. There is a confeſſion upon the racke: but commonly execution followes it: and ſuch malefactors have no more favour, than to be had from the racke to the Gibbet: God hath vim coactivam. b1 Sam. 2.16.Hophni with his fleſh-hooke could ſay, Da vel auferam. So to part with it, as one delivers his purſe, or as a Porter beares his load, groning under it, is little to our comfort.cCol. 3.23. Whatſoever ye doe, doe it heartily: ſo voluntarily, as if God had neither rackes nor skrewes to force it out of you.d2 Cor. 9.7. God loves a cheerefull giver: if he lookes for this in our charity to the poore, much more in our pietie to his honour. Wee call upon you for this tribute, and you put us offeProv. 3.28. till To morrow. Favours that come with grudging, are viſcata beneficia: they ſticke to the fingers like birdlime, and will not come off. We are all put into that holy office: Chriſt hath made us Prieſts to himſelfe, and ſent us into the world to preach his glory. If we doe it, there is no merit to be talked of, for af2 Cor. 9.16. neceſsitie is laid upon us: but if we doe it not, there is a woe to be thought of, for a curſe will befall us.
Doe it then, but doe it chearefully, even with love and good will: let it bee the offering of a free heart. The willingneſſe of the minde, is ever the fat of the ſacrifice: and without that, all is leane and dry.gDeut. 26.13. Sustali quod ſanctum est è dome mea: I had an holy portion due to God among my goods, I have ſevered it from the reſt, I have brought and laid it upon his Altar. I have taken my beſt goods the love and fidelity of mine heart, and conſecrated them to God in chearefull praiſes?h1 Sam. 10.26. God had touched the harts of them that honoured the King: ver. 27.ſo all thoſe that give glory to Chriſt, have Gods ſtamp upon their hearts. But for thoſe men of Belial, that deſpiſe him, and bring him no preſents of praiſes; there is the print of the Divels clawes upon them. Praiſed hee ought to be, and that freely: not fainedly,iBern. in Cant. Quemadmodum ad hypocritis; not by cuſtome, ſicut à ſecularibus: not according to our owne imagination, ſicut ad haereticis: not by bodily repreſentations, ſicut à ſuperſtitioſis: not by compulſion, ſicut à mancipiis: but with all ſincerity and chearefulneſſe, as it becommeth Chriſtians. We need not grudge it, for wee are no loſers by it. It does not diminiſh our flockes, nor diſ-furniſh our houſes, nor diſquantitie our ſummes, nor diſparage our Credites, nor empaire our healths: nay, it is the onelyonly way to conſerve all unto us. We are not the poorer, but the richer by this gift. Though we doe not condition for the praiſing of Chriſt, as Iudas did for the ſelling of Chriſt, Quid dabis? yet we are ſure of a reward, good ſervant, the glory of thy Lord hath entred into thee; thou haſt loved it in thy heart, and publiſhed it with thy lippes: nowkMatth. 25.21. Enter thou into the joy of thy Lord. As it was before in the charge, Freely you have received, freely give: ſo it is now for the reward, Freely you have given, freely receive: As my glory was advanced by you, ſo be you advanced into my glory.
3. Fervently: there is no thankes to a cold commendation: it is well if it may have a pardon. Laus in ore invido, parùm differt à vituperio. The praiſe that ſtickes in our teeth, and is loth to come forth; that pincheth God of his right, as Pharaoh higgled with him about the releaſe of Iſrael: ſome he ſhall have, not all: the glory of ſuch a deliverance, another came another wayes; is fraus, rather than laus, a ſecret coozenage, rather than an act of Iuſtice. When we write to great perſons, wee rather make their Titles exceſſive, than defective: they take it for a diſhonour, if we ſpeake them ſhort: they would not loſe one inch of their height. Hyperbole's doe well; but Apoſiopeſes are intolerable. The new Lady ſnuffes to be called Miſtreſſe. Set up the ſtring of honour as high as you may, as high as the Inſtrument will beare, till it even crackes againe; and that ſounds well, the muſicke pleaſeth us. And ſhall we bate God of his Celſitude? Is any praiſe too high for him?lPſal. 148.13. His glory is above the earth and heaven. Above the earth it may well be; for the earth is but the Cellar or Vault of the world. Indeed here be Excelſa, and Excelſi, high places, and high perſons, both: the higheſt places are mountaines, and the higheſt perſons kings.mEſay 14 14. I will aſcend above the height of the clouds, I will be like the most High; ſaid one of them. Babylon was the high place, and the King of Babylon the high Perſon: yet he was ſo modeſt as to challenge no more, but Similis Altiſsimo, not Altiſsimus. But as high as they are,nEccleſ. 5.7. There be higher than they. The Glory of Chriſt is higher than theirs, for it is above the earth: yea, above heaven too.
Altiſsimus was the ancient ſtile of God:oGen. 14.18. Melchiſedech ſo termed him firſt. Therefore let us give him the higheſt Glory: pPſal. 148.1.Laudate Deum in excelſis: ſo the Angels ſung,qLuke 2.14. Glory to God on high. All glory is high; yet there is one glory higher than another: andr1 Cor. 15.41. One ſtarre differeth from another in glory. Glory, like Fame; Ingreditur ſolo, & caput nubila condit. If any bee higher, let us give Chriſt that; Praiſe Him in the heights, as high as we can goe. Glory it ſelfe is an altitude; higher than wealth, higher than pleaſure: the higheſt pitch that man can flie; an Eagle for the King. Good reaſon that we ſhould wiſh him that is higheſt the higheſt thing wee have.ſPſal. 150.5. Praiſe him upon the high ſounding Cymbals; that our voices, and applauſes, and thanks may be heard up to the very heavens, and ſo be in altiſsimis indeed. To ſhorten the glory of God, is not laus, but ſacrilegium. To call him onelyonly, Great, happy, wiſe, good, is but a poſitive: not enough, if there bee a greater,Sen. better, wiſer, happier, in the comparative. Parva laus, tantum miſeris anteferri. No, give it him in the ſuperlative, in the higheſt;tPſal. 108 5. Be thou exalted, O God, above the heavens. With our higheſt wiſhes, and higheſt affections, and higheſt expreſſions, and higheſt endeavours, let us ſet forth the praiſe and glory of the moſt high God, Ieſus Christ.
