Exposition of John 17, Exposition · Part 16
JOHN 17.3.
And Ieſus Chriſt whom thou haſt ſent.
Uſe 1 NOW is it ſo, that Jeſus Chriſt is Gods Apoſtle, a Meſſenger ſent, &c. This then may teach us in the firſt place, to admire the mercy of the Lord; both of the Father and of the Son in this buſineſs. The mercy of the Father in ſending Jeſus Chriſt, and the mercy of the Son, in that he would be ſent by him. In both of theſe the grace of God is eminent to admiration.
Let us here obſerve and wonder at the mercy of the Sender. There was rich grace in this, that God the Father ſent his Son into the world for our ſakes. He is his Son, his only begotten Son, a Son that is extreamly like him, the very picture of his Father, the expreſs image of his perſon, a Son that never did diſpleaſe him, a Son that he dearly loves, in whom his very ſoul delights, in which reſpect he layes him in his boſom, next his heart, as a choice and precious thing. And yet this Son of his he is content to part withall in ſome reſpect, that he and we might come together. To ſend him out of his boſom, and to diſpatch him down into this lower world, there to continue for a while, that when he returned again, he might bring us up with him. Had God any need of us, that he ſhould ſend his Son for us? Ah, my Beloved, he is ſelf-ſufficient, there is enough in him to make him happy everlaſtingly without us: But we muſt be for ever miſerable without him. And therefore it was nothing elſe but free mercy that made him ſend down his beloved Son to us. Herein is love, ſaith the Evangeliſt, 1 Iohn 4.10. not that we loved God, but that he loved us, and ſent his Son. Here is love, and here is mercy to be ſpoken of, and to be wondered at in all ages.
Let us here take notice of the mercy of the Son, in that he would ſubmit himſelf ſo far, as to become the Fathers Meſſenger in this buſineſs. Though he be man, he is the Fathers fellow notwithſtanding, ſo he ſtiles him, Zach. 13.7. Awake O ſword againſt the man that is my fellow, ſaith the Lord of hoſts. Though he be found in faſhion as a man, he thinks it no robbery to be equall with God, every way as good as God, Philip. 3.6. And was it not an admirable condeſcention, that when the Father had a Meſſage to diſpatch into the world, for the recovery of loſt creatures, Jeſus Chriſt ſhould ſay to him (as once the Prophet in another caſe) Here I am, ſend me. I am very well content to be ſent of this errand. Eſpecially if we conſider, where and whither he was ſent, from heaven to earth, yea to the loweſt parts of the earth, as the expreſſion is, Epheſ. 4.9. In a ſenſe to hell it ſelf. From the boſom of the Father, if not into the place, into the ſtate and the condition of the damned. In which reſpect, he ſaith, Thou ſhalt not leave my ſoul in hell, Pſal. 16.10. He was ſent to make peace, to reconcile us to his Father, as you heard before, in Explication of the point, and this he was to do by the blood of his Croſs, as the Apoſtle ſhews us, Col. 1.20. By his extream and bitter Paſſion, by ſuffering death it ſelf, yea ſuch a ſhamefull and accurſed death upon the Croſs, accompanied with ſuch ingredients, as made him roar, and ſweat, and faint under it. And was it not a miracle of mercy, that Jeſus Chriſt ſhould yield himſelf to be ſent on ſuch an errand as this is? That he ſhould willingly ſubmit himſelf to be the Fathers Meſſenger in ſuch a buſineſs? We need not wonder, that he whoſe love and kindneſs was ſo full of wonder, ſhould be called wonderfull, Iſa. 9.6.
But you will ſay perhaps, Object. that this indeed was rare and admirable mercy, if Jeſus Chriſt had willingly expoſed himſelf to this for us. But it ſeems he was conſtrained, it was againſt his will. For he was afraid of it, Heb. 5.7. Yea more then ſo, he prayed againſt it, Mat. 26.39. Father if it be poſsible, ſaith he, let this cup paſs from me.
To this I anſwer, my Beloved, Anſw. that Chriſt muſt be conſidered in a double notion and reſpect, either as a private man, or as a Mediator and a ſurety for his people.
