called by some particular name. In the days of the Apostles there were some who said, "I am of Paul, and I of Apollos, and I of Cephas, and I of Christ." At the time of the Reformation there were some who felt a pride in being called by the name of Luther, or of Calvin, or of Zuinglius. In the present day, it is the pride of persons to be able to say, "I am a Churchman, a Dissenter, a Wesleyan, or a Baptist." Reader, away with all party names and distinctions, and let it be your solicitude to be a true follower of Jesus Christ. It will avail you nothing to belong to any particular section of what is called the Christian church, unless you are a member of that church which Jesus purchased with his own blood. Without this, whatever be the community to which you belong, whatever the name by which you are called, whatever the privileges which you may enjoy, you must be strangers to blessedness here and for ever. If, however, you belong to the church of God, your's is the lot of his chosen. "He is not ashamed to be called your God," and he has prepared for you "a far more exceeding and eternal weight of glory." O then examine thyself, whether thou be in the faith or not.

If you belong to the church of God, you have a most solid ground of joy. You are a member

of the spiritual Zion, and therefore participate in all the privileges and happiness of God's chosen people. The living God and you have a mutual interest in each other. You enjoy his presence, are the object of his care, share in his favour, and are an heir of his glory. As one who is founded on the Rock of Ages, and who is growing up into Him as "your living head in all things;" all the changes of nature, all the operations of providence, all the appointments of grace, and all the glories of the skies, are for you. These are solid grounds of joy to you. "Rejoice in the Lord always, and again I say rejoice." As to Zion above you move, let it be "with songs and everlasting joy upon your head." For you it is proper to indulge joy and gladness, and to let sorrow and sighing flee away.

But, reader, suppose you belong not to the church of God. Then you are in a state of great misery and danger. Safety and happiness are in the church, but "destruction and misery are in your ways." The Church enjoys the presence of God, but you are " without him in the world." The favour of God is towards his Church, but his "wrath resteth on you." All things are at work to promote the good of his Church, but to promote your ruin all things tend. The Church shall be presented faultless before the

presence of his glory with exceeding joy; but you must be "punished with everlasting destruction from the presence of the Lord and the glory of his power." While to the Church it may be said, "Rejoice in the Lord, ye righteous, for praise is comely to the upright;" to you it may be said, "Be afflicted and mourn and weep; let your laughter be turned into mourning, and your joy to heaviness. Weep and howl for the miseries which are coming upon you."

DISCOURSE XII.

THE CHRISTIAN DUTY OF GLORIFYING GOD.

WHAT are we to understand by the glory of God? This question is the more necessary, because the glory of God is twofold. He has a glory which cannot be advanced, and a glory which his creatures may, and ought to advance. The former is called his essential, the latter his declarative glory. Between these we must carefully distinguish to have correct views on the subject.

There is a glory which is essential to the Deity. This consists in the intrinsic excellencies of his nature, on account of which He is, in Scripture, emphatically called, "The God of glory." This is essential to his very being as God; just as much so as light is to the sun, or as the regal ornaments are to an earthly monarch; so essential, that were it possible to deprive Him of it, he

would be deprived of his being, as "God over all blessed for ever." This glory, which is connatural to the Godhead, can neither receive any It was addition, nor suffer any diminution. possessed by Jehovah before time began, and will remain when time shall have ended its course. Before man or angel was formed to admire him, God was infinitely glorious in himself; and were the whole creation to become extinct, he would still be "the king eternal, immortal, invisible, the only wise God." Whatever else may perish, this glory must remain. Whatever else may be impaired, this must flourish in immortal bloom. Neither can the praises of angels increase it, nor the blasphemies of devils detract from it. When therefore we speak of promoting the glory of God, we are not to understand his essential glory.

But there is another kind of glory pertaining to the Deity, which is called his declarative glory. This arises from his wondrous works and ways, in which the intrinsic excellencies of his nature are exhibited to the view of his intelligent creatures, and they are led to contemplate, admire, and praise them. "The heavens declare the glory of God, and the firmament showeth his handy work." The operations of Providence display his power, holiness, justice, goodness,