whereupon when we are to conceive of holiness, faithfulness, justice, and goodness in God, our conception is much to be helped by these notions that we cannot but have of such things among men, these being (as you have heard) of his communicable attributes, that have the same name in him and in men and the image and likeness of the same things. And, 6. Though there be somewhat of the divine image or likeness in men, yet this similitude is not to be considered without very great dissimilitude. It is true indeed, omne simile est dissimile, every like is also unlike, but there must be most of all when we are to compare things in God and in us. Though there be some similitude, the dissimilitude must be vastly great which we are to take along with us in speaking of each of those mentioned perfections of the divine will, and so we come to the particulars. And, 1. As to the HOLINESS OF GOD. That very term, as it is applied to God, is of various significancy. And indeed, it is so as the term comes thence transferred unto creatures. Sometimes it signifies august, venerable, great, majestic. And the reason of the use of that phrase to such a purpose, that is, holy, to signify august and venerable, is obvious: for as things that were holy were not to be violated, were not to be touched (as it were) by impure hands, not to be arrogated, not to be meddled with by any but those to whom they were appropriate, (in which respect, majesty hath been wont to be accounted a sacred thing that was not to be meddled with by any other, and the person a sacred person that was clothed therewith, not by any means in the world to be violated,) so, with no very remote translation, holy or holiness being spoken of God doth signify the awfulness, the venerableness, of the divine nature. But yet, this is somewhat alien from holiness as it is a moral perfection, or as it is a perfection of the divine will. And, therefore, as such we must consider it under its own proper and peculiar notion. It sometimes also signifies firm, sure, unalterable. The sure mercies of David, (Isa. lv.) the Septuagint renders it sacred, holy. But if we speak of holiness in the proper sense, as it is a perfection of the divine will, so it must needs, in the general notion, signify the rectitude of that will in all things, and so it must have two parts, a negative, and a positive part. (1.) A negative; and so the divine holiness stands in purity, in being most perfectly free from any taint or defilement, from any thing of moral turpitude, in any kind or any degree. And that purity, the negative rectitude of the divine will which is carried in his holiness, comprehends two things, first, an enmity from all irrectitude, any taint, any turpitude; and secondly, an abhorrence and detestation thereof. Not only that the nature and will of God hath nothing impure, or that is not right, adhering to it; but doth also detest and abhor to have. It signifies the aversion of the divine will, its perpetual, inflexible aversion, from every thing that is evil, unworthy of it, unbecoming to it. And so, whereas holiness is spoken of in Scripture under the notion of light, that light is said to be without darkness, in the first place, (1 John i. 5.) "God is light, and with him is no darkness at all." This is made the matter of solemn message to the sons of men: "And this is the message that we have from him, and which we declare to you:" God hath sent this message to the world, this account of himself, that he is light, and without any darkness at all, without the least mixture of any thing that is impure, or foul, or unworthy of him. But then, as it is said in that place, speaking of the divine holiness under the notion of light, that it is without darkness; so it is, secondly, elsewhere, represented under the same notion as expulsive of it, declining it, hating it, as having with it a most inflexible and eternal aversion from every thing that is signified under the notion of darkness, unholiness being there signified by it. "What communion hath light with darkness?" It is drawn down to signify that there can be no communion between God and unholiness, the temple of God and idols, 2 Cor. vi. 16. And, (2.) This holiness hath also its positive part, which must comprehend two, the like things that have been mentioned concerning the negative part. That is, first, the actual, perpetual rectitude of all his volitions, and all the works and actions that are consequent hereupon; and, secondly, an eternal propension thereunto, a love thereof, by which it is altogether impossible to that will, that it should ever vary from itself in this, as it cannot in any other respect. That the determinations of that will are right in themselves, is out of question; and that his word (and he best understands his own nature) testifies over and over. And then his propension, his eternal, unalterable propension of will to that which is right and good, that we find spoken of as a thing we must conceive too, as belonging to his holiness also; "The righteous Lord loveth righteousness, his countenance doth behold the upright," Psal. xi. 7. And so you have his hatred of all iniquity, and his love of universal rectitude, both mentioned together in one and the same breath, as it were; Because thou lovest righteousness and hatest iniquity," (it is spoken of Christ, it is true, but spoken of him as God, (Psal. xlv. 7.) having said