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But we are to regard God's glory in the character of the views we form. The great system of salvation is constructed with a view to give "glory to God in the highest." It is presented to us in this aspect, recommended and enforced on this ground. When we receive it therefore in this character and with these pretensions, we give glory to God. The truths of the gospel are urged upon our acceptance because they "show forth the righteousness of God that he might be just, and the justifier of him that believeth"-because they disclose "the depths of the riches both of the wisdom and knowledge of God"because" he thereby shows the exceeding riches of his grace.' It is mentioned as their recommendation that they show salvation to be "by grace”—that it is "to the praise of the glory of his grace"-that they manifest "the excellency of the power to be of God" and not of man-that they "suffer no flesh to glory in his presence,” but enjoin on “him that glorieth to glory in the Lord." It is upon their subserviency to these ends that the inspired writers ground no small share of their argumentation. If our views do not recognise these ends they derogate from the divine honour. If they but partially acknowledge them, they so far fall short of the glory of God. The revelations of the word of God are so many openings to the divine throne, through which we gaze and adore. All the doctrines are to be channels in which our profoundest sentiments of awe, lowliness, submission, and affection, are to flow towards our God and Saviour. We have not made our proper use of Truth, if we do not travel in it as our "high way" to the presence of "the excellent glory." Such is the

path by which the Apostle seeks to lead us to the discernment and acknowledgment of the eternal excellency of Jehovah. "That the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of glory, may give unto you the spirit of wisdom and revelation in the knowledge of him the eyes of your understanding being enlightened; that ye may know what is the hope of his calling, and what the riches of the glory of his inheritance in the saints; and what is the exceeding greatness of his power to us-ward who believe, according to the working of his mighty power."* It was a favourite employment of Paul to take his fellow christians by the hand, and lead them up the scale of christian truth, more sublime than the patriarchal ladder, to those eminences, where they could enjoy overwhelming views of the ineffable glory, bend in prostrate adoration, and bathe their spirits in the awful, but mild effulgence. See him thus engaged with his Ephesian friends. "For this cause I bow my knees unto the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, of whom the whole family in heaven and earth is named, that he would grant you according to the riches of his glory, to be strengthened with might by his Spirit in the inner man; that Christ may dwell in your hearts by faith; that ye, being rooted and grounded in love, may be able to comprehend with all saints, what is the breadth and length, and depth and height; and to know the love of Christ, which passeth knowledge, THAT YE MIGHT BE FILLED WITH ALL THE FULNESS OF GOD. Now unto him that is able to do exceeding abundantly

* Eph. i. 17, 18, 19.

above all that we ask or think, according to the power that worketh in us, UNTO HIM BE GLORY IN THE CHURCH BY Christ Jesus, THROUGHOUT ALL AGES, WORLD WITHOUT END. AMEN."* Blessed truths, which thus conduct us to the "God of Glory!" And blessed too are they who thus use them!

* Eph. iii. 14-21.

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CHAP. IV.

CONTINUATION OF THE INQUIRY ON THE EXTENT OF THE REQUIREMENT TO DO ALL TO THE GLORY OF GOD.

WE have already seen that the divine glory should be kept in view in all our devout acts and religious services; and that it should guide and influence us in the formation of our views of sacred truth. It may be useful to shew that this also should be our end

III. In the exercise and cultivation of christian dispositions and affections. Whatever bears the name of spiritual, of gracious, or holy, which has not God for its object, either immediately or ultimately, is but counterfeit and semblance. Of a numerous class of spiritual affections he must be the immediate object; and this is indeed the test to which they are to be brought. There may be the agitating alarm, the cry of terror, the wail of remorse, the prudential and forced reform, but repentance, true and accepted, there cannot be, which is not "towards God" which does not flow from a conviction that He is right and we are wrong-which does not draw motives for its tears from his claims, his excellency, his goodness, and his mercy-and which does not in its

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confessions "give glory to the God of Israel"1— which is not "godly sorrow." There may be a superstitious and ignorant dread and a slavish, guilty dismay, but reverence, that reverence by which we worship acceptably, there cannot be, without an enlightened, awed, and deeply impressed sense of the real glory of the perfections of God. There may be a careless speculation, a superficial credence, a blind confidence, an arrogant presumption, a carnal security, an ease in Zion," in which God is little recognised or thought of; but "faith and hope," must be "in God;"2 they must ground themselves upon his veracity, his unchangeable excellency, his love, and his all-sufficiency. A selfish gladness, an eager catching at the gift alone, a self-important joy at the thought of being a noticed and favoured one, may call itself by the name of gratitude; but true thankfulness looks beyond oneself;-beyond also the intervening favours, and fixes its eye upon the "Giver of every good and perfect gift;" does not indeed forget its own happiness, nor despise the gifts of God, but passes on till it centres and dwells in the bosom of God as the Eternal Source of all good. A sentimental view of the general goodness of God, a selfflattering and exclusive conception of God as "all merciful," an ill-grounded and self-pleasing view of ourselves as the fancied objects of divine regard, may awaken an occasional glow which we may call love to God; but genuine love to God surveys all his perfections, and loves them for their own sakedrinks of every stream of his glory, and travelling

Josh. vii. 19.

2 1 Peter i. 21.

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