94 THIRD SERMON sense the strong and terrible ones are said to glorify him, Isa. xxv. 3. Because his power in their destruc- tion is made the more conspicuous. But we should not therein concur unto the glorifying of him. " The grave cannot praise him ; they that go down into the pit cannot celebrate his name," Psa. xxx. 9. lxxxviii. 10, 11. " The living, the living, they shall praise thee," Isa. xxxviii. 19. This is a frequent argument with David whereby to prevail for mercy, because else God would lose the praise which by this means he should render to his name, Psa. vi. 4, 5. cxviii. 17, &c. God indeed is all- sufficient to himself, and no goodness of ours can extend unto him, Job xxii. 2. xxxv. 7. Yet as parents delight to use the labour of their children in things which are no way beneficial unto themselves ; so God is pleased to use us as in- struments for setting forth his glory, though his glory stand in no need of us, though we cannot add one cubit thereunto. He hath made all men unto the uses of his unsearchable counsels. " He hath made all things for himself, yea, even the wicked for the day of evil," Prov. xvi. 4. Yet he is pleased to esteem some men meet for uses which others are not, 2 Tim. ii. 21. and to set apart some for himself, and for those uses, Psa. iv. 3. Isa. xliii. 21. God by his wisdom ordereth, and draweth the blind and brute motions of the worst creatures unto his own honour, as the hunts- man does the rage of the dog to his pleasure, or the mariner the blowing of the wind unto his voyage, or the artist the heat of the fire unto his work, or the physician the blood thirstiness of the leech unto a cure. But godly men are fitted to bring actually glory unto him, to glorify him doingly, 1 Cor. x. 30, 31. Eph. i. 11, 12. And this is that which God chiefly takes pleasure in.
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