[2.] He was made to glorify God. The creatures do it necessarily ; we must do it voluntarily and by choice. This must be the care of our hearts — (1.) In every business ; (2.) In every enjoyment.
(1.) In every business, be it never so trivial and low, even in the ordinary refreshments of nature : 1 Cor. x. 31, ' Whether therefore ye eat or drink, or whatsoever ye do, do all to the glory of God.' These common actions of eating and drinking must be done upon reasons of religion. In a king's house there are many ofiicers, but they are all to please the king ; so in my calling, in my duties, all must be done for the glory of the great God. All things must be measured by this rule, and give place to this great end, how I may glorify God, whether in the shop or in the closet, in my outward calling or in my private duties, or in my public relations or engagements, so far am I to mingle with any out- ward business as I may still enjoy God, and be serviceable to his glory.
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Tliis is to make religion your work, and not your play and recreation, when still in every business God is at the utmost end, whatever present ends I have. If nature interpose to make us look after our particular conveniences, yet this is but in subordination to God's glory.
(2) In every enjoyment, whether it be natural or spiritual. I am to desire outward increase and estate, but I cannot desire it lawfully, but so as I may honour God with it. Agur measureth every estate by ends of religion : Prov. xxx. 8, 9, ' Give me neither poverty nor riches, but feed me with food convenient for me, lest I be full and deny thee, and say. Who is the Lord ; or lest I be poor and steal, and take the name of God in vain.' As God should be at the end of everv business, so at the end of every enjoyment, though it be spiritual. It is a mistake in christians to think that spiritual blessings are only to be desired for themselves. I must desire the pardon of my sins, not merely for itself, but that God may be glorified in pardon. I must desire grace not only that I might be saved, but that God may be glorified in my salvation : Eph. i. 6, ' To the praise of the glory of his grace, wherein he hath made us accepted in the Beloved.' The creature's aims are never regular but when they suit with God's. In the work of redemption Jesus Christ pleased not himself, but had an aim at the Father's glory : Eom. xv. 3, ' For even Christ pleased not himself.' So should we in the comforts of redemption, not please our- selves merely in the consideration of our own happiness, but rejoice in it as God's ends are promoted in it, that God is glorified in pardoning my sin, or giving me grace and salvation. Though it be a difficult, yet it is a necessary piece of self-denial to desire salvation in a subor- dination to God's glory.
Secondly, For the contriving plotting work. The end being once fixed, we are to consider generally by what means it may be accom- plished, and more particularly how you may observe and carry it on to the glory of God.
1. Generally, by what means we may accomplish it. Every end is obtained by apt and fit means, and God, as he hath ordained the end, so he hath appointed the means. The whole duty of man is to ' fear God and keep his commandments,' Eccles. xii. 13. The whole duty is comprised in obedience and fear ; obedience respects the rule, and fear the principle. Or obedience and love ; he instanceth in that principle that was most suitable to the present dispensation. In the Old Tes- tament, fear is the beginning of wisdom, fear is represented as the great principle of duty and worship, as in the New Testament, love : 2 Cor. V. 14, ' The love of Christ constraineth us ; ' 1 John v. 3, ' This is the love of God, that we keep his commandments.' The meaning of that place is, that God hath required entire obedience out of an holy and upright principle. Look, as God hath appointed to the creatures a law of creation by which they are bounded to their stated times and. paths, as the psalmist saith of the waters of the sea, Ps. civ. 9, ' Thou hast set a bound, that they may not pass over, that they turn not again to cover the earth,' so God hath given a moral law and rule to the rational creature, which must be observed by love and reverence. So it is said, Eph. ii. 10, 'We are the workmanship of God, created in Christ Jesus to good works, which God hath before ordained that we
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should walk therein.' God having by the same decree and wise counsel ordained botli end and means, he hath given us a rule by which we are to be guided in serving his glory.
2. More particularly, how you may observe and carry it on in this way according to the will of God. A christian is to be wise in his generation ; that is, in the course and sphere of his employments to manage the holy life by a wise foresight. A man that is a child of God hath wisdom if he would improve it : Luke xvi. 8, ' For the chil- dren of this world are in their generation wiser than the children of light' Christ makes it to be the application of the parable of the unjust steward; he was plotting aforehand how he should maintain himself when he was turned out of his service ; so Christ would hence commend to us spiritual wisdom, how the children of light should plot and contrive how to manage their course according to the will of God ; as the prodigal contrives aforehand how he shall make his address most acceptably to his father : Luke xv. 18, ' I will arise and go to my father, and will say unto him, Father, I have sinned against heaven and before thee.' He is searching out meet words, words of humble- ness and submission, by which he might work upon his father's bowels. So if this be my end, to enjoy God and glorify him, how shall I order my life so as to maintain most communion with him, and so as I may most promote his glory ? Neh. i. 11, ' Grant me mercy in the sight of this man ; for I was the king's cup-bearer.' He showeth the reason why he did undertake the work ; he was a courtier, and had the liberty of address to Artaxerxes ; Mnemon, he was devising what he might do for God in that station. So you should be contriving : This is my place, and these are my relations ; what shall I do for God as I am a minister, a magistrate, a master of a family ? how may I serve the great end of my creation, and promote the glory of God ? Such fore- sights make the holy life to be a life of care and choice ; not merely of chance and peradventure, but managed and guided with discretion for the glory of God.