naments, when his crown and royal robe are taken away, but God's glory is such an essential part of his being, that he cannot be God without it; God's very life lies in his glory. This glory can receive no addition, because it is infinite; this glory is that which God is most tender of, and which he will not part with, Isa. xlviii. 11, "My glory I will not give to another." God will give temporal blessings to his children, such as wisdom, riches, honour; he will give them spiritual blessings, he will give them grace, -he will give them his love, he will give them heaven, but his essential glory he will not give to another. King Pharaoh parted with a ring off his finger to Joseph, and a gold chain, but he would not part with his throne, Gen. xli. 40, Only in the throne will I be greater than thou.' So God will do much for his people; he will give them the inheritance; he will put some of Christ's glory, as mediator, upon them; but his essential glory he will not part with; in the throne he will be greater.'

2. The glory which is ascribed to God, or which his creatures labour to bring to him: 1 Chron. xvi. 29, "Give unto the Lord the glory due unto his name," and, 1 Cor. vi. 20, "Glorify God in your body and in your spirit." The glory we give God, is nothing else but our lifting up his name in the world, and magnifying him in the eyes of others: Phil. i. 20, "Christ shall be magnified in my body."

ture. This is to glorify God, when we are God-admirers; we admire God in his attributes, which are the glistering beams by which the divine nature shines forth; we admire him in his promises, which are the charter of free grace, and the spiritual cabinet where the pearl of price is hid; we admire God in the noble effects of his power, and wisdom, viz. the making of the world, this is called the work of his fingers,' Ps. viii. 3, such curious needle-work it was, that none but a God could work. This is to glorify God, to have God-admiring thoughts; we esteem him most excellent, and search for diamonds only in this rock.

2. Glorifying of God consists in adoration, or worship: Ps. xxix. 2, "Give unto the Lord the glory due unto his name; worship the Lord in the beauty of holiness." There is a twofold worship: 1st. A civil reverence we give to persons of honour: Gen. xxiii. 7, "Abraham stood up and bowed himself to the children of Heth,"Piety is no enemy to Courtesy. 2d. A divine worship which we give to God, is his prerogative royal: Neh. viii. 6, "They bowed their heads, and worshipped the Lord with their faces towards the ground." This divine worship God is very jealous of; this is the apple of his eye, this is the pearl of his crown, which he guards, as he did the tree of life, with cherubims and a flaming sword, that no man may come near it to violate it; divine worship must be such as God himself hath appointed, else

Q. What is it to glorify God, or wherein it is offering strange fire, Lev. x. 2. The doth it consist?

A. Glorifying of God consists in four things: 1st. Appreciation, 2d. Adoration, 3d. Affection, 4th. Subjection. This is the yearly rent we pay to the crown of heaven. 1. Appreciation. To glorify God, is to set God highest in our thoughts, to have a venerable esteem of him: Ps. xcii. 8, "Thou, Lord, art most high for evermore;" Ps. xcvii. 9, "Thou art exalted far above all gods." There is in God all that may draw forth both wonder and delight; there is in him a constellation of all beauties; he is prima causa,-the original and spring-head of being, who sheds a glory upon the creaB

Lord would have Moses make the tabernacle, "according to the pattern in the Mount," Exod. xxv. 40; he must not leave out any thing in the pattern, nor add to it. If God was so exact and curious about the place of worship, how exact will he be about the matter of his worship? Surely here every thing must be according to the pattern prescribed in his word.

3. Affection. This is a part of the glory we give to God. God counts himself glorified when he is loved: Deut. vi. 5, “Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul." There is a twofold love: 1st. Amor concupiscentiæ, a

rifies God, hath not only his affections heated with love to God, but he goes his circuit too; he moves vigorously in the sphere of obedience.

Q. Why must we glorify God?

A. 1. Because he gives us our being, Ps. c. 3, "It is he that made us." We think it a great kindness in a man to spare our life, but what kindness is it in God to give us our life? We draw our breath from him; and as life, so all the comforts of life are from God; he gives us health, which is the sauce to sweeten our life; he gives us food, which is the oil that nourisheth the lamp of life; now, if all we receive is from the hand of his

love of concupiscence, which is self-love, as when we love another, because he doth us a good turn: thus a wicked man may be said to love God, because he hath given him a good crop, or filled his cup with wine, and, to speak properly, this is rather to love God's blessing than to love God. 2d. Amor amicitiæ, a love of delight, as a man takes delight in a friend; this is indeed to love God; the heart is set upon God, as a man's heart is set upon his treasure. And this love is, 1st. Exuberant, not a few drops but a stream; 2d. It is superlative; we give God the best of our love, the cream of it, Cant. viii. 2, "I would cause thee to drink of spiced wine, of the juice of my pome-bounty, is it not good reason we should glogranate." If the spouse had a cup more juicy and spiced, Christ must drink of it. 3d. It is intense and ardent; true saints are seraphims, burning in holy love to God. The spouse was amore perculsa,-in faint-him are all,-all we have is through his ing fits, sick of love,' Cant. ii. 5. Thus to love God is to glorify him; he who is the chief of our happiness, hath the chief of our affections.

rify him, and live to him, seeing we live by him? Rom. xi. 36, "For of him, and through him are all things." Of him are all,-all we have are of his fulness; through

free grace; and therefore to him should be all; so it follows, "To him be glory for ever." God is not only our benefactor, but our founder; the rivers come from the sea, and they empty their silver streams into the sea again.

