his journey every step or every refreshment he takes in the way yet may he be truly said to intend that end in every step of the way yea even in those wherein he seems to go out of the way only to to take in refreshments to inable him to go on with the more cheerfulness The common ends of those Actions-which are named in the Text viz. eating and drinking were the preservation of life health and strength and men are truly said to eat and drink for those ends although they do not think of those things as oft as they eat Thus may a man glorifie God in his sleep when he doth not think of him by designing that Rest to his glory as a means of refreshing the body for his service This habitual devotion of the whole man to the glory of God doth mainly consist in two things 1. In a sincere desire and purpose of heart to obey the Will of God in all things and that for this end that thereby God may be glorified For as it is true which before was said that God cannot be dishonoured by any thing which is not contrary to his Will beeause every dishonour of God is a Sin and every sin is a transgression of the Will of God So is it as manifest that the greatest honour and glory that can be given to God consists in the performance of his Will For as God willeth nothing so much as his own glory nor any thing but for it so neither can any thing promote or serve his glory so much as what he willeth nor any thing at all but what is at least agreeable to his Will But whereas there are some things approveable and agreeable to his Will which are not thereby commanded it is to be noted that our duty of serving his glory doth consist especially in doing those things which are commanded which Obedience saith Samuel is better than Sacrifice Therefore I limit the extent of this habitual purpose as it is a duty required in the Text to the matter of obedience not conceiving that a man is bound to have the like general purpose for the doing of whatsoever may tend to the glory of God For the Text doth not absolutely require us to do whatsoever may be done to the glory of God but whatsoever we shall do to do all to the glory of God Not that I intend to deny that a Christian is ingaged in point of love and gratitude to promote and advance the glory of God as much as morally he can but that the Duty commanded in this general Precept doth not expresly extend so farr which yet doth extend to all the actions which a man actually doth or should do 2. A second thing wherein this habitual devotion to Gods glory doth consist is in an humble and cheerful willingness to submit himself and all that belongeth to him to the appointment and difposal of the Will of Gods providence willing that God should serve his own glory in the disposal of any thing that is his and therefore also willing to suffer any thing that the wisedome of God shall think fit to impose upon him 3. But thirdly Men do then act to the glory of God most expresly and perfectly when in their particular actings they do actually and explicitly consider design and intend this end when they have it in their eye minding and setting it before them as the highest end of their doings and are therefore careful to do such things and in such manner as may make most for that end when a man acts all for this end denying himself and all other ends in comparison of this when he doth set aside all other ends besides this acting purely and solely for Gods glory or when he sets all ends behind or below this and makes them subordinate to it For when the Apostle teacheth us to do all to the glory of God his meaning is not that this should be the sole End of all our Actions but that it should be the highest End and that which should Rule and Govern all other Ends whereunto all other Ends should be subservient or at least-wise consistent For God allow's us to love our selves and requires us to love our Brethren and therefore we may propound the good of our Selves and our Brethren as some End of our Doings God himself hath propounded to us other ends than this in our Well Doing in his Promises of Reward Something we may do for the Honour of our Prince and Countrey yea and for our own Honour too so it be without Ambition and Vanity This End of God's Honour or Glory is not inconsistent with other honest Ends much less repugnant but Superior to them And as it is not necessary a man should have no other End but this so neither is it necessary nor possible that a man should expresly propose this End to himself by an actual Intention in every Act of his Life yet it is the part of a godly man frequently to consider and reflect upon this End and to have regard unto it especially in all serious and deliberate Actions constantly in all Religious Actions and carefully in all doubtful Actions I have now done with the Explication of this Doctrine and am to proceed to matter of Confirmation which though it be not necessary in respect of the Evidence of the Doctrine which is no other than an express Sentence of holy Scripture yet may it be useful in order to the urging of the Practice 1. To consider how the same Duty is taught and required in some other Scriptures 2. To shew the Equity Reasonableness and Advantage of it in several respects Another Text where this Duty is expresly taught is in 1 Pet. 4.11 That God in all things may be glorified through Jesus Christ This is that which Christians ought to aime at that God in all things may be Glorified And that this should be the Desire and Scope of every Christian is to be noted from the first Petition of the Lord's Prayer Hallowed be thy name that is sanctified for I think the Latin word is better understood than the English or Glorified be thy name Hereby we are taught what should be the first and chiefest defire of a Christiau namely the honour and glory of God's name and that which is or ought to be the first and chiefest of our Desires ought to be the highest end of all our Actions That which men pray for they ought in their practice to aime at and labour for else their prayers are hypocritical as going out of fained lips Seeing therefore we are taught before all things to pray that God's name may be hallowed and glorified this ought to be our study and practice The same may be also inferred from the following petitions wherein we pray that Gods Kingdom may come and his will be done on earth as it is in Heaven Gods name is glorified when his Kingdom is advanced and established and his will is done His glory is
