Let us labour tlaerefore for dispositions angelical; that is, such as may delight in the good of others, and the good of other meaner than ourselves.
And learn this also from them: shall they glorify God for our good espe- cially? and shall we be dull and cold in praising God on our own behalf? Shall they come ' suddenly from heaven,' and cheerfully, and willingly, and * to praise God' for his goodness to us, and shall we be frozen and cold in this duty, that is for our good more especially ? I hasten to that that follows :
What is the matter of their celebration and gratulation ?
' Glory to God in the highest,
' In earth peace,
* Good will towards men.'
There is some difference in the readings. Some copies have it, * On earth peace to men of good will,' to men of God's good will ; and so they would have it two branches, not three. If the word be rightly understood, it is no great matter (b).
1. First, The angels begin with the main and chief end of all. It is God's end ; it was the angels' end, and it should be ours too, ' Glory to God on high.'
2. Then they wish the chief good of all, that whereby we are fitted for the main end, ' peace.' God cannot be glorified on earth unless there be peace wrought. For man else conceives God as an enemy. Bj' this peace we are fitted to glorify God. If we find reconciliation with God through
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Jesus Christ, then the sense of God's love in the work of reconciUation will inflame our hearts to glorify God. Therefore, nest to the glory of God, they wish ' peace on earth.'
3. Then, thirdly, here is the ground of all happiness from whence thig peace comes : from God's good will ; from his good pleasure or free grace, * to men of God's good will.' So if we go back again, the good will and pleasure of God is the cause and ground of peace in Christ ; and peace in Christ puts us into a condition and stirs up to glorify God. So we see there is an order in these three.
To begin with the first :
* Glory to God in the highest.' .
The angels, those blessed and holy spirits, they begin with that which is the end of all. It is God's end in all things, his own glory. He hath none above himself whose glory to aim at. And they wish ' glory to God in the highest heavens.'
Indeed, he is more glorified there than anywhere in the world. It is the place where his majesty most appears ; and the truth is, we cannot per- fectly glorify God till we be in heaven. There is pure glory given to God in heaven. There is no corruption there in those perfect souls. There is perfect glory given to God in heaven. Here upon earth God is not glori- fied at all by many. The whole life of many being nothing but a dis- honouring of God, by abusing his ordinances, trampling upon his church and children, by slighting his word and sacraments, there is little honour given to God in the world, but only by a few, whom hie intends to glorify for ever. And indeed, if we will glorify God here, we must raise our thoughts to heaven at that time ; raise them above the world, to heaven, where we shall for ever glorify him ; where we shall join with the blessed saints and angels, and sing, ' Holy, holy, holy, Lord God of hosts,' &c. In the mean time, let me add this by the way, that in some sort we may- glorify God more on earth than in heaven. It may seem a paradox, but it is true. That is thus : here upon earth we glorify God in the midst of enemies ; he hath no enemies in heaven, they are all of one spirit. Here upon earth we live not only among devils, but among men led with the spirit of the devil, where God is dishonoured ; and if here we take God's side, and the truth, and gospel's side, and stand for God's cause, in some sort, we honour God here more than we are capable to do it in heaven, where there is no opposition. In this respect, let us be encouraged to glorify God, what we can here : for if we begin to glorify God here, it is a sign we are of the number that he intends to glorify with him for ever.
The verb is not set down here ; whether it should be. Glory is given to God ; or whether, by way of wishing, ' Let glory be given to God ; or by way of prediction or prophecy for the time to come, ' GI017 sliall he to God,' from hence to the end of the world. The verb being wanting, all have a truth. For, first, it cannot be a wish, unless it were a positive doctrinal truth, that all glory is due to God in the incarnation of Christ ; and because all glory is due to him, thereupon comes the ground of wishing and of prayer, ' Let God be glorified.' "Why ? Because it is due. If it were not a positive doctrinal truth, there could be no foundation to raise a wish or a prayer : for what is a prayer, but the turning of a promise or truth into a prayer ? And what is praise, but the turning of a truth into praise ? So it is a doctrinal truth ; first, that God is to be glorified especially in Christ; and in Christ, in this particular, in the incarnation of Christ. And it is a wish for the time to come, let him be glorified ; and a prediction, God shall