EVIDENCES OF FORGIVENESS. 193 ces of God's nature may be made more manifest, he more known, more exalted; that God may appear more as be is, and as he hath declared himself to be l This is to give glory to God. So likewise, our joy, rejoicing, and satisfaction, in any of the ways and works of God, are solely on this account, that in themGod, in his pow- er, wisdom, holiness, is made known. Weglorify him in our joint actual celebration of his praises; which, as it is a duty of the greatest importance, and to which we are most frequently exhorted, so in its nature it consists in a believing, rejoicing expression of what God is, and what he doeth; that is, our admiring, adoring, and bless- ing him, because of his holiness, goodness, and the rest of his properties, and his works of grace and power suita- ble to them. This it is to praise God, Rev. 5 : 12, 13. 4. Observe, that none of these properties of -God can be thus manifestedand known, nor himself be glorified for them, but by his declaration of them, and by their ef- fects. We know no more' of God than he is pleased to reveal unto us. I mean not mere revelation by his word, but by any ways or means, whether by his word, or by his works, or by impressions from the law of nature up- on- our hearts and minds. And whatever God thus de- clares of himself, he does it by exercising and manifest- ing the effects of it. So we know his power, wisdom, goodness and grace, by their effects, or the works of God that proceed from them, and are suited to them. And whatever is in God that is not thus made known, we cannot apprehend, nor glorify God on account of it God therefore doing all things, as hath been showed, for the glory of these his, properties, he doth so reveal them and make them known. 5. Upon this design of God, it is necessary that he should reveal and make known all the attributes and properties of his nature, in works and effects peculiarly proceeding from them, and answering unto. them, that, Forgivenoss. 9
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