4. Intentively, and with an earneſt deſire to glorifie him. Though we cannot goe ſo high as we would, yet let us goe as high as we can. I know it is impoſſible to ſhoot home to the marke, and to give Chriſt condigne praiſes: he is worthy of all praiſe, but no praiſe can be worthy of Him. As his humility was ſo deepe, that we cannot ſound it: ſo his ſublimity is ſo high, that we cannot reach it. Yet let us draw to our utmoſt ſtrength, and looſe the arrowes of our praiſes, ſo that they may come as neare heaven, as the arme of fleſh can ſend them: and even that ſhall be accepted. He does not looke for ſuch Glory from us, as He is worthy to receive, but as we are able to give. Our praiſes of Him are not ſinnes, yet they are not without ſome touch of ſinne: praiſes and infirmities come from us together, but Chriſt parts them; forgiving the infirmities, and receiving the praiſes. They are full of weakneſſes, yet doth He not except againſt them for their imperfections. He takes them well in worth, though there be no worth in them: and vouchſafes them a reward, which had been ſufficiently honoured with a pardon. Chriſt ſaies of Maries annointing Him,uMarke 14.8. Quod potuit fecit: yet this was ſomewhat, for the Ointment coſt a round ſumme: and of the Widowes charity,xMarke 12.44. Quod habuit dedit; and that (God wot) was but two Mites: yet well taken though. Actionis infirmitas ſhall not hinder, if Voluntatis integritas be ready. There may bee weakneſſe in the act of rendring Glory; but if there bee goodneſſe in the deſire, the Mercy of Chriſt will looke graciouſly upon it. Gods good will towards us, will accept of our good will toward Him.aNehem. 1.11. He is attentive to their praiers, that deſire to feare his Name: and even for David, whom God commended for ab1 Sam. 13.14. man after his owne Heart; his honeſt true heart was the faireſt flower in his garden. Every action is meaſured according to the proportion of the Agent: Deſire in them that cannot ſpeake, ſpeech in them that cannot doe, doing good in them that lacke ſtrength to ſuffer evill, findes favour at the hands of Chriſt. As in extreme ſickeneſſe; when the tongue cannot utter words, yet the heart venting grones, receives compaſſion. Though the Totum hominis bee but Votum mentis; that will is taken for the deed. Great acts from weake perſons, are entertained with wonder. The Leper was not praiſed,cChryſoſt. in Mat. 8.10. Quia in lege doctus: the Centurion was wondred at, Quia legis ignarus: yet they both had faith. In modico ſermone ſapientiae plus laudatur rusticus, quàm in magno Philoſophus. The witty ſpeech of a childe is admired: the ſame falling from the mouth of a man would not bee regarded.dLuke 17.18. None returned with thankes but the Samaritan: if Chriſt have his Tythe out of a ſtrange field, when his owne Pariſh paies Him none, Hee may well take notice of it. Faithfull obſervance is moſt accepted, where it is leaſt expected. If they offer Gold to the Tabernacle, whom wee deemed ſcarce worth Goats haire: If Mary that was ſo great a ſinner, ſpend more teares upon Chriſts feet, than Simon that thought himſelfe ſo righteous a Saint; ſhall ſhee not bee more rewarded? But as there may bee a deſire without ability, ſo commonly there is an ability without a deſire. Some few would doe much for Chriſts Glory, and cannot: thouſands of us can doe much for his Glory, and will not. Theſe latter rejoyce for what they can doe, and are in danger of hell: the former mourne for what they cannot doe, and are accepted in heaven. God will give Glory to that very willingneſſe, which deſires to glorifie his Sonne Ieſus.
5. Principally; before all others, and above all others. Principaliter, is not onelyonly a numerall, but an ordinall terme: ſignifying both Firſt in number, and Chiefe in order. For Precedencie, let Chriſt be the Firſt: and for Supremacie, let him be the chiefeſt. Both; for we know that in civill equipage, ſome goe before who are not the chiefe, nay, furtheſt off from the Chiefe: as the fore ranke are fartheſt from the Perſon of the Prince, though they goe before the Prince.e1 Cor. 13.13. And Saint Paul in placing thoſe three Divine graces, ſets the greateſt laſt; Vltima charitas, ſed maxima charitas. fDeut. 13.6.So the ſonne is ſet after the brother, yet is dearer than brother: wife after childe, yet dearer than childe; and friend after all, who is the deareſt of all. But let Chriſt be both Primus in Ordine, and Primus in Dignitate. Begin thy workes with his glory, and ſo let him bee the firſt of all: reduce all thy workes to his glory, and ſo let him bee the chiefe of all. There be many others to whom wee owe honour: but Chriſts glory muſt bee ſet before all, and kept above all. Men have their glory, and with his allowance:gRom. 13.7. Honour to whom honour belongeth. There be diſtinctions of men upon earth; ſome higher than others: why have wee elſe ſuch diverſity of Titles? Worſhip, Lordſhip, Honour, Grace, Excellencie, Majeſtie, are ſtiles of honour; every one tranſcending another. There are degrees of glory in the celeſtiall bodies, among the ſtarres. Parents we are commanded to honour: and ſpirituall parents, good Paſtors are worthy of double honour: above all men, honour the King. The politike Atheiſt would have all glory given to the King, and let God ſtand for a bare Name. The ſottiſh Anabaptiſt would have all glory given to God, and the king to ſtand for a cypher. Theſe thinke that God hath not his due honour, unleſſe the king lay downe his Scepter, that God and Ceſar, Chriſt and the Chriſtian Magiſtrate, are the whole heaven aſunder: and will not come neere one another. But Chriſt ſaies,hMat. 22.21. Give Ceſar that which is Ceſars, and to God that which is Gods. He joynes them both arme in arme, in one verſe; and feares not the loſſe of his owne honour, by the honour of the Prince. This is one difference betweene the Court-paraſite, and the Anabaptiſticall hypocrite: The former is hot for Quae Caeſaris, and quite skips over Quae Dei: the other ſtands upon Quae Dei, and would annihilate Quae Caeſaris. But both have their due places; for God is the God of order, not of confuſion. O yee ſonnes of men, Chriſt doth not grudge you your honours, why ſhould you deny him his? You may enjoy your Lordſhips, and Worſhips, and all your ſeverall Titles, without his envie: yea more, hee commands men to give you all your due reſpects: not out of courteſie, for love; nor out of ſlavery, for feare; nor out of flattery, for gaine; but out of dutie,iRom. 13.5. for conſcience. He upholds your names, you may doe well to uphold his. The factious Sectary, that would bring all things to a paritie, thinkes that Gods glory is not entire, unleſſe Ceſars Image be quite blotted out. The profane polititian, that would flatter the king into a God, thinkes that Ceſar hath never enough, till God hath nothing left. As if both could not bee preſerved in their ſeverall rights: as if wee muſt needs ſo looke upon the one, as to loſe the ſight of the other; and ſo give eare to the one, as if we never cared for hearing of the other. But Ceſar may have his honour, without Gods prejudice: and God may have his glory without any impeachment to Ceſar. Yea, Ceſar holds all his honour in Capite: and as hee is the head of his ſubjects, ſo Chriſt is the head of Ceſar. kProv. 8.15.By mee Kings raigne: It is Chriſts Prerogative royall, to be the King of kings.lProv. 3.16. Glory and honour, both are in his hand, and at his diſpoſing.
