SERM. my Bufinefs to explain wherein this Good XI. nefs doth confist.

Now there is in God, firft, a Goodness of Effence, or a Perfection of Nature; fo that, when we fay God is a Being infinitely good, we mean, that there are in God all thofe Excellencies which conftitute and make up the Perfection of his Nature.

2. THERE is in God a moral Goodness, whereby is denoted the Rectitude of his Nature, that he is pure and holy, and free from all moral Impurity and Taint. Of both thefe Sorts of Goodness God is the Fountain and Original, from whom alk created Goodness is derived; and the Rule and Measure, in Conformity to whom it is to be estimated; but neither of thefe is that Goodness principally spoken of in the Text, in which the Goodness of God is taken,

3. In a more reftrained and particular Senfe, and denotes that Inclination of the Divine Will towards his Creatures, whereby he is always ready and difpofed to do them Good, and to promote their true Intereft and Happiness. In this Sense God is good, and doth Good; he is always opening his Hand, and filling the Earth with his Goodness.

BUT that we may have a more full and Fafting Notion of the Goodness of God, and

that

that it may make a deeper Impreffion up- SERM. on our Minds and Confciences, I fhall XI. - confider, First, the Properties of this Goodnefs: Secondly, The Effects of it, or the different Ways by which God manifefts it towards his Creatures. And, First, I fhall confider the Properties of God's Goodness.

1. IN the firft Place God is freely good, for, though God is neceffarily good with Refpect to his Nature, yet he is freely good with Regard to the Effluxes of it, on this or that particular Subject; he communicates this Goodness after what Manner, and in what Measure he pleases; in fome Ages of the World more plentifully than in others, and fome of his Creatures drink more deep of his Bounty than the reft of the Creation.

It is true, that God cannot do any Thing contrary to the effential Properties of his Nature; he cannot do any Thing which is evil, or unjuft, whatsoever he doth is good; but he may chufe or refufe to do any particular good Thing; and from hence it is, that all the good Things we receive of God are the Gifts of his Bounty, because God gives them to us freely, and it is owing meerly to his good Pleasure that we enjoy and continue in the Poffeffion of them. He acts according to

SERM. the Determination of his own Will, tho XI. his Will is always guided by the Wisdom of his Mind, and regulated by the Holiness of his Nature.

2. GOD's Goodness and Bounty to us is perpetual; he is always doing Good to us, and never leaves or forfakes any Man, till he withdraws himself from God, and by his Difobedience has rendered himself incapable of his Favours; he continues to do us Good all the Days of our Life, and goes on to load us with his Favours from the Moment of our Birth, till the Time of our Death. His Goodness endures for ever, as the Pfalmift informs us; it diffused itfelf in all the Ages of the World, and bears us Company through all the Stages of our Lives, and will never leave a truly good Man, till it brings him to a State of endless Glory and Happiness. Praise ye the Lord, O give Thanks unto the Lord, for he is good, Pf. ciii. for his Mercy endureth for ever. The Mercy of the Lord is from everlafting to everlasting upon them that fear him: And his Righteouf nefs unto Childrens Children. And, in this Regard, God's Goodness differs from Man's ; Men are moft good to us in Profperity, and forfake us in Adverfity; but God doth us moft Good when we have most Occafion for it, and want it most.

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3. THE Goodness of God is comprehen- SE RM.. five; he doth Good to all his Creatures, of XI. what Rank or Degree foever they are; he openeth his Hand, and fatisfieth the Defire of every living Thing: He furnisheth them with all Manner of good Things, fuitable to all their Neceffities; he fills rational Creatures with Understanding, fenfitive Nature with Vigour and Motion, and the whole World with Beauty and Sweetness. Goodness and Bounty, in the proper Notion of it, implies Diffusiveness; for Goodness is nothing else but a strong Inclination to do Good, and, the more Good any Being doth, the more excellent it is. The most excellent Bodies are those which are most communicative, and act at the greatest Distance, like the Sun, which fends out its Light and Heat, and thereby cherisheth the whole Earth.

¿ AND as God is the most excellent Be ing, fo he is the most ready to communicate himself, and to diffuse his Goodness over the whole Creation. He created this vifible World, on Purpose that he might impart his Goodness to fomething without him, and furnished it with feveral Sorts of Creatures, that they might be capable of various and diftinct Meafures of his Liberality, according to their diftinct Capaci Q3

ties

SERM. ties; but the richeft of his Gifts he beXI. ftowed upon the rational Nature, because

it was furnished with an Understanding capable of knowing him, and a Will to clofe with and obey him; and therefore the Apoftle calls this Love and Bounty of God towards Mankind by a particular Name,

í, in which Place the Apostle dif Tit. iii. courses of the Excellency of this Love: But after that the Kindness and Love of God our Saviour towards Man appeared, not by Works of Righteousness which we have done, but according to his Mercy he faved us, by the Washing of Regeneration, and Renewing of the Holy Ghoft; which he fhed on us abundantly, through Jefus Chrift our Saviour, that being juftified by his Grace, we should be made Heirs according to the Hope of eternal Life.

BUT tho' God's Bounty is in a wonderful Manner extended unto all Men, yet is his Kindness in a more particular Manper exerted on the Good and Virtuous, those whom Likenefs has endeared to him, and his Image, wrought upon their Souls, rendered acceptable in his Sight; God is good Pf. lxxiii. to Ifrael, but more particularly to fuch as are of a clean Heart. He is much more bountiful to the Righteous than the Wicked, and bestows the greater Portion of his

Goods