the prime object and end of his Will the holy Angels in Heaven do all things according to the Will of God and to his glory their only design is to promote his glory and we are to pray and therefore to desire intend and indeavour as far as lies in us that God may be glorified here on earth by our selves and others as He is in Heaven The same thing is taught us in the Doxology in the close of that prayer For thine is the kingdome the power and the Glory that is All glory is due to thee Which may mind us of another Text of the Psalmist which together with a Precept for this duty gives us the general reason declaring the equity of it Psal 29.1 Give unto the Lord the glory that is due unto his name Therefore is Gods glory to be sought in all our doings because this glory is due unto his Name All glory is due to God and that because all things are from him and by him as Creator Rev. 4.11 Thou art worthy ô Lord to receive glory and honour and power for thou hast created all things and for thy pleasure they are and were created Most just and reasonable it is the author of any thing should have the honour of his own work This reason is expresly given by the Apostle 1 Cor. 6.20 Glorifie God with your bodies and with your souls for they are Gods God made all things for himself that is for his own glory and that which was His end ought to be made ours too else we shall disappoint him as far as lies in us To strengthen this Argument we are to consider That not only our Being is from God which were enough to intitle him to the honour of all our doings but also all our Actions are dependent upon him we do not only live and have our Being from him but in him we move too we act all things by a constant supply of power from him our meat and drink and every thing else that we use are his gifts so is also our stomach appetite and power of eating and drinking therefore it is most unjust to use them to his Dishonour and most equitable to use them to his Glory We have all from him jure beneficiario and as Feudatories with reservation of service and honour to the donor in the use of them All rivers run into the Sea All our store is from the Fountain of Gods grace and therefore ought in course of highest Reason to be directed again into the Ocean of his glory seeing we have nothing but from his bounty and can do nothing but by his power it is most unreasonable we should do any thing by his power against his honour 2. But secondly It is not only a point of manifest Equity and Justice to promote and serve his Honour in all our doings because we depend upon him not onely for the original of our Being but also for and in all our actions but it becomes us upon the same account in point of gratitude to honour him A most ingrateful part it is for us that are so much obliged to him for all that we have or have had to do any thing willingly or negligenly to his dishonnor And this obligation of gratitude is increased according to the Degrees of Gods bounty and mercy towards us aâ— men above other Creatures and as Christians above other men and as we have in both respects partaked more of his liberality and grace thaâ— is more natural and temporal blessings thaâ— other Men and more grace or means of grace thaâ— other Christians 3. And as in point of Equity and Gratitude we are obliged to honour and glorifie God for whaâ— we have already received from him so in poinâ— of prudence it concerns us to take heed of dishonouring him and thereby displeasing and provoking him upon whom we still depend intirely and absolutely for all that we do or may need and all that we may desire or hope for Let vulgar Reason judge whether it be not againâ—â— common prudence for a man wilfully to neglecâ— him upon whom he hath such an absolute dependence or whether it be not a point of necessary wisdom to seek to gain and keep his favour by being carefull to please him in that which wâ— know to be his only interest which is hâ—â— glory The Equity and obligation of this duty might fuâ—ther be demostrated from the Excellency of God nature from whence he is called the Lord of Glâ—ry Psal 24.10.29.3 Eph. 1.17 the King of glory the Father glory and the God of glory Hâ—â— we no such dependence upon him as hath been mentioned nor anâ— relation to him yet ought he to be glorified for hâ—â— own excellency glorious Essence and workâ— Amongst men honour is due to them who aâ— nonourable especially in their personal qualifications from them that have no relation to them nor dependence upon them But our duty of giving glory to God ariseth most clearly from our Relations to him and his to us For he hath assumed to himself all titles of Relation which require the greatest honour and respect from their subjected Relatives such are the Titles of King Lord Father Husband c. If we will demean our selves as becometh good Subjects to their King as good Servants to their Lord Children to their Father Wives to their Husbands then are we in all things to be carefull to preserve and seek his honour who by the assumption of those Titles hath as well honoured us as obliged us to honour him It were easie to multiply reasons to shew the abundant Equity and Obligation of this duty but I shall add no more at this time than the consideration of two special duties whith every man ow's to God and whereby in Scripture the whole duty of man is frequently described these are to fear God and to love him with all the heart and all the soul and all the might Neither of which duties so often urged in Scripture can be truly performed without the observation of this rule of giving God the glory of all we do at least in the first sense that is Without being carefull to preserve the glory of God and our respects thereto in all that we do For To Fear God as it is an act of Religion distinguished from that slavish fear which is found in Devils and wicked men is to reverence his Majestie and to have an aweful respect to his honour in all things being ever jealous and fearfull of doing any thing that may dishonour or displease him It is a fear of Reverence and highest Honour which is the duty of men to God Rev. 14.7 as the highest Majesty such as is that fear which is expressed by the Attribute given by men to their Soveraign Princes when they call them Dread Soveraigns The like regard to the glory of God must needs be in all them that love God with that Divine holy and peculiar love which is due to God
this Duty are also useful by way of direction to the conscientious performance thereof 1. Wouldst thou conform all thy actions to the Glory of God Then labour to understand â—nd know the Minde and Will of God For as before hath been signified God is glorified or dishonoured according as things are done agreeable to or against his Will He therefore that will make Gods Glory the end of his actions must â—ake his Will to be the rule of them and thereâ—re is obliged to enquire diligently into it It beâ—oves Christians to take great heed of determining â—e concernments of Gods Glory by their own â—aginations or opinions And because the â—ost certain declaration of Gods Will is to be had from his Word every one that desires to be informed concerning it is obliged to attend diligently to the reading hearing and meditatinâ— of that Word as it is contained in the holy Scriptures and expounded by the Words and Writings of the most able and faithful Interpreters Hâ— that doth sincerely and earnestly desire to know the Will of God for this end that by doing it hâ— may glorifie God using his best industry to gaâ— this knowledge shall undoubtedly obtain so mucâ— of it as will be sufficient to render both his person and his actions acceptable to God And thougâ— he may in some particulars be mistaken or mis-leâ—â— into some erroneous apprehensions or misprision of Gods Will and thereby also into some action materially disagreeble thereunto Yet he who 〈◊〉 infinitely Wise and Just and Gracious can anâ— will distinguish the integrity of his intentions and will from the error of his understanding 〈◊〉 as to accept the one and not impute the otheâ— Such ignorance or error in a practical matter 〈◊〉 is Morally invincible and therefore inculpable as it is no sin in it self so neither doth it so vitâ— the action as to destroy or evacuate the vertâ— of the