To ſpeake to us all; God is a carefull Preſerver of our honours: he hath made a ſtrong fence about our good names; hedged them in with a precept, a precept delivered in thunder, and to be required with rigour; the breach whereof is puniſhable with quenchleſſe fire: He hath beſtowed a whole Commandement upon them. Hee gave but ten in all, and one of the ten hee hath ſet to guardmExod. 20.16. our honours. Wee are not onelyonly forbidden to ſpeake evill of the Ruler, but even of our neighbour. So provident hath the Lord beene to preſerve our honour. To the conviction of them that ſtand upon pietie to God, and forget civilitie to men: that thinke it enough to doe ſome homage to Chriſt on the Sabboth, though they diſhonour their brethren all the weeke. By reaſon of a ſinfull cuſtome crept into the world, it is uſuall for one dutie of godlineſſe to devoure all her fellowes. We cannot raiſe the price of one vertue, but wee muſt cry downe all the reſt. Not extoll Preaching, but Prayer muſt grow out of requeſt: not bring up almes, and the workes of merciemercy, but preſently the workes of devotion muſt be laid downe. No way but by the ſale of Chriſts ointment, to provide for the poore. No way to honour God, but by the deſpiſing of men. If we bee ſo pious, as to give Chriſt the glorie: then ſo impious as to befowle the good names of his ſervants with ignominie.nLuk. 18.11. I am not as other men, extortioners, adulterers, unjust. Too many of the pure brotherhood are of the Phariſes opinion right. No extortioner, no adulterer, as if there was no other way to hell, but by theſe enormities: as if God could be diſpleaſed with nothing, but adulterie and extortion. But as the Phariſie left out of his Catalogue, Pride: hee ſaies, No extortioner, no unjuſt man; he ſayes not, No proud man: So the preciſe arrogant diſſembler brags, that he is no adulterer, no blaſphemer; but hee ſaies not, I am no ſlanderer. No tongue ſo bitter as theirs, when they light upon a name that is not in their owne Regiſter: none makes ſo deepe an inciſion into the credit of their neighbours. They complaine of the profane ones, (as they call them) that they make drunken catches of them in the Tavernes: I excuſe it not: but by their leaves, they make worſe libels of good men in their private conventicles. If it be a fault in the other, to cenſure men in their drinke: is it no fault in theſe, to ſpeake worſe of men at their meat? Why ſhould Ceres have a greater priviledge than Bacchus? Why ſhould our names bee the fiddles, to draw downe their morſels? Why doe they blame the Papiſts for ſlighting the ſecond commandement, when they make no reckoning of the ninth? As they take it ill for others to ſcandalize them under the name of hypocrites, ſo let them take heed of ſcandalizing others with the name of diſſolutes. God is tender of all our reputations, why are not we ſo one of anothers? This honour he affords us in our ſeverall ſtations: we have it, and much good doe us with it. His glory doth not ſo ſwallow up ours, but that we are honoured in him, by him, and for him. But then our honour goes beyond the bounds, when it encroacheth upon his glory. It is the preſumption, and the ruine of it, to invade Chriſts propriety. All our glory is but a beame of his: and ſhall a poore and ſmall ray brave it out, as if it were the body of the Sunne? The glory of making all good, the glory of repairing what we had made evill, the glory of diſpoſing all to good, the glory of giving all good, the glory of doing all good; this glory hee will not give to another. And he that preſumes to take it, when as God denies to give it; ſhall finde it too hot, or too heavie for him: hee ſhall never carry it to his grave. All the glory we have, is the reſultance of his: all our honour conſiſts in being his inſtruments: We have the glory that belongs to the inſtruments, let him have the glory that belongs to the Agent. This is one ſtrong motive to preſerve his honour, becauſe he preſerves ours. Wee deſerve to live with ſhame, and die with infamie, if both in life and death we doe not give Chriſt the glory.
6. Entirely; and that two wayes. Firſt, Ex parte Christi, that hee have it all to himſelfe. Secondly, Ex parte nostrâ, that wee give it to him with all the powers we have. Totum illi, & ex toto nostri: hee muſt have all the glorie which can bee rendred by all our abilitie.
1. It muſt be entirely his: To him, and none but him. Not to another above him, not to another beneath him, not to another for him, not to another with him, not to another beſides him; but onelyonly to himſelfe. Gloria is not enough, nor gloria Deo, without Soli. o1 Tim. 1.17. Iud. ver. 25.To the onelyonly wiſe God bee honour. pPſal. 115.1.Not unto us; as if the Saints were afraid to touch any part of it. So we are taught to acknowledge in our Prayer, and to pray for that acknowledgement; Thine is the glory. Thine, and no Creatures elſe. Some Creatures may have ſome glory, but none of Chriſts glorie: that ſame Gloria in Altiſsimis is onelyonly his. The Angels ſung it to Him; and if we ſing it to any but Him, wee ſing a falſe note. This was their muſicke to Him, when hee lay in the Cratch: much more now hee weares his Crowne: To Christ, and none but Chriſt the glorie. No ſharers; hee will have all, or none. Let petty lords content themſelves with a mediocritie of honour: they that have right to none, will take any. Satan was never ſo audacious, as when he would perſwade his Maker to aqMat. 4.10. geniculation, to an adoration of his Creature, of his profeſt enemie. Never did Chriſt ſay, Avoid Satan, till then. It is a juſt indignation, that is conceived at the motion of a rivality with God. Certainely, Idolatry is a moſt deare ſinne to the devill, or elſe hee would not bee ſo importunate to compaſſe it. How are the Papiſts ſure, that they doe not make a rivall with Chriſt, when they ſet an Image before their eies at the time of their worſhip? Why may not the Saint repreſented in that picture, yea, why may not the picture it ſelfe goe halves with Chriſt in the glorie? How is it to him entirely, if either a Saint in heaven, or an Image on earth, be his partner? And how are they ſo certaine of the conſtancy of their mindes, that no thought of theirs ſhall ever ſticke upon the picture? There is fleſh in the holieſt of them, as well as ſpirit: and when the Spirit would give all the glory to Chriſt, will not the fleſh ſteale away ſome, to beſtow upon the image?
The philoſophicall opinion of our ſoules, that they are made of harmony, is little better than a poeticall fiction: But the poeticall fiction, that the Thebans ſprang of the ſeede of the Serpent, and ſo became warring brethren, is more than a Philoſophicall opinion. For ſince the Serpent beguiled our firſt parents,rGal. 5.17. The fleſh fighteth againſt the ſpirit, and the ſpirit fighteth againſt the fleſh: Et cum hac controverſia nati ſumus. Theſe twinnes make a perpetuall warre within us, and that warre makes many wounds, and thoſe wounds will never perfectly bee cured, till wee are advanced to Heaven. Chriſt may now cover them with his owne garment of righteouſneſſe, as that king bound up the wounds of his ſouldiers with his owne robe: but they are never throughly healed, till wee come to that Heavenly Ieruſalem, which ſignifies the viſion of peace, the beatificall viſion of God. And ſo long as this fleſh, this corruption of our nature ſtickes to us, wee are in danger of making ſome rivall with Chriſt. Though our grace, the better part, the Iſrael within us, would give all glory to him; yet within us there is a Philiſtine faction too, corrupt nature, that will ſet up their Dagon. ſ2 Cor. 6.14.Though they cannot agree together, yet they muſt dwell together.tRom. 6.12. And Paul does forbid the dominion of the worſe, not the cohabitation of both. David thought it a great woe,uPſal. 120.5. To dwell in Meſech: but it is a farre greater woe, for Meſech to dwell in us. Yet there it will dwell, till death turnes them both out of doores: and ſendeth our ſinne downe to Hell, to the Divell that begot it; and our ſoule up into Heaven, to our Redeemer that bought it. Good cauſe have wee therefore to take heed, leaſt that our ſinne betray our grace, and like a ſlie theefe filch away ſome of that honour we intended to Chriſt.
Entirely Chriſt is to have his Glory, and intirely He cannot have it if with a Partner; and there is no way to ſet Him up a Partner, but by Idolatry. When S. Iohn had told us, that Chriſt is the true God, hee immediately chargethx1 Iohn 5.21. to keepe our ſelves from Idols. Me thinkes this ſhould ſtagger all thoſe Romiſts, that have any reſpect to their conſcience, leaſt in their invocations they ſhould make Saints and Angels, yea, even dead pictures, Corrivals with Chriſt. It is a vaine helpe, to be told that they ſhould not doe ſo: It were a farre better courſe to remove the picture, and ſo to prevent all danger. As Apelles when hee had drawne a picture, would ſtand cloſe behinde the curtaines, to liſten how the paſſengers did cenſure it; and according as they found juſt faults, to amend them. I would to God our ſuperſtitious neighbours, the Papiſts, hearing our juſt cenſures of their Idols, Images, and pictures, would even make a cleare riddance of them. It is not ſafe enough to charge thoſe clients, that they never aſcribe any honour to ſuch dead repreſentations, but for better ſecurity to caſt them for ever out of their devotions.
For our ſelves, we are not free from idolatry: It is miſerable to ſee, how Satan drawes the world inſenſibly into this ſinne, which they profeſſe to deteſt. Thoſe that would rather hazard the furnace, than worſhip gold in a Statue; yet doe adore it in the ſtampe, and finde no fault with themſelves. They that would not endure to worſhip the virgin Maries image, though it were in gold: yet having Ceſars image in gold, they fondly worſhip it. Facilius eſt Idola à Templis, quàm à cordibus ſeparare. And what difference is there upon the matter, whether we worſhip the workemanſhip of the carver, or of the coiner? Whether the Painters pencill, or the Minters ſtampe, moſt take our hearts? The Papiſt worſhips it as it is hangd up in his chamber, the Worldling worſhips it as it is laid up in his coffer: both are evill, which is worſe? If our hearts bee drawne to an over-high reſpect of any creature, wee are idolaters: and idolatrie (wee know) ſets up a rivall with Chriſt: and if rivalls be admitted, how does hee ſit alone in the throne? how is the glory entirely his?
