(4.) Again, We glorify God in Christ, ivhen ice see such glory and mercy of Christ, as it doth transform lis and change us, and from an inward change we have alway a blessed disposition to glorify God, as I shewed out of 2 Cor. iii. 18.* This is the difference between the glass of the gospel and the glass of the law and of the creatures. In the law we see the beams of the justice of God, * Cursed is every one that contiuueth not in all,' &c.. Gal. iii. 10, and the beams of his power and goodness in the creature. But it doth not change and transform us to be good and gracious. But when we see the glory of God, of his goodness and infinite mercy, shining in the face of Jesus Christ — for we dare not look upon God immediately — it cbangeth the soul to be gracious like unto Christ. Therefore if we find that the knowledge of God in Christ hath changed our dispositions, it is a sign then we give glory to God indeed. For to glorify God is an action that cannot proceed but from a disposition of nature that is altered and changed. The instrument must be set in tune before it can yield this excellent music, to glorify God as the angels do ; that is, all the powers of the soul must be set in order with grace by the Spirit of God. If the meditations and thoughts of the gospel have altered our dispositions to love God, and that that pleaseth God, to do good to men, to delight in goodness, it is a sign we are instruments in tune to glorify God, and' that we have an apprehension of the love and mercy of God in Christ as we should. For it hath a transforming power to work this. ' The grace of God will teach us to deny ungodliness and wordly lusts, and to live hoUly,' Titus ii. 12. When the grace of God, that is, the free love of God in Christ, in the forgiving our sins and advancing us to heaven, hath this effect in our souls, it is a sign we have a true notion and apprehension of the excellency and eminency of God's grace. Otherwise, if we ' turn the grace of God into wantonness,' Jude 4, to make the benefits by Christ a pretence and covering for our wicked and loose lives, we know not what it is to glorify God ; but though in words we say, ' Glory be to God,' yet in our Hves we deny it, as the apostle saith, Titus i. 10. The hypocrites in Isa. Ixvi. 5, they had good speeches in their mouths. Saith God, ' Hear the word of the Lord, ye that tremble at his word : your brethren that hated you, and cast you out for my name's sake, said. Let the Lord be glorified.' So you shall find those that are opposers and persecutors, and haters of sincerity, will sing ' Gloria Patri,' ' God be glorified ;' but what good will this do them if they have diabolical, Satanical dispositions, if they be like the devil in opposing the truth, and hating that that is good ? The devils in the gospel could glorify God for their own ends : * We know that thou art the Son of God,' Luke iv. 41. So devils incarnate can come to church and receive the sacraments, and seem to praise God. Oh, but there must be a change ; for to glorify God is a work of the whole man, especially of the Spirit. * All that is within me, praise his holy name,' Ps. ciii. 1. It came from the heart-root of a sanctified judgment, out of grounds why we do it. The wish of the angels here, ' Glory to God on high,' it came from a good ground, because they knew God is to be glorified in Christ. For judicious phrases are founded upon truths. So there must be a sanctified judgment to be the ground of it, and the affections must be in tune answerable to those
* Cf. ' Excellency of the Gospel above the Law,' Vol. IV. page 201, sej.— G.
832 angels' acclamations.
truths. ~ Then we arc fit to glorify God. And all this is by the power of the gospel transforming us.
if (5.) Again, We glorify God when tie take to heart anythinrj that may hinder, or stop, or eclipse God's truth, and obscure it; when it works zeal ill us in our places, as far as we can ; when it affects us deeply to see the cause of religion hindered any way. If there be any desire i of glorifying God, there will be zeal. The heart will move with a kind of indignation when God is dishonoured, and his truth eclipsed with false doctrine or by ill practice. It cannot be otherwise. It is out of the nature of the thing itself. Therefore those that cither arc instruments of stopping or obscur- ing the truth, or causing it to bo reproached by their wicked lives, or if they be not instruments, yet they do not take it to heart when they see God dishonoured, surely they can speak little comfort to themselves. They have neither angelical nor evangelical dispositions ; for if they had the knowledge of the gospel it would work this in them.