good intention 2. Wouldst thou do all that thou dost to tâ— Glory of God It behooves thee then to pâ— earnesty and constantly that God will teach thâ— and guide thee in all thy actions to the service this End Beg of him Wisdom to discern wâ—â— is to be done by thee and how That thou 〈◊〉 be filled with the knowledge of his Will in all Wisdâ—â— and spiritual understanding Col. 1.9 Pray 〈◊〉 the man after Gods own heart Order my 〈◊〉 according to thy word Psal 119.133 Psal 31.3.25.4 and let not any iniquity have dominion over me For thy name sake that is for thy glory sake lead me and guide me Shew me thy ways O Lord and teach me thy paths Teach me thy way O Lord and lead me in a plain path Teach Teach me O Lord the way of thy Statutes and I will keep it unto the end Give me understanding and I shall keep thy Law yea I shall or will observe it with my whole heart Make me to go in the path of thy commandments for therein is my delight Incline my heart unto thy testimonies c. Teach me to do thy Will for thou art my God There is no one petition which the holy man who had as great a zeal for Gods Glory as ever any meer-man had doth so often and so earnestly offer unto God as this And after these divine forms dictated by the Spirit of God there cannot be a more exquisite form of humane invention than is that Collect in our Church-Liturgy Prevent us O Lord in all our doings with thy most gracious favour and further us with thy continual help that in all our works begun continued and ended in thee we may glorifie thy holy Name and finally by thy mercy obtain everlasting life through Jesus Christ our Lord Amen The exâ—ressions of that godly Prayer do evidently â—elate to the Catholique Doctrine concerning the necessity of the preventing operating and coperating Grace of God without which nothing â—an be sincerely done to the glory of God For â—t is he that worketh in us to will and to do of his good â—easure This holy practice of constant Prayer â—o God for his Grace hath a double way of promoting his Glory First by the impetration of his Grace promised to them that so seek it Secondly by importing an acknowledgment that whatever shall or can be done to this end is the intire effect of his Grace which gives him the whole glory oâ— whatever is done to or for it 3. If thou dost seriously and habitually desire to glorifie God in all that thou dost thou canst noâ— better express it than by making frequent actualâ— and explicite resignations and oblations of thy self and all that thou hast and dost to God in holy vows answerable to that by which thou wenâ— first conse crated to his service in holy Baptism because that is done Mystically and Vicariously rather for us than by us whilst it is now generally practised in the state of infancie and so as without our knowledge so neither with nor against our wills It behooves us being once come tâ— years of understanding and choice to recogniâ—â— renew and confirm that Vow by free acts of 〈◊〉 own And though this be religiously done in the solemn Office of Confirmation yet because that iâ— too much neglected there being indeed but fâ—â— that have the desire and opportunity of partaking thereof as also because the same is most ordinatâ—ly passed in years of Childhood having but a feâ— measures of choice and freedom above the Baptismal Consecration in infancie it is the part of devout Christian with due reflection upon and â—cognition of both those publick and solemn is gagements to make repetitions of that sacrâ— Vow in a way of private Devotion And this will be most conveniently done 〈◊〉 consecrating every day and the works thereof aâ— soon as it begins to the glory of God in soâ— short form of Meditated Prayer to that special end or at least in an explicite Ejaculation As soon as thou awakest in the morning set God and his Glory before thee as the ultimate end of that daies work with a fervent desire and firm resolution First of doing nothing wittingly contrary to the Will of God Secondly of taking all opportunities and improving all talents that shall be found in thy hands to honour and serve him And lest thou shouldst be discouraged from such a strict Exercise of Piety by the fear of being thereby prejudiced or restrained in thy secular imployments or at least in the use of lawful liberties and recreations thou art to remember thou hast to do with a wise and gracious Father who accounts himself served and honoured by his Children as well in the honest and necessary works of their respective callings as in the solemn Exercises of Religion and is not at all displeased with a sober and moderate use of innocent recreations either of minde or body But when they are used in his fear and limited by the known bounds of his Will doth therein also esteem himself honoured After this
Imprimatur Tho. Tomkyns R. R mo in Christo Patri ac Domino Domino Gilberto divinâ Providentiâ Archi-Episcopo Cantuariensi à sac Dom. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The Highest END And Chiefest VVORK Of A Christian Set forth in two plain DISCOURSES Concerning The Glory of GOD and our own Salvation By J.W. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Pirke Aboth Lib. 2. §. 12. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Arriani Epictet l. 2. cap. 19. LONDON Printed by E.T. for R. Royston Book-seller to the King 's most Excellent Majesty 1668. A PREFACE To the READER THose two words defective in the Title Page by which the name of the Author was desired to be expressed are so insignificant as he could not believe they would contribute any thing to his onely designs which he can with some comfort profess to have been no other than those which are expresly set forth in the Titles of these Discourses viz. The Glory of God and the Salvation of Men And Books such as deserve the name of Books * Lord Verulam his advancement of Learning l. 1. p. 16. as he said that hath so judiciously observed the defects of them ought to have no Patrons but Truth and Reason But because most Discourses now published are thought by the many that are able to judge and the many more that are willing to censure really to need their accustomed Apologies let this be accepted for the Author of these viz. that he was indispensably ingaged to the publication of them by a sacred obligation how advisedly entred into is now too late to inquire upon an extraordinary occasion which no other man can be concern'd to understand This onely is to be added to complete the Apologie for the Language and Method that the fashion of that plain Vest wherein they are clothed was not to be alterd or changed Lev. 27.10 nor did it seem needful for them to whom it was designed They onely are beholding to the Preacher that studies to seek out acceptable words for them whose judgements are qualified with a capacity of being so gratified Eccles 12.10 But neither the Persons to whom these Meditations were first presented were of that form nor are they yet intended for any such as can tell where to satisfie their curiosity in the many perhaps too many Discourses that are purposely laboured for such an end The Knops and the Flowers with which the Golden Candlestick that was appointed for the service of the Temple was so curiously adorned could be no advantage to the Lights which they sustained and yet were precisely ordained to the glory of the Lord whose dwelling