A Complete Body of Divinity, Sermons · 2 (Question 1 cont.)
SERMON, II.
HAVING thus ſtated the QUESTION, it remains,
Secondly, TO give ſome Explication of the ANSWER.
HERE we have Two diſtinct things put together, viz. To Glorify God and Enjoy him for ever: But we muſt warily conſider them, elſe we may be greatly miſtaken about them.
IT is to be obſerved, that in ſtrict ſpeaking, that which is Chief can be but One. It is a Contradiction to ſay, there are Two laſt Ends; if both are Equal, neither of them can be the Chief or Laſt. Among Intermediate Ends, ſome may be ſubordinate, others may be co-ordinate, but the Laſt will admit of no Compeer: and as the Chief is but One, ſo it is not a thing compounded, but ſingle: It cannot be made of the Meeting of divers in One, for that which is compounded, is indeed manifold; and except there were an Equality between thoſe things ſo concurring, they cannot he of a like Weight: and therefore the One muſt needs ſtand in Subordination to the Other. So, that if we would ſpeak exactly, there is but One of theſe, viz. TO GLORIFY GOD. which is Man's Chief End; the Other is immediately ſubordinated, or it is Next to the Laſt. It is Man's Duty to ſeek his Own Peſt Good, which conſiſts in his Enjoying of God; but he is to do it in and for the Glory of God; and ſo from thence all his ſeeking of it is to take it's Meaſures.
BUT Theſe Two are joyned together in the Anſwer for theſe Reaſons.
1. BECAUSE God is pleaſed to put them together in his Word, under the nation of Work and Reward. God having put into Man a natural Deſire after Happineſs or Well-being, makes uſe of it to help him in his Duty: and therefore having made him for: His Glorry, quickens him to it by a Promiſe of Happineſs in his ſo doing. Hence the Scripture is full of ſuch Paſſages wherein the Command and Promiſe are connected; nor would fallen man ſeek God's Glory, had he not this Encouragement.
2. BECAUSE they are inſeparable in Practice. A Man cannot ſeek God's Glory aright, but In ſo doing, he alſo ſeeks his Own Salvation; and this follows from the former And the Conjunction between them in Practice is thus ſtated; viz God doth, as it were, ſay to the Children of Men. You have a deſire to be Happy; that you can only be in the Enjoyment of Me; I am the only adequate Object of the Happineſs of the Children of Men; But if you will truely glorify me, in it you ſhall be Happy; Do you take care for My Honour, and I will ſecure Your Felicity. And by this means it comes to paſs, that all the Rules which God gives Men to Glorify him become thro' this ſtrong Connexion, the ſure Guide of Man to Eternal Glory. Hence that forementioned, Iſa. 56 2. Jam. 1.25. Happineſs is made the Reward of true Ob-dience; and yet becauſe Man owes God Service, by a Tie of Nature antecedent to the Reward, hence he is to ſeek God…s Glory, tho' there were none: ſo that Reſpect to his Own Benefit is but a ſecondary Conſideration.
HERE therefore that Great CASE, with which ſome perlex themſelves and others, is eaſily reſolved, viz.
Q. WHETHER a Man ought willingly to be Dimned. ſo God's Glory may be advanced by it?
Anſw. A Willingneſs to be Damned is inconſiſtent with a true Deſire that God may be Glorified: Becauſe it ſeparateth thoſe things which God hath made inſeparable: It ſuppoſeth a claſhing in that very Order, which God hath put between the End and the Means: It muſt there are preſume a Conſent that God ſhould be falſe to his Word and Promiſe, which militates againſt his Glory; or elſe a Willingneſs to neglect the Duties to which the Promiſe is made; which is to conſent to our own actual diſhonouring of him: neither of which are conſiſtent with our ſincere aiming at our Laſt End.
