left to decide for himself, whether the doctrine contended against be true or false, scriptural or anti-scriptural; whether the soul of man be a chain of ideas and exercises, each created for the moment, and then perishing for ever; a concatenation of mere events, in their nature fleeting and vanishing, and incapable of any permanent existence, even for an hour. Or whether it is a spirit, a substance, a permanent being, the subject of a continued existence; an agent possessed of active powers, capable of voluntarily originating important designs, and carrying them into execution; and thus becoming a worker together with God,' in the interesting purposes of his eternal kingdom. According to the latter of these schemes, the soul of man is one, created at one time, and continuing the same, as to its substance and nature, throughout eternity: according to the other, the soul, for the time being, is the idea or exercise existing at that time; commencing its existence with the existence of the idea, and perishing with it. Of course, instead of one soul, there are in each chain as many as there are ideas and exercises in that chain: that is, millions literally innumerable. If this scheme can be seriously adopted, rationally understood, and satisfactorily realized by any man; it must be done in a manner which I confess myself unable to comprehend, and by a mind possessed of views and reasonings to which I can make no pretension.

SERMON XXV.

THE CHIEF END OF MAN.

WHETHER THEREFORE YE EAT, OR DRINK, OR WHATSOEVER YE DO, DO ALL TO THE GLORY OF GOD. 1 CORINTHIANS X. 31.

IN the three last Discourses, I have considered the Creation and Nature of Man. The next subject, naturally offered to our view by a system of theology, is The End for which Man was made. By this, I mean, the principal purpose which he is fitted to answer; the thing which God had principally in view in bringing man into existence.

The importance of this subject can need very little illustration. The question, For what end was I made; or what end are my existence and faculties designed to answer; is instinctively realized by every sober man to import all that is of any real moment to himself.

In the text we are required to do whatsoever we do to the glory of God.' This precept I consider as disclosing to us the true end for which we were made. In examining it, I shall attempt to show,

I. What it is to glorify God:

II. That this is constituted by Him the chief end of man; and,

III. The propriety of this divine constitution.

I. I shall attempt to show what it is to glorify God. In the Scriptures, mankind are frequently required to glorify their Creator. But it is perfectly plain that they cannot,

in any manner or degree, change his nature, or the state of his perfections; these being absolutely without variableness, or shadow of turning. It may I think be said, not only with truth, but with the highest reverence, that God himself cannot alter his perfections. Indeed this is directly declared in the text, which I have partially quoted. Yet it will not be denied, that God can glorify himself; that is, make himself glorious, by acting in such a manner as is approved by his own infinite wisdom, and as will display the glory of his character to the view of his intelligent creatures. In a manner, generally resembling this, those creatures, and among them mankind, can also glorify him; that is, they can act in such a manner as to show his glory to each other, and in this way to please him, and gain his approbation.

To glorify God, in this sense,,is,

1. To know him.

The perfections of God are the glory of his character. In order that these may be disclosed by one intelligent creature to another, it is plainly necessary that he should first know them, or understand what they are: this knowledge being the basis on which all other regard to them must be founded. Without this knowledge, mankind might indeed glorify God, as he is glorified by the mute, passive, incogitative works of his hands; such as earth, plants, and trees; that is, by being displays of his power and skill to conscious beings; but they cannot in this manner glorify him, as intelligent beings.

It is to be observed, that knowing God, so as to glorify him, denotes, that we have just conceptions of his character, and not those which are false and imaginary. All the imaginary views which we form of God, are views, not of the real God, but of a God fashioned by our own minds. In every erroneous conception which we form of the Creator, we may be said, with a small alteration of the language of Scripture, 'to change the glory of the incorruptible God into an image made by corruptible man;' and an image also, usually made like unto him; always debasing the character of Jehovah, and robbing it of its real and infinite perfection.

The knowledge of God is gained wholly, either from his works, or from his word. To himself only is he known in the abstract. In creation and providence however, and especially in the bible, his intelligent creatures can behold, as in a

glass, the glory of the Lord.' This knowledge we acquire just so far as we understand the true nature of his works, and the true meaning of his word, and no farther. Erroneous schemes of philosophy, and false systems of divinity, contain and convey, so far as they are erroneous, no knowledge of God at all; and can never, by themselves, be the means of glorifying him. Therefore they can never become of any real value to us. As this knowledge can be gained only by study; so, if we love to glorify God, we shall devote ourselves as much as may be to the study both of his works and of his word.

2. To think of him in a manner suited to his character. The perfections of God are immensely great, glorious, and wonderful; and justly claim to be thought of by us in a manner corresponding with their exalted nature. They claim, particularly, to be thought of by us frequently, daily, many times a day, and in a sense, always. Nothing else deserves in any measure so great a share of our thoughts: nothing else therefore should in any measure engross them to so great a degree. God is infinitely greater, wiser, and better than his creatures; and justly demands that we should devote ourselves to him, in a preference to them, which is proportioned to his character, It is one charge against the wicked, and one part of their wickedness, that God is not in all their thoughts.' It is one attribute of good beings, who voluntarily glorify him, that God is in all their thoughts. If we would belong to the number of such beings, he must be in all our thoughts; that is, we must think of him, in a sense, unceasingly.

To this end it is necessary that we think of him willingly, or with pleasure; that we find him in all his works, both of creation and providence; that we regard him as the original and universal Agent; as present, acting, and visible, in every thing which is great or good; as particularly visible in the things with which we are conversant, in our own personal afflictions and blessings, in those of our friends, and in those of our country; in his dispensations to his church, and in his government of the world. As these things are chiefly explained to us in the Scriptures, so we should especially think of God as his character is there unfolded, and labour peculiarly to find him there.

To the same end it is still more necessary, that we think of him justly: that is, that our thoughts of him be noble and

exalted; suited, so far as our capacities will allow, to the great and wonderful character which he has discovered of himself in his works, and in his word.

3. To love him.

God is infinitely the greatest and most excellent of all beings. In order to glorify him, it is necessary that we not only discern, but also relish his character; that we wish well to the furtherance and completion of his designs, and rejoice in the perfect happiness which he enjoys in the contemplation of his own excellence, and the accomplishment of his pleasure, with supreme benevolence to him; that we delight in the beauty, loveliness, and glory of his character, with supreme complacency; and that we feel the benefits bestowed on us and ours, with supreme gratitude. Love, in the general sense, is the sum and substance of all the exercises of piety; of reverence, submission, dependence, resignation, confidence, hope, and joy. When therefore it is here said, that it is necessary to love God, in order to glorify him, it is intended that to this end we must become the subjects of all these exercises. Nor is this all which is necessary. We must also become the subjects of them habitually and unceasingly; and the more we know of his character, the more we must delight in it; and thus render to him a continually increasing tribute of piety. All this, and this only, is glorifying God with the heart, the most exalted and noble of our moral faculties: for this is that conduct of the heart which is suited to the nature of the object beloved.

4. To serve him.

God is originally obeyed in the correspondence of the heart with his precepts; and is never in the proper sense obeyed, except in those cases where such a correspondence exists. But to serve him, in the full sense, denotes also the conformity of our external conduct to his most holy will. Accordingly, he has prescribed to us, not only the general spirit of obedience, which is seated in the heart, but also the various modes in which this spirit operates usefully towards Him, our fellow-creatures, and ourselves. Towards him immediately, it operates usefully and amiably, in the several acts of worship, public and private, enjoined in the Scriptures; towards our fellow-creatures, in the several duties of patriotism, kindness, truth, forgiveness, and charity; and towards ourselves, in the