^ Luke xiv. 26. with that expression in the verse before the text, " Thou honourest thv sons above me."
Such being the conduct which God requires, let us consider,
II. In what hght he will view it —
He will account himself "^honoured" by our ob- servance of it —
[Often does he speak to us to this effect: and in what sense we must understand the expression, has been before explained. Though " our goodness cannot extend to him," or profit "him," if he esteem himself glorified by it, it is quite sufficient for us: nor can we have any greater stimulus to ex- ertion than such a consideration as this. To form a just estimate of it, let us only reflect on the zeal which is manifested by all the hosts of heaven to honour God : how do they all vie with each other in their songs of praise ! And if an opportunity were afforded them to advance his honour by any offices on earth, how readily would they leave their blest abodes, and fly hither to execute his high commands ! They are represented as " doing his commandments, and hearkening to the voice of his word," to obey the first intimation of his will. Such is the zeal that should animate us ; and God will assuredly consider himself as glorified by it : indeed he is glorified, inasmuch as our obe- dience proclaims to all around us, that he is, in our estimation at least, worthy of all the love that we can manifest, and of all the service that we can render him.]
But where such conduct is wanting, God accounts himself treated with contempt —
[Is there no medium between an honouring of God and a despising of him? I answer. No: if he be not honoured, something else is honoured above him, and the creature is set above the Most High God. It is said of Eli, that he " honoured his sons above God : " and this was considered by God as an instance of direct and absolute contempt. The same is true respecting every act of disobedience, and every neglect of duty; which necessarily implies an attention to our own ease, interest, or pleasure, in preference to the will of God. Wliat a contempt of the Divine Majesty does it argue, when we resist his will ! What a contempt of his love and mercy, when we neglect his salvation ! What a contempt of his justice, his holiness, and his truth, when we entertain the idea that such conduct can pass with impunity ! This is the very construction that God himself puts upon such conduct : " Wherefore doth the wicked contemn God, while he doth sa}'^ in his heart. Thou, God, wilt not require it ? "
If then ive, poor, ignorant, guilty creatures, feel so keenly when we are treated wit'i contempt, let us consider how
284.1 ELl's UNFAITHFULNESS REPROVED. 129
indignantly the Most High God will resent such conduct at our hands.]
He himself has told us,
II. What notice he will take of it —
He will honour his faithful and obedient servants —
[This he has promised'^: and he will perform it. Men may treat them as if they were " the filth of the earth and the ofFscouring of all things ;" (though they cannot help reverencing them in their hearts'^;) but God will honour them with the most distinguished tokens of his love. He " will give them a name better than of sons and of daughters," and will enrich them with the inestimable blessings of grace and peace. Through their whole lives he will admit them to the nearest fellowship with himself: and what will he not do for them in the hour of
death 'i Yet all this falls infinitely short of the glory he
will confer upon them in the future world. Read what testi- monies of his approbation he \\dll give them before the assem- bled universe, and wdtli what honours he will invest them at his own right hand*^: verily they shall never have reason to complain that their fidelity to God has not been adequately rewarded.]