SER M. his reasonable creatures should make his glory IV. the end of their actions; that they should ho

nour him with their devout acknowledgments, and the outward figns of adoration, which will appear to themselves a reasonable fervice, and what the best principles in their nature direct them to. But even this he requires for their fakes, not his own; and the affections he has planted in their nature whereby they are determined to it, bear the plaineft marks of his goodness, for it is their most delightful exercise, and affords the higheft enjoyment they are capable of.

What has been faid under this last head, fhews us the reason of the affertion in the text, that none is good but God: Which is not to be understood abfolutely, for there is real moral goodness in fome creatures; but the fupreme Being alone is effentially and immutably good, the fole original fountain of all goodness and happinefs. And this is peculiar to him, that whereas from the limited condition of all other intelligent agents, it neceffarily follows, that their own happiness must be an object of their pursuit, and an end of their actions, (they seek it from God, and they receive it from him) he, having in himself an underived fufficiency for his own unchangeable bleffednéfs, infinitely above the

need,

IV.

need, or even the poffibility of an addition SER M. from any other cause, acts purely and wholly from a principle of benevolence. I come,

In the next place, to confider what is the proper application and practical improvement of this whole fubject. And, first, we and all intelligent creatures are indifpenfably obliged to praise God, to call upon our Souls, and all that is within us, to blefs and magnify him. This is a tribute which our own reason, and the instinct of gratitude planted in our nature, will teach us to pay to him, as a kind and gracious benefactor. We cannot indeed but highly esteem a beneficent difpofition wherever it appears, though we ourselves do not partake of the benefits which flow from it. What acknowledgments then are due to the universal benefactor, the original author of all happiness, to whose favour we ourselves owe our being, and all the enjoyments we poffefs, and on whose bounty all our future hopes depend? His compaffion to us is not leffened by the diffusiveness of his liberality to other beings: We are as much and conftantly cared for by him, as if we were the fole objects of his care. And fince in an infinite variety of creatures, which are capable of enjoyment, not one is neglected, he gives to all that which is convenient for them, Thofe, whofe

SERM. whofe faculties enable them to difcern his IV. hand fo freely opened to distribute various hap

piness, ought to join according to their several capacities, in celebrating the glory of his benignity. Particularly, as an affection for our own fpecies is natural to our minds, and infeparable from them, when we confider God as the common father of mankind, doing good to them, and leaving none of them without witneffes of his tender pity, He must in that view appear very amiable to us, moft worthy to receive our united thanksgivings and honour. The narrow notions which fome have of the divine goodnefs, as if it were confined to a few while others no less capable are overlooked or rejected, and which tend to change the idea of the attribute itself into that of arbitrary will,-These notions, I say, feem to take their rife from the selfish defires too prevalent in fome minds, of enjoying happiness by way of peculiar property and diftinction from their fellows. But to a welldisposed benevolent heart, the more extenfive beneficence appears, the more it is esteemed; and there cannot be a more delightful object of its contemplation, than the mercy of God dispensing its gifts freely to every individual of the human race, reaching out its unfparing hand to fupply all their wants, and mak

ing no other distinction than what arises from SER M. the different qualifications of the particular IV. objects, and what wisdom requires to be made for the greater advantage of the whole. This, which I hope has been fufficiently fhewn to be the just way of thinking concerning the divine philanthropy, challenges our most affectionate esteem; indeed should raise it to the highest admiration. And when we confider that the love of God is the only spring of our happiness, indeed all happiness; and that he does good, not like needy creatures, who give hoping for fomething again, (the very best of them, not unreasonably, nor to their reproach, seek the continuance and increase of their felicity as not immutable and abfolutely perfect ;)—when we confider that the only principle of his actions is pure benevolence; and his kind intentions terminate on the happinefs of other beings, the greatest and most univerfal happiness as their ultimate end; do not our most exalted praises, the utmost gratitude of our fouls, fink far beneath what we must acknowledge to be due? What shall we render to the Lord for all his benefits? What returns can we make, which shall bear any proportion to the kindness of his unmerited affection, or the fovereign freeness of his mercy, and the extent of its fruits, for both are

not

SERM. not only unparalleled, but exceed our comIV. prehenfion? Surely it becomes us to celebrate

his glory, and to offer him the facrifice of our thanksgivings, with fincerely willing and joyful hearts. No one can imagine that the praises of our lips only, or the mere external profeffions of gratitude, are a fuitable or will be an acceptable acknowledgment of his favour. What goodness,-fuch unexampled goodness firft of all demands, is true undiffembled and fuperlative love, which will naturally arise in our minds, if we carefully attend to the motives of love contained in the character of the object, and particularly his benignity; and if we do not fuffer ourselves to be diverted and prepoffeffed by an immoderate indulgence of felfish affections. Accordingly this is the fum of religion, to which the divine goodness is the strongest motive, and as our Saviour calls. it, the first and great commandment; * Thou fhalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy foul, and with all thy mind, that is fincerely, and conftantly.

Secondly, The goodness of God is the proper object of our reverence and fear, as well as love. Thus the prophet † Hofea describes the religion of the Ifraelites in the latter Days, after that long afflictions, and other methods

of

* Matt, xxii. 37.

+ Hof. iii. 5.