Owen - BS1450 130st 093 1669

Ver..4. an EvidenceofForgivenefs' with God. 17 5 no fuch Glory and Honour. He was in himfclf no leis infi- nitely and eternally glorious, before the Creation of all or any thing whatever, than he will be, when he (hall be encom- pa(l'cd about with the praifes of all the works of his hands. And fuch is his abfolute pert cion, that no Honor given un- to him, no Admiration, of him no EVcrpption of Glory and praife, can add any thing unto him. Hence faith the Pfalmitt, Irty goodnefi extends not unto thee, Pfal. i6. 2. It doth not fo reach thee, as to addunto thee, to profit thee, as it may do the Saints that are on the Earth. As he in Job, Chap. 22. 23. Can a man be profitable unto God, as be that is wife may be pro- fitable unto himfeelf ? Is it anypleafure to the Almighty that thou, art righteous, or is it gain unto him that thou ma%e/i thy ways perfeel ? There is no doubt, kit that it is well plea(ing unto God, that we fhould be. righteous and upright. But we do him not a pleafure therein, as though he flood in need of it, or it were advantage or gain unto him. And again, Chap. 3 5.7. Ifthou be R ;ghteous what givefi thou him, or what receiveth he at thine hand ? And the Reafon of all this the Apoftle gives us, Rom. i 1. 36. Of him, and through him, and to him are all things. Being the firfl Soveraign Caufe, and latt abfolute End of all things, every way perfect and fclf fufficienr, nothing can be added unto him. Or as the Came Apostle (peaks, God that made the world and all things therein; f eing that he H Lord of Heaven and Earth, is not worfhippedwith mens hands, at though he needed any thing, Peeing be giveth unto all life and breath, and all things, As 17.24, 25. As he himfalf pleads at large, P;al. 50. 7, 8, 9, io, i i, i a, 13. 2. Wherefore, All the Revenue of Glory that God will receive by his Worlhip, depends meerly on his own voluntary Choice and Ap- pointment. All Worfhip, I fay, depends now on the Soveraign Will and pleafureof God. It is true there is a natural (Vor- /hip due from rational creatures, by the Law of their Creation. This was indifpenfably and abfolutely necetlàry at firtt. The - very Beingof God, and order of things required that it fhould be fo. Suppofing that God had made fuck creatures as,we are, it couldnot be, but that Moral Obedience was due unto him ; namely, that heshould bebelievedin, *ruffed and obeyed as , d

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