might have given greater glory to his g and holy name, than will now be given. God is worthy of the greatest glory, which be given him. And he ought to glorify great name in the most glorious manner.

if he does not decree and effect what is best, will not, in the fullest and clearest manne display his great and holy character. Nor w he give the greatest glory to his great and ho name. But by effecting what is best, whic implies the greatest extent of created know edge, holiness and happiness, according to hi eternal purpose, God will give the fullest an clearest manifestation of his glorious perfec tions, and he will also give the greatest glory to his great and holy name.

4. By beholding the glory of God, holy crea tures will grow in divine knowledge. Thro the imperfection of creatures, the character of God can be known only from his word and from his works. To give his rational creatures a knowledge of his perfections, it was necessary that God should display his glory before their eyes. And the more clearly and fully they behold the divine glory, the greater will be their knowledge of the divine perfections. As God can never be fully known by finite minds, his creatures may for ever advance in divine knowledge, if he be pleased to unveil his glory to their view. If God desires, and if he has decreed to give to his rational creatures the fullest and clearest exhibition of his glory, then they will experience the greatest extent of di

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e knowledge which can exist in created finds. Such a knowledge to holy creatures ch eternal life. The Lord Jesus Christ says ifyinto the Father, "This is life eternal that they night know thee, the only true God, and Jesus Christ, whom thou hast sent." Unto the church at Corinth the apostle writes, "God, who commanded the light to shine out of darkhness, hath shined in our hearts to give us the hi light of the knowledge of the glory of God, in the face of Jesus Christ." Through Jesus Christ, God has purposed to give to every one of his rational creatures the fullest and clearest knowledge of his great and holy and dreadful name. Though such a view of God will pain and torture his enemies, it is what all his friends most ardently desire to experience. The more fully and clearly God displays his glory before his rational creatures, the greater will be their knowledge of the divine perfections. And as the divine perfections will ever appear with increasing glory to holy creatures, they will for ever advance in divine knowledge.

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5. By beholding the glory of God, holy creatures will grow in divine love. It is by seeing the divine glory, that the evil affections of saints are destroyed, and their holy affections excited and strengthened, until they become perfect, even as their Father, who is in heaven, is perfect. The apostle says to the saints at Corinth, "We all, with open face, beholding as in a glass the glory of the Lord, are changed into the same image from glory to glory, even

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as by the spirit of the Lord." Though the holy angels and the saints in heaven will be perfectly holy, yet their love may be more ardent, and all their holy affections may be greatly increased in their strength and fervor. As their minds shall be enlarged with divine knowledge, their hearts will be enlarged with divine love. The more fully and clearly God manifests his glorious perfections, the more excellent and amiable he will appear to all holy beings; and the greater will be their love of his holy and blessed name. As the perfections of God are infinite, his rational creatures may for ever advance in their knowledge of the divine glory. And as holy creatures love God with all their hearts and souls, with all their minds and strength, while their natural powers shall be increased by divine knowledge, they will for ever advance in divine love. The growth of holy creatures in divine love will be continued and increas⚫ed through eternity, by beholding the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ.

6. By beholding the divine glory, holy crea tures will grow in divine joy. As holy creatures give God their hearts, he is the object of their supreme delight, as well as the object of their supreme love. From the joy, which Moses derived from seeing the divine character," he earnestly desired to see the glory of God. With the purest and strongest desires he said unto God, "I beseech thee, shew me thy glory." David plainly intimates that his greatest happiness consisted in beholding the beauty of

the Lord. He says, "One thing have I desired of the Lord, that will I seek after; that I may dwell in the house of the Lord all the days of my life, to behold the beauty of the Lord, and to enquire in his temple." Again he says, "O God, thou art my God; early will I seek thee my soul thirsteth for thee, my flesh longeth for thee, in a dry and thirsty land where no water is; to see thy power and thy glory as I have seen thee in the sanctuary.' "" Nor could he conceive of any higher enjoyment than what would arise from beholding the face of God in heaven. "As for me, I will behold thy face in righteousness: I shall be satisfied when I awake, with thy likeness. In thy presence is fullness of joy; and at thy right-hand are pleasures forevermore." The eternal enjoyments of the saints in heaven arise from a sight of the divine glory in Christ Jesus. The Son of God said to the Father, "Father, I will that they also whom thou hast given me, be with me where I am; that they may behold my glory, which thou hast given me." The joy of holy creatures will for ever increase with their knowledge, and their love of the glorious perfections of God.

7. It is best that the perfections of God should be manifested in the fullest and clearest manner. For from what has been proved in the preceding observations, it is evident that by such a manifestation of the divine perfections, what God desires and chooses will be accomplished, the divine felicity will be per

fected and perpetuated, and the divine name will be exalted and glorified. As God is concerned, it is then certainly best that he should give the fullest and clearest manifestation of his eternal perfections. And as holy creatures are concerned, it is as certainly best that such a manifestation of the divine perfections should exist. For it has been proved, in the preceding observations, that the more fully and clearly the divine glory shall be exhibited before the eyes of holy creatures, the greater will be their knowledge, holiness and happiness. As the greatest extent of created excellence is desirable, it is best that the knowledge, holiness and happiness of created beings should be raised to the greatest height. Since such desirable purposes are effected by the manifestation of the glory of God, if a greater good is to be desired and chosen, rather than a less good, then it is best that the perfections of Jehovah should be manifested in the fullest and clearest manner. That God desires and has designed so to manifest his perfections, we are plainly taught in the holy scriptures. It is written, "To the intent that now unto the principalities and powers in heavenly places might be known by the church, the manifold wisdom of God, according to his eternal purpose, which he purposed in Christ Jesus our Lord." God manifests his manifold wisdom, by forming and effecting the wisest and best purposes. And as it is wisest and best, so he has decreed to give