Vol. 5 86 TTe Happinefs of God. I. I. I will confider what we are to underhand by the Blejfednefs or Happinefs of God, and what are the Effential Ingredients ofit. Now the Notion of Happinefs taken at its higheft pitch (as we mutt neceffatily do when we apply it to God) is no other than a fix'd and immoveable hate of Contentment and Satisfaétiòn, of Pleafure and Delight, refulting from the fecure pofl'effion, and enjoyment of all that is good and defirable, that is, of all Excellency and Perfection ; fo that thefe following Ingredients mutt go to make up a petted Rate of Happinefs. t..Perfedt Knowledge, to underftand what it is that conftitutes Happinefs, and to know whenone is really pofieit of it. For as he is not Happy, who is fo on- ly in Imagination or a Dream, without any real Foundation in the thing ; for he may be pleafed with hisCondition, and yet be far'enöugh from being truly Hap- py : So on the other hand, he that has all other neceflary Ingredients of Happi- nefs, and only wants this, that he loth not think himfelf fo, cannot be Happy. For this we often fee in the imperfe& felicity of this World, that many Men who have all the Materials and Circumftances of a Worldly Happinefs about them, yet by the unskilful management of the matter, and from a lightnefs and injudicioufnefs of Mind, not knowing when they are well, they make an hard Ihift, even when they are in as good Circumfiances as it is almoft poffible for Men to be in this World, to be very difcontented and miferáble in their own Opinions. But God perfectly knows both what makes Happinefs; and that he is poffeft of it. .. To perfect Happinefs is likewife requir'd a full Power to do whatever coni duceth to Happinefs, and likewife to check and controul whatever would be an hindrance and difturbance to it ; and therefore no Being is as happy as it can be, that is not All-fufficient, and hath not within its Power and Reach whatever is neceffary to anhappy Condition, and neceflary to fecure and continue that hap- pinefs againft all Attempts and Accidents whatfoever. 3. There is Wifdom.alfo requir'd to dire this Power, and manage it in fuch a manner, as it may effectually conduce to this end; and this is very different frommeer Power, abfiractedly confider'd; for one may have all the Materials of bappinefs, and yet want the Wifdom and Skill to put them fo together, as to frame an happy Condition out of them ; and he is not happy, who doth not tho- roughly underftand the proper method andmeans of compaffing.and fecuring his own happinefs. 4. Another moft confiderable and effential Ingredient of Happinefs is Good= nefs without which, as there can be no true Majefty andGreatnefs, fo neither can there be any Felicity or Happinefs. Now Goodnefs is a generous difpofitioa of Mind to communicate and diffufe it felf, by making others partakers of its Happinefs in fuch degrees as they are capable of it, and as Wifdom (hall diredt't For he is not fo happy as he may be, who hath not the pleafure of making others fo, and of feeing them put into an happy. Condition by his means, which is the higheft pleafure (I had almofl faid Pride, but I may truly fayGlory) of a good and great Mind : For by fuch Communications of himfelf, an Immenfe and All- fufficient Being doth not lefïen himfelf, or put any thing out of his Power, but doth rather enlarge and magnifie himfelf ; and does, as I may fay, give great Eafe and Delight to á full and fruitful Being, without the leaft diminution of his Power and Happinefs. For the Caufe and Original of all otherBeings, can make nothing fo independent upon it felf, as not fill to maintain his Intereft in it, to have it always under his Power and Government ; and no Being can Rebel againft his Maker, without extream hazard to himfelf. S. Perfect Happinefs doth imply the exercife of allother Virtues, which-are fuitable to fo perfect a Being, upon all proper and fitting occafions ; that is, that fo perfect a Being do nothing that is contrary to, or unbecoming his Holinefs and Righteoufnefs, his Truth and Faithfulnefs, which are effential to a perfeá Being, and for fuels a Being to act contrary to them in any cafe, would be to create difquiet and difturbance to it felf: For this is a certain Rule,-and never fails, that nothing can ad còntrary to its own Nature without reluctancy and difpleafure, which in Moral Agents is that which we call Guilt ; for Guilt is no- . thing
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