Take him as a private man who had aſſumed a nature to which death was an enemy, (eſpecially ſo bitter and ſo ſharp a death as he was now about to undergo) and ſo he juſtly feared it, and declined it. Take him as a publick Surety and a mercifull high-Prieſt, and ſo he willingly ſubmitted to it. And this his willingneſs by reaſon of his Office was the greater, becauſe his will by reaſon of his nature, could not chooſe but ſhrink from it.
So that here was rich mercy: Had he done it by conſtraint, had he been enforced to it, there had been no ſuch matter in it, (I confeſs) of admiration or thankſgiving. The praiſe had then been due to him that forced him, and not to him that was enforced. But that he ſhould go forth of ſuch an errand willingly for our ſakes, that he ſhould willingly expoſe himſelf to ſuch a death for thoſe who were not friends but enemies, both to his Father and himſelf. This was love, as the Apoſtle Iohn ſpeaks, Love in the heighth, and with a witneſs; love to aſtoniſhment and admiration.
Is it ſo, that Jeſus Chriſt is Gods Apoſtle, a Meſſenger, &c. Then be Uſe 2 you all entreated to receive him, and to give him entertainment when he comes. Do not reject and ſlight a Meſſenger that comes from ſuch a one as God is; you cannot but acknowledge that you owe ſo much to any one whom God ſends, as to give him fair quarter, and to ſhew him all the kindneſs that you can. Indeed the carriage of the world to Jeſus Chriſt in this reſpect is very ſhamefull and unworthy. The Evangeliſt obſerves it, Iohn 1.10, 11. that for the greater part he is neglected, ſlighted and deſpiſed on all hands. He came into the world, ſaith he, but they refuſed him, they did not account him worth the looking after. And why ſo? the cauſe is evident, they knew him not, as it is added there in that place. But yet the Jews, a man would think, who were his own, of whom he came according to the fleſh, who knew the propheſies concerning him, ſhould have received and entertained him. No, for the greater number of them, they were as bad, and as averſe as it was poſſible for men to be. He came unto his own, his own friends, his own kindred, his own acquaintance, his own Nation, the people of his own Countrey; but though they were his own, they would not own him, nor embrace him; He came unto his own, and his own received him not. Yea more then ſo, it is obſerved, with reference to them, that God ſent his Son among them, and they caſt him out and ſlew him, Mat. 21.39.
Now I beſeech you, my Beloved, be not you like thoſe men. Since Jeſus Chriſt is Gods Apoſtle and his Meſſenger, ſince he is ſent from God to you, let him be received by you. When he comes to your doors, let him not ſtand knocking there, till his head be full of dew, and his locks with the drops of the night. No, open preſently and let him in, and entertain him with ſuch honour and reſpect as is agreeable and ſuitable to him who comes immediately from God, who is the Meſſenger and Embaſſador of the great God of heaven and earth.
And that you may the rather be prevailed withall, I ſhall preſent you with a few conſiderations.
Conſider Jeſus Chriſt as he is ſent forth from God, ſo he is ſent on your buſineſs. The errand which he comes about concerns you, and therefore you have cauſe to look after him. If he were ſent into the world about a matter that you had not to do withall, and that concerns you not at all, there were ſome colour that you ſhould neglect him, that you ſhould leave him to be entertained by thoſe whoſe buſineſs he is come about. For what have you to do with him that comes upon a meſſage to another man? But ſure the errand and the buſineſs which our Saviour comes into the world about is yours, it is but reaſon that he ſhould be entertained by you.
