Israel, at all times, as the matter shall require, that all the people of the earth may know that the Lord is God, and that there is none else." See other passages to the same purpose referred to in the margin.*

This is spoken of as the end of the eternal damnation of the wicked, and also the eternal happiness of the righteous. Rom. ix. 22, 23. "What if God, willing to shew his wrath, and make his power known, endured with much long-suffering the vessels of wrath fitted to destruction: and that he might make known the riches of his glory on the vessels of mercy, which he hath afore prepared unto glory ?"

This is spoken of, from time to time, as a great end of the miracles which God wrought. (See Exod. vii. 17. and viii. 10. and x. 2. Deut. xxix. 5, 6. Ezek. xxiv. 17.) And of the ordinances he has established. Exod. xxix. 44, 45, 46. "And I will sanctify also both Aaron and his sons, to minister to me in the priest's office. And I will dwell among the children of Israel, and will be their God. And they shall know that I am the Lord their God," &c. Chap. xxxi. 13. "Verily, my sabbaths shall ye keep; for it is a sign between me and you, throughout your generations; that ye may know that I am the Lord that doth sanctify you." We have again almost the same words, Ezek. xx. 12. and verse 20.

This was a great end of the redemption out of Egypt. Psal. cvi. 8. "Nevertheless he saved them for his name's sake, that he might make his mighty power to be known." (See also Exod. vii. 5. and Deut. iv. 34, 35.) And also of the redemption from the Babylonish captivity. Ezek. xx. 34-38. "And I will bring you out from the people, and will gather you out of the countries whither ye are scattered.--And I will bring you into the wilderness of the people; and there I will plead with you, as I pleaded with your fathers in the wilderness of the land of Egypt.-And I will bring you into the bond of the covenant. And I will purge out the rebels.--And ye shall know that I am the Lord." Verse 42. " And ye shall know that I am the Lord, when I shall bring you into the land of Israel." Verse 44. " And ye shall know that I am the Lord, when I have wrought with you for my name's sake." (See also, chap. xxviii. 25, 26. and xxxvi. 11. and xxxvii. 6, 13.)

This is also declared to be a great end of the work of redemption by Jesus Christ: both of its purchase, and its application. Rom. iii. 25, 26. " Whom God hath set forth to be a propitiation through faith in his blood, to declare his righteousness. -To declare, I say, at this time, his righteousness: that he might be just, and the justifier of him that believeth in Jesus." Eph.

i

:

ii. 4,-7. "But God, who is rich in mercy, &c. That he might shew the exceeding riches of his grace, in his kindness towards us through Jesus Christ." Chap iii. 8, 9, 10. "To preach among the Gentiles the unsearchable riches of Christ, and to make all men see what is the fellowship of that mystery which from the beginning of the world, hath been hid in God, who created all things by Jesus Christ: To the intent that now unto the principalities and powers in heavenly places, might be known by the church the manifold wisdom of God." Psal. xxii. 21, 22. "Save me from the lion's mouth." I will declare thy name unto my brethren; in the midst of the congregation will I praise thee." (Compared with Heb. ii. 12. and John xvii. 26.) Isa. Ixiv. 4. "O that thou wouldest rend the heavens-to make thy name known to thine adversaries."

And it is pronounced to be the end of that great, actual salvation, which should follow Christ's purchase of salvation, both among Jews and Gentiles. Isa. xlix. 22, 23. " I will lift up my hand to the Gentiles, and they shall bring thy sons in their arms-and kings shall be thy nursing-fathers and thou shalt know that I am the Lord."*

This appears to be the end of God's common Providence. Job xxxvii. 6, 7. "For he saith to the snow, Be thou on the earth. Likewise to the small rain, and to the great rain of his strength. He sealeth up the hand of every man, that all men may know his work." And of the day of judgment, that grand consummation of God's moral government of the world, and the day for bringing all things to their designed ultimate issue. It is called, The day of the revelation of the righteous judgment of God, Rom. ii. 5.