imme. diately before, "Thy throne, O God, is for ever and ever,") therefore God, even thy God, hath anointed thee." He is the image of God, the brightness of his glory, the express image of his person. But here it may be said, when we place (as we cannot but do) the notion of holiness generally in rectitude, every thing of rectitude must have some measure or another, or some rule to which it is to be referred, and which it is to be judged by. What is then the measure and will of divine rectitude wherein holiness stands? This is the thing that hath been very variously discussed, and with a great deal more perplexity than there was cause for. These things you may take about it, that are all plain in themselves, and will be as much as will need to be, or can, in sum and substance, be said to it. As, First, That the divine rectitude cannot be measured by any law, that refers to him properly so taken. A law properly taken, is the signification of the will of a superior concerning an inferior. But it is out of question, God can have no superior, and so nothing can in a proper sense be a law to him. And a measure, it is prior to the thing measured, must be before it, but there can be nothing prior to God. Yet, Secondly, In the borrowed sense, very plain it is that God is a law to himself; and it is the only conception concerning this matter that it can admit of; nor is that to be thought at all strange, when those parcels and fragments of right notion that are left in the ruined nature of man, do yet leave him a law to himself, where he hath no other law, no written law, extant before him: much more, when the notions of rectitude are most perfect, they may supply the place of a rule or measure by which the divine rectitude is to be measured. But, Thirdly, His mere will, abstractly considered, cannot be this measure, as if the divine will might have made that which is right to be wrong, or that which is wrong to be right: this is altogether unconceivable and impossible, that that will, abstractly considered, should be to him the measure of right or wrong, or of good and evil. That is, as if one could suppose that an act of the will might alter the obligation that is upon an intelligent creature to love the best good; or could make it lawful or a duty to hate the highest and most perfect pulchritude and beauty. This cannot be as we are told, it is impossible for God to lie. He cannot lie, as it is impossible to him to be unholy, as it is to be untrue. And, therefore, that there are eternal reasons of moral good and evil is a most indubitable thing; that that which is right could not in its own nature, in the greatest instances, but be so; and that, thereupon, that the distinction must be admitted necessarily, of things that are good because God wills them, and of things that he wills because they are good. And so natural laws and positive, they come to have their distinction and diverse consideration. And then in the last place, Fourthly, That it is equally absurd to suppose that the ideas of right and wrong, or of moral good and evil, as they are a measure to God, should have place any where but in him; that is, in his will, not abstractly considered, but in his will as it is everlastingly conformed to a wise mind. There cannot but be an everlasting conformity between the rectitude of the divine will and the divine word. And whatsoever he doth, he doth all things, not because he will, but according to the counsel of his will, Eph. i. 11. And, indeed, the contrary apprehension were to resolve all the divine perfections into nothing but sove i. That his holiness is primary, all other holiness is but derivative, imparted. This is the fountain holiness, the primary holiness. And, ii. His holiness is essential. It agrees to him not primarily only, but essentially too, as being altogether inseparable from his nature. Holiness in any creature was always to it an extra-essential thing. We have had instances of it even in the higher orders of God's creatures. Man was created holy, but fell. Among the angels that were universally holy, many fell. So the holiness of the best of creatures is a thing in itself separable from its essence. But the divine holiness is most perfectly inseparable. I shall say no more upon this, (the course that I am upon did oblige me to great brevity in speaking to this head,) but only by way of Use. reignty. It is the divine will that is the measure of good | into these two parts, præmiative and puniative; præmiaand evil, yet not abstractly considered, but as it doth tive, that confers rewards, and puniative, that dispenseth agree with most perfect wisdom, and that unalterably punishments. For the former of these, whatsoever rewards thereupon, it is as impossible to him ever to will that God dispenseth must be all of grace, not at all of debt. He which is not wise, as it is impossible to him ever to speak cannot be antecedently a debtor to his creatures, otherwise that which is not true. And so far, having given some ac- than by promise, and so his justice runs into his faithfulcount of the divine holiness, wherein it lies, you may col-ness, as you will see by and by. And supposing him to lect in great part from what hath been said, this double pro- have bound himself by promise, then it is a piece of jusperty of it, not to mention more: tice with him to make good his promise, and thereupon, the notion of righteousness doth