Sermons Volume 2, 2 Corinthians 5 · Sermon 21
SERMON XXI.
2 Cor. 5.13.
For whether we be besides our selves, it is to God: Or whether we be sober, it is for your cause.
THe Text containeth the answer to the Second imputation; Thou art besides thy self. Paul answers,
1. By way of concession, he may be as to Appearance, and to their Judgment, sometimes mad, and sometimes sober.
2. By way of exception, and vindication.
1. From his end; if mad, 'tis foreign: If sober 'tis foreign.
2. From his principle; the Love of God; and so bringeth in his third motive, verse 14th, Paul whether besides himself, (as they thought) or sober, he still sought the Glory of God, and the good of the Church.
Doct. A Christian in all his speeches, and actions, and all postures of Spirit, should still aim at the Glory of God.
1. We shall consider this truth with some observations, as it lyeth in this place.
2. Some reasons of the point in general.
1. The observations are these.
1. Observe what a change and difference, the power of the Lords grace worketh in a man: Paul confesseth of himself, Acts 26.11. That he was, when a Pharisee mad against God: I was exceeding mad against this way. And now the Text representeth him, as one (in the Judgment of the Corinthians at least) besides himself, but he telleth you it was for God: As formerly he was an instance of the cursed vigour of nature, so now of the sacred power of grace: 'Tis but reason, that we should do as much for God, as we did before for Satan, Rom. 6.19. I speak after the manner of men, because of the infirmity of your flesh; that as you have yielded your members Servants to uncleanness, and to iniquity, unto iniquity: Even so now yield your members Servants to Righteousness, unto Holyness. That is, this is a moderate proposal, and in condescension to their infirmity, requireing the least, that in any reason could be required of them: That they should have the same care of Holiness now, and be as diligent to obey the precepts of Christ, as before they were industrious, and earnest to serve their lusts, and vile affections: In strist Justice he might require a greater care, to secure their Life and Salvation, than ever they had expressed in ruining, and damning themselves: But he would deal with them in the modest, and most easie, and equitable manner, because the flesh cannot bear too much severity, or too high expressions of duty: foreign, signifieth that which hath nothing extraordinary in it, or which is common among men: A modest humane proposal, that they should serve God as earnestly as they had served the Devil: That at least they should do as much for him, now they had better work, better wages, and the best Master, as before they had done for sin.
2. That the love of Christ is the root and principle of this sincere aim at the Glory of God, in all that we do; for when the Apostle giveth an acccount of it, he presently addeth in the next verse, for the Love of Christ constraineth us: To seek Gods Glory, and the good of the Church, is the fruit of Love to God: There is a twofold love; the love of desire, and the love of delight: The love of desire is a seeking love, it is ever running after God, that we may injoy more of him: The love of delight, is a pleasing love; it maketh us study to honour, and please God in all things: once love God sincerely, and his honour will be dearer to you, than your own interests; then you will be referring any thing to him, and studying to advance his Glory: Mens aims are as their affections are: self love maketh us mind our selves, and please our selves; and carnal lusts do pervert, and crook, and bend the Soul to inferiour things, which will bias, and poise in every action: There is nothing but the difference of a notion, between the chief good, and last end; what is apprehended as our chief good and felicity, will certainly be our last end and aim.
3. How nearly the Glory of God, and the good of the Church are conjoined, for when the Apostle asserteth the sincerity of his aims, he mentioneth both foreign, and foreign, for God, and for the good of the Church: And in the method of the Lords Prayer, this is evident, next to the hallowing of Gods name, we beg the coming of his Kingdom. First we desire the glorifying and hallowing of the name of God, that he may be known, loved, and honoured in the World, and well pleased in us, and we may delight in him as our ultimate end: Then that his Kingdom of grace may be inlarged, that the Kingdom of Glory, as to the perfected Church of the Sanctified, may come: That mankind may more perfectly submit themselves to God, and be saved by him: His Glory is the great end, and the coming of his Kingdom is the first and primary means; for Gods Glory is more manifest in his Kingdom, than in any other of his works: His Wisdom, and Power, and Goodness, is more seen and acknowledged in you, than in all the World besides: All Gods providences tend first to Gods Glory, next to the good of the Church: In vain therefore do men think they seek the Glory of God▪ if they do not seek the Churches welfare: The lessening, troubling, disordering of the Kingdom of God, is the crossing his Glory: If we would aim at Gods Glory, we must seek the good of his people, and to our Power promote the Churches welfare.
