[3.] From this dedication there results a relation to God. So that from that time forth they are not their own, but the Lord's : Ezek. xvi. 8, 'I entered into covenant with thee, and thou becamest mine ;' Rom. xiv. 7, 8, ' None of us liveth to himself, and no man dieth to himself : for whether we live, we live unto the Lord ; or whether we die, we die unto the Lord : whether we live therefore or die, we are the Lord's.' In the text, ' glorified in his saints,' because of his right in them ; and they devote themselves to him.
[4.] An actual using ourselves for God ; for we are vessels set apart for the master's use, 2 Tim. ii. 21 ; and accordingly we must live, not to ourselves, but unto God. If we love God, and have any sense of his kindness to us in Christ, we will do so, and shall need no other bond to bind this upon us but our own love : 2 Cor. v. 15, ' That we who live should not live to ourselves, but to him that died for us/ Besides, a sincere christian maketh conscience of his dedication : 1 Cor. vi. 15, 'Your bodies are the members of Christ ; shall I then take the members of Christ, and make them the members of a harlot? God forbid.' Many give up themselves to God, but in the use of themselves there .ippeareth no such matter. Besides, from the relation and interest God hath in us : ' Give to Caesar the things that are Cassar's, and to God the things that are God's.' So 1 Cor. vi. 19, 20, ' Ye are bought with a price, therefore glorify God in your body, and in your spirit, which are his.' We must make conscience of alienating what is God's. Lastly, it is bound upon us by the certainty of the future account, Luke xix. 23 ; therefore we should keep a constant and faithful reckoning how we lay out ourselves for God.
2. Positively. Holiness is the renewing of our hearts by the Spirit, or an inward principle of sanctification wrought in us. Other things, when dedicated to God, are changed only in their use, but man is changed in his nature ; there is a difference between him and others, as he is set apart for God and dedicated to an holy use : Ps. iv. 3, ' The Lord hath set apart him that is godly for himself.' But there is a difference between them and themselves, as they are cleansed, purified, and renewed by the Holy Ghost : 1 Cor. vi. 11, ' Such were some of you, but ye are washed, but ye are sanctified, but ye are justi-
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fied, in the name of the Lord Jesus, and by the Spirit of our God.' A man must be holy before his actions can be holy ; they are the saints in whom Christ will be glorified.
3. Though it be limited to saints (all of that number are comprised), yet there is a great deal of difference between the saints of God. Some are more eminent in grace, others weak and dark ; and there is a dif- ference between them at the last day ; some are raised, others that are alive are changed ; but they all agree in this, that Christ will be glori- fied in all ; there is not one single believer in whom Christ will not be admired ; even in the glory that he puts upon the meanest and weakest, it shall be enough to raise the wonder of angels ; whether it be a prophet's reward, or a righteous man's reward, or an ordinary disciple's reward, whether bond or free, all is one, Christ will crown his grace in him ; for the apostle saith, ' He shall be admired in all that believe.'
Fifthly, The season, 'In that day.' For this public honour and glory we must tarry till the time fixed ; we shall have most of his favour when Christ and we meet ; and it is not fit the adopted children should have their glory till the Son of God by nature be publicly manifested to the world. His personal honour lieth hid, and is much under a veil ; all things come to their perfection by degrees ; there is no congruity between the present state and this blessedness — (1.) The place is not fit ; (2.) The persons are not fit ; (3.) The time is not fit.
1. The place is not fit for a perpetual state of blessedness, because it is full of changes. Here time and chance happeneth unto all things, and there is a continual vicissitude of summer and winter, night and day, calm and tempest. The world to come is either all evil or all good, here is neither all evil nor all good ; this is a fit place for our exercise and trial, not for our enjoyment. Here is the patience of the saints, but hereafter is the reward of the saints ; it is a fit place wherein to get a right and interest, but not to get possession ; it is God's foot- stool, but not his throne, Isa. lxvi. 1. He will not immediately show himself to us till we come before the throne of his glory. He filleth the upper part of the world with his glorious presence, the lower with his powerful presence. This is a place where he will show his bounty to all his creatures, a common inn and receptacle for sons and bastards, a place given to the children of men, Ps. cxv. 16 ; but the heaven of heavens is reserved for himself and his people.