Ver.4. the i7th Chapter of St-. J O H N. 49 Do&. They that mould die comfortably, fhotrld make this their great Care, tó glorify God upon the Earth; and finifh the Work which he path given them to do in their fetiérrai Stations and Relations: Here I (hall thew; L What it is to glorify God upon the Earth, &c. II. Why this fhould be our chief Care. III. That when we come to die, this Will be our Comfott: I. What it is to glorify God upon Earth, &c. Here, Fir(t, uid ? What it is to glorify God. Secondly, Vbi ? V pon the Earth. Thirdly, Ruomodo ? By finijhing the Work which he hath given to Is do. Fir(}, mid ? 1 have glorified thee. God is glorified allively and paffively. s. Paffrvely, which noteth the Event, which cometh to pars' by the Wifdom and over - ruling of God's Providence: and fo all things than at length glorify God in the Event. Pfal. 76. ro. Surely, the Wrath of Man fliall praife thee : In the Septuagint it is, ioeciayraty thall keep Holy -day ; the fierce endeavours of his Enemies do but make his Glory the more excellent. So our Lye and 2lnrighteoufnefs, may commend the Truth and Mercy of God, Rom. 3. 5, 7. Pharaoh was railed up for God's Glory 5 Asahe Valour of a King is difcovered by the Rebellion of his Subje &s ; the Skill of the Phyfician, by the defperatenefs of the Difeafe. But this is no thanks to them, but to God's Wife and Powerful Government; it will not leflen their Fault and Ponithment.. A wicked Man may fay in the end, I have been an Occalion that God hath been glorified. 2. Aaively we glorify God, when we let our felves to this Work, and make this our End and Scope, that we may be to, the praife of his glorious Grace. Some learn their School-fellows Leffons better than their own ; they would.have God glori- fied, but look to others rather than to themfelves. We wòuld have God glorified, but do not glorify him, are more careful of Events than Duties. We are ready to ask, Lord; what' wilt thou do for thy great Namé e but do not confider our own Engage. ment, How !ball I glorify God ? But what is it thus a&ively to glorify God ? . Anfw. s. To acknowledg his Excellency upon all Occafions; Pfal. 5o. 23. He that ofereth Praise, glorifieth me : Praifing him fórhis Excellencies, and declaring the Glory of his Attributes and Works, is one way of glorifying him. God's glorifying of ut, is effeaive and creative, ours declarative and manifeftative ; he calleth the Things that are not, as though they were ; but we do no more but fay things to be what they are, and that far below what they are. We declare God to be what he is, and are a kind of Witneffes to his Glory. He is the efficient and foie Caufe of all the good that we have, and are ; and beftows fomething upon us, which was not before. This declaring the Glory of God, is expreffed by two words, Praife and Blefftng : Pfal. r¢g. to. .411 thy Works Jisali praife thee, 0 Lord: thy Saints fliall blefr thee. Pralle referreth tá his Excellency, Bleffrng to his Benefits; both mutt be done ferioufly and frequently, and with a deep impreflion of his Goodnefs and Excellency upon our Hearts. Every Addrefs we make to God, tendeth to this, that God may have his due praile under- ftandingly and affeaionately afcribed to him. Repentance ,. and broken-hearted Confetfffson, giveth him the Praife of his Juftice ; the exercife of Faith, and running for Refuge to the Grace of the Gofpel, doth glorify his Mercy ; Thanksgiving for Be- nefits received, his Benignity and Goodnefs; petitioning for Grace, his Holinefs. 2. By a .perfe& Subje&ion and Refignation of our Wills to his Will. It is Work glorifieth God more than Words ; Verbal Praises, if deftitute of there, they are but an empty ,prattle. Job 31. 20. If his Loins have not bled me, and if he were not warmed with. the Fleece of my Sheep. So, 2 Theff. 1, I 1, 12. Wherefore alfo ree pray al- ways far you, that our God would count ye worthy of this Calling, and ftrpl all the good pleafure of his Goodnefs, and the Work of Faith with Power : That the Name of our Lord Jefas Chrijbmay be glorified in you, and you in hint Many fpeak good Words of God, but their Hearts are not fubjea to him; as the Devil carried Cheift to the top of an taigh GBg
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