obtain and take place, even in conferring benefits. "God is not unrighteous to forget your work and labour of love," Heb. vi. 10. And it is a righteous thing with God," not only to recompense tribulation" to the troublers of his people, but also, those that are troubled rest with him, 2 Thess. i. 6, 7. And "if we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins." There is a piece of justice in it. It is, upon one account, the highest act of mercy imaginable, considering with what liberty and freedom the course and method were settled, wherein sins come to be pardoned: and it is an act of justice also, inasmuch as it is the observation of a method to which he had tied himself, and from which afterwards, therefore, he cannot depart, cannot vary. And then for punitive justice, this is most distinguishing of the justice of God, from his holiness abstractly considered. By his holiness he hates sin, and by justice he punisheth it. The one makes him hate it, the other obligeth him to animadvert upon it in a way of punishment, or inclines him to do so. And this he doth as a debtor to himself. Justice among creatures is conversant about the rights of other men; but in God it must be conversant about his own rights; because he is himself the Fountain of all rights. And there could be no such thing as right throughout the whole universe, if it had not its first fountain in God himself; and therefore his justice must be the faithful guardian of the rights of his sovereignty and government. And thereupon, this justice doth not only allow him but oblige him to award to every transgression a just recompense of reward as the Scripture speaks. 1. To recommend it to you, that we may live in the adoration of God, considered under this notion: "Who is like thee among the gods, glorious in holiness?" Exod. xv. 11. "There is none holy as the Lord," as Hannah speaks in that admirable song of hers, 1 Sam. ii. 2. How should we rejoice in the thoughts of this, that we have such an object of worship, so perfectly, unexceptionably holy. And, 2. We ought to study the imitation of him herein, as the adoration of him upon this account, understanding the text as saying that to you," Be ye perfect as your heavenly Father is perfect" in holiness: "Be ye holy, for I am holy," 1 Pet. i. 15, 16. referred (for so it is written, as the apostle speaks) to that Levit. xi. 44. and in divers other places. 3. Consider with what great gratitude the condescending goodness ought to be owned, that he should have a design to make such as we like himself in this respect: we ought to acknowledge great kindness even in such a commandment, "Be ye holy, for I am holy. I would fain have you like myself." It speaks great love and good-will to us, that he would have us imitate him. And, 4. It should make us willingly submit to any methods that he thinks fit to use, to bring us to that conformity to him in this respect; that we be gradually perfected herein, as he is most perfect. The state of our case requires that his methods should be sometimes rough and severe for this purpose. We have a great deal of dross about us. The fathers of our flesh, indeed, they correct (saith the apostle, Heb. xii. 9.) "after their own pleasure; but he for our profit, that we might be partakers of his holiness." A great word and work, (and which we ought to consider accordingly,) that we might be partakers of his holiness! that is, that he might transform us into his image and likeness. What difficulties, what furnaces, what fires, what deaths would we not go through for this, that we might be made partakers of his holiness, to be in this respect, as he is, perfect. 2. The next nat I have mentioned of these four perfections of the divine will, is his JUSTICE. And justice is wont to be distinguished into universal and particular. But then, (1.) As universal righteousness or justice doth comprehend paucular justice in it, so it superadds somewhat distinguring, as you shall see by and by. Therefore, (2., For particular justice, that is two-fold. It is either commutative or distributive: for commutative justice, with God it can have no place, because he hath no equal; or there are none of the same order with him, that can make exchanges with him, or that can transfer rights to him for any rights transferred from him; he can be debtor to none of his creatures. "Who hath given him any thing, and it shall be recompensed to him again?" as Rom. xi. 35. It is a challenge to all the world. But it is that part of particular justice, which is wont to be called distributive justice, that properly agrees to him, that is, rectoral justice, magistratical justice, the justice of a governor, ruler, of a superior towards an inferior. And that useth to be divided But of this I shall say no more, save only this word or two by way of Use; that is, 1. Let us have our souls so possessed with this apprehension of the divine justice as to dread it, and stand in great awe of it, knowing that we have to do with a God that will not be mocked or trifled with by any; and who never confers favours upon any, so as to forget his just right; nor doth so exercise his mercy towards any as to depress and lose his sovereignity; of which sovereignty of his, as hath been said, his justice must always be a faithful guardian, and therefore, those that are nearest to him must know, that if they transgress his justice must have an exercise