"The

And the declaration, or openly manifesting of God's excellency, is spoken of as the actual, happy consequence and effect of the work of creation. Psal. xix. 1, &c. heavens declare the glory of God, and the firmament sheweth his handy-work. Day unto day uttereth speech, night unto night sheweth knowledge. In them hath he placed a tabernacle for the sun, which is as a bridegroom coming out of his chamber, and rejoicing as a strong man to run his race,"

&c.

3. In like manner, there are many scriptures that speak of God's PRAISE, in many of the forementioned respects, just in the same manner as of his name and glory.

This is spoken of as the end of the very being of God's people, in the same manner as before, Jer. xiii. 11. " For as the girdle cleaveth to the loins of a man, so have I caused to cleave unto me the whole house of Israel, and the whole house of Ju

* See also, Ezek. xvi. 62. and xxix. 21. and xxxiv. 27, and xxxvi. 38. and xxxix. 28, 29. Joel iii. 17.

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dah, saith the Lord: that they might be unto me for a name, and for a praise, and a glory."

It is spoken of as the end of the moral world. Matt. xxi. 16. "Out of the mouth of babes and sucklings hast thou perfected praise." That is, so hast thou in thy sovereignty and wisdom ordered it, that thou shouldest obtain the great end for which intelligent creatures are made, more especially from some of them that are in themselves weak, inferior, and more insufficient." (Compare Psal. viii. 1, 2.)

And the same thing that was observed before concerning the making known God's excellency, may also be observed concerning God's praise. That it is made use of as an argument in deprecating a state of destruction; that in such a state this end cannot be answered, in such a manner as seems to imply its being an ultimate end, for which God had made man. Psal. lxxxviii. 10. "Shall the dead arise and praise thee? Shall thy loving-kindness be declared in the grave?Shall thy wonders be known in the dark?" Psal. xxx. 9. "What profit is there in my blood? When I go down to the pit, shall the dust praise thee? Shall it declare thy truth?" Psal. cxv. 17, 18. "The dead praise not the Lord, neither any that go down into silence: but we will bless the Lord, from this time forth and for evermore. Praise ye the Lord." Isa. xxxviii. 18, 19. "For the grave cannot praise thee, death cannot celebrate thee; they that go down into the pit cannot hope for thy truth. The living, the living, he shall praise thee." And God's praise is spoken of as the end of the virtue of God's people, in like manner as his glory. Phil. i. II. " Being filled with the fruits of righteousness, which are by Jesus Christ to the praise and glory of God."

God's praise is the end of the work of redemption. In Eph. i. where that work in its various parts is particularly insisted on, and set forth in its exceeding glory, this is mentioned, from time to time, as the great end of all, that it should be " to the praise of his glory." As in ver. 6, 12, 14. By which we may doubtless understand much the same thing with what in Phil. i. 11. is expressed, " his praise and glory." Agreeably to this, Jacob's fourth son, from whom the great Redeemer was to proceed, by the special direction of God's Providence, was called PRAISE. This happy consequence, and glorious end of that great redemption, Messiah one of his posterity, was to work out.

In the Old Testament this praise is spoken of as the end of the forgiveness of God's people, and their salvation, in the same manner as God's name and glory. Isa. xlviii. 9, 10, 11. "For my name's sake will I defer mine anger, and for my praise will I refrain for thee, that I cut thee not off. Behold I have refined thee for mine own sake, even for mine own

"And I

sake will I do it; for how should my name be polluted? and my glory will I not give to another." Jer. xxxiii. 8, 9. will cleanse them from all their iniquity, and I will pardon all their iniquities. And it shall be to me a name of joy, a praise, and an honour."

