A Guide to Go to God, Petition 6 · Section 217 – Section 223
§. 217. Of the meanes of manifeſting Gods Glorie.
Q. HOw is Gods glory manifeſted?
A. By ſuch meanes as it pleaſeth him to afford. For meanes he hath afforded in all ages to that purpoſe.
THeſe meanes hauehave beene of ſeuerall ſorts. Some extraordinary, others ordinary: Some more obſcure, others more bright.
Extraordinary meanes were ſuch particular repreſentations of Gods glory as at ſundry times were ſhewed to ſonnes of men, asaExo. 16. 10. A brightneſſe in that cloud wherein God was wont to manifeſt his preſence: and thatbEzek. 1. 28, 29 Apparition, or viſion which was ſhewed to Ezekiel.
Ordinary meanes were thecPſal. 26. 8. Tabernacle and the d1 Sam. 4. 21, 22Arke.
Other more cleere and bright meanes are his Word, Works, and Image.
Both parts of Gods Word, the Law and Goſpell doe clearely ſet out the glory of God. The Law, the glory of his Iuſtice: the Goſpell, the glory of his Mercy. Glory therefore is attributed to them both. The Apoſtlee2 Cor. 39. where hee stileth the Law a miniſtration of condemnation, attributeth glory to it But the Goſpel which he ſtileth a miniſtration of righteouſneſſe, hee affirmeth to exceede in glory. This isf2 Cor. 3. 18. that glaſſe wherein with open face wee behold the glory of God.
All Gods works declare his glory: As his workes ofgPſal 19 1. Rom. 1. 20. Creation, andhPſal. 97. 6. Preſeruation or prouidence. But among the works of God, they which are more then ordinary workes of wonder, as all manner ofiNum. 14. 22. Ioh. 2. 11. Miracles, kExod. 15. 11.Extraordinary iudgements on the wicked,lPſal. 85. 9. Extraordinary deliuerances of his people, and other mercies. And moſt principally that exceeding greatneſſe of his power which he wrought in Chriſt whenmRom. 6. 4. hee raiſed him from the dead.
The Image of God, which is ſundry waies planted in creatures, doth eueryevery way ſet out the glory of God: asnRom. 3. 23. that Image after which man was firſt created: o2 Cor. 3. 18.that after which man is renewed: p1 Cor. 11. 7.that whereby ſuch as are in authority hauehave ſuperiority, dignity, and excellency aboue others: andqHeb. 1. 3. that which was ſet in Chriſt made man. The moſt bright and perſpicuous repreſentation of Gods glory that euer was giuen, was Chriſt the true, naturall onelyonly begotten Sonne of God, the brightneſſe of his glory, and the expreſſe Image of his Perſon: of whom Saint Iohn ſaith,rIoh. 1. 14. we beheld his glory, the glory as of the onelyonly begotten of the Father. And Chriſt of himſelfe ſaith,f—14. 9. He that hath ſeene me hath ſeene the Father. For Chriſtist1 Tim. 3. 16. God manifeſted in the fleſh.
Of all places heauen is the place where Gods glory is moſt conſpicuouſly ſéene. There the fore-named Sonne of God abideth in his greateſt glory: and there are other meanes of manifeſting the deuine glory ſo farre as the creature may bee made capable of enduring the brightneſſe thereof. There it is ſaid thatuAct. 7. 55. Stephen ſaw the glory of God. There ſhall all the Saints bexIude v. 24. preſented before the glory of God. y1 Cor. 13. 12.Now wee ſee thorow a glaſſe darkely: but there face to face. TherezMat. 18. 10. the Angels alwaies behold the face of God. And there*—22. 30. wee ſhall bee as the Angells of God.
§. 218. How glory is proper to God.
Q. VVHy is glory by a property with emphaſis applied to God, thus, And the glory?foreign.
A. 1. The Fountaine of all glory is in God. That which the Pſalmiſt faith of life, may fitly bee applyed to glory: with God is the Fountain of glory. Pſal. 36. 9.All excellencies are in God. Excellency of Maieſty, Excellency of Soueraignty, Excellency of Purity, Excelleney of Power, Excellency of Wiſedome, Excellency of Truth, Excellency of Iuſtice, Excellency of Mercy. He hath them all in himſelfe, thorow himſelfe, for himſelfe: and that without meaſure, aboue comprehenſion, euen infinitely. Whatſoeuer excellency is in any creature, it iſſueth out of this Fountaine. The creature hath all the excellency, which in any kinde it hath, from this Fountaine, by participation and communication. All glory therefore is Gods. They glory which is in himſelfe, and the glory which is in any creature, is his.