And as the buſineſs which he comes about concerns you, ſo it concerns you for your good, and your advantage. It might be your buſineſs, and yet it might be but a bad buſineſs, ſuch as you have no cauſe to hearken much after, nor to give any welcome entertainment to him that is employed about it. It might be for your hurt, and for your ruine, and your condemnation: But Jeſus Chriſt is not ſent into the world (at leaſt he is not ſent immediately and directly) upon any ſuch errand. The Father diſavows it, and ſaith, he did not ſend his Son into the world, to condemn the world, but that the world by him might be ſaved, John 3.17. And ſo doth the Son too, Iohn 12.47. I came not to judge the world, but to ſave the world. So that you ſee Chriſt is the Meſſenger of God for good to you. He is not come to judge you and condemn you, but to ſave you. He comes not with a Writ of death, but with a Pardon, and a Pardon ſealed with his own blood, and therefore you have cauſe to bid him welcome. He is ſent to make Peace for you, and to preach Peace to you, as I have ſhewed you formerly. The Spirit of the Lord is upon me, ſaith our Saviour, Iſaiah 61.1. he hath annointed me to preach good tidings to the meek, he hath ſent me to bind up the broken hearted, to proclaim liberty to the captives, and the opening of the priſon to them that are bound, to proclaim the acceptable year of the Lord. You ſee the errand he is ſent upon is all ſweetneſs, the meſſage which he brings is nothing elſe but glad tidings of good things. And therefore let his very feet be beautifull, let his reception and his entertainment be anſwerable to his buſineſs.
Conſider that the Father, who hath ſent the Son into the world, expects he ſhould be well received and entertained by you. He looks for this at your hands, that you ſhould honour his Embaſſador, and uſe him with reſpect for his ſake. Eſpecially ſince he is not his Embaſſador in ordinary; as he hath many ſuch among you, every Miniſter is ſo. No, my Beloved, Jeſus Chriſt is more then ſo, he is the Extraordinary Meſſenger and Embaſſador of God, and therefore he will have him entertained with extraordinary honour and reſpect. And this is that which he ſuggeſteth in the parable, Mat. 21.37. Laſt of all he ſent his Son, ſaying, they will reverence my Son. He had ſent many other Meſſengers before, and they deſpiſed and abuſed them, as you may ſee in that place. But laſt of all he ſent his Son, the greateſt and the beſt Embaſſador he had to ſend, and ſaid, though they have ſlighted other Meſſengers of mine, yet ſurely they will reverence my Son. Though they have abuſed my ſervants, they will not deal ſo with my Son, it is impoſſible they ſhould be ſo unworthy to deſpiſe my Son. So that you ſee, my Brethren, when God ſends his Son to you, he looks he ſhould be well received and entertained by you.
Conſider, that if you deceive his expectation, he will take deep revenge upon you. If when he hath diſpatched his own Son to you, you will not give him entertainment, but ſhut the doors againſt him, as it were, and turn him off with a refuſall, it will fall heavy on you in the end. It is ſuch a baſe affront, and high indignity to God and Chriſt, as he will never take from you. See the event of ſuch a carriage in the cloſe of the forecited parable, Mat. 21.41. He will miſerably deſtroy thoſe wicked men. Indeed the wickedneſs of thoſe to whom Chriſt is never ſent, is light and little in compariſon of theirs. He is not ſent to Heathen Nations, they hear not of him any way, God hath not favoured them ſo far as to diſpatch his Son to them, to be a Mediator between him and them. And therefore their iniquity is comparatively ſmall, and their Judgement will be eaſie. But Jeſus Chriſt is ſent to you, he is the Fathers Meſſenger to you, and if you do not entertain him, your ſin is great, and your damnation will be heavy: He will deſtroy others, but he will miſerably deſtroy you: So that it will be eaſier for Tyre and Sydon, for Infidels and Heathens in the day of Judgement, then for you.
Conſider, if you receive this Meſſenger of God, and entertain him as you ought to do, he can do very much with God for you. You are all out with God by nature, he is an enemy to you, and you are enemies to him, your ſouls abhor him, and his ſoul abhors you, Zach. 11.8. Now Jeſus Chriſt is ſent to make peace, to make up all the breaches and the differences between God and his people. He can make you Gods friends, yea he can make you Gods children. This was the priviledge of thoſe that entertained him, Iohn 1.12. To as many as received him, to them gave he power to become the ſons of God. And this ſhall be your priviledge, if you embrace him.
And is it ſuch a ſmall thing in your eyes to be the children of the higheſt, to be the ſons and daughters of the God of heaven and earth? Is it nothing to have free acceſs to God by prayer and by ſupplication, to cry Abba Father to him? That whereas others live without God in the world, and have no refuge in their troubles, we have a Father to betake our ſelves unto. Or is it nothing to have ſure protection and defence, in ſuch a time as this is? For can we think a Father, ſuch a Father ſo powerfull, and ſo mercifull, will ſee his children ſink and periſh while he is able to relieve them? Or is it nothing to have ſuch a great inheritance prepared for us, as God provideth for his children, that rich inheritance with Saints in light? All this we ſhall be ſure to have, if we receive this Meſſenger of God.
