pect that God will glorify his mercy upon thee, who thus glo. rifiest his holiness in thyself.

2dly. Another attribute of God, which we ought especially to glorify, is his Mercy and Goodness.

Indeed, these two words, of Mercy and Goodness, are often promiscuously used, to signify one and the same gracious dis position of God towards his creatures. Yet, if we more accurately consider it, there seems to be this difference between them; that goodness is of a much larger extent and latitude than mercy. For mercy, properly, connotes misery in the object towards which it is expressed: but goodness may be as well expressed towards the happy, as towards the wretched and miserable. It was an effect of God's infinite goodness, to create the world; to continue the glorious angels in that blessed estate, in which they now stand; to preserve the frame of nature in its course, and every creature in its being: but this is not properly called mercy; because it doth not suppose any precedent misery, from which it frees and rescues them. Briefly, therefore, those free and gratuitous favours, which God bestows upon his creatures, if they were wretched before, are an expression of his mercy; if they were not wretched, are an expression of his goodness: and therefore our creation and preservation is properly an effect of the divine goodness, because these benefits do not suppose us lying under any misery, nor deliver us out of it; but our redemption and salvation are an effect of the divine mercy properly so called, because these are conferred upon us when we were lost, ruined, and undone, with a purpose to de liver us from that abyss of woe and misery into which we had plunged ourselves. But, because the acts, both of God's mercy and goodness, are one and the same, but are only modified ac cording to the divers considerations of their objects, therefore we may well treat of them as one and the same attribute in the divine nature.

Now this merciful goodness of God is one of the most radiant and sparkling gems in his crown: and, when God would be seen by us in all his state and splendour, he arrays himself with this attribute. And, therefore, when Moses had attained such holy freedom with God, as to entreat him to shew him his glory, Exod. xxxiii. 18. it is remarkable that God condescends to his request, and tells him, v. 19. I will make all my goodness pasa

before thee: he grants his petition; but withal informs him, that he could not see his essential glory, for that is too dazzling an object for frail and mortal eyes to bear: Thou canst not see my face: for there shall no man see me, and live: v. 20. But, yet, when God would shew himself in the brightest and most illustrious glory that a mortal man can behold, he selects out and puts on this attribute of his goodness: and, accordingly, ch. xxxiv. 6. he passeth by in pomp, and magnificently proclaims his name, The Lord, the Lord God: what! The Lord God great and terrible, that formed all things by the word of his mouth, and can destroy all things by the breath of his nostrils? that rides upon the wings of the wind, and makes the clouds the dust of his feet? that rends the mountains in sunder, and makes the hills shrink from his presence? that overturneth kingdoms, and brings decreed destruction upon all the beauty and stability of mundane affairs? No: though God be very glorious in these expressions of his power and majesty; yet this is not that name, which he chiefly delights to honour: but, The Lord, the Lord God, merciful and gracious, long-suffering, and abundant in goodness and truth; Keeping mercy for thousands; forgiving iniquity, and transgression, and sin.

Thus you see God owns his mercy and goodness, as his dearest attribute and his peculiar glory he seems, as it were, to esteem and value himself upon it: and therefore, certainly, we ought to glorify him in that, wherein he accounts himself so glorious.

But how may we glorify God in his mercy and goodness?
I answer, these Four Ways.

(1st) By endeavouring to Assimilate Ourselves unto it; labouring after an universal goodness, in all our converse and de

meanour.

Then is God's goodness glorified, when we endeavour to transcribe and copy it forth in ourselves. Every true Christian ought to be so deeply tinctured with the serious consideration of the mercy and goodness of God, till he is transformed into the very image and likeness of it. This will render it visible and conspicuous unto men. How should we know that the sun is so bright and glorious a creature, if the air were not all strewed and powdered with its light? our eyes discern the light of the sun, by the light of the air through which it diffuses and scatters its rays, and turns all that vast body into light and splendour.

And so, truly, when thou thyself art turned into mercy and goodness, others will behold the mercy and goodness of God shining forth in thee, and be induced to give God the glory. And that, upon a double account:

First. Whilst thou art beneficent and good to others, they cannot but gratefully acknowledge the mercy of God, in so sweetly disposing and inclining thy heart to those actions of love and kindness towards them.