THERE are indeed two Scripture-examples, that ſeem to make for the contrary Concluſion: that of M…ſes, Exod. 32.32. and of Paul Rom. 9 3.—But if throughly weighed, they will not evince it. Both of them are of One Tencur, and neither looks immediately to the Glory of God, but to expreſs an exuberant Affection to their People: Neither of them in their extent are juſtifiable. God himſelf ſeems to teſtify againſt, and tacitly to reprove that of Meſes, ver. 33. and Paul expreſſeth himſelf in the Potential Mood, I could wiſh, &c. q. d. I have ſuch an endeared Love to my Kindred, that I am at the Point of ſo wiſhing; I could do it, if it were lawful: It is a pathetical Expreſſion of an hyperbolical Affection. It muſt needs therefore be an enſnaring Trial that is put upon the Children of God, when this is offered as a Rule to prove their Sincerity by. He that inſatiably deſires to be ſaved and yet reſolves to be ſaved in no other way but that wherein God may be Glorifyed, certainly is the Man, whoſe Ends are rightly fixed.
IT now follows to ſpeak to theſe here diſtinely.
1. MAN's Chief End is to GLORIFY GOD. As this is firſt mentioned in the Anſwer, ſo it hath the Preheminence in our Conſideration: This and that which follows, are not put diſtributivety, but ſubordinately; for it is a Definition, and not a Diſtribution, that we are upon the Conſideration of.
TWO things here call for our enquity, viz.
1. What is meant by Glorifying God?
2. The Evidence that this is Man's Chief End
[1.] WHAT is meant by Glorifying God?
A. WE ought carefully to beware of being miſtaken in this Point; it being that in which our whole Life is to be emploved, and upon which our whole Happineſs hath it's abſolute Dependence: ſo that an Error here ſpoils all, & neceſſitates us to live in vain. Here therefore,
1. Negatively. IT intends not that we are able to make any Addition to God's immediate & eſſential Glory; as though we ſhoulder could make him more glorious in Himſelf than he is, and hath been from all Eternity. So to do is out of the Reach, and above the Capacity, either of Angels or Men: and that appears for theſe Two Reaſons.
1. FROM the Infinite Perſection of God's innate Glory, rendring in incapable of any Acceſs or Increaſe. To that which is abſolutely perfect, nothing can be added: ſuch is God's Being and Glory: could it receive any thing, it were not infinite: were it capable of increaſe, it were imperfect in Degrees: Goodneſs it ſelf cannot be made better; Happineſs it ſelf can never be happier. Concretes may receive Magis et Minus, but Abstracts are Superlatives. God therefore makes that challenge of all his Creatures, Rom. 11.35. Who hath firſt given to him — intimating that there are no Such.
2. BECAUSE all that any have, they received it of him. And that is the Argument uſed, Ver. 36. For of him, and through him, and to him, are all things: to whom be glery for ever. Amen. All that Men can offer up to God, is nothing but what they were firſt beholden to him for; ſo that they can give him nothing back but his own: For this we have David's full Acknowledgement, 1 Chron 29.12, 14 New therefore, cur God, we thank thee, and praiſe thy glorious name. But who am I, and what is my people, that we ſhould be able to offer ſo willingly after this ſort? for all things come of thee, and of thine own have we given thee. God is no ways beholden to us for our Service: He needs it not, though it be cur Duty and our Happineſs to ſerve him, Job 35.6, 7, 8. If thou ſinneſt, what doeſt thou againſt him? or if thy tranſgreſſions be multiplied, what doeſt thou unto him? If thou he righteous, what giveſt thou him? or what receiveth be of thine hand?
2. Poſitively. TO Glorify God is to ſhow forth his Glory, to declare him to be moſt glorious. There is a declarative Glory of God, which he himſelf aims at in all his Works of Creation and Providence; which is the making himſelf known, in the Manifeſtation of his glorious Being and Perfections by the Foot-ſteps thereof, which leave a viſible Print upon all: That he deſigned it, appears in, Prov. 1.…4. The Lord hath made all things for himſelf —. Rev. 4.11. Thou art worthy, O Lord, to receive glory, and honour, and power: for thou haſt created all things, and for thy pleaſure they are, and were created. That they do declare it may be ſeen, Pſal. 19. begin. The heavens declare the glory of God: and the ſirmament ſhew…th his handy work, &c. Rom. 1.19, 20. Becauſe that when may be known of God, is manifeſt in them; for God hath ſhewed it unto them. For the inviſible things of him from the creation of the world are clearly ſeen, being und…o…d by the things that are made, even his eternal power and Godhead, ſo that they are without excuſe. So Act 14.17. Now Man, as he was made capable of it in Creation; ſo he is obliged by the Law o… Gubernation, to Gather up, and Reflect back upon God the Praiſe and Glory of all this, by acknowledging it to him and anſ… erably ſerving of him. Hence the Glorifying of God is expounded to us in Scripture by other equipollent terms; Shewing ſ…rth his Praiſe. Iſa. 43.21. Speaking and Talking of his Greatneſs & goodneſs, Pſal. 145.10, 11, 12. Shewing forth his Salvation, Pſal. 96.2. Giving him his due Acknowledgment, Ver 7, 8. & ver 10. Saying among the heathen that the Lord re…g…; And many the like.
