“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 spoken of as a great end of the work of redemption of Jesus Christ: Both of the purchase of redemption by Christ, and the application of redemption. 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. 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....10. «Te preach among the Gentiles the unsearchable riches of Christ, and to make all men see, what is the fellowship of the 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. lxiv. 4. "O that thou wouldest rent the heavens, to make thy name known to thine adversaries."

And it is spoken of as the end of that great actual salvation, which should follow Christ's purchase of salvation, both among Jews and Gentiles. Isa. xlix. 22, 23. my hand to the Gentiles.

their arms

"I will lift up

-and they shall bring thy sons in

-and kings shall be thy nursing fathers--and thou shalt know that I am the Lord." See also, Ezek. xvi. 62, and xxix. 21, and xxxiv. 27, and xxxvi. 38, and xxxix. 28, 29. Joel iii. 17.

This is spoken of as 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 al men may know his work."

It is spoken of as the end of the day of judgment, that grand consummation of God's moral government of the world, and the day for the 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.

And the declaration, or openly manifesting God's excellency is spoken of as the actual, happy consequence and effect of the work of creation. Psal. xix. at the beginning. “The 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 rejoiceth as a strong man to run his race, &c."

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.

being of God's peo

"For as the girdle

This is spoken of as the end of the ple, in the same manner. Jer. xiii. 11. 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 Judah, saith the Lord; that they might be unto me for a name, and for a praise, and for a glory."

16.

It is spoken of as the end of the moral world. Matth. xxi. "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, or 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, that God had made man for.

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 forevermore.. 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 ?" It is spoken of as the end of the virtue of God's people, in like manner as is God's glory. Phil. i. 11. "Being filled with the fruits of righteousness, which are by Jesus Christ to the praise and glory of God."

It is spoken of as the end of the work of redemption. In the first chapter of Eph. where that work in the various parts of it 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 verse 6, 12, 14.) By which we may doubtless understand much the same thing, with that which in Phil. i. 11, is expressed, "his praise and glory." Agreeable to this, Jacob's fourth son, from whom the Messiah the great Redeemer was to proceed, by the spirit of prophecy, or the special direction of God's providence, was called praise, with reference to this happy consequence, and glorious end of that great redemption, this Messiah, one of his posterity, was to work out.

This in the Old Testament is spoken of as the end of the forgiveness of the sin of God's people, and their salvation, in the same manner as is 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 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. “And I will cleanse them from all their iniquity—and I

will pardon all their iniquities.And it shall be to me à name of joy, a praise, and an honor."

And that the holy part of the moral world, do 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 forever." Expressing their resolutions to praise him as long as they live, through all generations, and forever; 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. Psalm cxlv. 5....10, and cxlviii. throughout, and ciii. 19....22.

SECTION 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 that 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 ; which God is inclined to as fit and necessary in certain cases, and on the account of good ends attained by it; 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 exercis-ing 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. "That thou art a God ready to pardon, gracious and merciful, slow to anger, and of great loving 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. 10. "Who is a God like thee, that pardoneth iniquity,

c. He retaineth not his anger forever, because he delighteth in mercy." Ezek. xviii. 32. "I have no pleasure in the death of him that dieth, saith the Lord God; wherefore turn yourselves, and live ye." Lam. ii. 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, that does not well consist with his seeking a communication of good to them, only subordinately, i. e not at all from any inclination to their good directly, or delight in giving happiness to them, simply and ultimately considered; but only indirectly, and wholly from a regard to something entirely diverse, which it is a means of. Such expressions as that in John iii. 16, carry another idea.

"God so