First, If the mercies of God be his glory doubt not 1then, but that when you come to ask at his hand any request ⟨p. 30⟩that is meet for you, he will be ready to grant it, for it is his glory, to show mercy, and God loveth his glory, now if so be to show mercy be his glory, doubt not then I say of obtaining what you desire at his hands, for glory is nothing else but the manifestation of some excellency to the view and knowledge of man. When a thing is excellent and beautiful, and is shut up, we say 2it is beautiful, but not glorious, except it be explicated and spread abroad to the view of others, as a peacock is then said to be glorious, when he spreadeth abroad his feathers, and the Sun is said then to be in his glory when he shineth in his brightness, when Ahasuerus made that great feast, he did it for the glory of his kingdom, because in the feast, his riches and potency was manifest, therefore it made him glorious. So doth the Lord, if all his perfections were shut up in himself they were excellent, but not properly glorious, for glory is when any excellency is made manifest to the view of others, therefore God i• said to be glorious when he manifesteth his mercy. If therefore this be his glory, then doubt not but that he will be ready to show mercy to men, that is, not only to be merciful in himself, but to show mercy to you, learn hence now to strengthen your faith, and to come with more boldness to the throne of grace, and beseech God to grant you what you ask, that he might glorify himself, when you have therefore occasion to ask any grace, any help, or any succour in temptation, this will help to prevail with him. Lord if thou shuttest thy hand, and keepest thy mercy within thy self, what glory wilt thou bring to thy self? but if thou openest thy hand, and manifestest thy mercy, thence will glory redound to thee.3
First, If the mercies of God be his glory doubt not 1then, but that when you come to ask at his hand any request ⟨p. 30⟩that is meet for you, he will be ready to grant it, for it is his glory, to shew mercy, and God loveth his glory, now if so be to shew mercy be his glory, doubt not then I say of obtaining what you desire at his hands, for glory is nothing else but the manifestation of some excellency to the view and knowledge of man. When a thing is excellent and beautiful, and is shut up, we say 2it is beautiful, but not glorious, except it be explicated and spread abroad to the view of others, as a peacock is then said to be glorious, when he spreadeth abroad his feathers, and the Sun is said then to be in his glory when he shineth in his brightness, when Ahasuerus made that great feast, he did it for the glory of his kingdom, because in the feast, his riches and potency was manifest, therefore it made him glorious. So doth the Lord, if all his perfections were shut up in himself they were excellent, but not properly glorious, for glory is when any excellency is made manifest to the view of others, therefore God i• said to be glorious when he manifesteth his mercy. If therefore this be his glory, then doubt not but that he will be ready to shew mercy to men, that is, not onely to be merciful in himself, but to shew mercy to you, learn hence now to strengthen your faith, and to come with more boldness to the throne of grace, and beseech God to grant you what you ask, that he might glorifie himself, when you have therefore occasion to ask any grace, any help, or any succour in temptation, this will help to prevail with him. Lord if thou shuttest thy hand, and keepest thy mercy within thy self, what glory wilt thou bring to thy self? but if thou openest thy hand, and manifestest thy mercy, thence will glory redound to thee.3
- 1Use. 1.Vse. 1.
- 2What glory is.
- 3Use. 2.