All the titles of Gods Power have beene attributed to potent men by their ſubjects, ſaving onelyonly his glory. As his Greatneſſe, his Grace, his Highneſſe, his Excellency, his Majeſty, his Omnipotency, but never his Glory. To ſome wee ſay, your Honour: to ſome, your Grace: to a Superiour, your Highneſſe: to a Prince, your excellency: to the King, your Majeſty: and the paraſiticall Ieſuites flatter the Pope with his Omnipotency: but never hath it beene ſaid to any of them, your Glory: This no Prince hath taken, no ſycophant hath given: As if God on purpoſe had preſerved that ſtyle to himſelfe, and not ſuffered any creature to uſurpe it: My Glory I will not give to another.
Let the application of this be brought home to our owne hearts. Chriſt hath appropriated divine glory to himſelfe, yet ſtill we are catching at it: we ſilly and ſinnefull wormes will be proffering to pilfer it, they thataIoh. 7.18. Seeke their owne glory, will never ſeeke Chriſts. Whereas all ſhould be referred to the honor of Chriſt, they will referre even his honour to themſelves. There is no practiſe ſtirring, but ſuch a man muſt be at the one end of it: and ſome line of it, how crooked ſoever, muſt be drawne to his Center. But Chriſt will take glory from no hands but the humble: like ſome mighty Prince, that lookes for lowlineſſe in his attendants, and will not be ſerved but upon their knees. Our prayers are a part of Chriſts glory, and our poſture to preſent them in is kneeling. Haman was proud to his fellow-peeres, yet humble to Ahaſuerus: but it muſt be an humble Mordecay, from whom Chriſt will accept glory. He accepted water from a Samaritan, and kiſſes from a Mary Magdalen: humble ſinners doe him more honour than proud Saints. There can be no greater folly, than the arrogation of glory to our ſelves: what is it that we can glory in?
1. In our wealth, Dives ſum? bDe Doct. Chriſtiana.Saint Augustine anſweres him, Sarcinam tuam commemoras. Will any Aſſe praiſe his burden? Tace laudes tuas, & conſidera miſerationes. The ſafeſt time to prayſe a rich man, is when he is dead:cAmb. in Natali Sti. Euſebii. Quando nec laudantem movet adulatio, nec laudatum tentat elatio. Dionyſius fell from a tyran over men, to be a tutor over boyes, and ſo to get his living. Perſes ſonne and heire was faine to learne an occupation, the blacke ſmiths trade, to relieve his neceſſity. Henry the fourth, that victorious Emperour, after hee had fought two and fiftie pitched battailes, became a petitioner for a prebend, to maintaine him in his old age. Geliner, that potent king of the Vandales,Procop. was ſo low brought that he intreated his friend, to ſend him a harpe a ſpung and a loafe of bread: a harpe to conſort with his miſery, a ſpunge to dry up his teares, and a loafe to ſatisfie his hunger. Yet this is the winde that blowes up the worlds bladder: wealth is the foundation of ſecular glory. Evagrius makes it the high praiſe of the Emperour Mauritius, that in the height of all his majeſty, he retained his ancient pietie. And Thucydides reports it for a ſtrange thing in the men of Chius, that for all their proſperity they were ſober. Scarce one of a thouſand,dBern. 2. de Conſider. Cui praeſens faelicitas ſi arriſit, non irriſit. Be not theſe goodly things to glory in? Let the rich man tremble to heare of his owne praiſes; Qui de praeterito meminit ſe habere quod doleat, Ambr.& de futuro videt ſibi ſupereſſe quod timeat. Honour God with thy ſubstance: If thou takeſt this honour to thy ſelfe, thou playeſt the theefe with thine owne goods.
2. In our ſtrength? Alas, it is vanity: Morbi ludibrium: a ſorry fever will fillip downe an Alexander. I know that much wrong is built on the preſumption of power: Id in ſumma fortuna aequius, quod validius. Let them have might, and they have right enough.eTacit. l. 15 Sua retinere privatae domus: de alienis certare, regia laus eſt. fMic. 2.1.They devoure a man and his heritage. Quia in potestate manus. Would you have mee bee contented with mine owne, ſayes the oppreſſour? That is for peaſants and baſe ſpirits: but to get that by force, which belongs to others, that is gentleman-like.Iuven. ſtat. 6. You would have me uſe my ſervant well: O demens, ita ſervus homo eſt? Is my man a man? Is my tenant my neighbour? Is my neighbour my brother? Doth the Senate deny my maſter the Conſul-ſhip? Hic enſis dabit, ſayes Ceſars ſouldier. Will not Nabaoth ſell Ahab his vineyard for money? Ieſabell will helpe him to it for nothing. A counterfeit hand, with Ahabs ſeale,Ovid. 1. ſhall doe it. Theſe men will have the law in their owne hands: Nec leges metuunt, ſed cedit viribus aequum: Maeſtaque victriei jura ſub enſe jacent: their right hand ſhall right them.gPſal. 14.4. They eate up Gods people as bread: but it is not ſo ſoone digeſted, as eaten: in the end it will choke them. This nettles God, and makes him an enemie.hPſal. 12.5. For the oppreſsion of the poore, I will riſe, ſaith the Lord. iPſal. 33.1.And woe to thee that ſpoileſt, for thou ſhalt be ſpoiled. Where will the mighty appeare, when the Almighty comes to Iudgement? They call to the rockes and mountaines for ſhelter: and yet theſe were no babes, butkReu. 6 15. great, rich, mighty men, no leſſe than Captaines and Kings. God takes pleaſure tolLuk. 1.52. caſt downe the mighty: not out of envie to their greatnes: alas, the greateſt potentates be to him no more than the bigger ſize of wormes. But this is the ground of his juſt quarrell: they rob him of his glory, and therfore ſhall taſt of his fury. Men may be ſtrong: as when Germanicus had beſieged a towne, one Pulio in his army, by throwing a ſtone at a battelement, and overturning it, with all the men upon it, ſo amazed them with his ſtrength, that they gave up the towne. It is reported of Marius, one of the 30. Tyrans, that he could turne over a loden waine with one of his fingers. Plinie writes of one Ariſtomenes, who in a battell, ſlew 300. Lacedemonians in one day. It was a ſong made of Aurelian the Emperor, Mille mille vivat, qui mille mille occidit. Theſe were all famous men in their generations; yet their ſtrength was but the ſtrength of fleſh, vincible at their beſt. The ſtrongeſt man upon earth is but the puſh of a pike, or the clappe of a piſtoll. Or if they eſcape theſe violences, an ague can make them as weake as water, age will ſhrinke their nerves, and dry up their blouds, and conſume their ſpirits: death is ſtronger than they all. Abimelech was killed by the hand of a woman: ſo was Pyrrhus. Totilas, that had vanquiſhed Rome, which had vanquiſhed the world, ſlaine by Narſes, a Semi-vir, an eunuch. It is recorded of Solomon, that having a great German brought priſoner to him, of very envie to the German nation, he cauſed him to be bound hand and foote, and then ſet his dwarfe upon him, like a child with a knife to hacke a tree in ſunder; who with many courſes and careers, at laſt diſpatched him.m1 Cor. 1.27. Such is the mockery of puiſſance, when God will give it over into the hand of weakneſſe. Take heed ye potentates, leaſt whiles you boaſt of what you can doe if you will, you provoke God to doe what he can; to lay you, and your principalitie in the duſt. Woe worth that mightyneſſe, which ſhall offer to robbe Chriſt of his glory.
