Now these persons which are here described propound to themselves the noblest and highest end which the heart of man can pitch upon, even ' glory, honour, and immortality.' Amongst men, the ambitious, who aspire to crowns and kingdoms, and aim at perpetual fame by their virtues and rare exploits, are judged persons of greater gallantry than covetous muckworms and brutish epicures ; yet their highest thoughts and designs are very base and low in comparison of sincere christians, who ' by patient continuance in well-doing seek for glory, honour, and immortality,' and whom nothing less will content and satisfy than the enjoyment of God himself in his heavenly kingdom, and all that happi- ness which he hath promised to his faithful servants. The threshold will not content them, but the throne ; their end is far more noble than the designs of all the rest of the world. And whereas others do carry themselves but as an higher and wiser sort of beasts, and so are un- worthy of an immortal soul, these carry themselves as men possessed with a divine spirit. The beasts have an instinct that guideth them to seek things convenient for that life which they have ; and a man that is satisfied with his portion here, and only relisheth the contentments of the rational and bodily life, carrieth himself more like a living creature than a rational creature, more like a beast than like a man ; all their business and bustle is to have their wills and pleasure for a while, as if they had not any hopes or fears of any greater things here- after : Ps. xlix. 20, ' Man that is in honour, and understandeth not, is like the beasts that perish;' because he merely inclineth to present satis- factions ; for reason is a middle thing between the life of faith and the life of sense. If it be not sublimated by faith, it is debased by sense ; and then what great matter is it if you be a man, or a dog, or a swine, if reason be only given you to cater for the body, and to make provision for the flesh to fulfil the lusts thereof ? But let us more distinctly see what is the aim and design of those noble and brave spirits. There are two things in the text — the object and the act ; the thing aimed at, and their respect towards it.
1. The thing aimed at is 'glory, honour, and immortality.' Let me open the meaning of these words apart, and then show why so many are heaped together.
[1.] Glory. Glory is status illusiris, appearing excellency. There is a glory of this world, but that is fading : 1 Peter i. 24, ' All flesh is as grass, and all the glory of man as the flower of grass.' The
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flower is more fading than the grass itself, and is sooner shed than the stalk rotteth ; so many a man's excellency dietli before he dieth, and his glory is gone, when he remaineth as a neglected stalk. But this is a more solid glory, called by the apostle, 2 Cor. iv, 17, * A far more exceeding and eternal weight of glory.' This glory is in their persons: Rom. viii. 18, ' For I reckon that the sufferings of this present time are not worthy to be compared with the glory that shall be revealed in us;' Phil. iii. 21, ' Who shall change our vile body, that it may be fashioned like unto his glorious body ; ' Mat. xiii. 43, ' Then shall the righteous shine forth as the sun in the kingdom of their Father ; ' 2 Thes. i. 10, ' When he shall come to be glorified in his saints, and to be admired in all them that believe.' All the spectators shall stand wondering what he meaneth to do with those who were but newly crept out of dust and rottenness, so wonderful is the glory of the saints in the world to come. And as this glory concerns their persons, so their state. Christ will advance them to a glorious estate, to high dignity and honour, which the scripture expresseth sometimes by thrones : lie v. iii. 21, ' To him that overcometh will I grant to sit with me in my throne, even as I also overcame, and am sat down with my Father in his throne ; ' some- times by a crown : 2 Tim. iv. 8, ' Henceforth there is laid up for me a crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous judge, will give me at that day.' Visible marks of favour and honour will Christ put upon them.
[2.] Honour ; that imports praise and commendation, for honour is a testimony of excellency. To seek the honour of this world is destructive to faith : John v. 44, ' How can ye believe, which receive honour one of another, and seek not the honour that cometh from God only ? ' But the honour which Christ will put upon those that are faithful to him in the world to come is the great object of faith, by which we vanquish those temptations of disgrace and scorn which we meet with here in this world. Christ Avill then commend their faith before men and angels : Rev. iii. 5, ' I will confess his name before my Father, and before his angels.' Oh, what a blessed thing is it to be owned by Christ, and approved as faithful in his service by the judge of all the world, at whose sentence we must stand or fall ! The apostle saith, 2 Cor. x. 18, ' For not he that commendeth himself is approved, but whom the Lord commendeth.' To have a testimony in our own consciences is very sweet. Let the world slander, yet, if God approveth, it is sufficient. But it will be more honourable to us when the judge upon the throne shall acquit us ; and not only so, but approve and com- mend us. It is said, 1 Cor. iv. 5, ' Judge nothing before the time, until the Lord come, who both will bring to light the hidden things of dark- ness, and will make manifest the counsels of the heart ; and then shall every man have praise of God ; ' that is, be not too forward in your censures ; in time God will display the seducers, and discover every man's intentions and purposes. Then tliey that deserve it shall have shame, and every man that hath done well shall by God be justified and commended. What kind of approbation we shall have is shown : Mat. XXV. 21, ' Well done, thou good and faithful servant.' This is the honour which the saints expect.