2. The brightneſſe of Gods glory obſcureth all other glory.Iob. 25. 5. Behold euen the Moone and it ſhineth not: yea the Starr…s are not pure in his ſight. The glorious Angels are ſaid to hauehave wings to couer their faces: Iſa. 6. 2.becauſe the brightnes of Gods glory would otherwiſe dazle them.Exod 34. 30. If Aaron and the children of Iſrael were afraid to come nigh to Moſes by reaſon of the ſhining of his face, how much more may the creature bee afraid to come to God, by reaſon of the incomprehenſible ſhining of his glorious face. Where Gods glory ſhineth in his brightneſſe, no other glory can any more bee ſeene, then the light of a candle in the middſt of cleare and bright Sun-ſhine. As the light of the Sun is to the light of Starres, ſo is the glory of the Creator to the glory of creatures. None of the Stars hauehave light in themſelues, but receiue all their light from the Sun. And ſo bright is the light of the Sun, as, when it ſhineth, the Starres are not ſeene. On theſe grounds there is great and iuſt cauſe to ſay vntounto God, Thi…e is the glory.
§. 219. Of Mans giuing glory to God, and taking glory from God.
Q. HOw is the creature ſaid toaPſal. 29. 1, 2. giuegive glory to God, or tobRom. 1. 23. take it from him?
A. Not properly, but reſpectiuely: namely in reſpect of the creatures minde, and the Creators account. For giuing glory to God, it is truly ſaid,Ioh. 22. 2. Can a man bee profitable to God as he that is wiſe may be profitable to himſelfe? If thou be righteouſe what giueſt thou to him? —35. 6, 7.or what receiueth he of thine hand? But he that doth thoſe things which are pleaſing and acceptable to God, hath a minde, will and deſire, if it were in his power, to giuegive glory to God: and God doth account ſuch a minde, will and deſire, where there is an anſwerable endeauour, as if indeede actually and properly glory were giuen to him. This minde to glorifie and praiſe God is manifeſted by an acknowledgement of God, and of all his excellencies, by making them knowne, and by an anſwerable reſpect and carriage. Where we are exhorted to giuegive glory to God, Pſal. 96. 3, 7, 9, 10.theſe directions are added, Declare his glory among the nations. Worſhip the Lord. Feare before him. Say, the Lordraigneth, &c.
On the contrary ſide, taking glory from God, It is truely ſaid,Iob 35. 6. If thou ſiuneſt, what d…ſt thou againſt God? But the ſinner, eſpecially the wilfull ſinner, whoſe ſinnes are committed directly againſt the deuine Maieſty, hath a minde, will and deſire, if it were in his power, to rob God of his glory, and to take it from him, and God doth ſo account of him, as if by him hee were indeede actually and properly depriued of glory. To ſuch he ſaith,hMal. 3. 8. ye hauehave rob…ed me In theſe reſpects Glory is taken from God, wheniPſal. 14. 1. he is denied to be, orkRom. 1 21. not glorified as God: or whenlHoſ. 2. 5, &c. that which is due to God is giuen to others, ormEzek. 28. 2. aſſumed to ones ſelfe. In theſe and other like reſpects God is ſaid to bee n—20. 27.blaſphemed. To blaſpheme, according to the notation of the originall word, is*foreign Transfigere nomen Iebou…. Len. 24, 16. to hurt ones fame: and in the Law a blaſphemer is ſaid to ſtrike thorow the Name of the Lord. Not that any hurt is properly done to God, or to his glorious Name, but that, if it could bee hurt, they doe what they can to hurt it: or that they hinder the brightneſſe of Gods glory from ſhining forth to others: as a man, that cannot take away any whit of light from the Sun, may notwithſtanding by ſundry meanes hinder the Sun-ſhine from others.
§. 220. Of the duties due to God by reaſon of his Glorie.