3. Of our wiſedome? Alas, that is a fooliſh glory: there is no wiſedome in it.nIer. 9.23. Let not the wiſe man glory in his wiſedome. As by way of conceſſion, every greater includes the leſſe: he that can lift a talent, can eaſily lift a pound: So by way of denyall, every greater excludes the leſſe: if nobles may not be let into thy counſell, much leſſe groomes. Wiſedome it ſelfe is debarred any corrivality with Chriſt, in matter of glory: what place then is there for ſtrength, or riches? Wealth is not comparable to ſtrength: wealth tolles in enemies; but ſtrength can both repell them from entring, and expell them if they be entred. Riches will make the theefe more venturous, but ſeldom doe they make the true man more hardy. Therfore doth the Prophet exclude the better at firſt, that the worſe might with leſſe adoe be removed. If the more excellent cannot be allowed this libertie, the inferior may not by any reaſon challenge it. Wealth comes not more ſhort of ſtrength, than ſtrength does of wiſedome.oEccl. 9.16. The poore wiſe man by his wiſedome delivered the citty; that was the wiſe Solomons obſervation. Then ſaid I, wiſedome is better than ſtrength: that was his concluſion upon it. Sertorius commanded to bee brought forth two horſes; the one fatte and luſty, the other a ſpittle, a poore leane Iade; both of them to be broken. He picked out two of his ſouldiers, the one ſtrong and hearty, the other weake and ſickly: to his leane horſe hee puts the ſtrong ſouldier, the weake ſouldier to the pampered horſe. The ſtrong man went roughly to worke, and thought to doe the fear with dead ſtrength; but he both tired himſelfe, and became a mockery to the beholders: the weaker fellow by his ſleight and cunning, did the deed, and went away with the applauſe. Strength therefore cannot boaſt, where wiſedome is denied: and where ſtrength cannot prevaile, riches hath no hope. The beſt wiſedome is to give all glory to Chriſt. Pharaoh aſcribed great wiſedome to Ioſeph, but Ioſeph quickly takes it off from himſelfe, and ſends it away to the right owner;pGen. 41.16. Abſque me, Deus reſpondebit proſpera Pharaoni. So Daniel to Nebuchadnezzar; qDan. 2.28.There is a God in Heaven that revealeth ſecrets. ver. 23.Hee bleſſeth God for the knowledge hee had, and ſo does not deny it; but he returnes the praiſe to him that gave it.rIn vitae ejus. Lib. 3. cap. 6. It is written of Saint Bernard, that having done many wonders in France, hee did thus put off all glory from himſelfe: I have learned in the Scripture, that ſignes are done Vel per fictos, vel per perfectos: Ego nec fictionis, nec perfectionis mihi conſcius ſum: Let them have a good opinion of mee, but give all the praiſe to God. in that holy man, Vincebat ſublimitatem nominis, humilitas cordis: Nec poterat univerſus mundus tantùm eum erigere, quantum ſe ipſe dejicere ſolus. Hypocrites labour to ſeeme ſaints, not to bee ſo; but the Holy labour to bee, more than to ſeeme Saints. The Kite may flie aloft, but her eye and minde is to the Earth: Shee ſeemes to bee a gallant Bird at her pitch, till ſhee falles downe upon a carrion. O how the diſſembling Zelot makes a ſhew to honour Chriſt with his lofty profeſſion, as if he were altogether a man of Heaven: tarry but a little, throw the baite of glory in his way, and hee will ſtoope to a carrion, and bee taken with the pride of his owne commendation. They ſay, there ſtands a Globe of the World at one end of a famous Library, and at the other end a Sceleton: Wee neede not ſearch long for a good leſſon in this Library: for though a man were learned in all that hee ſees in the Mappe of this World, yet hee muſt dye, and ſo himſelfe become a Mappe of mortality. Nothing a man hath wherein hee can glory, but Chriſt will indict him for it, and that of a Sacrilegious fellonie.
To conclude with ſome Uſe. All the Prophets and Fathers of the Primitive Church, uſed to crye out againſt thoſe particular ſinnes, wherewith their times were peſtered: If I were to touch the ſore of the daughter of this people; (wee have many ſores, from the crowne of the head,Eſa. 1.6. to the ſole of the foote) that which doth moſt rankle and apoſtemate, it ſhould bee this robbing of Chriſt of his Glory, by the proud affectation of our owne. And if I ſhould further inſiſt upon it, my Argument and Text here would beare it well enough. It is an epidemicall infection:ſProv. 20.6. Every Man will proclaime his owne goodneſſe. In a concourſe of ſeverall companies in this or any other citie, ſtill they onelyonly that are called, appeare and anſwere. If Stationers bee called, none anſwere but Stationers: at the call of Mercers, Embroyderers doe not ſtand up: nor if Goldſmiths bee named, doe Habberdaſhers preſent themſelves. But to the Proclamation of, O all ye that are good and honeſt men, approach, we ſtand up every man of us, none diſappeares. Wee are all ſo proud, that wee would be accounted ſuch, though we are not ſo conſcionable as to be ſuch. But if we cloth our ſelves with Chriſts Glory, hee will uncloth us of his favour, and then what will become of our honour? Suppoſe the King ſhould ſet a Subject in his chaire of State, give him royall attendants, and ſumptuous cheare, but withall hang him a naked Sword over his head in a twine threed, with the point downewards: would that honour make him merry? Would hee deſire to bee thus ſeated? Suppoſe that GOD ſhould give thee this liberty, and ſuffer thee to ruffle it in the royall Robes of his Glory; Wiſd. 2.7.Crowne thy head with Roſe buddes, and waſh thy pathes with butter: or ſay unto thee, wrappe thy ſelfe up in Purple and Scarlet, and fare deliciouſly every day: Open thy mouth wide, and I will fill it with pleaſures: OnelyOnly, Faciem meam nunquam videbis, you ſhall never come at mee, never ſee my Face; Would wee thinke wee had a good offer? Would wee accept the condition? No,tPſal. 4.6. Lord, lift up the light of thy countenance upon us. Rather let my abode bee a Priſon, a Dungeon, a kinde of Hell; but let the light of thy Countenance, O ſweete Saviour, ſhine in at ſome little cranny; and that ſhall make it a Pallace, a Court, a very Heaven. Let our bread bee the bread of affliction, and let our teares bee our drinke: but let the Light of thy Countenance ſhine upon us, and then our bread ſhall bee tranſubſtantiated into Manna, the foode of Angells; and our Water bee turned into Wine, our Teares congealed into Pearles, to enrich our Conſciences with ſo many Heavenly joyes. For all this felicity, hee askes no more but his Glory. When Thales Mileſius had imparted to another Philoſopher ſome admirable diſcourſe of Heaven, hee freeed his Schollar from all reward but this; That whenſoever hee divulged this ſecret; Tibi non aſcripſeris, ſed me ejus repertorem praedicaveris. The invention it ſelfe hee was willing to communicate unto others, but the honour of the invention hee wovld keepe to himſelfe; Vbi mea legit, me agnoſce. Wee have received all our Wiſedome, Strength, Honour, and Wealth from Chriſt: hee requires no more, but that wee acknowledge the Author; Vbi meis uteris, me agnoſce: Take thou the comfort of them, but give mee the Glory. To doe this, Summa ratio docet, & Christianos decet. Lord, the whole World is a great Booke of thy mercy; every benefit is a leſſon, and whereſoever wee read it, wee will give thee the Glory.