But you will ask me what I mean, when I perſwade you to receive him? I will ſhew you in a word, there go three things to it.
You muſt ſo receive this Meſſenger of God, to hearken to him. An Embaſſador you know is not received, unleſs the Prince or State to whom his Maſter ſends him, give him audience. A Meſſenger is not received, unleſs you hear the meſſage that he brings you. So Jeſus Chriſt whom God hath ſent, is not received unleſs you hear this Prophet, unleſs you hear him in his Miniſters, unleſs you hear him in his Goſpel-revelations of his mind and will to you.
You muſt ſo receive him, to believe in him. This is indeed receiving of Chriſt. And therefore it is ſo explained, Iohn 1.12. To as many as received him, to them gave, &c. As received him! what is that? even to them that believe in his name. So that receiving, is expounded by believing; as if the Holy Ghoſt had ſaid, I mean not by receiving Chriſt, any friendly curteous entertainment that they give him, I do not mean receiving him into their houſes, but I intend receiving him into their hearts by faith. And therefore by receiving, you muſt underſtand believing: So do you receive Chriſt. The only acceptable entertainment you can give him, is by faith, by believing in his name. The Meſſenger of God is ill received, unleſs he have the credit with us to be faithfully believed.
You muſt ſo receive him, as to obey him. To hearken and to yield to him, in that which he delivereth to you in the name of him that ſent him. You muſt not think to entertain this Meſſenger of God, as an underling to you, ſo as to rule him; no, you muſt be ruled by him. When he delivers his Embaſſage to you from his Father, and tells you what his pleaſure is, as ſoon as you hear you muſt obey him. There muſt be no room for diſputation or expoſtulation, but obedience. You muſt anſwer with the Jews, and with a better heart then they, All that the Lord commandeth we will do. And if you thus receive this Meſſenger of God, it will be a bleſſed time that he ever came to you.
And thus we have at length diſpatched two of the Arguments, with which our Saviour preſſes and enforceth the great petition that he makes to God the Father to be glorified by him. Whereof the former hath been taken from the end, why he deſireth to have glory from the Father, viz. that he might be enabled to bring glory to the Father. Father glorifie thy Son, that thy Son may alſo glorifie thee. The ſecond hath been drawn à Congruo, from Congruity: it was but meet and congruous that he ſhould have glory from the Father, ſeeing he had power from him. As thou haſt given him power over all fleſh, that he ſhould give eternal life to, &c. And this is life, &c. The third remaineth to be entred on at this time, and this is drawn from the deſerving cauſe. Chriſt had glorified the Father, and therefore thinks himſelf worthy to have glory from the Father. I have glorified thee on the earth, I have finiſhed the work which thou gaveſt me to do: And now O Father, glorifie me with thine own ſelf.
And here our Saviour doth theſe two things; he minds the Father what himſelf hath done, and then reminds him what he deſireth him to do. Firſt, He minds the Father what himſelf hath done, and that in two particulars; I have glorified thee on earth, I have finiſhed the work which thou gaveſt me to do. And then reminds him hereupon, of that which he deſireth him to do; And now O Father, glorifie me with thine own ſelf. As he had ſaid before in the entrance of his prayer, Father, glorifie thy Son: ſo that he reaſons here from the deſert to the reward, as he might do, though we cannot; for all the works of Chriſt were meritorious. This he had done for God, and therefore this he looks that God ſhould do for him again.
Begin we now with the firſt thing which our Saviour Chriſt had done, of which he minds the Father, as an inducement to glorifie him with himſelf: I have glorified thee on the Earth.
