usually considered as a separate exercise of the mind; and not because I do not suppose it to be in a great measure included under the former heads. Our enjoyment is really and chiefly found in the exercises already specified; and whenever we are the subjects of those exercises, we are also the subjects of corresponding enjoyment.

There they will ' behold'
know,' in some measure,
they taste and see that the

as

Even in this world, such enjoyment is experienced, in no small degree, by good men. In the future world, it will fill the minds of all glorified beings. their Maker face to face,' and they also are known.' Here Lord is good; here they rejoice in the Lord, and joy in the God of their salvation.' There they will findfulness of joy. and pleasures for evermore;' and there God will be all in all.'

That in all these ways God is glorified, hardly needs illustration. When we study to know God, we show that he is in our view deserving of being thus studied and known. When we entertain high and noble thoughts of his character, we declare in the most direct manner, that his perfections are sufficiently great and glorious to claim such thoughts of us. When we love him, we show in the most decisive manner, that he is lovely. When we serve him, we acknowledge in the strong language of practice, that he is a sovereign who ought to be served, and served voluntarily. When we enjoy him, we prove, that in our view he is an object great and good, beautiful and desirable. When we exercise ourselves in all these ways with supreme devotion of heart, and make God the object of a regard which admits of no comparison with any other, we testify that he is greater, better, and more desirable than all things: a Being to whom none can be equal, none cau be second.

II. To glorify God is constituted by him the chief end of man.

This truth is easily evinced in two ways.

I. God has, in the Scriptures, enjoined this conduct as the only duty of man.

Whatever God designed as the great end of the creation of man, he himself perfectly knew, unquestionably chose, and has certainly enjoined on man, if he has enjoined any thing. But

this he has enjoined, and this is all which he has enjoined. This, at the same time, he has required with the promise of eternal life to obedience, and the threatening of eternal death to disobedience: both showing in the strongest manner, that he esteemed this end of sufficient importance to be secured, on on the one hand, by the allurement of an infinite reward, and on the other, by the terror of an infinite punishment. From this it appears, that he regarded the end as of infinite value; and that since he has commanded nothing else, he esteemed nothing else as being comparatively of any value.

2. From the nature of the case it is evident, that this is the highest and noblest end which man can accomplish.

As this position will be rendered clearly certain by the considerations suggested under the following head; I shall only observe here, that admitting it to be true, the consequence follows in a manner which allows of no debate.

III. I shall now attempt to exhibit the propriety of this divine constitution.

This I think will plainly appear from the following observations. I. When God created the universe, he created it that he might glorify himself.

That this was the end of all the works of God has, it is apprehended, been made sufficiently evident in a former discourse; and will therefore need no illustration at the present time. It ought to be remembered, that no addition to the inherent glory or excellence of the Creator was possible, or is in this assertion supposed to have been possible. This therefore was not, and could not be, a part of the end which he proposed in this great work. But his glory could be manifested; and the manifestation of it is what, both in the Scriptures and in all sound theological discourses, is intended by the glorification of God. To show his own character, to unfold his power, knowledge, and goodness, to creatures capable of understanding them, was the supreme object which he had in view, in the production of all beings and all events.

St. John declares, that God is love. In other words, benevolence is the sum of his moral character, and the peculiar and distinguishing glory of his nature. This is that which he himself esteems his glory, that for which he chiefly values himself, that which is the prime object of his own complacency.

This perfection then he intended especially to manifest to his intelligent creation.

It is the essence of benevolence to love and to produce happiness; and of infinite benevolence to love and to produce infinite happiness. As therefore benevolence is the moving principle in the divine Mind, whence all its operations spring, and to which they are all conformed; it is evident that, with knowledge sufficient to contrive and power sufficient to execute whatever it dictates, co-existing in the same mind, all its dictates will of course be accomplished. The good therefore in which infinite benevolence delights, was originally chosen, has been actually begun, is uninterruptedly pursued, and will be absolutely completed.

2. For the accomplishment of this end he has created innumerable creatures, capable of voluntarily co-operating with him in this great design.

