A65285:1644
A Body of Practical Divinity
A body of practical divinity consisting of above one hundred seventy six sermons on the lesser catechism composed by the reverend assembly of divines at Westminster : with a supplement of some sermons on several texts of Scripture / by Thomas Watson ...
London: printed for Thomas Parkurst, 1692
Title page typeset from the transcription.
Modern spelling is a reading aid: the words are the author’s, only the spelling is modernized. Original shows the page as printed, with the transcription marks.
4. Obedience must be sincere, viz. We must aim at the Glory of God in it. Finis specificat actionem: In Religion the end is all. The end of our Obedience must not be to stop the Mouth of Conscience, or to gain Applause and Preferment; but that we may grow more like God, and bring more Glory to God, 1 Cor. 10.31. Do all to the Glory of God. That which hath spoiled many glorious Actions, and made them lose their Reward, is, when Mens aims have been wrong: The Pharisees gave Alms, but blowed a Trumpet, that they might have Glory of Men, Matt. 6: 2. Alms should shine, but not blaze. Jehu did well in destroying the Baal-worshippers, and God commended him for it; but because his Aims were not good (he aimed at settling himself in the Kingdom) therefore God looked upon it no better than Murder, Hos. 1.4. I will avenge the blood of Jezreel upon the House of Jehu. O let us look to our Ends in Obedience; it is possible the Action may be right and not the Heart, 2 Chron. 25.2. Amaziah did that which was right in the sight of the Lord, but not with a perfect Heart. Two things are chiefly to be eyed in Obedience, the Principle and the End: A Child of God, though he shoots short in his Obedience, yet he takes a right Aim.
4. Obedience must be sincere, viz. We must aim at the Glory of God in it. Finis specificat actionem: In Religion the end is all. The end of our Obedience must not be to stop the Mouth of Conscience, or to gain Applause and Preferment; but that we may grow more like God, and bring more Glory to God, 1 Cor. 10.31. Do all to the Glory of God. That which hath spoiled many glorious Actions, and made them lose their Reward, is, when Mens aims have been wrong: The Pharisees gave Alms, but blowed a Trumpet, that they might have Glory of Men, Matt. 6: 2. Alms should shine, but not blaze. Iehu did well in destroying the Baal-worshippers, and God commended him for it; but because his Aims were not good (he aim'd at setling himself in the Kingdom) therefore God look'd upon it no better than Murder,