name." In the 20th chap. of Ezekiel, God, rehearsing the various parts of this wonderful work, adds from time to time, "I wrought for my name's sake, that it should not be polluted before the heathen," as in ver. 9, 14, 22. (See also Josh. vii. 8, 9. Dan. ix. 15.)

So is the redemption from the Babylonish captivity. Isa. xlviii. 9, 10. "For my name's sake will I defer mine anger. For mine own sake, even for mine own sake, will I do it; for how should my name be polluted?' In Ezek. xxxvi. 21, 22, 23. the reason is given for God's mercy in restoring Israel. "But I had pity for my holy name. Thus saith the Lord, I do not this for your sakes, O house of Israel, but for my holy name's sake; And I will sanctify my great name, which was profaned among the heathen." And chap. xxxix. 25. "Therefore thus saith the Lord God, now will I bring again the captivity of Jacob, and have mercy upon the whole house of Israel, and will be jealous for my holy name." Daniel prays, that God would forgive his people, and shew them mercy for his own sake.

Dan. ix. 19.

When God, from time to time, speaks of shewing mercy, and exercising goodness, and promoting his people's happiness for his name's sake, we cannot understand it as of a merely subordinate end. How absurd would it be to say, that he promotes their happiness for his name's sake, in subordination to their good; and that his name may be exalted only for their sakes, as a means of promoting their happiness! especially when such expressions as these are used, "For mine own sake, even for mine own sake will I do it; for how should my name be polluted?" and "Not for your sakes do I this, but for my holy name's sake."

Again, it is represented as though God's people had their existence, at least as God's people, for God's name's sake. God's redeeming or purchasing them, that they might be his people, for his name, implies this. As in that passage mentioned before, 2 Sam. vii. 23. "Thy people Israel, whom God went to redeem for a people to himself, and to make him a name." So God making them a people for his name, is implied in Jer. xiii. 11. "For as the girdle cleaveth to the loins of a man, so have I caused to cleave unto me the whole house of Israel, &c.-that they may be unto me for a people, and for a name." Acts xv. 14. " Simeon hath declared how God at the first did visit the Gentiles, to take out of them a people for his name."

end of the virtue, religion, Rom. i. 5. "By whom we

This also is spoken of as the and holy behaviour of the saints. have received grace and apostleship, for obedience to the faith among all nations for his name." Matt. xix. 29. “Every one that forsaketh houses, or brethren, &c.--for my name's sake,

shall receive an hundred fold, and shall inherit everlasting life." 3 John 7. "Because that for his name's sake they went forth, taking nothing of the Gentiles." Rev. ii. 3. "And hast borne, and hast patience, and for my name's sake hast laboured and hast not fainted."

And we find that holy persons express their desire of this, and their joy in it, in the same manner as in the glory of God. 2 Sam. vii. 26. "Let thy name be magnified for ever." Psal. lxxvi. 1. "In Judah is God known, his name is great in Israel." Psal. cxlviii. 13. "Let them praise the name of the Lord; for his name alone is excellent, his glory is above the earth and heaven." Psal. cxxxv. 13. "Thy name, O Lord, endureth for ever, and thy memorial throughout all generations." Isa. xii. 4. "Declare his doings among the people, make mention that his name is exalted."

The judgments God executes on the wicked, are spoken of as being for the sake of his name, in like manner as for his glory. Exod. ix. 16. “And in very deed, for this cause have I raised thee up, for to shew in thee my power and that my name may be declared throughout all the earth." Neh. ix. 10.

"And shewedst signs and wonders upon Pharaoh, and on all his servants, and on all the people of his land; for thou knewedst that they dealt proudly against them: so didst thou get thee a name, as at this day."

And this is spoken of as a consequence of the works of creation, in like manner as God's glory. Psal. viii. 1. "O Lord, how excellent is thy name, in all the earth! who hast set thy glory above the heavens." And then, at the conclusion of the observations on the works of creation, the psalm ends thus, ver. 9. "O Lord, our Lord, how excellent is thy name, in all the earth!" So Psal. cxlviii. 13. after a particular mention of the various works of creation, "Let them praise the name of the Lord, for his name alone is excellent in all the earth, his glory is above the earth and the heaven.

2. So we find the manifestation of God's perfections, his greatness, and excellency, is spoken of very much in the same manner as God's glory.

There are several scriptures which would lead us to suppose this to be the great thing that God sought of the moral world, and the end aimed at in moral agents, wherein they are to be active in answering their end. This seems implied in that argument God's people sometimes made use of, in deprecating a state of death and destruction: that in such a state, they cannot know or make known the glorious excellency of God. Psal. lxxxviii. 18, 19. "Shall thy loving-kindness be declared in the grave, or thy faithfulness in destruction? Shall thy wonders be known in the dark, and thy righteousness in the land of forgetfulness?" So Psal. xxx. 9. Isa. xxxviii. 18, 19.

The argument seems to be this: Why should we perish? and how shall thine end, for which thou hast made us, be obtained in a state of destruction, in which thy glory cannot be known or declared?

This is the end of the good part of the moral world, or the end of God's people in the same manner as the glory of God. Isa. xliii. 21. "This people have 1 formed for myself, they shall shew forth my praise." 1 Pet. ii. 9. "But ye are a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, an holy nation, a peculiar people, that ye should shew forth the praises of him who hath called you out of darkness into marvellous light."