And, indeed, this thou oughtest to propound to thyself as thy utmost end, in all the offices of charity and humanity that thou dost unto others, that God may have the praise and glory of all. And, therefore, if thou relievest the poor, or rescuest the oppressed, or remittest thy due to those whom a rigorous exacting of it would ruin, and dost it with an intent that thou thyself mayest be praised and extolled for it, and not God; this is so far from being charity, that it is sacrilege: for all mercy and compassion in us, is but the mercy of God communicating itself to others through us; as all light in the air, is but the 'light of the sun shining through it. And, therefore, all the good thou dost or canst do, thou dost it upon God's stock: and, certainly, if thou employest his stock, it is but reason' that he should have the interest; which if thou withholdest from him, and assumest to thyself, thou robbest God of his right; and, whilst thou art bountiful in communicating his goodness unto others, thou art likewise unjust in taking his praise and glory to thyself. It is a most commendable piety in those, who, when they have given alms to relieve the bodily necessities of the poor, have likewise given a better alms to their souls, in exhorting them not so much to thank them but God, who hath both enabled and inclined them to do it. And, indeed, though we are bound to acknowledge and respect those, who have been kind and munificent to us; yet we ought especially to bless and praise God, who hath inspired and moved them to those actions, and derived his universal and extended goodness through them unto us: this is the way to make their goodness glorify God's goodness, when we take notice how the mercy of God appears in their mercy to us: and therefore it is remarkable, when Jacob addresseth himself unto Esau, and had found favour in his sight, he teils him, Gen. xxxiii. 10. I have seen thy face, as though I had seen the face of God, and thou wast pleased with me: that is, in the courteous and reconciled countenance of his brother, he discerned the favour and gracious dealing of God with him.

So should we say, when we partake of any benefit or goodness from men: "In such a one's goodness, I have seen the goodness of God: in his bounty, I have seen the bounty of God." And thus, by assimilating ourselves unto God in this attribute, we shall give occasion to grateful and considerative persons frequently to make such reflections, which will highly conduce to his praise and glory.

Secondly. The shewing of mercy and doing of good unto others will glorify God, as it may cause them to reflect, `that, if there be so much goodness in a creature, how infinitely more is there then in the Creator.

This is a rational and easy inference, which those, who are any way ingenuous, cannot fail to make when they behold that benevolence, and bounty, and readiness to help and assist others, which appears in you. And, therefore, saith our Saviour, Mat. v. 16. Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father which is in heaven. We shall thus glorify him, by giving others a happy occasion to conclude, that, if there be so much mercy and goodness in the creature, then certainly there is infinitely more in God himself: if a river pours forth such abundance of waters to refresh the dry and parched earth, how boundless must the treasury of the great deep be, from whence, as Solomon tells us, they are all supplied! Now think with thyself, O Christian! what a vast sum and revenue of glory will come in to God, when, by thy beneficence and liberality, thou shalt give a worthy occasion of extolling his; and, though thou canst resemble it but in part, according to the stinted measures of thy finite nature and abi lity, yet shalt glorify it entirely, by causing others to adore the infinite riches of it in the divine nature.

Now, that our mercy and goodness may be like unto God's, it must have in it these Four qualifications.

[1st] It must be a General goodness, universally respecting all.

For God's is so. Ps. cxlv. 16. Thou openest thy hand, and sa tisfiest the desire of every living thing. He spreadeth his cherishing wings over all the creation; and, with his rich bounty, rejoiceth all the works of his hands. And, if thou wilt glorify him, thou must act proportionably within thy sphere; and do good unto all, according to the opportunities and abilities that God hath bestowed upon thee: thy mercy is not like God's, if thou sufferest any, who make their applications to thee, and

whom thou canst relieve, to go away with the pressure of their wants and necessities upon them. And, as though this field were not large enough for the exercise of our mercy, and mankind were too few for us to do good unto, God hath required that we should shew mercy and goodness to the very beasts: Prov. xii. 10. A righteous man regardeth the life of his beast. And, so far doth he esteem of this sweet and compassionate temper in us, that he rather chooseth to dispense with his own immediate service and worship, than to hinder us from any opportunities of doing good to any creature: still preferring mercy before sacrifice; and accounting the life of one beast saved, a more acceptable service, than the death of many beasts sacrificed.

[2dly] It must be a Free, Undeserved goodness, to be like unto God's.

For his is so. Yea, so undeserved, that he lays it forth upon those, who have deserved his wrath and vengeance: He maketh his sun to shine on the evil and on the good, and sendeth rain on the just and on the unjust : Mat. v. 45. And, if we would glorify God by our likeness to him in this attribute, our goodness must proceed by the same measures. Possibly, some have abused and affronted us; and now it is in our power to revenge ourselves upon them: but know, that the Divine Providence hath given thee an opportunity for revenge; yet the Divine Mercy requires that thou shouldst not only forgive the injury, but requite it with courtesies and kind offices: thou oughtest not to diminish the least part of that good, which thou canst do them; upon consideration of wrongs and contumelies, which thou hast received from them. This, indeed, is a high and transcendent pitch of goodness; yet this is but that, which our Saviour very instantly presseth upon his disciples, as the very mark and badge by which they may be known to be the children of God: Mat. v. from v. 44, to the end: I say unto you, Love your enemies: bless them, that curse you: do good to them, that hate you: and pray for them, that despitefully use you and persecute you: That ye may be the children of your Father, which is in heaven: and so, again, Luke vi. from v. 27 to 37. this important and difficult duty is most earnestly inculcated: If ye do good to them which do good to you, what thank have ye ?.....But, love ye your enemies; and do good, and lend, hoping for nothing again.....and ye shall be, that is, ye shall appear and be known to be, the children of the Highest: for he is kind unto the unthankful and to the evil.