4. Here are different actions mentioned; if we be besides our selves, or if we be sober; but both designed by Paul for Gods Glory and their good: So it holdeth good in all other things; if sublime, and profound, in opening the deep mysteries of the Gospel; if perspicuous, and plain, in obvious truths, still for God: If deep and profound, not to set up our worth, but to help the growth of the Saints, that they may not always keep to their A. B. C. In Religion, Heb. 5.14. But strong meat belongeth unto them that are of full Age, even those who by reason of use, have their senses exercised to discern both good and evil. If facile and plain, be sure it be not the fruit of our laziness, contenting our selves with obvious nations, because they cost us little labour and pains: But a sincere aim at profit, and in condescension to the meanest, Rom. 1.14. I am a debtor both to the Greeks, and to the Barbarians, both to the wise, and unwise. So in other actions civil, or sacred: Whether we eat or drink, or pray, or worship, still to the Glory of God, 1 Cor. 10.31. Look as the Lines of a Circle, come from the several parts of the Circumference, but they all end in the Center: So whatever we do, we must do it all for God. There may be different ways, to the same scope; Paul that circumcised Timothy, that he might not give scandal to the Jews, Gal. 6.3. rebuketh Peter sorely for complying with the Jews, to the offence of the Gentiles, Gal. 2.11, 12, 13, 14. which reproof Peter took in good part, as being in an errour. The use, and unseasonable use of Christian liberty, are distinct things; so of different persons, Rom. 14.6. One eateth, and another eateth not: but both to the Lord. An house that is on fire, …ome are for quenching, others are for pulling down: Here is difference in opinion, but an agreement in scope, that the fire do no further mischief: So for reforming the Church, some are for a total with-drawing, others hope to mend the cause, as not remediless: But for the same Person as Paul, in the different postures of Spirit, if a man be sober for God, he will the better be besides himself for God; that is, in the judgment of the world; So è contra, the Prophet proveth they did not fast for God, because they did not eat for God, Zech. 7.5, 6.
5. That when we are most in danger to seek our own glory, and honour, then we must be most careful to fix our intention aright. Paul, when he spake modestly of himself, and Ministry, or did simply Evangelize without any commendation of himself, or his Ministry, then 'tis foreign, we use all means to bring you to Christ; if we be sober, 'tis for your sakes: But when he was forced to assert the sincerity of it against the calumnies of the false Teachers, then 'tis foreign: I speak not this for my self, but for God, for the credit of the Gospel: Certain it is, that in all things we should seek the glory of God, whether full, or fasting; Mad in the worlds account, or sober; But the question is, whether in every action a Christian is alwaies bound to think of the glory of God?
I answer Gods glory may be intended habitually, and virtually, or else explicitely, and actually: that is, either by a formal, noted, observed thought, or by the impression of a powerful habit; as a man that maketh it his scope to go to such a place, doth not always think of it, though he is travelling thither, and the end of his journey, though it be not always in his mind, yet it directeth his motions.
This purpose must be rooted in our hearts, to refer all that we do to the glory of God; though in every particular action, we do not think of it.
But then here a case of Conscience ariseth; when the virtual intention sufficeth not without formal noted thoughts. The answer to it is.