about them, even as punitive. There is such a thing as economical, punitive, family justice, by which, even where God is pleased to be related as a Father, he animadverts upon, and chastises and punishes, the faults and follies of his own children, even those that are of his own household. Though you must distinguish of punishments, between those that are corrective and those that are vindictive. Vindictive punishments shall not have place there upon those that are, and have, a stated being in the family, that are of it and in it. But corrective punishment shall have place even there. And then, 2. Not only dread divine justice, but labour to engage it to be on your side. What a great blessing is that, to have even justice itself plead for us, and the state of our case brought to that pass that it may. If we confess our sins, that is, with a truly evangelical frame of spirit, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins; and the blood of Jesus Christ his Son cleanseth us from all sin. But I pass on, 3. To say somewhat of his FAITHFULNESS. And that also doth in a great part run into justice, as justice doth in some part run into holiness. But so far as to superadd somewhat peculiar and distinguishing. The faithfulness of God is his veracity, or his truth as it relates to his word, the conformity that is between his word and his mind. And whereas his word, as his faithfulness that refers to it, is two-fold, assertory and promissory; so accordingly must his faithfulness be understood. It stands either in declaring to us truly how things are, or how they shall be. It relates to his assertory word; that is, that he doth make a us; true representation to us of all things that are to be received by us as doctrines. Whereas, he is in no possibility of being deceived himself herein, so neither can he deceive God cannot lie. It is impossible to God to lie. So much the light of a pagan could discern of God, even Balaam ; "God is not a man that he should lie, nor the son of man that he should repent." All the declarations that he hath made to us by way of assertion of things that we are to conceive are so and so, we are to look upon his truth and faithfulness as engaged herein. That is, he doth make a representation to us of things just as they are, and no otherwise, in what he saith to us of himself, in what he saith to us of Christ, in what he saith to us of his Spirit, and in what he saith to us of the way and course of duty wherein we are to walk, and the like. And whereas our Lord Jesus Christ is the Revealer, the first Revealer of God and his mind to men, he is thereupon called the faithful witness, as representing and testifying things just to be as they are, and no otherwise. It comes in among his glorious titles, "Jesus Christ, the first-begotten from the dead, the Prince of the kings of the earth, the faithful witness" that falls in among the rest, Rev. i. 5. God's name is in him, that is, the same nature is in him whereof the divine name is expressive. And therefore, in the whole Gospel revelation we must conceive the highest faithfulness to be engaged. That which sums it up "Jesus Christ came into the world to save sinners," the apostle calls it, a faithful saying, and worthy of all acceptation," (1 Tim. i. 15.) most worthy to be received and believed. And then, 66 The word of God, to which this faithfulness hath reference, is not only assertory but promissory; not only declaratory how things are, but how also they shall be. It is true, we may take in his threatenings too, unto which his faithfulness hath reference as well as his promises. But chiefly and principally, his faithfulness hath reference to his covenant. "He is the faithful God, that keepeth covenant and mercy for ever," Deut. vii. 9. And "he will not alter the covenant that is gone out of his mouth, nor suffer his faithfulness to fail," Psalm lxxxix. 33, 34. And therefore, concerning this also, take so much of present Use. Is God perfect in this respect, most perfectly true and faithful, true to his word, his mind always agreeing most accurately with it? Then, 1. Trust this faithfulness of his. The object of trust is faithfulness most properly, the most immediate object. That which answersto faithfulness is faith. If he be faithful, he is to be believed, trusted in, and relied upon. In that passage of the apostle's prayer that he might be delivered from wicked and unreasonable men, for all men have not faith; the most probable meaning of that, is, that have not faithfulness, (faith being there taken objectively,) that are not fit to be trusted; wicked and unreasonable men, upon whom we can place no trust, that are not fit to be believed. But we are never to admit a thought so diminishing or debasing concerning him whom we have taken to be our God, as if he were not fit to be trusted, as if his faithfulness could fail any whit. Our heavenly Father is perfect in this respect; therefore trust him perfectly, without vacillation, without wavering or suspenseful hearts. He cannot deny himself, he abides most faithful, and therefore most securely to be relied upon by those that are, through his grace, enabled to give up themselves to him. He desires nomore: give up yourselves to him, and you are safe on his part: rely upon him, for he is faithful; he will keep what you commit to him. And, 2. Imitate his faithfulness as well as trust it. Do you labour to be