(1.) First, then, we hold tune with the blessed angels in giving glory to * Cf. Ezek. xxii. 28.— G.
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God, when u-e exalt God in our souls above all creaturea and things in the uvrld ; when we lift him up iu his own place, and let him be in our souls, as he is in himself, iu the most holy. God is glorious, especially iu his mercy and goodness. Let him be so in our hearts, in these sweet attri- butes, above all our unworthiness and sin. For God hath not glory from us till we give him the highest place in our love and joy and delight, and all those affections that are set upon good, when they are set upon him as the chief good ; then we give him his due place in our souls, we ascribe to him that divinity, and excellency, and emineucy that is due to him. And this especially appears in competition and opposition of other things, when we will not oU'eud God for any creature, when we can say as the psalmist, * Whom have I in heaven but thee, and what is there in earth in comparison of thee ?' Ps. Ixxiii. 25. Therefore let us ask our own thoughts often what that is, that our affections of delight and joy and love, and ail the sweetness and marrow of our souls, is spent on, and runs after. Is it the sweet love of God in Christ, the excellent state we have in Christ ? It is an excellent sign. Surely the blessed saints in heaven, and those that are in earth that look for heaven, are thus disposed for the most part, especially when they set themselves in their devotions before God. Let us examine what is highest in our souls. * The loving-kindness of the Lord is better than life itself,' saith the psalmist, Ps. Ixiii. 3. Then we give God glory, when we set light by life itself, as holy Saint Paul could say. What ! do you tell me of suffering at Jerusalem ? ' I am not only ready ' to do that, but to ' die for the name of Christ,' Acts xx. 24, and in Philip, i. 20, ' so God may be magnified by my life or death.' I am at a point ; so if the question be whether we shall sacrifice this blood and life of ours, or dishonour God and wrong the gospel, or be any way prejudicial to the truth known, when we are ready to part with all, with father and mother, and houses and lands, and all for Christ, then with the angels we sa}', ' Glory be to God on high.' Therefore in a state of opposition, when we cannot enjoy both, let us leave the creature and cleave to God.
(2.) Then again, we give glory to God for Christ, when we take all the favours we have from God in Christ, when we see Christ in everything. * All things are ours because we are Christ's,' 1 Cor. iii. 23. It is by Christ that we are heirs, that we have any comfortable interest. Therefore, when ■we accept all in Christ, and give God in Christ the glory of all, we practise this that the angels do here ; we give gloiy to God.
(3.) Then again, we give glory to God when we stir up others. All the angels consent. There was no discord in this harmony of the angels. When we all join together and stir up one another, and labour to promote the knowledge of God in Christ all the ways we can — every one in our place and calling, magistrates and ministers, and every one in our families — labour that Christ may rule there, that God in Christ may be known. In Ps. ciii. 20, serj., there the psalmist stirs up himself to glorify God, and he stirs up the angels, and here the angels stir up men, * Glory to God on high,' &c. When there is a zeal of God's glory, and a disposition fit to glorify God, there will be a stirring up one of another — angels men, and men angels — and a wishing that God may have glory in heaven and earth. Therefore those that labour not in their places that the truth may be made known, that for base and worldly ends are opposers of the publishing of the gospel any way — as it is the fashion now, they will not appear openly, but cunningly undermine the gospel under pretences — they bear no tune with these blessed angels. For those that have dispositions like them will study
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how this blessed truth may be promoted and propagated, and spread even over the world. Therefore we should labour every one to spread the glori- ous gospel of Christ, especially those that are ministers, whose office it is to unfold and open the * unsearchable riches of Christ.'