Use. The use shall only be in these two branches : —
1. In doing any good work, let us do all things in him as well as to him. Let us not only make this our scope, that we may do it to God, but let us make his grace our principle : otherwise, when we go to work for God without God, it will befall us as it did Sampson, that thought to go out and shake himself as in former times, but his locks were cut and his strength gone. Men that have had former ex- periences, think to find a like vigour of affection, a like raisedness of spirit, a like savouriness of expression ; but if they take not God along with them, they find their strength is gone, their affections dead, that all their spirits are dry and sapless, and that they do not go forth with such life and power as formerly. Therefore, whenever you go about a good work, say, as David, 'I will go forth in the strength of God.'
2. It directs us in ascribing the honour of what we have done. It is dangerous to assume divine honour to ourselves or accept it from others ; but we must give the Lord the glory, whose concurrence doth all the work. Eemember, we have received all from God, and God must have all the glory and honour ; if others should ascribe it to us, we are not to take it. To conceal and receive stolen goods, brings us within the compass of theft, as well as to steal them ourselves. So, when others would ascribe anything to us, still let the Lord have the glory of every work and business.
The third point.
Doct. 3. We are not only to look to this, that his will be done, but to the manner how it is done.
It is not for the honour of his majesty to be put off with anything ; we must serve him with all our mind and strength: Mai. i. 14, 'When ye brought that which was torn, and lame, and sick, should I accept
148 AN EXPOSITION OF [Mat, VI. 10.
this of your hands ? saith the Lord. I am a great king, saith the Lord of hosts, and my name is dreadful among the heathen.' We are to aim at the highest manner of serving God. There is an ardent desire in the saints to he perfect : ' If by any means they would attain to the resurrection of the dead,' Phil. iii. 11 ; that is, that happy and sinless state they shall enjoy hereafter. The manner is more consid- erable than the work itself. A man may sin in doing good, but he cannot sin in doing loell ; therefore the manner is that which is mainly stood upon in scripture. God doth not only look that we pray, but it must be fervent effectual prayer, not a drowsy devotion ; not only that we hear, but take heed lioio we hear ; not only that we serve him, but serve him instantly ; not only run, but so run. The great thing that is put into the balance of the sanctuary, when God comes to weigh the actions of men, what doth he consider ? He weighs the spirits : Prov. xvi. 2, ' All the ways of man are right in his own eyes ; but the Lord weigheth the spirits ;' that is, he considers with what frame of heart, and in what manner, we go about anything we do for him. And therefore this is the main thing we should look after, in what manner we serve him, even as the angels do in heaven ; not in an ordinary but perfect manner.
But wherein doth the resemblance hold ; how should we be as the angels ?
1. In conformity to the angels, we must serve God readily. The angels are represented as ' with wings,' Isa. vi. 2 : and the angel Gabriel is said to ' fly swiftly' upon God's message ; they are heark- ening for God's word, and go on God's errand. So we should be ready and speedy in our obedience : Ps. cxix. 60, ' I made haste, and delayed not to keeji thy commandments.' It is not enough to keep God's com- mandments, but we must make haste ; that is, before the strength of the present impulsion be lost, and those fervours which are upon us be cooled.
2. Willingly and cheerfully, and without murmuring. Angels are ready at God's beck ; they are ministering spirits, even to the meanest saints ; God hath sent them abroad for the heirs of salvation ; they are as guardians to them, to look after them in all their ways. The devils, what Christ bids them do, do it murmuringly ; the unclean spirit would not come out without rending and tearing, Mark ix. ; Christ's presence was a burthen to them, Mat. viii. When we do things with reluctancy, murmuringly, we are more like the devils than the angels. When the devils obey his word, they are forced to it by the absolute power of Christ ; yet they do it not with willingness and freeness, as the good angels do. But we are to do it freely : ' I delight to do thy will, 0 my Uod,' Ps. xl. 8. And, John iv. 34, ' It is my meat and drink to do the will of him that sent me.' That was tlie dish Christ loved.