perfect herein? I pray let us all labour to be perfect in this as our heavenly father is perfect, to wit, in faithfulness, both towards him and towards men. (1.) Towards him. O! how can we think it tolerable to break with him who is never apt to break with us! His faithfulness can never fail; why should ours so often fail? When we promise, when we engage, when we vow to live in his love, in his fear, in his communion; what shame should it cover our faces with, to be unfaithful towards him, who is constantly faithful towards us! And, (2.) Towards men; imitate him there too: this would be the glory of our religion. It is the intolerable reproach * Preached November 20th, 1691. of it, that there is so much falsehood among men, and even among them that profess the Christian name, among them who pretend to God as their God: saying he is their God who is the faithful God, most perfectly faithful. This makes a most deplorable state of things. "Help, Lord,” (saith the Psalmist,) "for the faithful man faileth," Psalm xii. 1. It makes the state of things so very dismal, that all who understand themselves think they have reason to cry to heaven, "Help, help, in such a sad case as this." Help, Lord, the godly man fails, there is no faithfulness left in the world. We are undone in this case if God do not help, if we have no help from heaven. But what an ornament is it to the Christian name and profession, when the very words of such and such as do profess it, are reckoned stable as a pillar of brass. "I would no more distrust such a man's word, than I would fear the falling of the heavens over me, or the sinking of the earth under me:" this would be the glory of our religion. O! then, let us labour to be perfect in this respect as our heavenly Father is perfect. LECTURE XXIII* HAVING discoursed from this text, of many of the divine perfections, under the distinct heads of the perfections of the divine nature, of the divine mind, and of the divine will: and as for those of this last rank, having discoursed to you of several others, it remains to say something yet, 4. Of the DIVINE GOODNESS; where, by goodness, I do not mean the goodness of being merely, or the goodness of this or that thing in its own particular kind; nor moral goodness in the utmost extent and latitude of it, for that would comprehend the several other perfections of the divine will, that have been spoken to already: but one branch thereof only, which commonly goes under the name of benignity; a benign inclination of will, which we are to consider, both with respect of what it excludes, and in respect of what it includes. (1.) In respect of what it excludes; it excludes what is opposite to it, whether it be contrarily opposite, or contradictory. That which is contrarily opposite is an aptness to do hurt, a mischievous disposition to have a mind or will prone to the doing of mischief; which it most certainly excludes; and then, that which is contradictorily opposite is, not to be willing to do good, an unaptness to do good. (2.) And so, accordingly, it doth include a general propensity to benefaction, to acts of beneficence, and so we are to consider the goodness of God analogically to what we can find of any like specimen among men; for indeed much of our way of knowing God is by reflection, there being somewhat of God yet left and remaining in man, fragments, broken relics of that image first instamped upon the soul of man in his creation. And by them it is, that we form the general notion, even of those perfections which we do ascribe to God. We see the several features of that image, by reflection, as in a glass, on which we bestow such and such names. Though in the mean time we must know, (as hath been told you upon other occasions over and over,) that whatsoever there is that goes under the same name with God and with us, (as all his communicable attributes do,) yet the things must be infinitely diverse, as his being and ours cannot but be. It is but some shadow, some faint resemblance, of the divine perfections that are discernible in us. But upon those things we bestow these names, still apprehending, that under the same name somewhat infinitely more perfect hath its place and being in God. And now, as to this perfection, (the divine benignity.) I purposely reserved that to the last place, because it is most in the eye and design of this text, as is very manifest if you look back but to the two more immediate paragraphs, which do more directly refer hither, the former of them more expressly signifying that vacancy that should be in us, (in conformity to the divine pattern and example,) of all inclination to do evil, and the latter, positively express ing and holding forth the inclination that should be in us, after the same example to do good. Of the former of these paragraphs you may look downwards from ver. 38, | and see how the design of that runs against a mischievous temper and disposition of spirit, an aptness to do evil, yea, though provoked; that there must be no disposition to retaliate, to requite evil with evil, wrong with wrong, injury with injury; but rather than do so, suffer oneself to be injured more, as the several expressions in that paragraph do signify, which it is not needful here to consider. And then for the latter paragraph, concerning the disposition to do good, the discourse of that runs from ver. 43. to this conclusion and close of the