SECONDLY, It ought to be inquired what it is to live unto God, which we are thus to design.
I answer briefly, three things are required thereunto: — 1. That we make him our end ; 2. That we make his will our only rule ; 3. That we expect our strength and reward from him alone.
1. If we live to God, we make him our universal end. This can be but one in any one man at the same time, or in the same state and condition. A man may have various general ends in various condi tions ; as the same person, whilst he is unconverted to God hath one ge neral end, and when he is converted another : but in the same state he can have but one end. Every man may have, every man hath, many particular ends, and these are every way consistent with each other. Every particular action hath its particular end, and every especial course of life hath its especial end, if it be ordered aright; — in civil things, men pursue their trades, to increase their wealth thereby, like those in James iv. 13, and to provide for their families, or the like; and every thing they do in that course hath its especial end also. And these may be multiplied, according unto men's occasions. So also in duties of religion, men may have particular ends. As he that giveth an alms to the poor, his next, particular end is to relieve their necessity. And although these particular ends are good, and the things done with respect unto them are honest and good in their own nature, yet do they not absolutely render them good unto them by whom they are performed, seeing there is an universal end over all these particular ends, whereon depends the formal nature of all that we do with respect unto God. These particular ends, there fore, may be many and various, co-ordinate or subordinate one to another, yea, sometimes contrary and stirring up a fierce conflict in the minds of men, — as it is with persons under the power of strong convictions, as also with them that serve divers lusts and pleasures.
But as for universal ends, they are but two, and those so abso-
576 ENOCH'S WALK WITH GOD.
lately inconsistent that no man can make them both to be his ends at the same time; and these are God and self. No man can make both these to be his general and principal end. He whose end is God may do too many things for self, and he whose end is self may do many things for God, — and our duty it is to inquire whether is predominant in us,— but both of these cannot be our chief and universal end at the same time. This our Saviour fully instructs us in, in one great instance wherein self prevails, Matt. vi. 24. Our general end is our absolute master; we give up ourselves unto it with out limitation or condition. And although in such a sense we may sometimes do this or that work for another on particular occasions, yet we cannot entertain ourselves for an hour in the service of another. He that maketh self his end and master may do many things for God, but he can in nothing make God his chief end, but comparatively he will love self, and hold to self, and God shall be despised ; and so also on the contrary. How we may know what is our principal end, or what end the prevailing design of our souls is for, shall immediately be inquired into.
How, then, is God thus the chief end of them who design to live unto him, or wherein do they make him so to be?
In answer, Our living unto God as our chief end consists in two things: — (1.) Our doing of all things unto his glory; and, (2.) Our aiming in and above all things at the enjoyment of him.
(1.) He is so when we do all things unto his glory; which the Scripture expressly requireth of us. In actions natural and civil, and in things sacred or religious, " whatsoever ye do, do all to the glory of God, 1 Cor. x. 31. This is in all things our principal end, if we live to God and not to self. That we may rightly understand it, we may observe, —
[1.] That, as we granted before, there are sundry particular ends that we may have in and unto all that we do. It is not so required of us to do all to the glory of God as not to have any lawful end of our own that may be subordinate thereunto. A sinful end, as the satisfaction of our lusts or self in any thing, we may not have ; it is inconsistent with the general end proposed. So far as we attend unto it, we cross our principal end, if God be so. But such ends as are good in themselves are also allowed unto us. A man may eat and drink for the refreshment and sustentation of his nature, and may make that his end; so he may industriously labour in his particular calling, thereby to provide for himself and his family, and may make that his immediate end ; yea, a man may use diversions and recrea tions for the relief and refreshment of his wearied nature, and make that his end. And so it may be in all instances, natural, civil, and religious; for all these ends may be as well subordinated unto the