Power, or Soveraignty, or Juftice, or Holiness, which I think are ali the Attributes which we can imagine to be glorified hereby. Not as the Manifestation of his Power; for that would be as much manifefted in the Happiness, as Mifery of the Creature: Not of his Soveraignty; for God will not manifeft that in contradiction to his Goodness, upon which nothing can reflect more, than merely, pro arbitrio, for his pleafure, to make an innocent Creature for ever miserable: Not his Justice, and Holiness; for these prefuppofe fin and demerit in the Creature, out of hatred to which he makes it miferable; but God hath declared that he esteems himself more glori fied by the Obedience and Happiness of his Creatures, than by their fin and deftruction; and if it were reasonable to defire the Juftice and Holiness of. God might be glorified in my eternal ruin, which I have deferved by fin, this would plainly follow from it, that it were reafonable to fin, that Justice might abound, which of the two is a greater Abfurdity,than that which the Apoftle 'con Vol. VII. condemns, of finning that grace may Vol. VII. abound. V. There is a strict and inviolable connexion between the greatest glory of God; and our Obedience and Happiness: I fay,between his greateft glory; because he efteems himfelf more glorified by the Obedience and Happiness of his Creatures, than by their ruin and mifery; and that we may believe it, we have his Oath for it, As I live, faith the Lord, I delight not in the death of a finner, but rather that he should turn, and live. And it is obfervable,that the Apostle, in 1 Cor. 10. 31, 32, 33. Whether ye eat or drink, or whatsoever ye do, do all to the glory of God, giving none offence, neither to the Jews, nor to the Gentiles, nor to the Church of God; even as I please all men, in all things, not feeking mine own profit, but the profit of many that they may be faved; explains the glorifying of God, by edifying, and promoting the Salvation of others. I VI. We may confider the glory of God, as fome ways diftinct from Our our Happiness; that is, we may con- Vol. VII. fider the manifeftation of his Good ક્ nefs, and Mercy, and Wisdom, in our Happiness, as that which refults from it: but this is not enough to make it a diftinct End, but the fame diverfly confider'd; as the publick good is that which refults from the general good of particular Persons, but cannot reasonably be propounded by any man, as an End diftinct from the general Happiness of particular Perfons, without ruining and deftroying the Notion of publick good. VII. Tho' confidered as we are particular Beings, we can have no greater End than our own Happinefs, in which God is eminently glorified, yet as we are part of the whole Creation and Workmanfhip of God, which is the nobleft confideration of our felves, the glory of God which refults from the manifeftation of all his Perfections in and about his Creatures, is precifely our ultimate End, and yet not an End really diftin&t from our own Happiness; and there fore fore it is most proper, and bèVol. VII. coming, and agreeable to the wife ftyle of Scripture, to give our End its denomination, not from the more particular and narrow, but the more noble confideration of our felves, as we are parts of the whole Creation and Workmanship of God; as it is more generous and becoming for the Members of a Civil · Society to mention the publick good as their End, than their private Happiness and Advantage, tho' that be fo really and effectually promoted by the publick good. Thus I have finifh'd what I propos'd on this Argument, and concerning the Attributes of God in general; Of whom, and through whom, and to whom are all things. ·To Him be Glory for ever. A BIBLI FINIS. ADVERTISEMENT. ed in this, and the former Volume, having not been tranfcrib'd, and confequently not printed, in the Order in which they were preach'd. and there being alfo two other Sermons publish'd by the moft Reverend Author himself, relating to the Divine Being; It may not be acceptable to the Reader, to present him with a Scheme of the Older in which they feem to have been defign'd; viz. 1 Serm. Concerning the Exiftence of God, or the Unreafonableness of Atheiím. Fob 28. 28. 1 Serm. Concerning the Unity of the Divine Nature, and the B. Trinity. 1 Tim. 2. 15. These two publife'd by the Author. Thefe following from the Originals, by Dr. Barker. Vol. pag. The Perfection of God: 2 Serm. Matth. 5. 48. 6 I The Happiness of God. 1 Serm. 1 Tim. I. II. The Spirituality of the Divine Nature. 1 Serm. 7 299 The Immenfity of the Divine Nature. 1 Serm. Pf. 139. 7, 8, 9, 10. The Eternity of God. 1 Serm. Pf. 95. 2. |