Q. VVHat duties doth the appropriating of glory to God import?
A. 1. ToaExod. 20, 3. account him the only true God. It is his chiefeſt glory to bee a God: yea to bee the onelyonly true God.bIſa. 42. 8. This glory will he not giuegive to another. It is therefore to be reſerued entirely to him.
2. To aduance him aboue all.cPſal. 113. 4. The Lord is high aboue all nations: and his glory aboue the heauens: accordingly hee muſt be aduanced.
3. To acknowledge his*1 Tim. 6. 16. infinite perfection▪ and that in all his attributes. Herein his glory conſiſteth. Such phraſes as theſe, (dPſal. 147. 5. His wiſedome is infinite: eIſa. 40. 18.There is no ſearching thereof. fEpheſ 1. 19.The exceeding greatneſſe of his power. gPſal. 108. 4.His mercy is great aboue the heauens, and his truth reacheth vntounto the cloudes. h—36. 6.His righteouſneſſe is like the mountaines: his iudgements a great deepe) Such phraſes as theſe imply an infinite perfection in Gods properties.
4. To admire his excellency. Glory and excellency is the onelyonly true cauſe of admiration.iPſal. 8. 1. The conſideration of Gods ſurpaſſing glory did euen rauiſh Dauids heart with an holy admiration thereof.
5. To adore his Maieſty. Adoration is properly due to Glory, Maieſty, and Excellency. When thekEzek 1. 29. Prophet ſaw the appearance of the glory of God,Reu. 4. 10, 11. hee fell downe vponupon his face: Pſal. 86. 9.which was the proper geſture of adoration.
6. Tol1 Chro. 29. 11, 12. aſcribe the glory of all glory to him. If there be any glory in vsus, glory of dignity, glory of wealth, glory of ſtrength, glory of any vertue,mPſal. 115. 1. we ought to aſcribe it to him, who is the Fountaine of all glory, from whom we hauehave all the glory which we hauehave: and not to our ſelues.
7.nIob. 5. 44. To ſeeke the glory which commeth from God alone, euen that glory which warranteth, approueth and giueth. For glory being Gods, God being the Fountaine of all true glory, that which commeth not from him, is but a ſhew and ſhadow of true glory.
8. To abaſe and caſt downe our ſelues at the glorious preſence of God: asoIſa. 6. 5. Iſaiah did. Thus is Gods glory magnified.
9. To iuſtifie God and condemne our ſelues in his proceedings againſt vsus, that God may be glorified. So didpDan. 9. 7. Daniel in the name of all his people. This was it whichqIoſh. 7. 19. Ioſuah intended when he ſaid to Achan, GiueGive glory to the Lord, and make confeſſion to him.
10. To praiſe God in all things.rPſal. 50. 23. Who ſo offereth praiſe, glorifieth God. The nine Lepers that being healed of Chriſt went away without giuing thanks, are ſaid,ſLuk. 17. 18. not to returne to giuegive glory to God.
11. Tot1 Cor. 10. 31. doe all things to the glory of God. Gods glory ought to be the Marke whereat we aime in eueryevery thing that wee doe.
12. To cauſe others to glorifie God. For this end Chriſt chargeth vsus touMat. 5. 16. let our light ſhine before men.
§. 221. Of the waies whereby others are brought to glorifie God.
Q. HOw may others be brought to glorifie God?
A. 1. By declaring the glory and excellency of God. Thus may others come to knowledge of God: and ſo to glorifie him. TheaPſal. 66. 2, 4. Pſalmiſt hauing exhorted to ſet forth the glory of Gods Name, and to make his name glorious, addeth as an effect thereof, All the earth ſhall ſing to thy Name.
2. BybPſal. 29. 1, 2. inciting and prouoking men to glorifie God. This was Dauid very diligent to doe. For it putteth a kinde of life into men, and quickneth them vp the more to doe a duty.
3. Byc2 Theſ. 3. 1. furthering the Word of God, and cauſing it to hauehave a free paſſage. The Word is a powerfull meanes to make men glorifie God.
4. Byd1 Pet. 2. 9. ſhewing forth the vertue of God in vsus.eMat. 9. 8. Chriſt by this meanes drew on multitudes to glorifie God.
