CXLV expository sermons upon the whole 17th chapter of the Gospel according to St.…

But excellent Use may be made of this Doctrine;¹ Is our redemption by Christ and Salvation in the nature of it a glorifying of God, then what excellent arguments and strong encouragements doth this put into the mouth of the godly; Who art thou that art full of doubts and dejections? Oh thou hast many arguments to think God will never justify or save such a one as thou art; Thou thinkest thy Objections are so great they never can be answered, but see if this doctrine will not remove all, for first, Thou mayest plead God will be glorified by thy pardon, by thy salvation, God will be no loser, here will be no wrong done to him, Mayest thou not use this divine Rhetoric? O Lord. did I beg my Salvation upon such terms as were not consistent with thy honour and glory? Were my Salvation and thy honour incompatible, then I might justly be accused, then my mouth might presently be stopped, but thou wilt be exalted by my happiness: Neither thy justice, or thy truth will be impaired; The devils cannot plead after this manner, Justice will presently put a bar against them; Seeing they have no Mediator God cannot be glorified in their Salvation, for though mercy might be exalted, yet how can justice be satisfied? Thus thou hast an unanswerable argument put into thy mouth. 2. The glory of God will be more magnified in thy justification then in thy condemnation; Thou mayest truly say, Lord, if thou cast me out of thy presence, If I be adjudged to eternal flames, thou wilt lose of thy glory and honour, Thy Name will not be so much exalted; and how prevailing ⟨p. 118⟩must this be? Now Gods glory must be less in thy condemnation then in thy salvation for a twofold respect, 1. As you heard, The attributes of God are not made so glorious in one as in the other; That the goodness, mercy, and grace of God is not so illustrious none can deny, and as for his justice and power which might claim the preeminence in mans condemnation, yet they are not so celebrated, for Gods justice is but in fieri, It's not completed, They lie in the prison of hell but are never able to pay the debt;

But excellent Use may be made of this Doctrine;¹ Is our redemption by Christ and Salvation in the nature of it a glorifying of God, then what excellent arguments and strong encouragements doth this put into the mouth of the godly; Who art thou that art full of doubts and dejections? Oh thou hast many arguments to think God will never justifie or save such a one as thou art; Thou thinkest thy Objections are so great they never can be answered, but see if this doctrine will not remove all, for first, Thou maist pleade God will be glorified by thy pardon, by thy salvation, God will be no loser, here will be no wrong done to him, Maist thou not use this divine Rhetorick? O Lord. did I beg my Salvation upon such terms as were not consistent with thy honour and glory? Were my Salvation and thy honour incompatible, then I might justly be accused, then my mouth might presently be stopped, but thou wilt be exalted by my happinesse: Neither thy justice, or thy truth will be impaired; The devils cannot pleade after this manner, Justice will presently put a bar against them; Seeing they have no Mediatour God cannot be glorified in their Salvation, for though mercy might be exalted, yet how can justice be satisfied? Thus thou hast an unanswerable argument put into thy mouth. 2. The glory of God will be more magnified in thy justification then in thy condemnation; Thou maist truly say, Lord, if thou cast me out of thy presence, If I be adjudged to eternal flames, thou wilt lose of thy glory and honour, Thy Name will not be so much exalted; and how prevailing