1. That the purpose of promoting Gods Glory, should be often renewed, because 'tis the description of wicked men, that God is not in all their thoughts, Psal. 10.4. They have a multitude of thoughts, but they have nothing of God in them: And the Wicked are described by this, that they forget God, Psal. 9.17. They seldom or never think with themselves, whether they please, or displease, honour, or dishonour him: But the Godly will be often directing, fixing, elevating the intention of their minds. O God I lift my heart to thee, Psal. 25.1. The end is our measure: Now an expert Carpenter that worketh by line, though he doth not in every stroke, yet very often will be trying his work by the line, and square: Besides, the end is our motive, as well as our measure: It addeth strength and vigour to the Soul in acting: Therefore to excite my drooping, and languishing heart, I should often think for whom I am working, and for what end.
2. In all momentous actions I must actually intend the glory of God: In lesser things the general frame, and bent of my heart to please God in all things, sufficeth: There are certain actions of moment, and such as we make a business of, we need there explicitely to call in the help of Christ, and expresly to aim at the glory of God: There are some actions, to the performance of which, we go forth in a general confidence: Others which are not undertaken without deliberation, and invocation. There must be special direction of the intention of the Soul; suppose a Minister in preaching the Gospel, 2 Cor. 1.20. For all the promises of God in him, are yea, and in him Amen, to the glory of God, by us. Suppose any hazardous Voyage, the disposing our selves into any course of life, or abiding relation, we must be sure to aim at Gods Glory.
3. Weak habits and inclinations need express formal, observed thoughts. For without them Christians cannot do their work: but to powerful, and strong habits, where men have in a manner naturalized themselves to a Godly course, the strength of the general inclination sufficeth. A weak Christian needs often to consider, that he is acting for God, and approving himself to God, that he may keep more close, and faithfully to his work, and be true to his end: Now the habits of Grace being weak in most, they cannot easily keep afoot Gods interest in their Souls, if they should seldom think of him, and their obligation to him.
4. And lastly, Tempted Christians, and when they are in danger to seek themselves, must renew, and revive the actual intention: As when we do any publick action for God, which hath somewhat of Pomp and Glory in it, that our eyes may look right on, and we may not squint a little upon any by-motive: Or when we feel the ticklings of vain Glory. Divines suppose that double [not unto us, not unto us,] to be the rebuke of a temptation, Psal. 115.1. This is a re-inkindling of our purpose, when it seemeth to be quenched; As Bernard, when the Devil tempted him to vain glory, propter te non coepi, non finiam propter te: I neither began for thee, nor will I make an end for thee: And this cometh home to the instance of the Text: Paul was forced to commend himself, unless he would have the Gospel trampled upon: Now to assure them, it was not vain glory, and to guard his own heart, he saith, If we be besides our selves, 'tis to God, or whether we be sober, it is for your cause.
6. Observe again, when actions are likely to be misinterpreted, and do tend to our dishonour, yet if the glory of God call for them, they should not be omitted; For we must be contented to be nothing, so God be glorified: As here it seemed to be the act of an imprudent person, or of one besides himself, to speak so largely of himself, yet 'twas necessary, that the false Apostles might not draw them from the Gospel, which he had Preached: And therefore Paul would run the hazard of the Imputation of Folly and Imprudence, rather than Unfaithfulness to God, and their Souls: Thereby teaching us all to value the honour of God above our own Interest: And to approve our selves to men no farther then will stand with the approbation of God: There are some actions which our duty calleth for, which are disgustful to the world, and may seem to expose the reputation of our wisdom and reason: Yet better be counted a fool, and a mad-man for God, than one of this worlds wise Men, with the neglect of our duty. Nay, there are some actions which are against the gust of the strictest Professors, so that not only the reputation of our Wisdom, and Reason, but of our Conscience, and integrity is put to hazard: But he that is not contented with the glory which cometh from God only, will never be a thorough Christian, John 5.44. And we must be content not only to deny our own reason and reputation for Wisdom, but also our reputation for sincerity in Religion, our own every thing, but our own God, and our own Christ.