was in that house And they that now are able to offer any such Lamps in Gods house and do it with the same design may hope to be accepted but if they have any other of their own especially if it be their own glory more than Gods that they secretly aym at they will fall in with the persons of whom our Saviour speaks Mat. 6.5 when he saith Verily they have their reward As in holy Scripture all things necessary to the common Dutiâ—◠〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Chrysost of glorifying Gods and working out our own salvavation are sufficiently clear and manifest at least in some parts or other so ought they to be set forth in the Sermons and Writings of them whose office it is to guide men to these ends When the Veil of Moses his face is taken away by Christ God forbid it should be put on again by any of his Ministers which yet seems to be unhappily done in this last age by the overcurious subtile and scholastick Discourses and Disputes about the great Doctrine of Justification by Faith in Christ Jesus which can have no better effect upon the generality of Christians than to obscure the matters which they pretend to clear It was very much in this Authors desire to scatter or remove those Clouds which be thought was best to be done by abstracting wholly from the consideration of them and by confining his Answer to the grand Question What is to be done to work out a mans own Salvation to the express resolutions of holy Scripture illustrated and confirmed with the plainest reason without respect to the Authoritie of Humane Testimonies A few things onely he hath thought fit to add by way of Preface to each Discourse which he strives to deliver with as much plainness as the matter will bear And first to the first That which inclined him to the publication of this familiar discourse at first delivered in a small and popular Auditory was that he could not finde himself prevented by any other upon the same Subject in our own Language And it was matter of wonder to him how it should come to pass that that which is acknowledg'd the Supreme End and Scope of all Religion should not fall under the Meditations of so many Learned and Zealous Writers as this Age hath produced Or how the distinct and just tractation of that great Duty could come to be so much omitted that scarce any thing to this purpose hath come to his knowledge besides the brief strictures that are found in the School-men whilst the other Point respecting indeed the chief Good and ultimate End of Mankind in refeverence to himself hath been the Subject of numberless Discourses as well of Christian as Heathen Philsophers But instead of what he hath sought and desiderated towards the declaring directing and pressing that chief of Duties to the most high God consisting in the seeking of his Glory he hath in some late Authors of good Learning met with odd reflections of disparagement of this End as unworthy the excellency and perfection of the Divine Nature and too much resembling the vanity of the Humane Which misprision of Error crossing the many significations of holy Scripture and the general sense and expressions of all religious minds may possibly be removed by the consideration of a double glory belonging to the Divine Majesty The first is Intrinsecal and Essential and therefore infinite and immutable incapable of receiving Addition or Diminution The second is Extrinsecal and Accidental resulting from his own Acts and the Acts of his Creatures and this is capable of being multiplied and augmented as the light of the Sun which is its glory though we suppose it fix'd and immutable in it self yet may and doth receive innumerable varieties of reflection from other Bodies which are beneath or about it Which reflections being agreeable to its glorious Nature would be gratefully apprehended by it if it had any sense So though God can receive no additions or variations of his Essentiall Glory and Happiness yet can be assume created Glories and may clothe himself with Glory and Majesty and designe to glorifie himself extrinsecally as well by the Acts of his Creature as by his own multiplyed and varied according to the pleasure of his Will and so may be both glorified and pleased in such a way as is something resembled
justification or being put into a state of justification by the free pardon Rom. 4.8 2 Cor. 5.19 or not imputing of sinâ— past This Grace he affirms to be obtain'd by a sincere Faith in Christ not onely without respect to Works antecedent to this Faith buâ— also without and before any such works as are duly consequent unto it All those who were converted from Heathenism or Judaism unto the Faith of Christ were by that first act and profession of this Faith brought into a state of justification before and there fore without any such works as remained afterwarâ— to be done by the ingagement of this Faith But because this Faith if it was unfaigned did imply an ingagement of the Believer to all good works of love anâ— obedience to the commands of the Saviour the Lorâ— Jesus therefore this right of justification conferrâ—â— upon the condition of such an ingagement could nâ— be beld without works And consequently Salvation which is nothing else but the final conpletion of this justification unto life Rom. 5.18 〈◊〉 not attainable without them But stiâ— good works have their acceptance and validity unâ— the reward of Salvation by vertue of Faith in Chriâ— the onely Saviour and his Merits So that they 〈◊〉 concurr to Salvation onely as verifications of our since Faith in Christ It is this Faith that must be the plâ— of a sinner for his final justification at the last judgment but this plea can never be made good unless thâ— Faith be found free from any contradiction or 〈◊〉 faisance by the works of a mans life The two Apostles S. Paul and S. James will 〈◊〉 perfectly cleared from all reality of contradiction all or any of these three things shall be found true 1. That they speak not of the same Faith 2. Nor of the same Works 3. Nor of the same Justification 1. Not of the same Faith S. James speaking of an ineffectual dead faith not onely abstracted from works in its notion but being altogether without them Jam. 2.14 What doth it profit my brethren though a man say he hath faith and hath not Works And vers 17. Even so faith if it hath not works is dead being alone And vers 26. Whereas S. Paul speaks of a true and living Faith working by Love Gal. 5.6 such as was the Faith of Abraham that offerd up his onely Son Isaac at the command of God 2. Not of the same works S. James speaking of Evangelical works done in and with the Faith of the Messiah and in obedience to the Gospel Whilst S. Paul speaks of legal works or works of the Law as such Nor thirdly of the same justification S. Paul speaking of the first justification of a sinner upon his sincere believing in Christ before the confirmation of that faith by his works S. James understanding the continued state of justification as appears by his Example of Abraham vers 21. Was not Abraham our father justified by works when he had offered Isaac his son upon the altar Abraham was justified long before that work yet he is said to be justified thereby not before men but before God Any one of these differences in the Discourses of the two Apostles is sufficient to salve them from any reality of contradiction But the exact