chapter; all under the name of love; so extensive and large in reference to its object, as not to exclude enemies themselves; those that do with the most bitter hate pursue and persecute us. "You have heard it hath been said, Thou shalt love thy neighbour and hate thine enemy;" such undue limits have been wont to be put and assigned to your love; that you acquit yourselves well enough if you do love them that love you, and if you do good turns to them that do such to you, if you carry it courteously and affably in your salutations to such as will salute you. But this is a mean and narrow spirit, unworthy of a Christian, and unworthy of the name and design of Christianity, that being intended to restore man to man, to restore man to himself, to make man what he was, and what he should be. There are no such limitations as those to be made to our love; it must reach enemies, enemies themselves. "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 and persecute you;" and all this, that you may be perfect, as your heavenly Father is perfect; (for so he doth;) "that you may be the children of your Father which is in heaven, for he maketh his sun to rise upon the evil and upon the good, and sends his rain upon the just and upon the unjust;" animadverting upon it as a mean thing, and an argument of a base and narrow spirit, to have our love and kindness confined to those wonted limits, wherein men,otherwise taught by their own corrupt inclinations, are wont to confine theirs. This is, therefore, the main and more principal design of this text, as it refers to the context, to commend to us the divine benignity, to represent that, and to set it before us as a pattern to which we are to be conformed. Be in this respect perfect as your heavenly Father is perfect. And indeed, it is the fittest to consider this divine perfection in the last place; for it is (as it were) the perfecting perfection; it crowns and consummates all the rest. All the excellencies of the Divine Being, they are to be considered not abstractly, each by itself, but as they refer to one another, and as all together they do make one admirable temperament; as with reverence we may speak. Indeed, of those that are abstractly considered, that are wont to go under the notion with us of very great exercise, should be all separated from this, they lose themselves, lose their very name; wisdom, apart from goodness, it were only an ability to contrive; power, apart from goodness, were only an ability to execute ill purposes and designs. But divine wisdom, that is in conjunction with most perfect goodness; and divine power, that is in conjunction with the most perfect goodness; and so this is (as I may say) the perfecting perfection, consummating of all the rest. How admirable a thing is that wisdom that is continually prompted by goodness! and that power that is continually set on work by goodness, in all the efforts and exertions of it! And now, in speaking to this, the divine benignity and goodness, I shall briefly point out unto you the various diversifications of it, and then lay before you some of the more observable exemplifications of it. I shall show you how it is diversified, and wherein it is exemplified. [1.] How it is diversified. It admits, in sundry respects, (which I shall mention to you,) of sundry considerations and notions that may be put upon it, which yet do all run into this one thing, goodness. First, as it imports a propension unto any thing of suitableness, according as the estimate of divine wisdom and liberty doth determine it, and so it goes under the name of love. Love, is nothing else but a propension towards this or that object. The objects towards which divine goodness is propense, they are estimated by his wisdom and liberty, or sovereignty in conjunction, in respect of their capacities to receive these his propensions, or to be the passive subjects thereof. Se condly, as it refers to offenders, guilty creatures, so this First, The most obvious and most comprehensive one is, this very creation itself which we behold, and whereof we ourselves are a little, inconsiderable part. What else can be supposed to have been the inducement to an infinite, self-sufficient, all-sufficient Being to make such a creation as this stand forth out of nothing, but an immense goodness, a benignity not to be prescribed unto, and was only its own reason to itself, of what it would design and do? The creation could add nothing to him; for it being produced out of nothing, it could have nothing in it, but what was of him and from him; and so there is nothing of being in it, nothing of excellency and perfection in it, but what was originally and eminently in himself before; for nothing could give that which it had not; and all that is in this world, is given out from God himself, and therefore, it is resolvable into nothing else but mere goodness, that we are, or that any thing else besides is. As in Rev. iv. 11. "For thy pleasure all things are and were created." For thy pleasure; it was a pleasure to him to have that immense and boundless goodness of his issue and flow forth in such a creation and among the rest of creatures, in giving being to such as might be capable of knowing who made them, and of contemplating the glorious excellencies of their Maker, and of partaking a felicity in him, as well as a being from him. Indeed, that there should be so vast a creation, (though