7. Observe again from that, if we be sober, 'tis for your cause. Pauls madness in their Eye, was his asserting the credit of his Ministry, his Sobriety, when he spake humbly of himself. Now he was as sincere in the one, as in the other: In our most sober moods, we must be sure that we glorify God, as well as when we are apt to be misjudged by the world: When we refuse Praise, as well as when we own Gods gifts and graces in us. For some men will beat back honour, when it cometh to them at the first hopp, that they may catch it at the rebound; and so seek that which they seem to deny; as if they held the stealth, and underhand receipt of it more lawful, than the purchase in the open Market: No, we must be sure to be as sincere in our professions of humility, where men are least apt to suspect our pride, as there, where they are most ready to charge us with it: As the Apostle doth assert that he was besides himself for God, so sober for their sakes, for Gods glory, and their profit.
8. The end is either ultimate, or subordinate: The ultimate end is that which terminateth the action, and wherein our thoughts rest: The subordinate end is that which we aim at, but yet look further; as here the ultimate end is Gods glory, the subordinate end was their profit. So take that other place, 1 Cor. 10.31. Whether ye eat or drink, or whatever ye do, do all to the glory of God. In eating, and drinking, the subordinate end is health, strength, and cheerfulness: The ultimate and supream end, Gods glory. 'Tis a failing in our subordinate end, if we mind only Carnal pleasure, and not service, Eccl. 10 7. Blessed art thou, O Land, when thy Princes eat in due season, for strength, and not for drunkenness. When our Meals are a Meat-offering, or a Drink-Offering to lust and appetite, 'tis a perversion of Gods bounty. They were ordained to be a refection after business, and to repair that strength which hath been weakned in the work of our Callings: But now the ultimate end is Gods glory, 'tis not strength for our lusts, strength for our worldly ends, but for the Lords honour, we must please Appetite no farther than the pleasing of it fits us for the service of God. In many cases nextly we may aim at some other thing beneath God, but ultimately, and terminatively▪ all must be directed to God: as the Apostle here considered them, their Spiritual profit as his next aim, but lastly, and finally the glory of God.
2. The Reasons of the general point.
1. The Interest God hath in us, obligeth us to live to his glory, Rom. 14.8. For whether we live, we live unto the Lord: or whether we die, we die unto the Lord: for whether we live, or die, we are the Lords. The Apostles reasoning is built upon this supposition, that those who are the Lords, should live as for the Lord: but the case is so with us, we are his, and therefore must live to him. How are we the Lords?
1. By Creation, Prov. 16.4. God made all things for himself. In the Creation of the World, God could have no higher end than himself, than his own glory: for the end is more noble than the means: Therefore when he made the World, made Beasts, made Man, made Angels, he did all for himself. God is Independant, and self sufficient of himself, and for himself: Self-seeking in the Creature is absurd, and unbeseeming, because we depend upon another for life, and breath, and all things; Therefore to seek our own glory, contentment, and satisfaction apart from God, 'tis to arrogate a self-being to our selves, apart from him: we were made by God, and were not made for our selves.
2. By Preservation, Rom. 11.36. For of him, and through him, and to him, are all things. As our being is from him, so our moving, and doing is through him, through his providential influence, and supportation, therefore all must be for him, and to him. The motion of all Creatures is circular, they end where they began, as the Rivers return to the place from whence they came: All that issueth from God in a way of Creation, and is sustained, and preserved by God in a way of Providence, must be to him in the tendency, and final end of their motions: As we must deduce all things from God as their first cause, and continual conserving cause, so we must reduce all things to God as their last end.
3. By Redemption. That is pleaded, 1 Cor. 6.19, 20. Ye are not your own, ye are bought with a Price: Therefore glorify God with your Bodies, and your Souls, which are Gods. You are twice bound; as Creatures, and as redeemed; and a double obligation will infer a double Condemnation, if we answer it not. The bought belonged to the Buyer, so we to Christ.
