(9.) The ninth and last, though not the least, end, is the honour and glory of the great God. God's grace is the spring, and God's gloiy is the end of all a Christian's obedience. God's glory is the ultimate end, the primary end, the universal end, the sea to which all a Christian's actions, like so many rivers, move and bend, Rom. xiv. 7, 8 ; Pliihp. i. 20, 21. It is true many poor, low, mean, base ends may creep into a Christian's performances ; but here mark, [1.] they are disallowed ; [2.] they are loathed and abhorred ; [3.] they are resisted and striven against; [4.] they are lamented and mourned over; [5.] the gracious soul would willingly be rid of them. If a Christian might have his choice, he would never be troubled with any base end any more. Beloved, you must always distinguish between a man's settled and his suggested ends. A man's settled end may be one thing, and his suggested end another thing. Now for ever remember this, that the great God always makes a judgment of men according to their settled ends, according to the universal frame of their spirits, and not according to those ends that may be suggested to them by the world, tlie flesh, or the devil. It is in this case as it may be with a man that shoots at a mark ; he aims aright at the mark, but his elbow may meet with a jog, which may carry the arrow quite another way than what he intended ; or as it is with a man that is sailing to such a haven, or to such a harbour, he steers a right course by his compass, but the winds blowing contrary, and the sea running high, he is forced into such a creek, or such a harbour, which he never intended, &c.
Quest. Is it requisite, for the clearing of the sincerity of our heaiis, that we have a continual eye to the glory of God in every action we do? .
Ans. 1. First, You must disiinguish hetv:een an actual aim and in- tention, and an habitual aim and intention. For the first, an actual
Chap. II.] a cabinet of jewels, 353
aim and intention of the spirit, in every particular action that a man doth to the glory of God, is utterly impossible, whilst we carry about with us a body of sin and death. The angels and ' sjDirits of just men made perfect ' do thus actually aim at the glory of God in all they do ; but it is a work that will be too high and too hard for us, whilst we are here in a polluted estate. This was so high a mark, that Adam missed it in his innocency. No wonder then if we often miss it in our sinful state and condition. But,
Ans. 2. Secondly, There is an habitual inclination in us, in every action ive do, to aim at the honour and glory of God, though there he not the actual intention of the spirit in every action we do. It is with us, as with a man travelling towards a town or city ; he thinks in the morning to go to such a town, such a place, w^here he purposes to lie the first night, and therefore sets forth towards it ; and though he doth not think of this every step he takes, yet it is his purpose in his journey to rest there at night ; or as it is with a man that comes to church, his end is to hear the word of the Lord ; yet in every word he hears spoken, he hath not the thought of his end upon his spirit, but he is there by virtue of his first intention. So here, though in every particular there be not an intention of spirit to level this or that action to the glory "of God, yet it is the main drift and habitual scope of a man's spirit, that God's glory may be the end of all his actions.
Ans. 3. Thirdly, There is a mediate and there is an immediate eye- ing or looking to the glory of God.; as when I forbear such and such a sin, because God by such a command hath forbidden it, or I do such and such a duty, because God hath commanded it. Now, in eyeing of the command of God, I eye the glory of God immediately, though not mediately.^ But,
Ans. 4. Fourthly, In some particular or special cases, I ought actually to eye the glory of God : as [1.] In some eminent or extraor- dinary service that I am to do for Christ ; or [2.] In some special testimony that I am called to give for Christ or his gospel ; or [3.] In some great thing that I am called to suffer for Christ, or his gospel, or his interest. But,
Ans. 5. Fifthly, The onore a Christian actually eyes the glory of God in all he does, the more, [1.] He glorifies God ; [2.] The nearer you are the life of heaven, and the more you act like the glorious angels, and * the spirits of just men made perfect ;' [3.] The more will be your joy, comfort, and peace, both in life and death, and in the day of your ac- count ; [4.] The more strong will be your confidence and assurance that your spiritual estate is good, and that you shall be saved for ever ; [5.] The better you wall be able to bear up under all the false, hard, and sour censures of this world ; [6.] The more you wiU be temptation-proof ; [7.] The more glorious and weighty will be your crown of glory at last. He shall be highest in heaven, who has actually aimed most at the glor}' of God in this lower world.
And thus you see how you may know whether your obedience is such an obedience as springs from faith or no. Now, if upon trial you shall find that your obedience is the obedience of faith, then you may safely and groundedly conclude, that you have a saving work of God upon your hearts. But,
' Qu. ' mediately, though not immediately ' ? — Ed.
35 4< A CABINET OF JEWELS. [ChAP. IL