disquisition of those particulars not agreeing with the limits of my present undertaking must be left to them that are better able to pursue it It is more than time to relieve the patience of the Reader which shall be done witâ— the addition of this onely request that he will joyn witâ— the Author in his hearty Prayer to the Lord of Glory and the God of our Salvation for such a blessinâ— upon these Discourses as may render them at least iâ— some measure effectual to those blessed Ends tâ— which they are intitled ERRATA REader you are desired to take Notice That the words Part I in the running Titles upon the head of the pages in the latter part of the Book are wholly to be left out And in the first Discourse Page 16. line 9. read as is p. 25. l. 21. dele with p. 41. in the Margent r. je renie dieu maugré de dieu malgrádo de dÃo In the second Discourse Page 10. line 5. read 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 p. 36. l. 1. r. as is p. 46. l. 12. r. the work of conversion or repentance to begin in the understanding the ruling faculty c. p. 50. l. 10. r. supposition p. 57. l. 11. dele as p. 73. l. 16. r. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 p. 91. l. 20. dele by it p. 108. l. 8. r. prevention THE Main Duty of a Christian 1 Cor. 10. 31. Whether therefore ye eat or drink or whatsoever ye do do all to the glory of God AS the highest Happiness of Man consists in the fruition of God and his favour So the highest Vertue and Perfection of man consists in his being intirely devoted to God by dedicating and Consecrating all that he is and all that he hath and all that he doth to the glory of God according to the precept of this Text which is the most transcendent Rule of Religion the prime fundamental Law of godliness properly so called In Moral and Civil Conversation between man and man that Common Rule of Equity and Charity is fundamental viz. that Eveny Man should do unto others as he would they should do to him In Politicks or publick Acts of Civil State and Government The safety of the People is the supream Law and all things are to be done to that end but in Religion the Canon of the Text is the only fundamental Whether ye eat or drink c. This general Rule is here brought in by the Apostle upon a special and particular occasion viz. by way of Argument to confirm an Admonition given to the Corinthians to beware of the Scandal of Idolatry by Communion with the Heathens in their Sacrificial Feasts celebrated to the honour of their Idols This Admonition the Apostle had begun at the 8th Chap. and after a brief Intermission he resumes it in this v. 14. Where he declares the main Reason why Christians should not partake with Heathens in their Idol Feasts namely because that would be to Communicate with and to be partners in the Idol-sacrifices and so to joyn in the worship of Daemons or Devils to whom those Sacrifices were offered v. 20. and therein to have communion with Devils As in the Christian Feast of the Lords Supper which is also a Sacrificial Feast or a feast upon the Sacrifice oâ— Christ's body and bloud repesented by bread and wine they that are partakers of that Supper are thereby partakers of the Sacrifice viz. of the body and bloud of Christ v. 16 17. And as in the Jewiss Feast upon their Sacrifices they that did eat of the Sacrifices were partakers of the Altar so they that are of the Sacrifices which by the Heathens were offered to Devils v. 7. Fxod 34.15.16
glory may receive some Service aâ— least no dis-service from them Whatever we speak or think we must therein have a due regard to the glory of God who may be as much glorified or dishonoured by these waies as by deeds The like Extent hath this word do in that other general Rule of our Actions in reference to one another before named Whatsoever yee would that men should do unto you do ye unto them likewise That Rule also is to be understood of Affections as well as Actions and to be observed alike both in thoughts and words as well as deeds and in all these not only with respect to meer Justice but to Charity especially as appears by the Context in our Saviour's application of that Rule Luk. 6 30 31 32. Third Proposition Not only the matter of our doings is to be ordered by this rule but also the manner circumstances and all inferiour ends that is it behoveth Christians to be carefull not only that the matter of their doings be consistent with and subordinate to the Glory of God but also that the manner circumstances motives and all ends of them be likewise governed by the supreme End For in these things especially consists the morality and Regularity of humane Actions which are good or evil particularly in respect of the motives manner circumstances and intendment of them Hence not only indifferent but good actions in themselves and in respect of the matter of them may be so Circumstantiated and intended or designed as God may be much dishonoured by them This Action of eating things Sacrificed to Idols was in it self an indifferent thing as the Apostle declares in the preceding verses but by circumstance of place or company it became unlawful as it was prejudicial to the glory of God by way of Scandal So in common eating and drinking it is not the matter or object of these Actions but the manner ends and circumstances of quantity quality time c. that are to be regulated by this end In good and religious Actions the manner and intention is specially to be regarded that they be ever done in faith and sincerity without negligence or irreverence with pure and holy intention and zeal to the glory of God else they lose their Religion as shall be shewed again hereafter But here a Question may be moved Whether it be possible that all manner of humane Actions can be directed to so high an end as the glory of God For it may seem that this end is too high for some Acts to be designed unto Answer It appears clearly by the instances which the Apostle hath given in the Text of Eating and Drinking which are no other than naturall Actions common to brute beasts that there are no humane actions so minute indifferent or inconsiderable in their kind but may come under this Rule and be subordinated to this general end of Gods glory which as it is the only design of God himself so and therefore ought it to be the design of all reasonable creatures as creatures as you shall hear And that the height of this end doth nothing hinder the direction or subordination of the least actions thereunto may easily appear if we will but consider that all things in the world though never so low and base in their appearance do notwithstanding in their kind and order reach this same end not only Man but the very Beast may and doth glorify God even in its eating and drinking and all creatures else even to the least and lowest do serve this end that is they do declare the Glory of God Not only the Heaven the Sun Moon and Starrs in their magnitude motions lights and special influences do declare the Glory of God Psal 19.1 Psal 72.19.24 1 33.5.104.24.119.64 but the whole Earth and the fulness thereof is full of his Glory in as much as it is full of his goodness mercy riches every substantial Being together with every accident quality figure motion and operation thereof doth signally declare the glory of Gods power wisdom and providence were it perfectly understood Hence the Psalmist calls upon all creatures to praise the Lord Fire and Hail Snow and Vapours stormy Winds which execute his Word Mountains and all Hills fruitful Trees and all Cedars Beasts and all Cattel creeping things and Feathered Fowls Psal 148.7 8. c. And sure it is as easie to understand and believe that the least considerable of humane Actions should be directed to the glory of God as that the least Creature Energy Accident or Motion of a Creature even to the lighting of a Sparrow upon the ground Matth. 