5. ByfPhil. 2. 15. ſhining as lights in darkneſſe. Thusg1 Pet. 2. 12. they which ſpeake euill of vsus, may be this light be brought to glorifie God.
6. By conuerting ſinners. When the Gentiles ſo heard the Word as thereby faith was wrought in them,hAct. 13. 48. they glorified God. On this groundiPſal. 51. 13. Dauid voweth to teach ſinners Gods waies.
7. By our owne repentance. When the beleeuing Iewes heard that God had granted repentance to the Gentiles,kAct. 11. 18. they glorified God.
8. By manifeſt euidences of entire repentance.lGal. 1. 23, 24. They which heard that Paul preached the faith that once he deſtroyed (a cleare demonſtration of his ſound conuerſion) glorified God.
9. By workes of mercy.m2 Cor. 9. 12, 13, 15. Saint Paul was hereby ſtirred vp to giuegive thankes to God: And ſaith of ſuch workes, that they are abundant by many thanksgiuings to God: and that many glorifie God for liberall contribution vntounto them.
10. By fruits of righteouſneſſe. Of theſe it is expreſſely ſaid,nPhil. 1. 11. they are to the glory and praiſe of God. Men are madeoIſa. 61. 3. trees of righteouſneſſe, the planting of the Lord that hee might bee glorified.
11. By all manner ofpMat. 5. 16. good workes. They that ſee them will glorifie God.
12. By the meaſure of grace anſwerable to the meanes. qIoh. 15 8.Herein is my Father glorified if ye beare much fruit, ſaith Chriſt of ſuch as were trained vp vnderunder his powerfull miniſtry.
13. By ſuffering for the truth of God. Forr1 Pet. 4. 16. God on their part who ſuffer is glorified.
§. 222. Of thoſe who are to ſet forth Gods Glorie.
Q. VVHo are bound to ſet forth the glory of God?
A. 1.aPſal. 103. 20. Angels in heauen. They hauehave beſt ability to doe it.
2.bPſal. 147. 12. Members of the Church. They on earth hauehave the beſt meanes to doe it. Such are compriſed vnderunder theſe titles Ieruſalem, and Sion, who are oft incited to glorifie God.
3.cMal. 2. 1, 2. Pſal. 135. 19, 20. Miniſters of the Word. Their proper and peculiar calling it is to glorifie God, and to teach others ſo to doe.
4.dPſal. 29. 1. Magiſtrates. They beare Gods Image: and on earth are Gods.
5.ePſal. 148. 11, 12 All ſorts of people. Young men, Maidens, old men, children and others. For all hauehave iuſt cauſe ſo to doe.
6.fPſal. 150. 6. All liuing creatures. Their life is of God.
7.gPſal. 148. 8, 9. Senceleſſe creatures alſo: as Fire, haile, ſnow, vapours, &c. Their being is of God.
To conclude,hPſal. 145. 9, 10. Gods tender mercies are ouer all his workes. Therefore all his workes ſhould praiſe him.
§. 223. Of the chiefest enemies of Gods glory.
Q. VVHo among men are greateſt enemies of Gods glory?
A. 1.aPſal. 14. 1. Atheiſts, who ſay in their heart, there is no God.
2.bRom. 1. 23. Pſal. 106. 20. Idolaters, who change the glory of the corruptible God into an image made like to corruptible things.
3.cLeu. 24. 16. foreign transfigere. Blaſphemers, who ſtrike thorow the Name of God.
4.dMal. 3. 8. Sacrilegious perſons, who rob God.
5.e—1. 7. Profane perſons, who deſpiſe God.
6.fAct. 12. 23. Proud perſons, who arrogate Gods due to themſelues.
7.g1. Ioh 5. 10. Vnbeleeuers, who make God a lyer.
8hRom. 2. 24. Lewd profeſſors, who cauſe others to blaſpheme the name of God.
9.iReu. 16. 9. All impenitent ſinners. Of ſuch it is ſaid, They repented not to giuegive God glory. For by repentance is God much glorified: and that both by the penitents themſelues, and others.
Hitherto of the three expreſſed Attributes of God, Kingdome, Power, Glory. The Amplification of them followeth in this clauſe, For euer.