ed with your talents, and wliat glory you have brought to him. Now, how sad will it be with them who hide their talents in a napkin, that bring God no glory at all ? V. 30. " Cast ye the unprofitable servant into outer darkness." It is not enougli for you to say, that you have not dishonoured God, — you have not lived in gross sin ; but wliatgood have you done? what glory have vou brought to God ? It is not enough for the servant of the vineyai'd, that he do no hurt in the vineyard, — that he do not break the trees, or destroy the hedges, — if he doth not do service in the vineyard, he loseth his pay ; if you do not good in your place, do not glorify God, you will lose your pay, miss of salvation. Oh think of this, all you that live unserviceably ! Chi'ist cursed the barren fig-tree. 2. It reproves such as are so far from bringing glory to God, that they rob God of his glory, Mai. iii. 8., " Will a man rob God ? yet he have robbed me." They rob God, who take the ^lory due to God to themselves : 1. If they liave gotten an estate, they ascribe all 'to their ouni wit and industry, they set the crown upon their own head, not considering that, Deut. viii. 18., " Thou shalt remem- ber the Lord thy God, for it is he that giv- eth thee power to get wealth." 2. If they do any duty of religion, they look squint to their own glory, Matth. vi. 5., " That they may be seen of men," — that they may be set upon a theatre that others may admire and canonize them, llie oil of vain glory feeds their lamp. How many hath the wind of popular breath blown to hell ! Whom the denl could not destroy by intemper- ance, he hath by vain glory. 3. It reproves them who fight against God's glory : Acts v. 39., " Lest ye be found to fight against God."
Q. But who do fight against God's glonj 9 A. Sucli as do oppose that, whereby God's glory is jn'omoted. (iod's glory is nuicli promoted in the preaching of the word, be- cause it is his engine whereby he converts souls. Now, such as would liind'T the preacliing of the word, these figlit against God's glory, ] Thess. ii. 1 6., " Forbidding us to speak to the Gentiles, that thoy might be saved." Dioclesian, who raised the lUth persecution against the Cliristians, did pro-
hibit churcli-meetings, and would have the temples of the Christians to be razed down. Such as hinder preaching do as the Philis- tines tiiat stopped the wells, — they stop the well of the water of life, — they take away the physicians that should heal sin-sick souls. Ministers are lights, Matth. v. 14., and who but thieves hate the light? these persons do directly strike at God's glory ; and what an account will they have to give to God, when he shall charge the blood of men's souls upon them? Luke xi. 32., " Ye have taken away the key of know- ledge ; ye entered not in yourselves, and them that were entering in ye hindered." If there be either justice in heaven, or fire in hell, they shall not go unpunished.
Use 3. Exhortation. Let us every one, in our place, make this our chief end and design, to glorify God : 1. Let me speak to magistrates ; God hath put much glory up- on them, Ps. Lxxxii. 6., " I have said ye are gods;" and will they not glorify him whom he hath put so much glory upon ? Magistrates shoidd be zealous for God's worship and day ; they should not let the sword rust in the scabbard, but draw it out for the cutting down of sin. 2. Ministers^ how should they study to promote God's glory ! God hath intrusted them with two of the most precious things, his truthsi. and the souls of his people. INIinisters are, by virtue of their office, to glorify God : L They must glorify God by labouring in the word and doctrine : 2 Tim. iv. 1 ., "I charge thee before G«d and the Lord J3sus Christ, who shall judge the quick and the dead: preach the word, be instant in season, out of season," &c. It was Augustine's wish, " that Christ, at his coming, might find him either praying or preaching." 2; Mi- nisters must glorify God by their zeal and sanctity. Tlie priests under the law, be- fore they served at the altar, did avjusIi in the laver ; such as serve in the Lord's house, must fu'st be washed from gross sin in the laver of repentance. It is matter of grief and shame, to think how many, who call themselves ministers, do, instead ol apparently bringing glory to God, disho- nour God, 2 Chron. xi. 15. Their lives, as well as doctrines, are heterodox, they are not free from the sins which they
C
18
MAN'S CHIEF END IS TO GLORIFY GOD.