4. Subjection. When we dedicate ourselves to God, and stand ready dressed for his service. Thus the angels in heaven glo- A. 2. Because God hath made all things rify him"; they wait on his throne, and are for his own glory: Prov. xvi. 4, "The Lord ready to take a commission from him; there- hath made all things for himself,"-that is, fore they are represented by the cherubims for his glory.' As a king hath excise out with their wings displayed, to show how of commodities, God will have his glory out swift the angels are in their obedience. of every thing; he will have glory out of This is to glorify God, when we are devoted the wicked, the glory of his justice; they to his service, our head studies for God,-will not give him glory, but he will get his our tongue pleads for him,our hands re-glory upon them: Exod. xiv. 17, “I will lieve his members. The wise men that came get me honour upon Pharaoh." But especito Christ did not only bow the knee to him, ally he hath made the godly for his glory; but presented him with gold and myrrh, they are the lively organs of his praise, Isa. Matth. ii. 11; so we must not only bow the xliii. 21, "This people have I formed for knee, give God worship, but bring presents, myself, and they shall show forth my praise." golden obedience. This is to glorify God, It is true, they cannot add to his glory, but when we stick at no service,-when we fight they may exalt it; they cannot raise him in under the banner of his gospel against regi- heaven, but they may raise him in the esments, and say to him as David to king Saul, teem of others. God hath adopted the 1 Sam. xvii. 32, "Thy servant will go and saints into his family, and made them a royal fight with this Philistine." Thus you see priesthood, that they should show forth the wherein the glorifying of God doth consist: in praises of him who hath called them, 1 Pet. appreciation, adoration, affection, subjection. ii. 9.

A good Christian is like the sun, which doth not only send forth heat, but goes his circuit round the world. Thus, he who glo

A. 3. Because the glory of God hath such intrinsic value and excellency in it; it transcends the thoughts of men and the

tongues of angels; God's glory is his treasure, all his riches lie here; as Micah said, Judges xviii. 24, "What have I more?" So of God, what hath God more? God's glory is more worth than heaven, more worth than the salvation of all men's souls; better kingdoms be thrown down, better men and angels be annihilated, than God should lose one jewel of his crown, one beam of his glory.

cause all our hopes hang upon him, Ps. xxxix. 7, "My hope is in thee." And Ps. lxii. 5, "My expectation is from him;" I expect a kingdom from him. A child that is good-natured will honour his parent, as expecting all that ever he is like to be worth from him, Ps. lxxxvii. 7, "All my springs are in thee," the silver springs of grace, the golden springs of glory.

Q. How many ways may we glorify God?

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A. 4. Creatures below us, and above us, bring glory to God; and do we think to A. 1. It is a glorifying God, when we aim sit rent free? Shall every thing glorify purely at God's glory; it is one thing to adGod, but man? It is a pity then that ever vance God's glory, another thing to aim at man was made. 1. Creatures below us glo- it. God must be the terminus ad quem, the rify God, the inanimate creatures,-the ultimate end of all actions. Thus Christ, heavens glorify God, Ps. xix. 1, “The hea- John viii. 50, "I seek not mine own glory, vens declare the glory of God." The cu- but the glory of him that sent me." It is rious workmanship of heaven sets forth the the note of a hypocrite, he hath a squint glory of its maker; the firmament is beauti-eye, he looks more to his own glory than fied and penciled out in blue and azure co-God's glory. Our Saviour decyphers such, lours, where the power and wisdom of God and gives a caveat against them, Matth. vi. may be clearly seen. "The heavens de- 2, "When thou givest alms, do not sound clare his glory;" we may see the glory of a trumpet." A stranger would ask, 'What God blazing in the sun, twinkling in, the means the noise of this trumpet?' Then it stars. 2. Look into the air; the birds, with was answered, they are going to give to their chirping music, sing hymns of praise the poor.' And so they did not give alms, to God, saith Anselm. Every beast doth in but sell them for honour and applause, that its kind glorify God, Isa. xliii. 20, "The they might have glory of men; the breath of beasts of the field shall honour me." 3. men was the wind that blew the sails of Creatures above us glorify God; "the an- their charity,-" verily they have their regels are ministering spirits," Heb. i. 14. ward." The hypocrite may make his acThey are still waiting on God's throne, and quittance and write, 'received in full paybring some revenues of glory into the ex-ment.' Chrysostom calls vain-glory one of chequer of heaven. Then surely man should be much more studious of God's glory than the angels; for God hath honoured him more than the angels, in that Christ took man's nature upon him, and not the angels': although, in regard of creation, God hath made man "a little lower than the angels," Heb. ii. 7, yet, in regard of redemption, God hath set him higher than the angels; he hath married mankind to himself; the angels are Christ's friends, but not his spouse; he hath covered us with the purple robe of righteousness, which is a better righteousness than the angels have, 2 Cor. v. 21. So that if the angels bring glory to God, much more should we, being dignified with honour above the angelical spirits.

