A Body of Practical Divinity

Quest. How many ways may we glorify God?

Quest. How many ways may we glorifie God?

Resp. 1. It is a glorifying God when we aim purely at God's Glory; it is one thing to advance God's Glory, another thing to aim at it; God must be the Terminus ad quem, the Ultimate End of all our Actions; thus Christ, Joh. 8.50. I seek not my own glory, but the glory of him that sent me. 'Tis the Note of an Hypocrite, he hath a squint Eye, he looks more to his own Glory then God's Glory. Our Saviour Deciphers such, and gives a Caveat against them, Matth. 6.2. When thou givest alms do not sound a trumpet. A Stranger would ask, What means the noise of this Trumpet? Then it was answered, They are going to give to the Poor. And so they did not give Alms, but sell them for Honour and Applause, that they may have Glory of Men: the Breath of Men was the Wind that blew the Sails of their Charity: Verily, they have their reward. The Hypocrite may make his Acquittance, and write, Received in full payment. Vain-glory Chrysostom calls one of the Devil's great Nets to catch Men. And Cyprian, Quem non gula [Greek or Hebrew] superavit: Whom Satan cannot prevail against by Intemperance, those he prevails against by Pride and Vain-glory. O let us take heed of this [Greek or Hebrew], Self-worshipping! Aim purely at God's Glory.

Resp. 1. It is a glorifying God when we aim purely at God's Glory; it is one thing to advance God's Glory, another thing to aim at it; God must be the Terminus ad quem, the Ultimate End of all our Actions; thus Christ, Joh. 8.50. I seek not my own glory, but the glory of him that sent me. 'Tis the Note of an Hypocrite, he hath a squint Eye, he looks more to his own Glory then God's Glory. Our Saviour Deciphers such, and gives a Caveat against them, Matth. 6.2