MORE particularly God is to be glorifyed by us,
(1.) IN our Hearts: And that,
1. BY entertaining ſuitable Thoughts & Conceptions of him. When we employ our Minds in taking up becoming Apprehenſions of God, ſuch as are honourable, we then honour him in Heart. And indeed Honour, which is one part of our Duty & End, is properly the high Ro…m he hath in our Souls: without it all ourward. Shews are hypocritical, and meer Mockery. We know therefore that God calls for the Heart, and judgeth according to it.
2. BY a Frame of Heart ſuitable to theſe Impreſſions. Thereby we ſet up his Trophies in our Souls, and that is properly Glorifying him: And that contains divers things in it. Eſpecially,
1. AN hearty Adoration of him according to that glorious Goodneſs we have diſcovered in him. We acknowledge him King and Sovereign; and accordingly we how down before him, and worſhip him; Hence we are ſo often called upon to Worſhip him, and to Adore him, in the Scriptures.
2. A Fearing of him for his Greatneſs, & for his Goodneſs. We ſee that in him which tells us that he is to be Feared; and we therefore nouriſh a reverential Fear of him in us, to keep us in our Place, and to excite us to our Duty, in Attendance to that Direction. Iſa. …. 13. Sanctify the Lord of be…s himſelf, & let him be your fear, and let him be your dread.
3. A Truſting in him, a repoſing our …o ſilence, & leaning the whole Weight of our Soals upon him. The more fully, quietly, and reſolvedly, we can do it, the more do we Honour God: and therefore as we are often called upon to truſt in him, ſo they are declared happy that ſo do; Pſal. 2.12. Bleſſed are all they that pat their truſt in him.
4. A Submitting our Wills to his Command. Such a God is to be obeyed and all his Perfections challenge our Submiſſion to him: all Religion therefore is comprehended in a Living to his Will; 1 Pet. 4.2. That be … longer ſhould live the reſt of his time in the fleſh, to the luſts of men, but to the will of God. And that begins in Willing his Will.
5. IN a quiet Entertaining all his Previdences, with an …ty Approbation of them, becauſe He is the Potter & we the Clay. & ſaying Good is the Word of the Lord, when it never ſo much thwarts our own Natural Inclinations.
(2.) IN our Words: By confeſſing him before men, and verbal Acknowledgment of him to be ſuch a God: and profeſſing of all thoſe Obligations lying upon us, to Love, Obey, Fear, and Believe in him. The Tongue is called our Glory, and we make it ſo indeed, when we uſe it to declare Gods Glory.
(3) IN our p…actical Converſation. When we direct all our Actions, Natural, Civil, Religious to his Glory, according to the forementioned Precept, 1 Cor. 10 31. When we ſo look to our Ways, that they may be to our utmoſt capacity performed for the Matter, Manner, & all Circumſtances, as that God may be Honoured, and his Name Exalted by us. How all this is to be done, is the Matter Diſcuſſed in all the reſt of the Catechiſm.
[2.] FOR Evidence that this is Mans Chief End. This will appear from theſe Conſiderations.
1. MAN muſt love a Loſt & Chief End. He muſt have an End, or elſe he were in vain. A Being that hath no End, is for nothing, and had as good not to have been. Vanity is properly the coming ſhort of an End; and whether it be for Want of one, or by Miſſing of it, it comes all to one at the laſt: And he muſt have a Laſt End, elſe he can never be happy; for if there were an Infinite Subordination in his Ends, be could never come to his Reſting Place, but muſt be an Everlaſting Seeker, wandring in his endleſs Queſt.
