self is created, an everlasting approach to God is begun, which appears in growing conformity, resemblance, affection and union. All that comes from God moves again towards him as its proper centre. He is all in all. This view alone will vindicate the all-sufficiency of God. An end is that which we seek for its own sake. Is it then most accordant with the independence and immutability of God, to make a creature or himself, the end which he seeks? Surely his aim must terminate in himself. He seeks not to increase his happiness by deriving from his creatures, but to gratify himself, by communicating to his creatures. He delights in his creatures, but it is in his own imparted and reflected self as beheld in them. Let not this be thoughtlessly confounded with a selfishness which overrates itself, and infringes on the claims of others. Whose interests are interfered with-whose happiness disturbed-whose province invaded-whose rights usurped-when the All-wise, omniscient and unerring God, decides that his own everlasting excellence and greatness, are to stand above all the derived claims of creatures, which compared with him, are as nothing, less than nothing and vanity? Neither may the pursuit of this end on the part of the Divine Being, be confounded with the vain love of applause seen among men. Because it is foolish for man to covet the applause of the ignorant and ill judging, is it therefore not right that God should approve of an enlightened, just, wise, holy, affectionate esteem of his own unspeakable and adorable excellencies? Is it not right in itself that infi nite worth should be known and appreciated? Is it not one of the highest conditions of existence, to know and approve excellence, and thus indicate congeniality therewith? If God may be righteously displeased with contempt from his creatures towards himself, he may assuredly approve and seek their esteem and love. Moreover, is it right that God should love infinite excellence? Then he must love it in himself. Is it right he should also wish others to love infinite excellence? Then he must wish them to love it in himself. Nor let alarm be felt lest the principle of divine benevolence should be sacrificed, or its freeness derogated from, by this view of the chief end sought by the Supreme Being in his works and ways.-So far is this from being the result, that benevolence is essentially involved in the representations we have given of the grand aim of God to secure his own glory in his creation and government. His end we have seen is to diffuse himself. But this is to diffuse good-beauty-happiness. Benevolence is then inseparable from-identical with the disposition of the Great Supreme to communicate himself. The emanation of God's glory is the communication of happiness to the creature. That which is the result of divine impartation to the creature, which is the object of divine complacency in the creature, which is the image and glory of God reflected from the creature, is just that which makes the bliss of a creature. God's purpose to effect his own glory is not a confined self love opposed to general benevolence. Whatever we call it, it is so spontaneous as to create the objects of benevolence, and so expansive, as to stretch over It is the universe in forms of beneficence and love. not indigence and dependence seeking their own selfish ends. God shews his independence in making himself the end, and is entirely self-moved in his benevolent communications. Has the creature any thing to complain of? Is the benevolence less real, less free, less fruitful, less pure and virtuous, because God's own glory is the chief end proposed? God seeks his own glory by making his creatures good and happy. He does then make his creatures good and happy. He does this freely. He does it abundantly. He does it in the exercise of infinite kindness and compassion. Of what then have we to complain? That he does not make us his chief end? That he does not look upon us as principally to be regarded in his doings? That he does not look upon us as more worthy of consideration than himself? That he does not make us of more importance than himself? That he does not make us God? seeks his glory by being infinitely kind and merciful. It surely should content us that he is infinitely kind and merciful, without wishing to make our interests of more magnitude than his honour. God In addition to the foregoing considerations, it is not easy to perceive how the order and harmony of the universe could be secured, unless the glory of God be the paramount end in divine government. If the creature is to regard himself as the end, what jarring claims, what clashing interests, what interminable conflict, what everlasting confusion! But if God's glory is the end, there is instantly a principle of harmony established. A glorious and perfect system of fitness and subordination rises to view. The inferior interests are made to agree, and all to unite in harmonious and co-operating subserviency to the great and proper end. This reference of all things to the glory of God, places creatures not only in a proper posture and subordination to God, but in a safe, peaceful and beneficial attitude towards each other. The Scriptures supply us with the same views. We crave the reader's attention and patience, whilst we present in order the statements of the word of God upon this subject. The explicitness, the simplicity, the variety, the grandeur, the completeness, the authority of these representations will render comment needless, and laboured proof superfluous. They shall stand in their own beauty, transparency and majesty. "I am the first, I GENERAL DOCTRINE. also am the last."* "I am Alpha and Omega, the beginning and the ending, saith the Lord,... .the first and the last."+"For of him, and through him, and to him are all things.” t "All things were created by him and for him." § "For it became him by whom are all things and for whom are all things.” || The Lord hath made all things for himself." T CREATION. "The hea ، O Lord, Our SPECIFICATION. vens declare the glory of God.” ** Lord, how excellent is thy name in all the earth! who hath set thy glory above the heavens." ++ "Thou art worthy, O Lord, to receive glory, and • Isaiah xlviii. 12. † Rev. i. 11. || Heb. ii. 10. [ Prov. xvi. 4. ‡ Rom. xi. 36. ** Psalm xix. 1. § Col. i. 16. t viii. 1 honour and power; for thou hast created all things, and for thy pleasure they are and were created.”* PROVIDENCE IN THE MATERIAL WORLD. "God thundereth marvellously with his voice; great things doeth he, which we cannot comprehend. For he saith to the snow, be thou on the earth; likewise to he small rain, and to the great rain of his strength. He sealeth up the hand of every man; that all men nay know his work.” ↑ PROVIDENCE IN THE SENTIENT WORLD. The lory of the Lord shall endure for ever; the Lord hall rejoice in his works" t-described throughout ne psalm. PROVIDENCE IN THE INTELLECTUAL AND MORAL WORLD. "And he said unto me, thou art my servant, O Israel, in whom I will be glorified.” § "The Spirit of the Lord God is upon me; because the Lord hath anointed me to preach good tidings to the meek; he hath sent me to bind up the broken hearted, to proclaim liberty to the captives, and the opening of the prison to them that are bound; to proclaim the acceptable year of the Lord, and the day of vengeance of our God; to comfort all that mourn; to appoint unto them that mourn in Zion, to give unto them beauty for ashes, the oil of joy for mourning, the garment of praise for the spirit of heaviness; that they might be called trees of righteousness, the planting of the Lord, that he might be glorified." || CHOICE AND SEPARATION OF ISRAEL AS A PECULIAR PEOPLE. "Even every one that is called * Rev. iv. 11. Psalm civ. 31. + Job xxxvii. 5. 6. 7. |