2. It muſt bee entirely his, ex parte noſtra. u1 Cor. 6.20.Wee owe both body and ſoule to His Glory for our Creation, and might have paid it: God did not ſet us up without a ſufficient ſtocke to doe it. But wee muſt needs bee trading with the Serpent, for the commodity of forbidden Knowledge, and ſo take in ſinne for an Apprentice: and hee cuſſened us of all, and ſo quite undid us. So that the Statute of Bankerout was ſued out againſt us, for our Creditour would not bee compounded withall: and if wee had beene ſold to our skinnes, wee were not able to ſatisfie him.xMat. 18.25. Non habuimus unde, no payment could bee made. At laſt there was a rich and mercifull Prince in Heaven, that tooke pitty on us: Hee bought out our bondage, paid our debts with His owne Blood, and once againe did ſet us up with the wealthy ſtocke of his owne Righteouſneſſe. Thus are wee re-enabled to pay him the debt of Glory: if wee doe not, wee are worthy to periſh:aHebr. 10.26. If wee breake once againe, let us never looke to bee ſoaldred up. Our bodies and ſoules are his by a double right; therefore, in both let us glorifie Him: In our ſoules,bPſal. 104.1. Bleſſe the Lord O my Soule: With our bodies; giving up themcRom. 12.1. A living ſacrifice. With both entirely; the whole ſoule;dPſal. 111.1. Pſal. 139.14. I will praiſe the Lord with my whole heart: with the whole body, even all our members, not one left out,ePſal. 103.1. All that is within us. Quoad intra, and quoad extra too. With our hearts, with our lippes, and with our hands. The lippes without the heart, prooves us Hypocrites: the heart without the lippes prooves us cowards: the heart and lippes without the hand, prooves us niggards. The heart is the leader, but what glory will there be without followers? Secrecie deſtroyes the nature of glory, for it is quiddam conſpicuum: Celata gloria non est gloria. Therefore the mouth is made to interpret the meaning of the heart: the lippes are the Trumpet, but it is the heart that gives it breath, and makes it ſound forth Gods glory. The hands muſt come in with their part, or the ſong is marred: neither a thinking glory, nor a ſpeaking glory, will pleaſe God without a working glory. The praiſe of God is thus bred, and borne, and brought up: Conceived in the heart, borne in the lips, and brought up with the hand.fPſal. 108.1. Paratum cor; there it is conceived.gPſal. 45.1. Parata lingua; there it is borne:hPſal. 141.2. Parata manus; there it is nurſed and brought up. As good deſires breed it, ſo good workes feed it. If the young and tender grace of thankfulneſſe, do not fall into the hands of uberous and fruitfull obedience, it will languiſh and pine away, even to death: and we may ſay of it, that it was ſtarved at nurſe. It is too common for good reſolutions, borne in our hearts, to die in our hands: And not ſeldome, the glory of Chriſt ſpeeds ſo with us; we have our well wiſhes to it, but no workes to nouriſh it: it dies in our hands. So that it is not enough to pray for honeſt hearts;iPſal. 51.10. Create in me a cleane heart: nor for gracious lippes,kver. 15. Open thou my lippes: but alſo for working hands;lPſal. 90.17. Proſper thou the worke of our hands. For wee may ſay of too many,mPſal. 45.2. full of grace are their lippes; but you ſee none of it in their lives. Let us conſider them all apart, and marke whether, like courtiers in their ſeverall offices, they glorifie God in their proper places.
1. The heart muſt begin this holy ſong.nPſal. 68.26. Bleſſe the Lord from the ground of the heart: oEph. 5.19.Make melodie in your hearts to the Lord. Otherwiſe we ſhall but ſet forth his prayſes, as ignorant Papiſts ſay their Latine prayers; their hearts not knowing what their tongue utters.pPſal. 47 7. Sing ye praiſes with underſtanding. The heart beares the inner part, and if that be left out,q1. Cor. 14.14. it diſgraceth the muſicke. There may be parata cithara, and parata lingua, and parata manus, and paratum canticum: but if there be not Paratum Cor, no harmonie. The heart is a little man within: therfore Peter calls it,r1. Pet. 3.4. the man of the heart. There is the hidden heart of a man, and the hidden man of the heart. The former is ſo hidden, that it cannot be ſeene: the other will be ſeene, though it be hidden. The heart lies cloſe in the body, there is no window into it. It may profeſſe holyneſſe, and be beleeved, becauſe it cannot be diſcerned: but the man that is the Maſter of his owne heart, will make demonſtration of his integritie, by good actions.ſIer. 17.9. The heart of man is deceitfull, but the man of the heart ſcornes to diſſemble. It is not Cor hominis, but homo cordis, that does the deed, in giving Chriſt his glory. Indeed, grace is the heart of the heart: and a heart without grace is no better than a man without a heart. Nature hath given us an heart, but grace gives a heart to that heart, which makes it a heart indeed. It is Cor cordis, and animae anima. Therfore Surſum cordae; that is ever the cliffe, or firſt note in the ſong of praiſe.tLuk. 1.46. My ſoule doth magnifie the Lord: the ſoule ever leads. The tongue is not enough, that organ would ſound but harſhly, unles the affection of the ſoule doe give it breath, and the underſtanding of the ſoule keepe it in tune.uMark. 7.6. They honour God with their lippes, but their heart is farre from him: but-no heart, no harmonie. The lippes, hands, and feete may be in motion: but if the heart be not amongſt them, to regulate their motion, there will be nothing but diſcord and confuſion. Let a deafe ſtranger, who never ſaw that ſportive excerciſe before, paſſe by men as they are a dancing; and becauſe, he heares none of their muſicke, he will thinke them mad. When Chriſt heares us talking of him, or ſpending our diſcourſe upon his creatures, without a heart deſirous of his glory, he knowes us for meere hypocrites. The Virgins that preſſe to the wedding, and leave the bride behind them, ſhall never be welcome to the Bridegroome: Vbi ſponſa mea? will be his firſt queſtion. If the bride of Chriſt, our heart or ſoule be abſent in his ſolemne ſervices, there is no entertainement for us. Devotion that hath not deeper roote than the lippes, is like that unproſperous corne ſowne in the high wayes. Diverſe great warriours, dying in forraine countreys, have yet ſent their hearts home to be buried: Let us ſend our hearts up into heaven, whatſoever becomes of our bodies.
2. The tongue followes with her part; the onelyonly vocall Inſtrument in the conſort of man. The heart is primum mobile, and that ſets this wheele a going.xPſal. 116.10. I beleeved, and therfore I ſpake: if the heart beleeves, preſently the tongue confeſſes.aPſal. 45.1. My heart is inditing of a good matter, my tongue is the pen of a ready writer. To ſing the praiſes of the heavenly king, is a good matter indeed: the ditty is honourable: no ſooner can the heart pricke the notes, than the tongue is ready to ſing them. It can ſing at firſt ſight, yea it can ſing by heart. The heart is the moſt noble part, but not the moſt able part of man: it hath an affective, not an effective power. Yet as a king, whoſe bodily conſtitution is but weake, can move great armies by his authoritie: ſo the heart hath command over the ſtrongeſt members of the body. And as a king cannot ſubſiſt, but by his ſubjects: ſo nor can the heart doe any thing, but by thoſe inſtruments. The heart then hath need of the tongue for an Interpreter: looſe that colt, and let it goe for the Lord hath need of it: but let it not goe without a bridle. God will not heare the tongue, but by the heart: as man cannot heare the heart, but by the tongue. The praiſes of Chriſt conceived in the heart, without the utterance of the tongue, are ſtill-borne; they never live to ſpeake. Why is our tongue called ourbPſal. 108.1. Glory, but for the ſetting forth of Gods glory? It doth not ſervice enough by calling upon God in our private praiers:cPſal. 51.15. Open thou my lippes and my mouth ſhall ſhew forth thy praiſe: Hee hath not opened our lippes, that our mouth might ſhew Him his praiſe, but that it might ſhew forth his praiſe. Solitude is not much better than a grave: Lord, in the grave no man ſhall praiſe thee: and in a wall, in an Hermitage, in a ſeparation from all ſociety, no man ſhall heare us praiſe thee. What holy uſe is there of our tongues, but to confeſſe our ſinnes, to informe our brethren, and in all to praiſe our Maker?dLuke 11.14. But there is a dumbe Devill that poſſeſſeth the world, and ſtoppes the mouthes of men from thoſe uſefull and neceſſary ſervices. It is no ſmall honour, whereof that malicious Spirit ſhall robbe his Maker, if he can cloſe up the mouth of his onelyonly rationall and vocall Creature: and turne the beſt of his workemanſhip into a dumbe Idoll, that hath a mouth and ſpeakes not.