And this seems to be represented as the thing wherein the value, the proper fruit and end of their virtue appears. Isa. Ix. 6. Speaking of the conversion of the Gentile nations to true religion. "They shall come and shew forth the praises of the Lord." Isa. lxvi. 19. “I will send-unto the nations— and to the isles afar off, that have not heard my fame, neither have seen my glory; and they shall declare my glory among the Gentiles. To which we may add, the proper tendency and rest of true virtue, and holy dispositions. I Chron. xvii. 8. "Make known his deeds among the people." Verse 23, 24. "Shew forth from day to day thy salvation. Declare his glory among the Heathen."*

This seems to be spoken of as a great end of the acts of God's moral government; particularly, the great judgments he executes for sin. Exod. ix. 16. "And in very deed, for this cause have I raised thee up, to shew in thee my power; and that my name might be declared throughout all the earth.” Dan. iv. 17. "This matter is by the decree of the watchers, &c. To the intent that the living may know that the Most High ruleth in the kingdom of men, and giveth it to whomsoever he will; and setteth up over it the basest of men." But places to this purpose are too numerous to be particularly recited. them in the margin.t

See

This is also a great end of God's works of favour and mercy to his people. 2 Kings xix. 19. "Now therefore, O Lord our God, I beseech thee, save thou us out of his hand, that all the kingdoms of the earth may know that thou art the Lord God, even thou only." 1 Kings viii. 59, 60.-" That he maintain the cause of his servant, and the cause of his people

*See also, Psal ix. 1, 11, 14, and xix 1. and xvi. 7. and lxxi. 18. and lxxv. 9. and lxxvi. 1. and Ixxix. 13 and xcvi. 2, 3. and ci. 1. and cvii. 22. and cxviii. 17. and cxlv. 6, 11, 12 isa. xlii 12 and lxiv. 1, 2. Jer. 1, 10

* Exod. xiv. 17, 18. 1 Sam. xvii. 46. Psal. lxxxiii. 18. Isa. xlv. 3. Ezek. vi. 7, 10, 13, 14, and vii. 4, 9, 27. and xi. 10, 11, 12. and xii. 15, 16, 20. and xiii. 9, 14, 21, 23. and xiv. 8. and xv. 7. and xxi. 5. and xxii. 16. and xxv. 7, 11, 17. and xxvi. 6. and xxviii. 22, 23, 24. and xxix. 9, 16. and xxx. 8, 19, 25, 26. and xxxii. 15. and xxxiii. 29. and xxxv. 4, 12, 15. and xxxviii, 23, and xxxix. 6, 7, 21, 22.

Israel, at all times, as the matter shall require, that all the people of the earth may know that the Lord is God, and that there is none else." See other passages to the same purpose referred to in the margin.*

This is spoken of as the end of the eternal damnation of the wicked, and also the eternal happiness of the righteous. Rom. ix. 22, 23. "What if God, willing to shew his wrath, and make his power known, endured with much long-suffering the vessels of wrath fitted to destruction: and that he might make known the riches of his glory on the vessels of mercy, which he hath afore prepared unto glory?"

This is spoken of, from time to time, as a great end of the miracles which God wrought. (See Exod. vii. 17. and viii. 10. and x. 2. Deut. xxix. 5, 6. Ezek. xxiv. 17.) And of the ordinances he has established. Exod. xxix. 44, 45, 46. “And I will sanctify also both Aaron and his sons, to minister to me in the priest's office. And I will dwell among the children of Israel, and will be their God. And they shall know that I am the Lord their God," &c. Chap. xxxi. 13. "Verily, my sabbaths shall ye keep; for it is a sign between me and you, throughout your generations; that ye may know that I am the Lord that doth sanctify you." We have again almost the same words, Ezek. xx. 12. and verse 20.

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This was a great end of the redemption out of Egypt. Psal. cvi. 8. "Nevertheless he saved them for his name's sake, that he might make his mighty power to be known." (See also Exod. vii. 5. and Deut. iv. 34, 35.) And also of the redemption from the Babylonish captivity. Ezek. xx. 34-38. "And I will bring you out from the people, and will gather you out of the countries whither ye are scattered. And I will bring you into the wilderness of the people; and there I will plead with you, as I pleaded with your fathers in the wilderness of the land of Egypt. And I will bring you into the bond of the covenant. And I will purge out the rebels.-And ye shall know that I am the Lord." Verse 42. "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 declared to be a great end of the work of redemption by Jesus Christ: both of its purchase, and its application. 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.

*Exod. vi. 7. and vii. 22. and xvi. 12. 1 Kings viii. 43. and xx. 28. Psal. cii. 21. Ezek. xxiii, 49, and xxiv. 21, and xxv. 5. and xxxv. 9. and xxxix. 21, 22.

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, 9, 10. "To preach among the Gentiles the unsearchable riches of Christ, and to make all men see what is the fellowship of that 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. Ixiv. 4. "O that thou wouldest rend the heavens-to make thy name known to thine adversaries."

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And it is pronounced to be the end of that great, actual salvation, which should follow Christ's purchase of salvation, both among Jews and Gentiles. Isa. xlix. 22, 23. "I will lift up my hand to the Gentiles,-and they shall bring thy sons in their arms-and kings shall be thy nursing-fathers-and thou shalt know that I am the Lord."*

This appears to be 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 all men may know his work." And of the day of judgment, that grand consummation of God's moral government of the world, and the day for 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 of God's excellency, is spoken of as the actual, happy consequence and effect of the work of creation. Psal. xix. 1, &c. "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 rejoicing as a strong man to run his race," &c.

3. 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.

This is spoken of as the end of the very being of God's people, in the same manner as before, Jer. xiii. 11. "For as the girdle 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 Ju

* See also, Ezek. xvi. 62. and xxix. 21. and xxxiv. 27. and xxxvi. 38. and xxxix. 28, 29. Joel iii. 17.