To glorifie, is either really to make, or elſe to manifeſt, and to declare a perſon to be glorious. Chriſt could not make his Father glorious, becauſe there was no time in which he was not infinitely and compleatly ſo. From everlaſting he was abſolutely glorious in himſelf: ſo that in this reſpect there could not be the leaſt addition to him any way. The meaning is, that he had manifeſted and declared him to be glorious: that he had ſhewed him in his glory to the world. And this is that which he expreſſes clearly in the following verſe, ſaith he, I have made known thy name to the men which thou haſt given me. And this he tels him he had done on earth. It was done in heaven before, the glory of the Lord was fully and immediately manifeſted there. And now ſaith Chriſt, it is done in earth too: I have glorified thee on earth. And hereupon he looks his Father ſhould glorifie him with himſelf in heaven, as it is added in the following words: So that the point to be obſerved is this.
DOCTRINE. Who ever will be glorified with God in heaven, muſt glorifie him firſt on Earth.
Our Saviour Chriſt himſelf you ſee can have it on no other terms: And therefore he deſires it only upon this account: ſaith he to God the Father, I have glorified thee on Earth, and now O Father, glorifie me with thy ſelf in heaven. According to his firſt deſire in his beginning of his prayer, Father, glorifie thy Son, q. d. I ſhould not look for any glory from thee, unleſs I had brought glory to thee: I ſhould be far from any expectation that thou ſhouldſt glorifie me with thy ſelf in heaven, unleſs I were aſſured in my ſelf, that I had glorified thee here upon the earth. But ſeeing I have done the former, I pray thee Father, do the latter: ſince I have glorified thee, let me be glorified by thee. And as it was with Chriſt the Head, ſo it muſt be in ſome degree with all the Members. No glory to be had in heaven, till they have glorified God on earth. Its true, they merit not the glory they receive from God, by that which they bring to God, as Chriſt did: but yet the one is not to be attained without the other. They that bring God no glory in the preſent world, ſhall have no glory from him in the world to come. The Lord indeed will render glory to every man that worketh good, and ſo glorifieth him; as the Apoſtle ſhews, Rom. 2.10. But unto them that are contentious, and do not obey the truth, but obey unrighteouſneſs, and ſo diſhonour God in their lives and converſations, he will render nothing elſe but ſhame, and ignominy, and confuſion. They ſhall be raiſed to everlaſting contempt, Dan. 12.2. and be made ſpectacles of ſhame to men and Angels.
Reaſ. 1 And the ground is evident, becauſe ſo is the everlaſting Counſel and Decree of God, which is not to be altered or reverſed. Thoſe whom he chuſes for himſelf, whom he predeſtinateth to be glorified with him in the world to come: thoſe he predeſtinateth alſo to bring glory to him in this preſent world. As he predeſtinateth ſuch to the inheritance above, who is abundantly, and out of meaſure glorious, ſo he predeſtinates them alſo, that they ſhould be to the praiſe of his glory, as the Apoſtle ſhews you, Eph. 1.11, 12. That he may manifeſt the riches of his glory in the veſſels of mercy, which he had afore prepared unto glory: ſo that you ſee, as he prepares them unto glory, as he appoints them to be glorified themſelves, ſo he prepares them, and appoints them to bring glory to himſelf, Rom. 9.23. To ſhew forth the praiſes of him that hath called them to his Kingdom and glory: 1 Pet. 2.9. Thy people ſhall be all righteous, (ſaith the Lord of his Church) Iſa. 60.21. The branch of my planting, the work of my hands, that I may be glorified. Not only that they may be glorified, but that I may be glorified too. And if this be the purpoſe and decree of God, will he not ſee it executed and fulfilled in all reſpects: as well with reference to his glory, as with reference to theirs? ſhall his Counſel be accompliſhed in the one, and not in the other? do you imagine that the Lord will be put off in ſuch a faſhion, that he will be diſappointed of his end and of his purpoſe in ſuch a buſineſs as this is? No, no, aſſuredly if he predeſtinate men, that they may be to the praiſe of his glory, as well as that they may be glorified by him: to his praiſe, and to his glory they ſhall be. And if they be not ſo at all, it is apparent they are not predeſtinated by him, and conſequently they ſhall have no glory from him.
