B

it appears, that the creature is not to be his own S ER M.
end; much less are we to fuppofe, that GoD XIX
doth fuch and fuch things for the creature as his

end. He that is the firft, must be the last in
all things. He that is the author of all things,
must be the end of all things. All this is plain
to common reason. And if you go into the
deeper inwards of religion, which are nearly al-
lied to genuine, and rectified reason, nothing is
plainer, than that this is grounded in those great
things of, religion, which are most effential to it.
Self-denial, for inftance: I do not pray to, nor
praise GOD upon my own account, fo much as
upon his. For if I be a Christian, if I be a dif
ciple of Chrift, I am taught to abandon my self,
to nullify my self, and all interefts and defigns of
mine, further than as they fall in with his, and
are fubfervient thereunto. It is that which best
agreeth with that great effential principle of all
religion, the love of God, which is the nobleft
of all. By how much the more I love God, by
fo much the more is my heart raised in praises,
when I find events to happen that have any ten-
dency to promote his glory; and to make him
more known, feared, loved, and honoured in
the world. And, to fpeak fummarily unto this
matter, do but confider thefe two things; which
we may fuperadd to all the reft.

1. THAT we ought to praife GOD for mer-
cies, for the fame reafon that we pray for them.
But we are not to pray for them ultimately for
our felves, but for GOD; that they may serve the

intereft

II.

VOL. intereft of his glory, and be the means of diffufing the knowledge of him in the earth. It is not a real glory that can be wrought out for him; but it is a manifeftative glory; which stands in his being known and acknowledged by his creatures, the works of his hands, and fo much the more by how much the more general it is. I have faid we are to give thanks for mercies, upon the fame terms that we are to pray for them. And how we are to do that, we are taught by that method of prayer which our Lord himself directed; in which the first thing petitioned for, is, Hallowed be thy name". And that God may be glorified, is the thing which is to be firft in our eye and design. It ought to be fo in our feeking mercies from him; and confequently it ought to be fo in our rendering acknowledgments and praises to him, for his kindnefs and mercies. And again,

2. We ought to the fame reafon for

praise God for mercies, for which we are to apprehend he bestoweth them. But it is plain he beftoweth them not for our fakes, but his own. Not for your fakes do I this, faith the Lord God, be it known unto you; be ashamed and confounded for your own ways, O boufe of Ifrael *. I do not do thefe things on your account, but for my own name's fake; that my name may be known among the heathen, and that the world may more generally acknowledge me to be GOD.

AND

* Ezek. XXXVI. 32.

w Math. VI. 9.

AND according as things have this tendency SER M. and defign, fo let our praises be directed, this XIX. day, upon the fame inducement, and from this fame spring; namely, the hope that God's ways

.

shall be known upon earth, and his falvation unto all nations and that the prefent favourable aspects of providence will fome way contribute hereunto, as they have this tendency and design. If we do not confider the matter fo, we difparage our own victories, when we fhould give thanks for them; we make them little and inconfiderable, and upon the whole matter to have nothing in them. For abftracted from the fubferviency in fuch providences to the intereft of God, and religion, and righteousness in the world, I pray, what have they in them? All goeth for nothing, and will be as nothing in a few years. We cannot fay, that any thing is truly and rationally valuable, that runs not into eternity; that hath not a look towards an everlasting state of things, and the intereft of that kingdom that shall never end. When the world paffeth away, and all the lufts thereof, they who do the will of God abide for ever. It fignifieth very little to particular perfons whether they be rich, or poor, for a few days, here in this world. And it fignifieth as little to nations, whether their condition be opulent, or indigent; whether they be under oppreffion, or in a state of liberty: it fignifieth little, I fay, when it is confidered, that these are replenished with inhabitants made for eternity,

7 1 John 11. 17.

and

VOL. and an everlasting state of things, and who must II. fhortly pafs into that eternal state. Nothing is

really, or upon rational accounts valuable with them, but what carries with it a fignification of good, in reference to eternity. So it is to a person, so it is to a nation, and so it is to this world, and all the inhabitants of the earth.

THEREFORE, while we praise GOD for the favourable aspects of his providence, which have fuch a tendency as this, generally and indefinitely confidered, let us bring down this to the particular cafe before us. If we apprehend much is not done toward this great end, by this particular inftance of a favourable providence, yet confider this as a part, and as a step to more. And in order to excite our praises the more, to heighten them, and raise our fpirits in this duty of praifing GOD, let us, I pray, represent to our felves the contrary state of the cafe, even as to this particular thing that we praife Gop for; namely, his preferving the life of our King. What, if we had been to mourn for the lofs of him! A ftrong hold hath also been taken, which a potent army came to relieve. Suppofe the armies had fought; fuppofe the army that came to the relief of Namur had been victorious; and fuppofe there had been a total deftruction of our own: think what the dreadful confequences would have been! when, instead of having the knowledge of GoD to fpread further in the world, we should have had violence, and tyranny in the height thereof deluging Europe; and threatening a deluge as

general,

general, as fuch power could extend unto! What SE R M. hope could we have left to our pofterity, that XIX. they fhould long enjoy that Gospel, which we enjoy; or profess that religion in peace, which we profess in peace and tranquility? I fay, do but turn the tables; and confider what our cafe had been, if it were stated in direct contrariety to what it is.'

THERE are many more things which I might have faid by way of particular use of this fubject; but at present let us call upon God for a bleffing upon what hath been now spoken.

SERM.