1Now this is the high design of God, to which all the rest are subservient; mark the steps, all things are yours, and you are Christs, and Christ is Gods (i.) For God, and for his glory: the two former designs are to which, but not for which God worketh: he that buildeth an house, that he may lay a sure foundation, and that he may raise the frame, he gives it the due filling which belongs to it: but these are not his proper ends, his main design: but that he may have an house for his habitation: So God works, many things to our glory, and that in us Christ may be glorious; but the proper end, that high design which he hath in all, it is his own glory. And yet O my soul, consider a little further, the plot of our salvation, of the Saints glory, and of Christs glory, as it aims at the glory of God, so especially at the glory of his grace: As if we see that one doth this or that in wisdom, it is the glory of his wisdom: if he do it in strength or power, it is the glory of his power: if he do it out of grace, it is the glory of his grace: so God designed the salvation of our souls out of his mere grace, favour, love, he must needs intend to have his grace notified in us, and to have it (being known) accordingly admired, and praised, and honoured by us; not but that God must be glorified in his wisdom, power, justice, holiness, and his other attributes; ay, but especially in this, it is the grace of God in which he most delighteth, even as virtuous Kings affect, above all their other virtues, to be had in honour for their clemency, and bounty. So it is with our God the King of Kings, Lord of Lords; all he doth is to this end, that his grace may be manifested to his greater glory. And to this end is the glory of Christ, and the glory of Christians referred. Why Lord, that this should be thy plot, to save my soul, that my soul should praise the glory of thy grace? that thy grace should before all worlds think on me for good? O how should I but think on thee, and thy free-grace? How should I but admire it, adore it, praise it, exalted it above Sun and Moon, and Stars? how should I but cry out with the Apostle, Oh the depth of the riches of thy grace! for of him, 2and through him, and to him are all things, to whom be glory for ever, and ever, Amen.
1Now this is the high designe of God, to which all the rest are subservient; mark the steps, all things are yours, and you are Christs, and Christ is Gods (i.) For God, and for his glory: the two former designes are to which, but not for which God worketh: he that buildeth an house, that he may lay a sure foundation, and that he may raise the frame, he gives it the due filling which belongs to it: but these are not his proper ends, his main designe: but that he may have an house for his habitation: So God works, many things to our glory, and that in us Christ may be glorious; but the proper end, that high designe which he hath in all, it is his own glory. And yet O my soul, consider a little further, the plot of our salvation, of the Saints glory, and of Christs glory, as it aimes at the glory of God, so especially at the glory of his grace: As if we see that one doth this or that in wisdom, it is the glory of his wisdome: if he do it in strength or power, it is the glory of his power: if he do it out of grace, it is the glory of his grace: so God designed the salvation of our soules out of his meer grace, favour, love, he must needs intend to have his grace notified in us, and to have it (being known) accordingly admired, and praised, and honored by us; not but that God must be glorified in his wisdome, power, justice, holiness, and his other attributes; ay, but especially in this, it is the grace of God in which he most delighteth, even as vertuous Kings affect, above all their other vertues, to be had in honour for their clemency, and bounty. So it is with our God the King of Kings, Lord of Lords; all he doth is to this end, that his grace may be manifested to his greater glory. And to this end is the glory of Christ, and the glory of Christians referred. Why Lord, that this should be thy plot, to save my soul, that my soul should praise the glory of thy grace? that thy grace should before all worlds think on me for good? O how should I but think on thee, and thy free-grace? How should I but admire it, adore it, praise it, exalted it above Sun and Moon, and Starres? how should I but cry out with the Apostle, Oh the depth of the riches of thy grace! for of him, 2and through him, and to him are all things, to whom be glory for ever, and ever, Amen.
- 1Prov. 16.4 Isa. 43.6.7.
- 2Rom. 11.36