A. 5. We must bring glory to God, be

the devil's great nets to catch men. And Cyprian says, "whom Satan cannot prevail against by intemperance, those he prevails against by pride and vain-glory." Oh let us take heed of self-worshipping! aim purely at God's glory.

Q. How shall we know we aim at God's glory?

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1. When we prefer God's glory above all other things; above credit, estate, relations when the glory of God coming in competition with them, we prefer his glory before them. If relations lie in our way to heaven, we must either leap over them, or tread upon them; a child must unchild himself, and forget he is a child; he must know neither father nor mother in God's cause, Deut. xxxiii. 9, "Who said unto his father and mother,

I have not seen him; neither did he acknowledge his brethren." This is to aim at God's glory.

2. Then we aim at God's glory, when we can be content that God's will should take place, though it cross ours. Lord, I am content to be a loser, if thou be a gainer; to have less health, if I have more grace, and thou more glory; whether it be food or bitter physic thou givest me, Lord, I desire that which may be most for thy glory. Thus our blessed Saviour, "not as I will, but as thou wilt," Matth. xxvi. 39. So God might have more glory by his sufferings, he was content to suffer, John xii. 28, "Father, glorify thy

name.'

me the woman to be a tempter, I had not sinned. So confession glorifies God; it clears him, it acknowledgeth he is holy and righteous whatever he doth. Nehemiah vindicates God's righteousness, chap. ix. 33, "Thou art just in all that is brought upon us." A confession then is ingenuous, when it is free, not forced, Luke xv. 18, "I have sinned against heaven, and before thee." He chargeth himself with sin, before ever his Father charged him with it.

A. 3. We glorify God by believing, Rom. iv. 20, "Abraham was strong in faith, giving glory to God." Unbelief affronts God, it gives him the lie; "he that believeth not, maketh God a liar," 1 John v. 10. So faith brings glory to God, it sets to its seal that God is true, John iii. 23. He that believes,

3. Then we aim at God's glory, when we can be content to be out-shined by others in gifts and esteem, so God's glory may be in-flies to God's mercy and truth, as to an altar creased. A man that hath God in his heart, and God's glory in his eye, desires that God should be exalted; and if this be effected, let who will be the instrument, he rejoiceth, Phil. i. 15, "Some preach Christ of envy: notwithstanding Christ is preached, and I therein do rejoice, yea, and will rejoice." They preached Christ of envy, they envied Paul that concourse of people, and they preached that they might outshine him in gifts, and get away some of his hearers: well, saith Paul, Christ is preached, and God is like to have glory, therefore I rejoice; let my candle go out, if the Sun of Righteousness may but shine.

A. 2. We glorify God by an ingenuous confession of sin. The thief on the cross had dishonoured God in his life, but at his death he brings glory to God by confession of sin, Luke xxiii. 41, "We indeed suffer justly." He acknowledged he deserved not only crucifixion, but damnation. Josh. vii. 19, "My son, give, I pray thee, glory to God, and make confession unto him." An humble confession exalts God. How is God's free grace magnified in crowning those who deserve to be condemned; as the excusing and mincing of sin doth cast a reproach upon God! Adam denies not he did taste the forbidden fruit, but, instead of a full confession, he taxes God, Gen. iii. 12, “The woman whom thou gavest me, she gave me of the tree, and I did eat." If thou hadst not given

of refuge; he doth ingarrison himself in the promises; he trusts all he hath with God, Ps. xxxi. 5, "Into thy hands I commit my spirit." This is a great way of bringing glory to God, therefore God honours faith, because faith honours God. It is a great honour we do to a man, when we trust him with all we have, we put our lives and estates into his hand,-a sign we have a good opinion of him. The three children glorified God by believing, "The God whom we serve is able to deliver us, and will deliver us," Dan. iii. 17. Faith knows there are no impossibilities with God, and will trust him

where it cannot trace him.

A. 4. We glorify God, by being tender of God's glory. God's glory is dear to him as the apple of his eye. Now, when we are tender of his glory, by laying to heart his dishonours, this is a glorifying of him. An ingenuous child weeps to see a disgrace done to his father, Ps. lxix. 9, "The reproaches of them that reproach thee are fallen upon me." When we hear God reproached, it is as if we were reproached; when God's glory suffers, it is as if we suffered. This is to be tender of God's glory.

A. 5. We glorify God by fruitfulness, John xv. 8, "Hereby is my Father glorified, if ye bring forth much fruit. As it is a dishonour to God to be barren, so fruitfulness doth honour him, Phil. i. 11, "Filled with the fruits of righteousness, which are to the