10.29 and to the numbering of hairs upon a mans head should be under the particular notice and Government of his Providence as is or ought to be believed by all Christians If the infinite glorious wisdom of God doth extend it self to the taking notice of all that is under him and all that is in or done by any of his Creatures as certainly it doth though no meaner a man than Saint Hierom * Hierom in 1. cap. Habac. v. 13. by a most incredible Mistake doth seem to deny it as much as Epicurus or any of his School much more is he to be thought to have a speciall regard to all the Acts of Man whose Being is the second in honour after his Own And if God takes notice of all our actions they must needs some way or other concern his Glory and ought much more to be noted and observed by our selves But for a more clear and full Satisfaction to this Objection I shall now proceed to the third Question which only remains to be answered for the compleat Explication of the whole Doctrine that is How the glory of God is to be respected in all our actions or How all the actions of men may and ought to be regulated with respect to this end 1. The first Branch of my answer to this question shall be that which I take to be the first intendment and scope of the Apostle in this place which is that Christians in all their actions should have such a constant and heedfull regard to the glory of God as that nothing be done by them to the prejudice or derogation thereof in any degree that is that no dishonour may redound to God by or from any of their actions in respect of the matter manner circumstances or end of them This is the most general sense of the Rule and that which seems primely intended in this place as may appear plainly from the Context wherein the Apostle admonisheth the Corinthians who lived among heathens and were such till some of them had been lately converted to the Faith of Christ not to eat of things offered to Idols for this reason because their so doing would be repugnant to the glory of God which ought alwaies to be respected by Christians in whatsoever they do Now God is dishonoured by the breach of his Law Rom 2 23.
of spiritual Joy and Consolation belongs to that soul which certainly hath as high an Interest in Gods favour as God hath in his heart There can be no higher argument or evidence of the fear and love of God than this and consequently no better title to all those promises that are made to them that love or fear God Oh that we were all able to apply this comfort to our own souls Which is to be feared can be done but by a very few I must therefore for an impartial application of this point proceed to such matter of Reprehension as is due to several sorts of persons for the non-performance of this duty Which Reproof must needs fall most heavy upon them who in stead of acting all to the glory of God do act directly contrary to this end It is too notorious to be denied that most of the Affections Thoughts Words and Actions of many men are directly opposite to the Glory of God I speak of such as not only by infirmity do sometimes act contrary to the glory of God but do make it their study work and main business to dishonour him As if the glory of God were the object of their envy and that they were resolved to prejudice it as much as in them lies and that as near as they can He should have no glory by them Herein are wicked men perfect children of the Devil whose whole business it is to procure the dishonour of God and to oppose the glory which he should have from men And though it be scarce credible that there are any men which have any such malicious defign against God yet the practice of many men is as subservient to this Diabolical design as if they were professed Confederates and had indeed combined with the Devil to this end It matters little to the Credit of this Nation that such prodigious expressions of open blasphemy and defiance to God as are said to be used by the * Je renie Dieu maugre dedieu Italian and * malgrado dedeo c. French Ruffians are not heard amongst us so long as the plain sense of them is as loudly proclaimed in the lives and actions of our Countrimen as it is in any of theirs To deny God obstinately customarily industriously in our works or to act in despite of him and all his Commands is nothing less to him but perhaps something more than in bare words of a prophane course so to blaspheme him as they are said to do Others there are whose doings are not so notoriously contrary to the glory of God yet have they no respect to it in any thing they do They are no such absolute enemies to God and his glory as those elder sons of Belial nor are they any true friends to him but do as much neglect the glory of God as others do oppose it so far from doing all to the glory of God that they do nothing at all to this end They have no such design in any thing they do they have other ends in all that they do and for This it is the least of their care it never enters into their thoughts They never mind what becomes of Gods glory so their own ends be served Oh how do the greatest number of men slight vilifie and neglect this great Design of the Creator and his Whole Creation How little are they moved with it at any time There is no carnal or worldly end so petty and inconsiderable that signifies so little to them as this doth or that will not move them much more than any consideration of this end What a deal of study and pains will men take for other ends how little will they do for this what a cold Argument it is to tell men Such a course or such a practice tends to the glory of God and for that end is to be imbraced Tell them of a course that will bring honour profit or pleasure to themselves in this world you move them to some purpose But if you talk of nothing but the Glory of God they regard you not Yea so far are most people from respecting the glory of God in all their actions that they neglect it in their Religious actions which they perform not so much for this as for other ends which respect themselves as their Reputation and Credit or at best the Peace of their Consceinces which will not allways be maintained with a totall neglect of Religion Hitherto I have spoken of such persons as do not so much as pretend to the glory of God in any thing they do But there are that pretend much to this end who intend nothing less Pretend to seek and aime at nothing so much as Gods glory when their only ends are no other than carnal and worldly interests as of Gain Power and Dominion popular applause and preferment amongst men 2 King 10.16 Just as Jehu did when he said Come see my zeal for the Lord whiles he sought nothing so much as his own interest of Power and Dominion Wretched dust and ashes that we should not tremble to make so bold with the most sacred thing in the world the glory of God as to make it a stale and decoy to the service