(3.) This gives God the glory of his law, whereby he requires this obedience at our hands. The obedience of them that are subject to it, sets forth the glory of the wisdom, goodness, and power of the lawgiver in that law. But this may be referred to the first head.
(4.) It gives him the glory of his justice, even in this world. There are two sorts of people in the world ; the children of God, and others. Temptations lie on both, in reference to each other. The children of God are often disturbed by the outward prosperity of the wicked : the men of the world, at the public claim which they [the children of God] make in the privilege of God's love and j)rotection : « Why they rather than others, — than we V For the first, we know upon what principle they are to satisfy themselves. For the latter, this gives God the glory of his justice, when those whom he owns in this world, who expect a crown of reward from him, do walk humbly with him. So the apostle, 2 Thess. i. 4, 5, " Your patience and faith in tribulation/' saith he to the saints, " is a manifest token of the righteous judgment of God, that ye may be counted worthy of his kingdom." Their patient and humble walking will be an evidence to convince even the world of the righteous justice of God, in rewarding of them and rejecting of itself. Though eternal life be the gift of God, and chiefly respects
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the praise of his glorious grace in Jesus Christ, yet God intending to bestow it on us in a way of reward, he will therein visibly glorify his justice also. Now, this gives a foretaste of it unto men, when they shall see those whom he will reward to walk humbly with him ; wherein it may appear that his ways are equal, and his judgment righteous ; or, as the apostle speaks, " according to truth."
(5.) It gives him the glory of his kingdom, in being an effectual means for the increase of the number of his subjects, and so the pro- pagation of it in the world.
Now, if on all these, and on sundry other considerations, God be glorified in a humble walking with him, beyond any thing else in this world ; this humble walking must certainly be the great and incom- parable concernment of all them whose chief end is the advancement of the glory of God.
2. It is our great concernment, because God is greatly delighted in it; it is well-pleasing to him. The humble walking of professors is the great delight of the soul of God, — all that he hath in this world to delight in. If this be our aim, if this be our great interest, — that we may please God, that he may delight in us, and rejoice over us; this is the way whereby it is to be done, Isa. lvii. 15, " As I dwell," saith God, " in the high and holy place, — delight to abide in the heavens, where I manifest my glory ; so I dwell with the humble and contrite spirit with delight and joy." Men in an opposition to this frame, be they what they will else in outward profession, are proud men. No- thing takes away pride in the sight of God but this humble walking with him. Now, " the proud he knoweth afar off," Ps. cxxxviii. 6 ; he takes notice of them with scorn and indignation ; they are to him an abominable thing. It is three times solemnly asserted in the Scriptures, that God resisteth the proud, or scorneth the scorner, and giveth grace to the humble and lowly, Prov. iii. 34; James iv. 6; 1 Pet. v. 5. God scorns, abominates, resists, and sets himself against such men; but he gives grace or favour to the lowly, to the humble. This is admirably set out, Isa. lxvi. 1-3. He deals there with a pro- fessing people,— men that in all they did, said, " Let the Lord be glorified," verse 5. These men, aiming at acceptance with him, and to have him delight in them, pretended principally two things : —
(1.) The glory of the temple, — that high and holy house that was built to his own name. Says God, as to this, " Do you think that I have any need of it, or any delight in it, as it is such a goodly and glorious fabric in your eyes? The heaven is my throne," saith he, " and the earth my footstool; my hands have made all these things, — what need have I of the house you have built, or what delight in it?"
(2.) They pleaded his worship and service; the duties they per- formed therein, — their sacrifices and oblations, — praying, hearing.
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" Alas ! " saith God, " all these things I abhor." And so he compares them to the things which his sonl did most hate, and which he had most severely forbid, verse 8. But if God will take delight in none of these things, — if neither temple nor ordinances, worship nor duty of religion, will prevail, — what is it that he delights in? Saith the Lord, " ' To this man will I look;' I will rejoice over him, and rest in my love." Let now the proud Pharisee come and boast his righteousness, his duties, his worship, and performances ; — the eye of God is on the poor creature behind the door, that is crying, "God be merciful to me, a sinner;" that is, giving himself up to sovereign mercy, and follow- ing after him upon that account. We have got a holiness that puffeth up, that in some hath little other fruit but " Stand from me; I am holier than thou." God delights not in it. It is a hard thing to excel in humble walking; it [i. e., to excel, distinction] is easier obtained by other ways; but God delights not in them.