# “God’s mercy is His glory” by Thomas Goodwin

- Link: https://tollelege.net/2025/06/13/gods-mercy-is-his-glory-by-thomas-goodwin/
- Published: 2025-06-13T08:00:00-05:00
- Author: tollelege

“Of all things God’s mercy is His glory.

And while you look upon the face of Jesus Christ, you there behold nothing but grace
and mercy shine in the gospel.

‘_We behold_,’ saith he, ‘_the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ,_’ (**2 
Cor. 4:6**) that as in the face of a man you behold His disposition toward you, 
so you see the disposition of God in the face of Christ, you see His mercy, you 
see His glory.

Not a whit of this did shine in the law, not a whit of mercy or free grace, and 
yet that is the glory of God.

In **Exod. 33:18-20,** Moses there desired to see the glory of God: ‘_I beseech 
thee_,’ saith he, ‘_shew me Thy glory_.’

Saith God, **Exod. 33:19**, ‘_I will make all My goodness pass before thee_.’

But how should all His goodness appear? Clothed all in mercy; for it follows:

> ‘_I will proclaim the name of the Lord before thee, and I will be gracious to 
> whom I will be gracious, and will shew mercy on whom I will shew mercy._’

The law speaks not such a word; no, my brethren, this is the very bottom of the 
gospel, the bottom of God’s heart.

Here is His glory, ‘_I will be gracious to whom I will be gracious, and shew mercy
on whom I will shew mercy_.’

It is the glorious gospel of the blessed God, that being blessed in Himself, thus
resolveth to be gracious and good to poor creatures, to such sinners as we are.

Moses had seen the glory of God upon the mount; he had seen the glory of God in 
delivering the law in a great deal of state; after all this, ‘_Lord,’ saith He, ‘
let me see Thy glory_.’

What is God’s answer?

> ‘I will be gracious to whom I will be gracious.
> Here is my glory.
> And this glory shineth in the gospel, and if you will see it, look upon the face
> of Jesus Christ.
> You may see Jesus Christ’s face in the glass of the gospel, and in that face you
> may see all this grace and mercy shine.'”

–Thomas Goodwin, [_The Works of Thomas Goodwin, Volume 4_](https://www.amazon.com/dp/1601788487?tag=toletaupanre-20)(
Grand Rapids, MI: Reformation Heritage, 1861/2006), 4: 325-326.

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