Now is it ſo, my Brethren, that whoever will be glorified with God Ʋſe 1 in heaven, muſt glorifie him firſt on earth: This then may ſerve to ſhew the vanity of their conceit and apprehenſion, who look for glory in the world to come, and yet they bring the Lord no glory here. It is the miſerable folly and deluſion of the greater part of men, there is not one of us almoſt, but thinks that God will glorifie him with himſelf hereafter. He is an extraordinary man that doth not feed himſelf with this fancy. And yet thoſe very perſons, many of them who are ſtrong in this opinion, take no care to honour God in any of their ways, nor to bring him any glory: why, my beloved, how can you think now to be glorified with him? Jeſus Chriſt, his own Son, the darling of his own boſom, could not have glory with him upon theſe terms. He did not once ſo much as look for it. Had he not glorified his Father here in this world, he would not have expected that he ſhould have glorified him with himſelf in heaven; ye ſee he ſeeks it, and deſires it only upon this account. And what now, do you think to ſpeed better with the Father, then Jeſus Chriſt, his own Son? do you imagine that you ſhall have glory from him, though you bring no glory to him? when Chriſt himſelf did not, could not obtain it upon ſuch terms as theſe are; do you look in this regard to be preferred before Chriſt? to have the better of God himſelf? Ah my beloved do not gull your ſouls with this deluſion.
I beſeech you think upon it; you, who by your lewd and vitious converſations diſhonour God continually: you who lie in wickedneſs, and wallow in uncleanneſs, whoſe lives are full of nothing but prophaneneſs, who are conſcious to your ſelves that God hath not a whit of glory brought him by you, unleſs ungodlineſs and ſin will do it: To whom a man may truly ſay, as the Apoſtle doth to ſome, Rom. 2.24. The name of God is blaſphemed by your means: do you expect that God ſhould glorifie you with himſelf in heaven, when you have done nothing elſe but diſhonoured him on earth? believe it, he will be ſo far from this, that ſeeing he hath not been glorified by you, he will be glorified upon you. He made you for his glory, and glory he will have, either one way or another; he will not loſe a farthing by you. And if he be not glorified by your holy converſation, he will be glorified in your damnation, and eternal ruine. And all the honour that you loſe him here, he will fetch it out again, and have his penny-worths upon you in the world to come. There you muſt lie and burn, and there is no deliverance thence till you have paid the utmoſt farthing.
Is it ſo, that whoſoever will be glorified, &c. you then my Brethren, Ʋſe 2 that have thoughts aſpiring to the glory of the world to come, and that deſire to be partakers of it there, you ſee the courſe you are to take; you muſt make this your work and buſineſs, how you may glorifie the Lord here, how you may ſet him up, and ſhew him in his beauty, and his luſtre to the world. And though you can make no addition to him in himſelf, yet let this be your endeavour all your days, to bring in ſome accruments to his honour among men, that they may honour him the more by your means: that ſo when you come to die, you may beſpeak him, as our Saviour doth, when he was ready to be offered up. We have glorified thee on earth, and now O Father, glorifie us with thy ſelf.
Now there are two ways eſpecially, in which you may bring glory to the Lord; either in a way of vocal declaration, or in a way of real repreſentation: And both theſe ways you muſt endeavour to bring glory to him here, if you deſire to have glory from him hereafter.
Firſt, Glorifie him in a way of vocal declaration; let your tongues be the Trumpeters of his glory, while you are ſpeaking upon all occaſions, of things that tend to the advancement of the honour and the praiſe of God. Any thing that you conceive will ſet him up, and raiſe him in the thoughts of thoſe whom you diſcourſe withal, be ſure that you inſiſt upon it, and enlarge it to the utmoſt; let the name, and let the attributes, and let the works of God loſe nothing by your means. Glorifie him, as Chriſt did by manifeſting and by making known his name to men, by telling what he is, and what he doth, by ſetting forth his power, and mercy, and the like, that ſuch as hear may magnifie him, and admire him. Study God-exalting ſpeeches, and expreſſions, and diſcourſes, and enure your tongues to them, that you may have them ready upon all occaſions, when there is any opportunity, for Gods honour.
Secondly, Glorifie him alſo in a way of real repreſentation; and here let him be glorified in what you are, and what you do.