4. By Dedication. We are dedicated, and set apart for the Lords use, Rom. 6.13. Yield your selves to God, as those that are alive from the dead, and your Members as instruments of Righteousness, unto God. So Rom. 12.1. I beseech you therefore Brethren, by the mercies of God, that ye present your Bodies a living Sacrifice, holy, acceptable to God, which is your reasonable service. Now to live to our selves, and speak for our selves, is practically to retract our own vows, and the dedication which we have made of our selves to his use and service.
2. We are above all Creatures fitted for his glory: As Men, and as new Creatures.
1. As Men: Man above all other Creatures should glorify God: Partly, because by the design of his Creation he is placed nearer God, as the end, than other Creatures are; Man is both proximè & ultimè, nextly, and lastly for God; and so return immediately to the Fountain of our Being: There is nothing intervening between God and us, towards which our use and service should be directed: Other Creatures, though they were made ultimately, and terminatively for God, yet immediately for Man; lastly for God, nextly for us: So that man standeth in the middle between God and all other Creatures, to receive the benefit of them, that God may have the glory. Oh then how much is man, as man, obliged to glorify God, for whom this inferiour world was made? All things are subjected to our Dominion, or created for our use; not only Fowls, and Fishes, and Beasts of the field to be injoyed by him, but Sun, Moon, Stars, Rain, Weather, and all the Seasons of the Year, Psal. 8.3, 4, 5, 6. When I consider thy Heavens, the work of thy Fingers, the Moon and Stars which thou hast ordained: What is man that thou art mindful of him, and the Son of man, that thou visitest him? Thou hast made him little lower than the Angels; thou crownest him with glory, and honour; thou hast made him to have dominion over the work of thine hands; thou hast put all things under his feet. When we look up, and behold those glorious Creatures, the out-work, and visible parts of Heaven, which display their radiant Beauties to our wonder and astonishment; and withal consider how much they serve for our comfort and use, and with them the soveraign power wherewith thou didst invest man over all sublunary, and inferiour Creatures, Beasts, Fowls, Fishes, Plants, we cannot sufficiently admire, that this vile clod of Earth, Man, should be so much in the eye of God to take care of him above the whole Creation: The Sun doth not shine, nor winds blow, nor rain fall at our pleasure, but 'tis for our use: Heaven is for us, the airy Heaven to give us breath and motion, the starry Heaven to give us heat, light, and influence: The third Heaven, or the Heaven of Heavens to be our dwelling place: So that man is strangely stupid, and oblivious, if he should forget the God, by whose bounty he injoys all these things. And partly, because man is more fitted, as being furnished with higher capacities, he teacheth us more than the Beasts of the Field. We have faculties suited to this purpose, we have an understanding▪ that we may know him: Surely such an understanding nature, such an immortal Soul was never made for corruptible things: God was pleased to stamp man with the Character of his own Image; he beareth his superscription; Now give unto Caesar the things that are Caesars, and unto God the things that are Gods. We may find out his tract, and foot-print in the Creatures, but man had his Image: Other Creatures glorify God necessarily, we voluntarily, and by choice; they know not the first cause, but are over-ruled by the Government of Providence, but we have, or should have, an understanding to know him, and an heart to love him: Therefore the duty properly belongeth to us. Other creatures glorify God passively, we actively; they are the Harp, man makes the Musick, Psal. 145 18. All thy works praise thee, thy Saints bless thee. Man is the mouth of the Creatures; the Creatures by us glorify God.