And that the holy part of the moral world express desires of this, and delight in it, as the end which holy principles in them tend to, reach after, and rest in, in their highest exercises -just in the same manner as the glory of God is abundantly manifest. It would be endless to enumerate particular places wherein this appears; wherein the saints declare this, by expressing their earnest desires of God's praise; calling on all nations, and all beings in heaven and earth to praise him; in a rapturous manner calling on one another, crying "Hallelujah; praise ye the Lord, praise him for ever." Expressing their resolutions to praise him as long as they live through all generations, and for ever; declaring how good, how pleasant and comely the praise of God is, &c. And it is manifest, that God's praise is the desirable and glorious consequence and effect of all the works of creation, by such places as these. Psal. cxlv. 5-10, and cxlviii. throughout, and ciii. 19-22.

SECT. V.

Places of Scripture from whence it may be argued, that communication of good to the Creature, was one thing which God had in View, as an ultimate End of the Creation of the World.

1. According to the scripture, communicating good to the creatures is what is in itself pleasing to God. And this is not merely subordinately agreeable, and esteemed valuable, on account of its relation to a further end, as it is in executing justice in punishing the sins of men; but what God is inclined to on its own account, and what he delights in simply and ultimately. For though God is sometimes in scripture spoken of as taking pleasure in punishing men's sins, Deut. xxviii. 63. "The Lord will rejoice over you, to destroy you." Ezek. v. 13. "Then shall mine anger be accomplished, and I will cause my fury to rest upon them, and I will be comforted." Yet God is often spoken of as exercising goodness and shewing mercy, with delight, in a manner quite different, and opposite to that of his executing wrath. For the latter is spoken of as what God proceeds to with backwardness and reluctance; the misery of the creature being not agreeable to him on its own account. Neh. ix. 17. "Thou art a God

ready to pardon, gracious and merciful, slow to anger, and of great kindness." Psal. ciii. 8. "The Lord is merciful and gracious, slow to anger, and plenteous in mercy." Psal. cxlv. 8. "The Lord is gracious and full of compassion, slow to anger, and of great mercy." We have again almost the same words. Jonah iv. 2. Mic vii. 18. "Who is a God like unto thee, that pardoneth iniquity, &c.-He retaineth not his anger for ever, because he delighteth in mercy." Ezek. xviii. 32. “І have no pleasure in the death of him that dieth, saith the Lord God; wherefore turn yourselves, and live ye." Lam. iii. 33. "He doth not afflict willingly, nor grieve the children of men." Ezek. xxxiii. 11. "As I live, saith the Lord God, I have no pleasure in the death of the wicked, but that the wicked turn from his way and live: turn ye, turn ye from your evil ways; for why will ye die, O house of Israel!" 2 Pet. iii. 9. "Not willing that any should perish, but that all should come to repentance."

2. The work of redemption wrought out by Jesus Christ, is spoken of in such a manner as, being from the grace and love of God to men, does not well consist with his seeking a communication of good to them, only subordinately. Such expressions as that in John iii. 16. carry another idea. so loved the world that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him, should not perish, but have everlasting life." And 1 John iv. 9, 10. "In this was manifested

"God

the love of God towards us, because that God sent his only begotten Son into the world, that we might live through him. Herein is love; not that we loved God, but that he loved us, and sent his Son to be the propitiation for our sins." So Eph. ii. 4. "But God, who is rich in mercy, for his great love wherewith he loved us," &c. But if indeed this was only from a regard to a further end, entirely diverse from our good; then all the love is truly terminated in that, its ultimate object, and therein is his love manifested, strictly and properly speaking, and not in that he loved us, or exercised such high regard towards.us. For if our good be not at all regarded ultimately, but only subordinately, then our good or interest is, in itself considered, nothing in God's regard.

The scripture every where represents it, as though the great things Christ did and suffered were in the most direct and proper sense from exceeding love to us. Thus the apostle Paul represents the matter, Gal. ii. 20. " Who loved me, and gave himself for me." Eph. v. 25. "Husbands love your wives, even as Christ loved the church, and gave himself for it." And Christ himself, John xvii. 19. "For their sakes I sanctify myself." And the scripture represents Christ as resting in the salvation and glory of his people, when obtained, as in what he ultimately sought, as having therein reached the goal, obtained