Praiſe is not more neceſſary than complaint; praiſe of God, than complaint of our ſelves: yea, in complaining of our ſelves, we doe no leſſe than give praiſe to God.eIoſh. 7.19. There needed no other evidence againſt Achan, when God had accuſed him: yet as the ſinne was hatched in his heart, ſo Ioſhua will have it out of his mouth: Give Glory to God. As his honour is blemiſhed by our ſinne, ſo the humble confeſſion of our ſinne makes to his Glory. The onelyonly amends wee can make to God, when wee have not had the grace to avoid ſinne, is to confeſſe the ſinne we have not avoided.fIer. 3.13. I am mercifull, ſaith the Lord: OnelyOnly acknowledge thine iniquity: as if Hee asked no more. This is the ſpunge that wipes out all the blurres of our lives.g1 Iohn 1.9. If we confeſſe, Hee is faithfull to forgive. There is no way to purge the ſicke ſoule, but upwards; by caſting up the vicious humours wherewith it is clogged. Therefore the Divell ſtrives to hold the lippes cloſe, that the ſoule may not disburden it ſelfe by confeſſion. We have a tongue for God, when wee praiſe his Name;Pſal. 32.3, 4, 5. a tongue for our ſelves, when wee pray and confeſſe our ſinnes: a tongue for our brethren, when wee informe them in the truth. To faile in theſe dueties, is to yeeld to the dumbe Divell. Where doe we not finde that accurſed Spirit? He is in the converſation of men, when the tongue belies the heart, flatters the guilty, and forbeares repróofes even in the fouleſt crimes. When the partiall Iudge determines not for trueth and innocency, that dumbe Devill is on the bench. When the Preacher ſhall humour the times, and adulterate the meſſage of God, that dumbe Divell is in the Pulpit. When the irreligious Iuror dares lend an oath to feare, to hope, to gaine, he is at the Barre. When the conſcienceleſſe Chapman ſhall for his penny, ſell his trueth and his ſoule, he is in the market. Where is the Glory of Chriſt all this while? In that wee are dumbe: but take us to any thing elſe, and wee have winde at will, and tongue enough. Chriſt opened his mouth for us, Father forgive them: yea, He opened his ſide for us, his very bloud did ſpeake, Father forgive them: and ſhall wee be dumbe in his praiſe? It is an eaſie labour to ſpeake: for our ſelves wee can talke faſt enough: and are wee tongue-tyed when it comes to the point of Chriſts Glory? No,hPſal. 71.24. My lippes ſhall rejoyce when I ſing of thee, my tongue ſhall talke of thy righteouſneſſe all the day long.
3. The hand muſt not bee left out; in our words men heare his Glory, but in our good workes they ſee it. Then doth our Light ſhine indeed, wheniMat. 5.16. Men ſee our good workes, and thereby glorifie our heavenly Father. This is a full evidence: all the Sermons of Chriſt did not move the people ſo much, as his miraculous workes. Healing diſeaſes, ejecting divels, over-ruling elements, raiſing the dead; theſe workes convinced them, and they went away glorifying God: Wee never ſaw it on this faſhion. kMat. 6.1.And when He forbids us the doing of ſuch workes to be ſeene of men; Non prohibet videri, ut Deus laudetur; ſed videri, ut nos laudemur; as Saint Augustine expounds it. And as our lippes muſt not bee labra muta, ſo nor our workes opera mutila; lame and defective.lMal. 1.13. Shall I accept this of your hand, ſaith the Lord. The beſt teſtimony that can be given to Chriſt, is our holy converſation. Inutilis & mortuus aequiparantur injure: Our hands are counted dead in Law, becauſe they give nothing. If wee doe not glorifie Chriſt in our actions, men will never beleeve our words. Such men are like diſſolute Choriſters, that ſing Gloria Patri in the Queere, but chant Carmina Bacchi in the Taverne. Let us doe ſomething to his Glory, yea,m1 Cor. 10.31. Doe all things to his Glory. Defend wee the honour of Chriſt, not onelyonly with our ſpeeches; (though they may not be left out, like parentheſes) but with our goods, with our blouds, when juſt occaſion calls for them. Thus did the Matyrs give Him Glory, by dying for the witneſſe of his Goſpell. Potiùs quàm Christus perderet gloriam, Chriſtianus perdidit vitam. This makes his praiſe beautifull; white and red, and in both moſt lovely: White, In innocentia viventium; and Red, in ſanguine morientium. If a blow be comming, the arme naturally lifts up it ſelfe to receive it, and to defend the head, whereof it is a member. What injury ſoever is meant to our Head, the Lord Ieſus, if wee bee Chriſtians, we ſtrive to intercept it; and had rather be wounded to death, than the leaſt finger of his honour ſhould be ſcratched.
Yes, we all pretend a forwardneſſe to this interpoſition; and ſay, wee would rather loſe our life, than the leaſt part of our glory. This is a good ſaying, but all this while where is the doing? Let us heare the bells of Aaron ſtrike on both ſides; with a holy profeſſion, which is one ſtroke, that other ſtroke of a holy converſation. As wee have commonly ſeene upon thoſe bells that hang out for ſignes; upon the one ſide is written, Feare God: on the other, Honour the King. Whiles we onelyonly ſay, we feare God, and glorifie Chriſt, all this while the bell doth but toule, it ſtrikes but on one ſide; But when wee come to honour the King, to doe good to all men, which is the practiſe and exerciſe of holy workes, then the bell rings out to Gods glory, it ſounds forth his prayſes on every ſide. It is true that our well doing extends not to God: not immediately, but mediately it does, or at leaſt he ſo takes it.nMat. 25.40. What you have done to theſe little ones, you have done to me. If we defend not his Church, how doe we glorifie him? They meane ſmall honour to the Head, that doe not their beſt to ſave the Body. We have and enjoy plentifull bleſſings: bleſſed be his Name that gives them to us: But let us eate our ſweete Paſſeover with ſowre herbes, and bee mindefull of the affliction of Ioſeph. Some tribes of the Lords Iſrael doe not fare ſo well: ſhall we doe nothing for them, for Chriſt in them? If Herod was ſo taken with Herodias dauncing, that hee promiſed her a boone to the one halfe of his kingdome. Shall not we be moved with Rachel weeping, weeping for her children becauſe they are not; and they are not, becauſe bloody Herod hath taken them away? Can we ſee the Churches teares, and not doe our utmoſt endeavours to comfort her? Ephorus an Hiſtorian, and ſcholar to Iſocrates, had no remarkeable thing to write of his countrey, and yet was willing to inſert the name of it in his Hiſtory: and therefore brings it in with a cold parentheſis: Athens did this famous thing and Sparta did that; and at that time my countrey men, the Cumins did nothing. God forbid that England ſhould be ſo recorded in the Eccleſiaſticall Hiſtory, as to have her name put in with a blanke: Such a Church did thus nobly, and ſuch a Church ſuffered thus pittifully; and at that time my countrey men of England did nothing. I thinke it would be no more honour for us, ſo to bee put into the Chronicle, than it was for Pilate to have his name mentioned in the Creed. To be more particular; we abound with riches, our brethren are neceſſitous: we feaſt upon delicates, they want bread: we are ſtrong and healthy, they feeble and ſickly: yet we are ſo farre from relieving them with charitable deeds, that wee ſcarce vouchſafe them our hearty prayers. Thinke of it thou rich churle, from whoſe iron hands no perſwaſion can skrew a poore almes: if thou wilt not be moved with the compaſſion of thine owne bowels, yet vouchſafe to learne charity by faire examples. There bee not onelyonly walls upon Earth, but a booke in Heaven, wherein the names of pious benefactours are written. Wouldeſt thou not bee glad at the laſt day, to finde thine owne name there? Such a man did ſo much, and ſuch a man gave ſo much, for the glory of Chriſt and ſuccour of poore Chriſtians: and at that time thou didſt nothing, thou gaveſt nothing. Something thou haſt done to the griefe of others, nothing to their comfort: So nothing ſhalt thou receive to thy comfort, enough to thy everlaſting ſorrow.