2. As new Creatures. The people of God are most bound of all men to seek the glory of God; you are created again in Christ Jesus, Eph. 2.10. It concerns you to ask, why am I made? To what use and purpose do I serve but to glorify God, and admire his Grace, and to live answerable to his love, and in a thankful obedience to his Precepts, and to promote his Kingdom, and Interest in this world? By Regeneration we have new faculties, and dispositions; the great effect of grace is to beget a tendency towards God; to restore, and incline the heart of man to his proper end; to know the end, distinguisheth a man from a Beast, but to choose the end, and seek the end, distinguisheth one man from another; to make Gods glory the chief scope, and end of all our lives, and actions, is the great fruit and effect of grace. Naturally we are either ignorant, or mindless of our great end, and the way that leadeth to it: All of us are gone astray like lost Sheep, Isa. 53.6. and Psa. 14.2. They are all gone out of the way: Or that path which will lead us to the end, for which we were created. And naturally we spend our time in serving our lusts, and are taken up with other business, have no heart, nor leisure, to live unto God, and for God, but imploy our Souls only to please our Bodies, and to serve and please the senses, and are slaves to all the Creatures, who by original institution were put under mans feet: But now Christ died to bring us to God, 1 Pet. 3.18. And by his Spirit doth change the heart, that we may be to the praise of his glorious grace, Eph. 1.13. Not only as passive objects, but as active instruments. Indeed there is objectively a greater impression of God upon the new Creature, than there is upon any thing else, which hath passed Gods hand: This work sets forth more of his Attributes, of his Goodness, Wisdom, and Power, than all things else: The very being of the new Creature sets forth more of the praise of God to all beholders; though the man himself were silent, yet the work would speak for its self. But we are not speaking of that now, how the new Creature objectively, and passively, sets forth the praise of God, but how as active instruments they should glorify God, both in word and deed; not only as the praise of his glory is to be manifested in them, but as it is to be manifested, and intended by them, having renewed faculties to inable them, how they should live unto God, and bring forth fruit unto God. Yea, besides the renewing of their natures, they have the actual influences of his grace: And therefore since they have all from God, they should use all for him, and live to the glory of God, whose grace inableth them to do every thing. 'Tis by the grace of God they are what they are, and therefore it is for the glory of God, that they do what they do. All the fruits of Righteousness wrought in them, are by Jesus Christ, to the praise, and glory of God, Phil. 1.11. Gods glory, and not any by respect, must be the main scope, and end of the new Creature. Otherwise he perverts the influences of grace, and would serve himself of the supply of the Spirit.
3. We by the providence of God are disposed in all our relations for this end, that we might have some sphear, wherein to glorify God. Some as Magistrates, some as Ministers, some as Masters, some as Servants; so that the glorifying of God concerneth every man in all that he doth, in all that relation wherein God hath placed him. Every man is sent into the world for some end; for no wise Agent worketh at random: God hath made nothing in vain, but hath assigned to every Creature its own use, and operation: To do a thing to no purpose will not agree with the wisdom of a considering man: Therefore God, who is a God of Judgment, hath certainly in every work of his, some scope, & end: Therefore every man hath his service, & imployment; if he were made for nothing, then hath he nothing to do in the world. Surely life and reason was given us for something, not meerly to furnish, and fill up the number of things in the world, as stones and rubbish do; nor meerly to grow in stature, as life was given to the plants to grow bulky, or increase in length and breadth; nor meerly to tast sensitive pleasures, as that is the happiness of the Beasts, to injoy pleasures without remorse. God gave man those higher faculties of reason and conscience, to manage some profitable work, and business, for the glory of his Creator, and his own eternal happiness. And by some honest labour and vocation, as Instruments of Gods Providence, to serve their Generation, Acts 13.26 the world was never made to be a Hive for Drones, and idle ones; if any man might be allowed to be idle, and serve for no use, then God would make one rational Creature in vain; and one member would be