180 FIFTH SERMON man prevail against thee," 2 Chron. xiv. 11. So Je- hoshaphat, " Art not thou God in heaven ? and rulest not thou over all the kingdoms of the heathen ? and in thine hand is there not power and might, so that none is able to withstand thee ?" &c. 2 Chron. xx. 6. So Hezekiah, when he spread the blasphemies of Sen- nacherib before the Lord, " O Lord our God, save us from his hand, that all the kingdoms of the earth may know that thou art the Lord, even thou only," Isa. xxxvii. 20. So the church of God in the time of dis- tress, " Help us, O God of our salvation, for the glory of thy name, and deliver and purge away our sins for thy name's sake ; wherefore should the heathen say, Where is their God ?" Psa. lxxix. 9, 10. As every creature of God was made for his glory, Prov. xvi. 4. Rom. xi. 36. so every attribute of God doth work and put forth itself for his glory. If he show mercy, it is to show the riches of his glory, Rom. ix. 23. Eph. i. 11, 12. If he execute justice, it is to make his power known, Rom. ix. 17. 22. 2 Thess. i. 9. When he putteth forth his power, and doeth terrible things, it is to make his name known, Isa. lxiv. 1 -3. If he engage his truth, and make his promises yea and amen, it is for his own glory, and that his name may be magnified in doing what he hath said, 2 Cor. i. 20. 2 Sam. vii. 25, 26. Exod. iii. 14, 15. xii. 41. Josh. xxi. 45. Whensoever, therefore, we pray unto God, and in our prayers implore his mercy on us, his justice on his ene- mies, his truth to be fulfilled, his power, wisdom, or any other attribute to be manifested towards his people, the highest and most prevailing medium we can use, is the glory of his own name. God's ultimate end in working must needs be our strongest argument in praying, because therein it appears that we seek his interest in our petitions, as well, and above our own.
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