2. GOD's Glory is the Loſt End of all the Creatures, and therefore of Man. He alſo is a Piece of the Creation, and partakes in whatſoever is common to the Whole: But that all things were made for God's Glory, is clearly aſſerted in Scripture; forementioned Prov. 16.4. Rev. 1.11.
3. MAN … nearly and immediately made for the Glory of God. Other Creatures were made for it ultimately, but Man both nextly and ultimately too. The other parts of the Viſible Creation were nextly made for Man and his Service, Pſal. 8. And in ſerving Him they were to ſerve God: They were to be his Helps in it, both to encourage him, and to diſcover much of God to him: But there …as nothing ſtood between God and him to intercept his Service. Angels might be his C…later…ls, and in many Reſpects more noble Beings: but They were not to be Worſhipped and Served by him, but God alone: And for the ſitting him to this Service He received the Image of God, which was his Created Sanctification.
4. MAN can have we other Loſt End but God & his Glory. For then it muſt be either the Creature or Himſelf: A Third cannot be thought of: But it can be neither of theſe as will appear,
(1) IT cannot be the Creature; neither in General nor any Particular, for theſe Reaſons.
1. BECAUSE the Creature is inſeriour to Him: A Man's End is to be looked for above him, and not beneath him: but Man is Super… our to theſe: He is better and more excellent than they, in his Being, and therefore cannot be for them.
2. BECAUSE Men is the Creatures Next Eng. That therefore cannot be His Laſt End: That that ſhould be made for Man's Service; and that yet Man ſhould be to ſerve that, implieth a Contradiction: But God gave all theſe things to Man to Rule over them, Gen. 1.28. And God bleſſed them, & God ſaid were them, Be fruitful, & …ti…ly, & repleniſh the earth & ſubdue it: and have dominion ever the fiſh of the ſea, & over the ſoul of the air, & ever every living thing that moveth upon the earth.
3. BECAUSE the Creature cannot Satisfy him. Man's Laſt End and his Objective Happineſs are the ſame: And the Wiſe-Man when he would prove that this cannot be the Creature, renders that as a ſufficient Reaſon, Ecc…. 1.8. All things are full of labour, man cannot utter it: the eye is not ſatisfied with ſeeing; not the ear ſilled with …ring. And that is far from being a Laſt End, which when enjoyed leaves the Man Miſerable, Mat. 16.26. For what is a man proſited, if he ſhall gain the whole wor…d, & …ſe his own ſoul?
(2). NEITHER can He be his Own Laſt End. For.
1. THE End muſt be ſomething Better than the Means that ſerve to it. For the Goodneſs of the Means as ſuch, is nothing elſe but their Servicableneſs to the End; whereas the Goodneſs of the End is in it ſelf: Thus our Saviour argues, Mat. 6.25. Therefore I ſay unto you, Take … thought for your …, what ye ſhall …, or what ye ſhall drink; no… y…t … your …ody what ye ſhall put on: Is … the, … that …, and the holy th…n rai…?
2. THERE is a Being B…tter than M…n and therefore He ca… be his C… Chief End. The Laſt End, and the Chief Good, are One and the Same: There is therefore no reſting till we come there: God is his Own Laſt End, becauſe there is none bett…; but then he is no Mean, but only a… End: But God is better than Man. Mat. 19.17. And …e ſaid unto him, Why …lleſt th… … good? there is … good but one, that is GOD. He is only Eſſentially and Supremly Good: All Goodneſs in Man is only by Participation.
3. MAN cannot be his … Happineſs, and therefore … his … Chief End. A… End that cannot happiſy him, is not worthy of that Name. Man is a Dependent Be…: his Felicity is out of himſelf: It was ſo in his beſt State of Integrity, … more in his lapſed State of Miſery: He muſt go out of himſelf, if ever … will be well: God alone is an Adequate Object for Felicity; He only can be a Portion for the Soul. Law. 3.14. So that if Man cannot find his Life neither in the Creature, not in Himſelf, but in God alone, it follows of Neceſſity, that not They, but He only muſt be his Chief End.
[…RE 28. 1687.]