useless in the Body Politick. We see in the Body Natural, there is no member but hath its function and use, whereby it becometh serviceable to the whole: All have not the same Office; that would make confusion; but all have their use, either as an Eye, or as an Hand, or as a Foot, or as a Sinew, or as a Vein, or as an Artery; so in humane Society, no Member may be useless, they must have one function or another wherein to imploy themselves, otherwise they are unprofitable burdens of the Earth: Every man more or less hath some relation, which he is to improve for the glory of God, and the good of others. Every one hath his Talent, which must not be hid in a Napkin: he is accountable to God for that state of life, wherein God hath set him. The Mediator hath his work, and he giveth up his account to God, John 17.4. I have finished the work thou gavest me to do. The Courtier hath his work, Neh. 1.11. The Lord shew me favour in the sight of this man; for I was the Kings Cupbearer. He useth this as an Argument, that he had improved his place for God. The Minister hath his work, 2 Cor. 1.20. For all the promises of God in him are yea, and in him Amen, to the glory of God, by us. And Heb. 13.17. Obey them that have the rule over you, and submit your selves, for they watch for your Souls, as they that must give an account. The Master and Parent his work, and he is to glorify God, as a Master, and Parent: The Parent is to bring up his Children in the nurture, and admonition of the Lord, Eph. 4.6. The Master hath a Master in Heaven, Eph. 6.9. The Servant his work, Titus 2.10. 'Twas well said of Epictetus the Heathen, if I were a Nightingal, I would sing as a Nightingal; or if I were a Lark, I would pear as a Lark; but now I am a Man, I will glorify God as a Man, and praise him without ceasing: if a poor Man, I will glorifie him by my patient, innocent contentedness, and humble submission: if Rich, by liberality, and publick usefulness: when well, I will glorify God by my health, being hard at work for him: when sick, by meekness, and patience: if a a Magistrate, by my zeal, and activity: if a Minister, by diligence, and faithfulness: if a Tradesman, by my righteous, and conscionable dealing. So that from Christ, to the meanest Christian from the King to the meanest Skullion, all should be at work for God; for every man is sent into the world for some cause, and born for some end or other, to act that part upon the stage of the world, which the great Master of the Scenes appointeth.
4. All our sufficiencies, gifts, and abilities, were given us for this end: Every man hath some gift, more or less, as well as some relation, as Matth. 25. Every man received his Talent, and he that had but one Talent, was to give an account of it: Now all these must be improved for God. As the Husbandman, when he scattereth his Seed on the Earth, looketh for a crop, and increase: So when God scattered his gifts, 'twas not to disposses himself, but that they might be used for his glory. Every gift and grace received, is not barely donum, a gift, but Talentum, a Talent: We are Stewards, and not owners; not to act for our selves, but to honour our Master. Therefore what honour and glory hath God by our gifts, and graces? God hath dominium, we have but dispensationem. 'Tis ours for use, but not ours for injoyment; as a Factor intrusted with his Masters goods; at length it will be seen how we have improved them.
5. The end much varieth the nature of the action. It maketh an act to be of another kind; an indifferent action by the end may become a duty; a meal is an act of Worship; Alms a Sacrifice. Heb. 13.18. Trading for God an act of Religion, as well as Prayer: On the other side, a duty by the end may become a sin; as Prayer is howling, Hos. 7.14. when it hath only a natural, or a carnal end. Fasting, the bending of a Bulrush, Isa. 58.5. Obedience, Murther, Hosea 1.4. Jehu did not the Lords work sincerely, but for his own base ends, and interests: he was Anointed at Gods command to execute Judgment on Ahabs house, 2 Kings 9.6, 7. And was Temporally rewarded for it, 2 Kings 10.30. his Children to the fourth Generation should sit on the Throne of Israel; yet I will avenge the blood of Jezreel upon the house of Jehu. Why? Because he did it only to get a Kingdom to himself; and though he executed Gods Quarrel on Ahab, and his House, yet he clave to the Idolatry of Jeroboam for securing his interest. So Reformation may be a covetous design. Non pietate everterunt idola, sed avaritia. Indeed an act for the matter …inful, is not altered by the end: for I must not do evil, that good may come thereof; nor use the Devil to serve God: But how vile is it then to make God serve with our Iniquities, and use his Worship as a stale to our own ends.