on in the way of God, and in the work of God, notwithstanding all
1. A soul may be said to do gloriously, first, when their doing lies
level with the glorious rule of Scripture. Those thoughts are glorious
thoughts which are suitable to the glorious rule of Scripture, and
those words are glorious words which are suitable to the glorious
rule of Scripture, and those actions towards God and man are
glorious actions which are suitable to the glorious rule of Scripture.
But this is too general.
2. Therefore, secondly, and more particularly, men do gloriously
when they do such things that others refuse to do, that others have
no heart to do, that others are afraid to do for God. Oh, to do this is
to do gloriously. As David, when he engaged with Goliath, he did
gloriously; others were afraid to do it, others had no heart to do it.
Just so, when men engage for God when others are afraid to engage,
when others dare not engage, they shall lose the smiles of this man,
and procure the frowns of that man; they say, "there is a lion in the
way!!"
Just so, men turn off the work. "It is too hard," says one. "It is too
high, it is too rough, it is too dangerous," say others. Now to do
gloriously is to do that which others refuse to do, and which others
have not hearts to do.
3. And then, in the third place, men do gloriously when they hold
on in the way of God, and in the work of God, notwithstanding all
discouragements that befall them. When men serve their generation,
notwithstanding the discouragements which do or may befall them,
rain or shine, let men smile or frown, do what they will against them
or their actions—yet for a soul to hold on and to serve his generation,
against all, and notwithstanding all the reproaches and dirt and
scorn and contempt which is thrown on them--is to hold on in the
way of God; this is to do gloriously.
It was the glory of the church: Psalm 44:17-18, "All this happened
to us, though we had not forgotten you or been false to your
covenant. Our hearts had not turned back; our feet had not strayed
from your path." Oh, you have a generation that pretends much for
God while they may gain by the bargain, honor and riches and great
places and the like—but when God brings them through the valley of
darkness, that they meet with discouragements and difficulties, they
throw away the bucklers, and will be no more for God—but fire
about, and prove treacherous to church and kingdom.
It was the glory of David, and it was a glorious speech of his in
Psalm 57. Says David, ver. 4, 6, "I am in the midst of lions; I lie
among ravenous beasts-- men whose teeth are spears and arrows,
whose tongues are sharp swords. They spread a net for my feet-- I
was bowed down in distress. They dug a pit in my path." Mark, what
was the courage of this worthy one? He met with discouragements.
Does he grow treacherous, and give back? No! "My heart is fixed, O
God, my heart is fixed." The word that is here rendered "fixed," is a
signifies firm, constant, and established; and he doubles it, "my heart