1. Let God be glorified in what you are; let his glory ſhine upon you by reflexion, according to the Prophets Exhortation, Iſa. 60.1. Ariſe, and ſhine, for thy light is come, and the glory of the Lord is riſen upon thee. Be you the monuments of his praiſe, the emblems of his love, and of his mercy, the ſtanding pillars on which his goodneſs is engraven, to be read and ſeen of men. Do you ſhew forth the praiſes, or as we find it rendred in the margent, the vertues of him that hath called you, 1 Pet. 2.9. That every one that looks upon you, & obſerves you, may ſee the goodneſs, and the grace, and holineſs of God in you. That they may ſay, if there be ſo much in the ſtream, what is there in the ſpring and in the fountain? If there be ſo much in the beam, what is there in the Sun of righteouſneſs himſelf? If there be ſo much vertue in them that are called, what is there then in him that hath called them? This makes much for Gods praiſe, and ſo indeed in ſhewing forth the vertue, we ſhew forth the praiſe and the glory of him that hath called us. He hath made me (ſaith the Church) a poliſhed ſhaft, a choice, a ſpecial, and a poliſhed piece of work, and ſaid unto me, thou art my ſervant, in whom I will be glorified. When God makes ſuch curious pieces, and hangs them forth in the view of all the world, he is glorified in them.
2. Let God be glorified, as in what you are, ſo in the ſecond place, in what you do, yea, in every thing you do. Let this be the utmoſt aim of all your actions. Your acts of nature, as eating, or drinking, or the like, let theſe be done with reference to Gods glory; as the Apoſtle Paul exhorts to eat and drink to the glory of God, 1 Cor. 10.31. Your civil actions, your trading, dealing, and commercing in the world, your buying, ſelling, giving, lending, your care and labour in your calling, let theſe have the ſame end; You ſee the rule is univerſal in the fore-alledged Text, whatſoever elſe you do. Your holy and religious duties, let thoſe have this aſpect and aim, that you may glorifie the Lord, and not your ſelves in them. That when men ſee your good works, your frequent hearing, praying, faſting, bounty to the poor Saints, they may glorifie not you the doers of them, but your Father which is in heaven. And in a word, (my Brethren) no action is exempt from this direction. And hence ſaith the Apoſtle, 1 Pet. 4.11. If any ſpeak, let him ſpeak as the Oracles of God: if any man miniſter, let him do it as of the ability which God giveth, that God in all things may be glorified, through Jeſus Chriſt.
What then, it may be you will interpoſe and ask, Object. may a man aim at nothing elſe but Gods glory? may he propound no other end in any thing he undertakes? may he have no reſpect to others, to himſelf? this is a hard ſaying, who can hear it?
The rule (as you have heard) is univerſal: Anſw. but that you may the better underſtand the meaning of it, & that your conſcience may not be entangled, you muſt know, that other ends may be propounded in our actions, in a way either of ſubordination, or elſe of oppoſition to the glory of God.
A man may aim at nothing elſe, no other end, in oppoſition to his glory: all ſuch muſt of neceſſity be laid aſide. But other ends may be intended in ſubordination to it; they may be looked upon as far as they may be ſubſervient to this, which ought to be the ultimate, the utmoſt end of all our actions. A man in his endeavours and painful labours in his calling, may aim at the increaſe of his Eſtate: Not that he may be lifted up above his brethren, not that he may conſume it on his Luſts, or make it fuell to maintain his pride, or his intemperance, or the like. Theſe may not be his ends, becauſe they ſtand in oppoſition to the great and utmoſt end; but that God may be honoured, while he is not burthenſom by his remiſsneſs and his negligence, (but rather hath to give to him that needeth.) And while he makes proviſion for his family, and thoſe that have dependance on him: which he that provideth not for, is worſe then an Infidel. Thus we muſt make the very duties of our callings pay tribute to the honour of our God, who keeps his ſervants, not as poor men do, for need; but as rich and great men do, for their magnificence, and ſtate, and glory. And as the hatchet ſerves to make the pin, the pin to hold the timber, the timber to receive the tyle, and all refers to this ſupream and utmoſt end, to build the houſe: we may aim at divers ends, but all of them muſt be ſubſervient, and helping onward to this utmoſt end, the glory of God.