To conclude; let us ſacrifice all we have, all we are, to the glory of Chriſt. If our lives be not called for, yet our goods may: if we have no goods to give, yet our hearts and lippes we have, the pooreſt among us may give prayſes to God. And the more hee ſpares us in our blood and eſtates, the more our tongues are obliged to thankefulneſſe. When tribute was to bee paid to Ceſar, and Chriſt himſelfe was to pay it; rather than faile, the fiſh ſhall bring it in his mouth. There is not a fiſh that ſwimmes in our waters ſo dumbe, not a beggar amongſt us ſo poore but he hath gold in his mouth to pay this tribute: to give praiſe and Glory to Ieſus Christ. Gratitude can give eloquence, even where nature hath commanded ſilence: They are more mute than fiſhes, that doe not pay this tribute of thankefulneſſe. Bee we never ſo rich, wee are ſtill begging for more comforts: Bleſſings we receive, but what bleſſings doe we reſtore? God lookes to be bleſſed of us, as well as we looke to be bleſſed of God. One of Philips ſouldiers, being courteouſly and plenteouſly entertained by his Hoſt, where for a good ſpace he was billeted, did yet at his going away begge ſome of his Hoſtes lands: but king Philip branded him with Ingratus hoſpes; he ſet that marke on his forehead. If we be ſtill praying for new favours, without praiſing God for the old, wee deſerve to be branded with the ignominious title of unthankefull Clients. Indeed God would have us pray, hee commands us to pray, hee teaches us to pray, hee holds himſelfe honoured by our prayers, hee grants the bleſſings for which wee pray: but withall, hee would have us pay ſtill as wee take up; and cleare the old skore, before we run farther in debt. In a word, hee lookes that wee ſhould pay him the rent of thankes, for all his favours to us in Ieſus Chriſt.
Quando, when muſt this Glory be rendred? Nunc, Now, without any delay. All time is Gods: Antiquus dierum: though ſome be more ſpecially his, as the Sabath is called Dies Domini. The day is thine, and the night is thine: therefore at all times we are bound to prayſe him: If we can find a time, which is not Gods owne proprietie, we may take that time wherein to give him no Glory. oEccl. 3.2.Every worke hath the owne ſeaſon; onelyonly Gods worke requires every ſeaſon: eſpecially this worke of praiſing his Name. Some actions of Gods ſervice may vary according to their occaſions: when hee frownes upon us, that is a time of mourning; ver. 4.when hee ſmiles, then our hearts are ſet a dancing. Their is a time to get, ver. 6.and a time to loſe; a time to get his favour; and alas, there may be a time to loſe it.ver. 7. There is a time to rent our hearts with repentance, and a time to ſew them up againe with faithfull aſſurance. Theſe acts have their ſeverall times: but for the promulgation of Gods glory, no time is excluded. There is a time to keepe it, but no time to caſt it away: a time to ſpeake, but no time to keepe ſilence. What, not in adverſe fortunes? when the hand of God hath undone us, by loſſes on ſea or land; when he hurles us downe from a rich ſtate to beggarie; ſhall we then praiſe him? then give him glory? Yes, Iob did ſo;pIob. 1.21. Bleſſed be his name, not onelyonly for giving, but even for taking away. I confeſſe, this is a hard taske put upon fleſh and bloud; to be ſmitten, and yet to bleſſe; to give thankes for miſerie. Iobs wife could hardly be got to do ſo, though ſhe dwelt in a familie where religion was ſo truely obſerved by morning and evening ſacrifice, and by a conſtant devotion: yet her husbands extreme calamitie made her ſo farre forget herſelfe, as to ſay to him,qIob. 2.9. Doeſt thou ſtill retaine thine integritie? Curſe God and die. To curſe God, was the way to die indeed, even to be ſtoned to death; and to end all his miſeries with a worſe beginning. I know there are ſome ſo favourable interpreters of her weaknes, that they would faine excuſe her; and that from the doubtfull acception of the word, which ſignifies to bleſſe, as well as to curſe: Bleſſe God and die; pray for thy diſſolution, and ceſſation of this trouble. But why then does Iob reply; Loqueris vt ſtulta calling her foole for her counſell? Yes, for even that was a fooliſh advice: though a Cupio diſſolvi, onelyonly to be with Chriſt, be a good deſire: yet wearyneſſe under the croſſe is baſe and degenerate cowardice, farre from the valour of a Chriſtian. They alledge farther, that if Satan had power to deſtroy all that Iob had, his goods, his ſervants, his children, why not alſo his wife? They anſwere that ſhe was out of his commiſſion:rIob. 1.12. OnelyOnly upon himſelfe put not forth thy hand: onelyonly himſelfe was exempted, and his wife was himſelfe: una caro. Beſides, of her body were the other ſeven ſonnes and three daughters begotten; for we doe not read that Iob had a ſecond wife. And laſtly, when Iob offered ſacrifice, to expiate the ſinnes of his friends, he offered none for his wife: therfore in all likelyhood ſhe was holy. Yet againſt all this it might be ſaid, that ſhe was una caro with him, not unus ſpiritus: many a religious husband is knitte to an ungodly wife: And it is the opinion of the Fathers, that the Divell ſpared her, on purpoſe to vexe him: what tempter could hee finde more fit, than her that lay in his boſome? Nor did her ſpeech a little trouble him: for during all his triall, not one other ſo haſty a word dropt from him, as to call any body foole. Beſides, which ſtrikes it home, ſhe expoſtulates with him about his integrity: as if ſhe tooke it ill that he tooke it no worſe: his patience made her impatient. O how rare a grace is it in men, to bleſſe God for their croſſes, to kiſſe the hand that ſtrikes them?ſ2. King. 6.33. Behold this evill is of the Lord, ſayes that mad-braind king of Iſrael, What ſhould I waite for the Lord any longer? We are ſoone weary of our attendance: we can waite at the gates of the Divine bountie, ſo long as we feele benefites a comming, like inſatiate beggars for more almes: but if we be corrected for our unrulineſſe, then why ſhould we waite on the Lord any longer? This evill is of the Lord: this evill, this one evill: None of his mercies or good turnes are thought on, but this one evill ſtickes in our ſtomachs. In unthankfull hearts, one of Gods afflictions marres the glory of all his bleſſings. Now therfore we muſt praiſe him: now, even in the time of our adverſitie:tIob. 2.10. For ſhall we receive good things of God, and not evill? Nullum tempus occurit Regi: none muſt prevent Chriſt of his right, which is his glory.