of our own base lust and humors But yet is not this altogether so abominable as is the practice of them that have had the face to pretend this same sacred End in such actions as are most directly opposite thereunto To pretend the glory of God as the end of such doings which are as highly dishonorable to his name as the most malicious Enemy thereof Satan himself could suggest as diametrically opposite to the will and honour of God as the Zenith of the highest Heavens is to the Nadir of the lowest Hell What greater wickedness can be acted than that which hath been done in Gods name and under a pretence of his glory Who knows not that this hath been the plea of the very worst of Hereticks Schismaticks Sacrilegious persons Persecutors Rebells Traitors Murtherers and all seditious and factious persons And that under the pretence of advancing the Kingdome and glory of God all manner of power Civil and Ecclesiastical together with all law equity peace order and right hath been violently opposed Yea which is the most prodigious riddle of impietie that ever was heard of the sacred Articles of Christian Faith all ordinances of Religion and all solemn Means Methods and Rites of worshipping God all maintenance and Ministery of the holy Gospel have been zealously opposed upon no other pretence than the Glory of God As the Infidel Jewes would have perswaded the blind man in the Gospel Joh. 9.24 to give praise to God by denying of Christ So have men been perswaded to give glory to God by prophaning his House robbing his Altar persecuting his servants nay what if I should say by blaspheming his Name To say That God may be blasphemed to the honour of his name and that the
grossest acts of moral impiety such as prophane swearing cursing and all kind of uncleanness riot and drunkenness may be professedly done to the Glory of Gods free grace is no more than hath been owned and asserted by our Ranters and Libertines Not to mention the horrid opinions and expressions of Gods being the cause of Sin by necessitating effectually and irresistibly moving and determining the wills of men to the worst of sins by an efficacious decree first ordaining the sin and then the eternal punishment thereof in hell torments and all to the glory of God in his absolute Dominion and Justice I hope the men who have held forth such expressions have not meant so ill as their words seem to signifie to common sense And therefore it is not my intention to parallel them to the forementioned ranks of profane mockers of God and his Glory Only I heartily wish such Teachers would sadly consider whether those Doctrines be like to produce any such glorious conceptions of God in the minds of other men as they pretend they do in theirs 4. But my Reprehension cannot without partiality determine in such a list of persons as I have hitherto described because it may most justly be extended to a better sort of Christians and indeed to the best which are to be found amongst us For doubtless We are all to blame in that we have so little regarded the Glory of God in the general course of our thoughts words and actions In that we have sought our selves and our own ends so much and Gods glory so little How few of us can say but that other ends have been more regarded by us than this How seldome and how slightly do we mind this end how little care have we to secure it or zeal to procure it Were this indeed our chief end we would be more careful of our waies we would not be so loose so carnal vain and worldly in our common Actions so negligent cold lazy and sleight in our Religious Actions Were the glory of God more pretious to us other ends would not be so much over-sought by us We have all cause to be humbled before the Lord for this general sin of neglecting his glory hath the Lord deserved so to be sleighted by us nay Which of us can say but he hath infinitely deserved we should have had all the zeal that is possible for his Glory Should he regard us and our welfare no more than we do him and his glory what would become of us With what face do we expect to appear before this glorious God whom we have so much sleighted How can we pretend we love him with all our hearts and all our might whiles we have no more Affection for that which we know to be his only Interest and that which is so infinitely dear to him is so little valued by us How can we expect to be eternally glorified by him and with him that regard his Glory no more than we have done Oh let us take the shame of this unkind and ingratefull neglect upon our selves And let me close the Application of this point with a pressed Exhortation of all that profess to love and fear the Lord from henceforth to be more mindful of this Rule in all their doings To which purpose considering the generality of indisposition thereunto which hath been already declared by way of Reprehension I cannot think it needless to re-inforce the Exhortation by some addition of Motives and Arguments to the reasons before alledged 1. As to know the end of his actions distinguisheth a man from a beast so to chuse and propose a good end distinguisheth a good man from a bad As men and reasonable creatures we are to have some end in all our doings and as godly men the glory of God ought to be our chief end to which all others are to be subordinate and therefore ought we not to have any end inconsistent with this Nothing so much dignifies an Action as the end of it and no end so worthy as this by which all actions are sanctified even the commonest actions while they are though remotely truly and sincerely designed to this end are hallowed and without it the most Religious action is profaned Herein consists the form essence and spirit of Religion properly so called Godliness both name and thingâ— is nothing else but a Religious affection to God expressed by such acts as are agreeable to his will and honour and done for this end because they are so he that counts or calls any thing Godliness which hath not this end that is which hath not God for its end doth not understand what he saith This also is true Holiness in the most distinct and proper notion which imports a separation from the world with a devoting of a thing to the sacred Majesty of God Look how much a man is sequestred from sin and from the world and devoted to God and his glory so much Holiness is there in him Holiness is commonly distinguished into inherent and relative but to speak strictly all holiness in a creature is relative importing a singular consignation unto God Not but that there is such an inherent quality as that which is called Holiness in all true Saints but because the reason of the name and the formality of the thing consists in the reference of this quality to God as the rule and end of it That kind of holiness in men which is commonly called inherent or practical consisting in dispositions habits or acts is such only in reference to God and his glory which is the object or end of them And therefore no such vertuous Habits or Acts as have not this reference principle and end have any thing of the nature of true holiness in them For this reason moral vertues and good actions of meer heathens amount not to the nature of holiness A relative holiness may be and is in Scripture attributed to other things both natural and artificiall but no creature is so truly capable thereof as Man because he is not only capable of being separated and consecrated to the service of God by a power or will Extrinsecal to himself as other things are but by a proper design dedication and devotion of his own Man by by nature is a Sacred Creature Ovid. Sanctius his annimal having a kind of natural Consecration to God from that image of the Creator which is stamped upon him in the Indowment of Reason Ratio res Dei Tertul. which the Father truly calls a Divine thing So Man may be called the Priest of the visible world out of all the Tribes of living Creatures elected qualified and appointed to celebrate the glory of God nor only for himself but as it were in the name of all the Creatures of this lower world This was his office and dignity according to the prime intention of his Creation But all mankind being now by original and personal sin profaned become unworthy of
