620 The WifdomGlory, and or eminent excellency of the Divine Nature, which refults fromhis Perfeéions, and whereby the Divine Nature is fet and placed infinitely above all other Beings; I fay the eminent excellency of theDivine Nature, which refults from his Pertedi_ ons, more efpecially from thofe great Perfections, his Goodnefs, and Wifdom, and Power, and Holinefs. And his Glory is a manifeftation of this Excellency, anda jut' acknowledgment and due opinion of it. Hence it is, that in Scripture God is Paid to be glorious in power, andglorious in holinefs, and his Goodnefs is call'd his glory ; and here in the Text, Glory and Majefly are afcribed to him upon the account ofhis Wifdom and Goodsell. That thefe belong toGod, I flush prove, t. From the acknowledgment of Natural Light. The Heathens did conflantly afcribe Greatnefs toGod, and that asrefulting chiefly from his Goodnefs, as appears by their frequent conjunction of there two Attributes, Goodnefs and Greatnefs. Opt. Max. were their molt familiar Titles ofthe Deity ; to which I will add that known place ofSeneca, primas deorum cultus oft deos credere, dein reddere illismajejla- temfoam redderebonitatem, fine quá nulla majejtas. z. FromScripture. It were endlefs to produce all thofe Texts wherein Great- nefs and Glory are afcribed to God. I thall mention two or three. Deut. so. r7. the Lord is a great God ; Pfal. 2.4. to. he's call'd the King ofglory ; 1o4. I. he is faid to be cloathed withmajefly and honour. The wholeEarth is full of hisglory. Hi- ther belong all thofe Doxologies in the Old and NewTeftament, wherein Great- nefs and Glory and Majefty are afcribed to God. From all which we may learn, I. What it is that makes a Perfon great and glorious, and what is the way to Majefty, viz. real worth and excellency, and particularly that kind of excellency which Creatures are capable of in a very eminent degree, and that is goodnefs; this is that which advanceth a Perlon, and gives him a pre-eminency above all o- thers; this calls a lufire upon a man, and makes hisface to thine. Ariflotletells us, that Honour is nothing elfe but the frgnifcaeionof the efleem which we have ofa Per- ronfor his goodnefs; for, faith he, to be good, and to do good, is the highefl glory God's Goodnefs is his higheft Glory; and there is nothing fo glorious in any Crea- ture, as herein to be like God. z. Let us give God the Glorywhich is due to his Name ; Afcribeyegreatnefs to our God. Deut. 3 z. 3. Give unto the Lord, O ye mighty, give unto the Lordglory andpower, Pfal. 2.9. r. The Glory and Majefly of God calls for our Efteem and Honour, ourfear and Reverence of him. Thus we thould glorifie Godin our Spi- rits, by an inward efkeem and reverence of his Wetly. 'I he thoughts of earth- ly Majefly will compote, us to reverence : how much more thould the Apprehere- liions of the Divine Majefty ttrike an awe upon our Spirits in all our Addreffes to him? his excellency thould make us afraid, and keep us from all faucy boldnefs and familiarity with him. Reverence is an Acknowledgment of the diflance which is between the Majefly of God and our meannefs. And we thould glorifie him in our bodies, with outward Worthip and Adoration ; that is, by all external fignifications of reverence and refped ; and we thould glorifie him in our Lives and A&ions. The higheft glory aCreature can give to God, is o endeavour to be like him, fans tllos (Wait, quifquis imitatus eft, Sen. Hereby we manifef' and Phew forth his Excellency to the World, when we endeavour to be conformed to the Divine Perfections. And in cafe of fin and provocation, we are to give glory to God by repentance, which is an acknowledgment of his Holinefs, who hates fin ; and of his Juflice, which will punifh it ; and of the mercy of God, which is ready to pardon it ; for it is the Glory of Godtopats by aprovocation. 3. We fltould take heed of robbing God of his Glory, by giving it to any Creature, by afcribing thofe Titles, or that Worfhip to anyCreature, which is due to God alone. This is the Reafon which is given of the Second Command- ment ; I the Lord am a jealous God ; God is jealous of his Honour, and will not give his glory to another, nor his Praif to graven Images, Ifa. 42.. 8. Upon this ac- count, we find the Apoftle reproves the Idolatry of the Heathens, becaufe there- by
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