Angels and men, and probably many other beings, are formed in the image of God; and, like him, are possessed of the three great powers of understanding, will, and motivity. They are therefore capable, not only of being passive subjects, on which the glory of God can be displayed and discerned, but of being also agents, by whom his glory may be perceived, loved, enjoyed, and voluntarily promoted. The end therefore for which these beings were made, though generally the same with that for which inferior creatures were created, is essentially different, as to the manner in which it is to be accomplished by them. Inferior creatures, such as exist in the mineral, vegetable, and animal kingdoms, are means of the glory of God, merely as it is displayed in their nature, structure, and uses; while they, at the same time, are perfectly unconscious of being such means, and perfectly inactive towards promoting it: contributing to it merely as passive effects, just as a watch is a medium of displaying the skill of the maker. Intelligent beings, on the other hand, being possessed of active powers, are not only such displays of the divine glory in their nature and structure; but are able also to discern, so far as their powers extend, the desirableness of the divine glory; to choose it as the supreme object of all their designs and efforts, and to consecrate to the promotion of it all their labours throughout eternity. Such creatures are of course capable of glorifying God in a twofold manner; viz by the elevated and

important endowments, of which they are possessed, and in the voluntary exertion of their active powers towards the the accomplishment of the same end. Thus they are far more noble, exalted and estimable, in the eye of God, than any

other creatures.

3. God only can direct all things to the accomplishment of this illustrious end.

That there is a possible good, capable of involving all which upon the whole is good and desirable; that immensity furnishes sufficient room, and eternity a sufficient duration for its accomplishment; that God in his omniscience comprehends this system, by his omnipotence is able, and by his goodness or benevolence is disposed, to bring it into existence; and that consequently he has begun, and will accomplish it; are, unless I am deceived, truths too clear to be rationally doubted. I shall at this time take them therefore for granted.

But nothing is more plain, than that God only could orginally have devised such a system: all other minds being, without a question, infinitely too limited for such a work. The beings and events which it demands and contains, are innumerable and endlessly diversified; and one of them is far too difficult a contrivance to have been formed by any mind, less than Omniscient.

As God only could have devised this immense and glorious system at first; so none but God is, at the present or any other period of its existence, possessed of sufficient wisdom to direct the innumerable parts of the vast machine, and their innumerable opperations, to this great end. All the parts, and alt their operations, are absolutely necessary to its perfect accomplishment. The failure of either, even in a single instance, would be a defect; and a defect attended with an importance, inconceivable by any mind but His. The mischiefs which would flow from such a defect in the progress of eternity, can be comprehended by no finite understanding. Accordingly he has informed us, that the least event does not come to pass, that a' sparrow does not fall to the ground,' that a hair does not fall from our heads, without his direction. How evident is it then, that the management of the whole system demands his constant oversight and controul.

At the same time, his power, as every man will readily ac

knowledge, is at least equally necessary for this purpose. The hand which has ever rolled through the universe the worlds of which it is composed, must still continue to roll them. The power by which seasons revolve, days and nights return, light and warmth, and rains descend, vegetation springs, animal and rational energy is quickened; the sunshine of intelligence, and the flame of virtue are lighted up; by which the wheels of the universe were set in motion, and the regions of immensity and eternity peopled with being; must still continue its unremitted exertions, or the whole system would dissolve and crumble into ruin.

Nor is the divine benevolence less absolutely necessary for the same end. No finite good-will is sufficiently vast, sufficiently invariable, so superior to prejudice and provocation, so unassailable by temptation, so incapable of weariness, so unsusceptible of decay, as to be safely trusted with the ultimate conduct of so numerous, varying, and important interests.

Thus it is evident, that unless God devise, direct, and controul, or in a single word, manage with his power, wisdom, and goodness, the vast machine of the universe; the great and divine purpose for which it was formed can never be accomplished. This immense good therefore, infinitely desirable to the eye of wisdom and goodness, and involving in itself all that is desirable, must otherwise fail of course; and nothing be left in its place but desolation and ruin.

4. Unless intelligent beings voluntarily co-operate with God in promoting this great end, it can never be accomplished.

This truth is easily evinced. God has assigned to intelligent beings their voluntary co-operation with him, as a part, and a primary part, of the end itself. There is in such beings no other virtue, beside this voluntary co-operation. But the virtue of intelligent creatures is, beyond all comparison, far the most important part of the whole end of creation and providence; the chief constituent of the divine glory, and the chief object of the divine complacency in created existence. At the same time it is, under God, the supreme and indispensable source of all that happiness, which they were intended to enjoy throughout eternity. It is evident therefore, that unless intelligent creatures thus co-operate with their Creator; the end of their existence, and that of all things, can never be accomplished.