First, in the service of God, our nature ought to be more prone, and apt unto it, our knowledge greater, our judgement riper, our conscience tenderer, our memory fresher, our desires and will earnester, all things to be done with a greater Affection, Love, Approbation, Cheerfulness, Fear to offend, Sincerity, Zeal, Watchfulness, and continuance both in Profession and ⟨p. 141⟩Action. In which regard, to show how all our Thoughts, Desires, and Affections should thus be taken up, when we come to deal with God, it is said, Thou qshalt love the Lord with all thine heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy strength: As if this were proper to the Duties of the first Table, which indeed doth but principally belong to them, and is by proportion to be carried to the rest. Therefore the glory of God ought to be dearer unto us, then the saving of our own souls: As the examples of Moses and Paul do teach us; rone desiring to be blotted out of the Book of Life, rather then that Gods great Name should be blasphemed among the Gentiles: The sother, for the glorifying of God in the saving of his Brethren the Nation of the Jews, wishing to be anathema, accursed from Christ. But especially Christ himself, as a most absolute and perfect example of all righteousness, doth herein go before us; when the hour being come wherein he was for our sakes to drink up the full cup of the fierce wrath of his Father, and his soul perplexed, that he knew not which way to turn him, yet he more regardeth the glorifying of God, then the saving of himself from that hour, Now tis my soul troubled. And What shall I say? Father, save me from this hour: but for that cause am I come unto this hour. Father, glorify thy Name. And hereupon it is, that in all our Prayers we are to set that in the first place, as our Saviour by the very order of his heavenly Prayer teacheth: so as if it could be imagined, that we had no need to ask for our selves (which we always have) yet the only zeal of his glory ought continually to stir us up unto this duty: and that much more forcibly then all our own necessities. The contrary whereof is Love of the Creature above God. He uthat loveth father or mother more then me, is not worthy of me. They xloved the praise of men, more then the praise of God.
First, in the seruice of God, our nature ought to bee more prone, and apt vnto it, our knowledge greater, our iudgement riper, our conscience tenderer, our memorie fresher, our desires and will earnester, all things to bee done with a greater Affection, Loue, Approbation, Cheerefulnesse, Feare to offend, Sinceritie, Zeale, Watchfulnesse, and continuance both in Profession and ⟨p. 141⟩Action. In which regard, to shew how all our Thoughts, Desires, and Affections should thus bee taken vp, when we come to deale with God, it is said, Thou qshalt loue the Lord with all thine heart, and with all thy soule, and with all thy strength: As if this were proper to the Duties of the first Table, which indeed doth but principally belong to them, and is by proportion to bee carryed to the rest. Therefore the glorie of God ought to be dearer vnto vs, then the sauing of our owne soules: As the examples of Moses and Paul doe teach vs; rone desiring to be blotted out of the Booke of Life, rather then that Gods great Name should be blasphemed amōg the Gentiles: The sother, for the glorifying of God in the sauing of his Brethren the Nation of the Iewes, wishing to be anathema, accursed from Christ. But especially Christ himselfe, as a most absolute and perfect example of all righteousnesse, doth herein goe before vs; when the houre being come wherein hee was for our sakes to drinke vp the full cup of the fierce wrath of his Father, and his soule perplexed, that he knew not which way to turne him, yet hee more regardeth the glorifying of God, then the sauing of himselfe from that houre, Now tis my soule troubled. And What shall I say? Father, saue me from this houre: but for that cause am I come vnto this houre. Father, glorifie thy Name. And hereupon it is, that in all our Prayers we are to set that in the first place, as our Sauiour by the verie order of his heauenly Prayer teacheth: so as if it could be imagined, that wee had no need to aske for our selues (which wee alwayes haue) yet the onely zeale of his glorie ought continually to stirre vs vp vnto this dutie: and that much more forcibly then all our owne necessities. The contrarie whereof is Loue of the Creature aboue God. He uthat loueth father or mother more then me, is not worthy of me. They x
- qMat. 22.
- rExod. 32. 32.
- sRom. 9. 3.
- tJoh. 12. 27, 28Ioh. 12. 27, 28
- uMat. 10. 37.
- xJohn 12. 43.Iohn 12. 43.