all that is nothing compared with him, vast as it is,) that is owing to his power; that there should so ornate, and amiable, and orderly a frame of things be created, that is owing to his wisdom. But that there should be any creation at all, that is owing to nothing else but his mere goodness. He would have creatures that should be capable of knowing and enjoying the excellencies and perfections that make up his being to himself, according to their measure and capacities; and he would have other creatures of inferior ranks and orders to minister unto them. And though this be an obvious thing, and we hear of it often, it is often in our minds, yet I am afraid it is not often enough in our hearts. It doth not sink and pierce deep into our souls, to think what we, by mere nature, are, by mere untainted, uncorrupt nature; all that we are by divine benignity, that it did eternally depend upon his mere pleasure whether I should be something or nothing. And what a rebuke would this carry in it to a vain mind, if it might be seriously and often thought of! "Was I created to indulge and pursue vanity, to indulge a vain mind, and pursue vain things?" How great an awe would it hold our spirits under! It would teach us to fear the Lord and his goodness, to think, "I only am, and have a place in this world, because he thought it good, and he saw it good to have it so." But, Secondly, The universal sustentation that he affords to all created beings, generally considered: that is all nothing but mere goodness; for as he had no need of a creation at first, he hath still no need of it, and he that hath raised it up into being out of nothing one moment, might have suffered all to slip and lapse into nothing the next moment again, without injury to what he hath made, or without loss to himself. His tender mercy is over all his works. | Consider how tender he is of the life of man, that he hath He lets all this great variety of creatures that replenish this provided, that there should be such a law, even in man's world, continually draw from him. The eyes of all things nature, against murder, of which the municipal laws of look towards him. Nature hath (as it were) set an eye in several countries are all transcripts, and all owing to the every thing that is made, only to look up with craving general Legislator. Whatsoever laws of this or that counlooks to the great Author of all things, and all are sustain-try do agree with the natural law, they are all from the ed suitably as their indigent states require, when all are supreme Legislator, and are but discoveries of the care and still useless to him, and advantage him nothing. But, concern that the common Ruler of this world hath to preThirdly, His continual sparing offending creatures; how serve such a creature as man on earth, from violence and constant a testimony and evidence is this of the immense wrong. And so likewise, the laws that do obtain any where goodness of God! That when he hath those that offend for the preservation of property, and for the preservation him continually in his power and at his mercy, and he of chastity, and for the preservation of fame and reputation may right himself for what hath been done in a moment, among men, and the like; that men may not be injured in or prevent doing any thing more to his displeasure, and to such respects: they are all so many instances and exemhis dishonour, yet he spares: how admirable goodness is plifications of the great and general benignity of the comthis! It is not oscitancy and neglect, as if he took no no- mon Lord and Author of all things, towards his poor creatice of what men did. On purpose to obviate such an tures in this world, though he beheld his nature poisoned expression, Moses useth that emphatical expression, (in- with enmity and malignity against himself, and though terceding for offending Israel,) "Let the power of my God that creature takes no notice of him in all this. And then, be great, according as thou hast spoken, saying, The Lord ii. The case is seen, not only in the provision he hath is long-suffering and slow to anger." Let the power of my made by laws, but which he continually makes by proGod be great. It is not from oscitancy, but power, that vidence, for the sustentation of these, his offending creaguilty creatures are spared, that an offending world is not tures. So you see the text refers us to these very instances, turned into flames and ashes long ago; that a vindictive "Love your enemies, do good to them that hate you, pray fire hath not been preying on it, and vindicating the wrong for them that despitefully use you and persecute you, that done to the offended Maker and Lord of all. It is not you may be the children of your Father which is in heaoscitancy but power, that is, power over himself, the great-ven:" that you may represent and show forth the divine est of all powers. Creating power is less; the sustentative nature in yourselves, that you may show yourselves born power, by which the world is bore up, is less. By the of God, with such a nature as God hath; give some proofs exertion of his power towards his creatures he can easily and discoveries of the divine nature in you, because he conquer them; but by this exercise of his power he doth doth thus; loves his enemies, doth good to them that hate (as it were) conquer himself; withholding himself from him, feeds them with breath, with