(1.) By fixing his glory as the last end of all we do. All that we are, do, and have, must be to please and glorify God, and to promote the kingdom of Christ to the uttermost of our power.
(1st.) The ultimate and great end of man is to glorify God : 1 Cor. x. 31, 'Whether ye eat or drink, or whatsoever ye do, do all to the glory of God ;' 1 Peter iv. 11, ' That God in all things may be glorified, through Jesus Christ ; ' Isa. lxi. 3, ' Trees of righteousness, the plant- ing of the Lord, that he may be glorified.' This must be the scope which we all propound to ourselves.
(2d) Next to the glory of God is the honour of Christ, by promoting his kingdom ; that appeareth by the method of the Lord's prayer, 'Hallowed be thy name, thy kingdom come,' Mat. vi. 9, 10. The glory of God and the interests of Christ's kingdom are nearly conjoined; since the dispensation of grace by a redeemer we cannot separate them. The first means of hallowing God's name is by the coming of Christ's kingdom. If we would have God to be known, loved, and pleased, and honoured m the world, and well pleased in us, then we must pray and aim at this, that the kingdom of grace may be enlarged, and that the kingdom of glory as to the church of the perfectly sanctified may come, that mankind may more perfectly subject themselves to God'and be saved by him. God's glory is more manifested in the kingdom of Christ than in any other of his works ; his wisdom, power, and goodness is more seen and acknowledged in Sion than in all the world besides :
326 SERMONS UPON 2 THESSALONIANS I. [SeR. XIV.
Ps. Ixxvi. 1, ' In Judah is God known, his name is great in Israel/ All God's providences first tend to God's glory, next to the good of his church. In vain therefore do men think they seek the glory of God, except they seek the church's welfare ; the lessening, troubling, dis- ordering the kingdom of God is the crossing of his glory ; therefore we must do all things, suffer all things for the elect's sake, and to pro- mote the church's welfare. Paul conjoineth these two ends : 2 Cor. v. 13, 'If we be beside ourselves, it is for God ; if we be sober, it is for your sakes/ In all postures he still aimed at the glory of God and the good of the church. So must we do anything, suffer anything, though we are accounted fools and madmen for our labours, to promote the kingdom of Christ, and own it with the greatest hazard and loss to ourselves.
(2.) By doing such things as may most suit with this end. Now this concerneth either the matter to be done, or the manner of doing.
(1st.) The matter to be done are such things as are most likely to represent God, and bring him into request in the world, and whereby his excellencies may most sensibly appear in us. Now this appeareth by such things as have the nearest affinity to God. For instance, we conceive of God as a holy being, who hath his residence in heaven ; therefore that conversation which hath most holiness, godliness, and heavenliness shining forth in it, is most like to glorify God.
(1st.) Most holiness and purity, and that is at the greatest distance from anything that is vile and base ; for God is holy, and we should be ' holy in all manner of conversation,' 1 Peter i. 15. God is holiness itself, but we conceive of it best in the things he showeth himself to be holy in ; in his laws, which are all holy, just, and good, Ps. cxix. 146. There we have a copy and draught of his holiness ; such excellent and pure precepts could come from none but a pure and holy God. He showeth it also by the work of grace on us : Eph. iv. 24, ' And that ye put on the new man, which after God is created in righteousness and true holiness.' God hath left an impression on the creature, a nature which delights in that which is good, and is very tender and shy of sin, cannot endure it in ourselves and others : 2 Peter ii. 7, 8, ' Kighteous Lot was vexed with the filthy conversation of the wicked ; and did vex his righteous soul from day to day, in seeing and hearing their un- lawful deeds.' Now he that made the eye, shall not he see ? And he that putteth such a holy, clean heart into men, is not he pure and holy ? It is evident also by the dispensations of his providence, he loatheth sin and punisheth it : Hab. i. 13, ' Thou art of purer eyes than to behold evil.' If his own people make bold with sin, they smart for it : Prov. xi. 31, ' Behold the righteous shall be recompensed in the earth ;' as David and Eli. Well, then, we must resemble God, and bring him into remembrance, when we are pure, holy, abstaining from all appearance of evil ; this reviveth the memorial of God in the world.