reward the practice of it and because he hath promised so to do it can be no part of our duty to set aside all respect to the benefit of our duty because so to doe would be to frustrate one end of his promises and to sleight his bounty which would be a plain opposition to his Glory which we pretend to seek They are therefore no such friends to God's glory as they pretend that say Men ought not to respect their own benefit in any service that they do to God Besides the present comfort of a mans own Conscience bearing witness of his integrity and uprightness of heart to God-ward whereof this constant seeking of his glory is the most infallible evidence 1 Sam. 2.30 the Lord hath promised that he will honour them that honour him and hath provided a Crown of glory for them that glorifie him And certainly the degrees of glory hereafter will be answerable to the degrees of zeal and Industry that men had here to glorifie God the more a man seeks God's glory the greater shall be his own glory whereas he that acts not for God cannot in reason expect any reward from him for any thing that he doth how good or how much soever it be The want of this end or preferring any other before it frustrates a man of the heavenly reward I say the heavenly because some temporal reward may be received for well doing by him that hath no such sincere respect to Gods glory He that hath other ends which he respects either only orchiefly shall have other proportionable rewards 2 King 10.30 as Jehu had But if thou dost all for the glory of God especially though not only all thy doings and all Gods dealings and mens doings or dealings by thee shall be turned to thy good Rom. 8.28 We know that all things work together for good to them that love God Before I conclude my discourse upon this point which I have already declared to be the most fundamental Canon of Christian Religion I shall add to what hath been hitherto spoken concerning it 1. Some special Notes or Characters whereby it may be discerned whether a man walks according to this rule or no. 2. Some particular Directions useful to be observed in order to the general practice thereof First I shall propound some proper signes whereby a man may be able to judg whether he hath any such religious affection to the glory of God as this duty requireth 1. He that hath an intire loyall heart to God and his glory will value Gods interest above hiâ— own in every thing that he hath or doth This is a generall note of integrity to God-ward If the heart be truly faithfull there will be no interest of his own so precious to him as the interest of God Men in the flesh have many interests ends and projects which they seek in order to the contentment of their various appetites as bodily life ease safety liberty wealth health honour and pleasure Now it is the part and property of a godly man to consider that as God hath a general interest in every thing that is or is done in the world so he hath a more special interest in him and all that belongs to him in respect of the propriety which he hath in him and his special and peculiar ingagement to him above other men The interest that God hath in the world and all things that belong to it is universal and transcendent infinitely above any interest that a creature can have in any thing whereto he may pretend the most absolute propriety The Earth is the Lords and the fulness thereof Ezek. 16.17 c. Thou hast taken thy fair Jewels of my Gold and of my Silver which I had given thee and madest to thy self images of men and did'st commit whoredom with them And took ' thy broydered garments and coverd'st them and thou hast set mine oyle and mine incense before them my meat also which I gave thee fine flower and oyle and hony wherewith I fed thee thou hast even set it before them for a sweet savour Moreover thou hast taken thy sons and thy daughters whom thou hast born unto me and these hast thou sacrificed unto them to be devoured No mans money meat garments children are so much his own as they are God's God's gifts they are all and t is he that gives us an interest in them but doth not destroy or evacuate his own For God's deed of gift to the creature doth not alienate the propriety as man's doth he doth never give away any thing from himself and therefore may still command what ever he hath given and take it away again with as much justice as he gave it with mercy What ever we have we hold by title of frank Almoign as the Lawyers speak and as usu-fructuaries rather than proprietors But besides this common interest of God's as the true and soveraign proprietor of all things he hath a special interest in his own people and in all that is theirs as his peculiar servants And this is not only to be acknowledg'd by them but preferred before any interest of their own and so will be by every faithful servant And therefore he will be content at any time to resign and depart from neglect and disregard his own interest to promote salve or secure the interest of God's glory Agodly man looks upon all that he owns as God's more than his and therefore will be ready to use it or leave it lay it down or lay it out according to the will of God and as may make most for his glory Agreeable to this first general Note of observing this rule is the practice of Self-denial and Mortification of carnal lusts Look how much of self-denial is found in any man so it be sincere and not partial denying himself in one thing to serve himself in an other so much of Religion towards God For the greatest Let that men have from seeking God's glory is self-love Carnal self-love I mean or inordinate love of the carnal Self For there is an innocent kind of self-love founded in the law of nature and supposed in all the promises of reward to the obedience of God's Commandments as they are propounded for motives thereunto Whiles God doth invite or incourage us to seek and serve him with promises of advantage to our selves by so doing he must needs allow us some measures of love for our selves else such arguments would be no just motives to obedience but temptations to sin if all self-seeking were so Such motives could have no effect at all upon our wills if we did not love our selves nor any good effect if we might not Indeed this natural self love is so far from being a sin or breach of any Commandment that it is the rule and measure of the great Commandment of Charity expressed in those two general and equivalent precepts Thou shalt love thy Neighbour as thy self And What soever you would