bread, with all the nethose more sudden eruptions of displeasure and wrath, cessary supports of life, in a continual course from day to which would argue that these were a predominant thing day. And again, with him. But he will let the world know it is not so. Fifthly, It doth further evidence and exemplify divine There is the power of goodness that doth predominate and goodness, and how perfect he is therein, that there is any is governing. It is admirable in itself, and ought to be so derivation hereof to be found any where among men, that in our estimate, that this world which hath, for so many there is any such thing among men as goodness towards thousand years, been inhabited and possessed by rebels one another, in any degree of it. Wheresoever there is to against the crown and throne and dignity of the Eternal be found more or less of that which we call good nature, King, is yet spared, and they let propagate their kind, and if there be any thing of humanity, of an aptness to do good transmit their nature, though they do, with it, transmit the to others, or an unaptness to do them hurt, or to take poison and malignity of an inveterate hate and enmity pleasure in their infelicities or miseries, these are so many against the Author of their being. How admirable is the specimens of goodness that are derived, and their very dedivine goodness, that shows itself in this patience and long-rivation speaks a fountain from whence they come. There suffering towards a guilty world! We are taught so to ac- can be no borrowed or participated goodness but must count; Despisest thou the riches of his forbearance and suppose, and imply, a first goodness whence it proceeds. long-suffering, not knowing that the goodness of God If there be any the least goodness, in any creature, this leadeth thee to repentance ?" Rom. ii. 4. And again. refers us to God, prompts us to look towards him with Fourthly, We are to consider as a further instance and adoring eyes. This is a little rivulet from an immense evidence of this immense goodness of God, that he is ocean, a beam, a ray from that Sun of love and goodness, pleased to take such care of the children of men, in their from that Nature that is all goodness and all love itself, several successive ages and generations, as we find he con- in the very essence of it. This we ought to consider, if tinually doth; not only sparing them but providing for we meet with any kindness in this world, if we see any them; which is a plain and most constantly positive in- efforts, any discoveries of pity, of compassion and mercistance and exemplification of this goodness whereof we fulness in one towards another, this is all goodness from speak. Two ways he doth more especially take care of the the First Goodness. All this shows there is one Immense offending creatures that do possess and inhabit this earth Goodness, whence all such little parcels of goodness do of ours; partly by laws, and partly by providence. proceed and come. Even in this apostate and fallen world we see some such appearances of the divine image (as was said) yet left. We see man hath love in his nature, some thing of goodness in his nature, a proneness to do acts of goodness and beneficence to some or other, as they come in his way: this should presently make us fall adoring the Supreme Goodness in all this. But then, i. By Laws. How much of the goodness of God is seen by those very laws which he hath taken care shall have place in this world, and by which any thing of common order is preserved? How admirable is it that he should so concern himself for the tranquillity and peace and welfare of those that are in a confederacy and combination against him, and have been so from one generation to another! Sixthly, The design of recovering apostate, fallen man, How wonderful is it! It is owing, partly, to the impres-is, beyond all things, a most admirable discovery of divine sions he hath made and left upon the minds and nature of men, that there are any such laws as go under the name of the laws of nature, which have this tendency and design, to keep the world in a peaceful and quiet state; and do so, as far as they obtain and prevail. And indeed, there is none that do any thing to the disturbance and disquiet of the world, but they abandon the law of their nature in what they do, and offer violence to themselves. But any such law of nature we must understand to have proceeded from the Author of nature, and we must understand it to have been preserved and kept alive among men, by him that doth preserve the nature of man, and doth take care that there should be successions of such creatures in this world. goodness; that ever he should have formed such a design. Here is such a creature, such an order of creatures, such a sort of creatures, fallen, sunk, lost, become miserable, and miserable by their own delinquency, by their own apostacy, that is, by their own choice: they have chosen the way that leads down to the chambers of death and eternal ruin. Now, that in this case he should form a design with himself, "I will yet settle a course wherein such creatures as these may be recovered and saved, even from a self-procured ruin." If there were not, I say, a goodness whereof no other account could be given, but that it is divine, but that it is of itself, as the Deity is, as the Godhead is; who would ever have imagined but that such creatures having |