588 T1P Happinef of God. Vol.. f Omnisenim divum, per fe, natura neceffe eft, Immortals ævo fummà cum pace fruatur, Semota à noftris rebus, fejunétaque longe. Nam privata dolore pmni, privata periclis, Ipfa fuis pollens opibus, nihil indiga noftri. Nec benèpro mentis capitur, nec tangitur ira. That is, It is neceQ'ary that the Divine Nature fbould be Happy, and therefore al- together unconcern's/ in our Affairs ; free from all grief and danger, fufftcient for it felf, andJlandingin needofno body, neither pleafed with our. Good Atlions, norprovo- kedby our Faults. This was a very falfe Notion both of God and Happinefs, to imagine that the Care of the World fhould be a pain and diflurbance to Infinite Knowledge, andPower, and Goodnefs. But this is not now my bufinefs to con- fider;. that which is to my prefent purpofe, is, That the happinefs of the Divine Nature was Univerfally owned ; and that bleffednefs is fo infeparable from the No- tion of a Deity, that whoever profeffes to believe a God mutt acknowledge him to be perfetlly happy. As for the Teltimony of Scripture, I have already told you, that there are but two Texts wherein this Title of p g.sti ra, the happy or bleffed, is given toGod; but by confequence the Scripture every where declares the happinefs of the Di- vine Nature, viz. wherever it (peaks of the Excellency and Perfe&ion of his Being, of his Knowledge, and Power and Wifdom, and Goodnefs, and Righte- oufnefs, and ofthe Eternity and Unchangeablenefsof thefe, and of the infinite De- light and Complacency which he takes in the Enjoyment of thefe Perfeflions. I !hall now proceed to the III. And tall thing, which I propofed to confider, viz. How far Creatures are capable of happinefs, and by what ways and means they may be made parta- kers ofit. They are not capable of abfolute and perfect happinefs, becaufe that refults from infinite perfetlion, which is no where to be found but in God: It re- mains then that Creatures are only capable of being happy in a finite and limited degree, by the refemblance of God, and by the enjoyment of him; by being like to him, and by our likenefs to him, being qualified for his favour, and for the enjoyment of him. As we are Creatures of afinite Power, and limited Underftandings, and a muta- ble Nature, wedo neceflärily want manyof tholeperfetlions, which are the Caufe and Ingredients of a perfetl happinefs. We are far from being fufficient for our own happinefs ; we are neither fo of our felves, nor can we make our felves foby our own Power; for neither are we wife enough for our own dire&ion, nor good enough for our own fatisfadion. All the happinefs that we are capable of, is, by communication from him, who is the Original and Fountain of it; by our be- ing made partakers of theDivine Nature, (as Sr, Peter fpeaks) by our' refemblance of God in thole perfellions which are the moft effential Ingredients of Happinefs, his Goodnefs, and Righteoufnefs, and Truth, andHolinefs; thefe do immediate- ly qualify us for the Favour and Friendfhip of Almighty God, and for the bleffed fight and enjoyment of him ; and the Favour ofGod, and the Light ofhis Coun- tenance lifted upon us, and.his Frienfhip and Good-Will to us, fupplies all the de- fe&s of Power and Wifdom in us : For, God being our Friend, we have an In- tereft "in all his Perfetlions , and a Security, that as occafion requires, they will all be employ'd for our benefit and advantage; fo that tho' we are weak in our felves, we are/frong in the Lord, and in the power of his might, and are able to do all things through himJIrengthning, us; and tho we want wifdom, we may have free recourfe to the Fountainof it, and ask it ofGod, whogives to all liberally, and up- braideth not. And it is next to having thefe perfellions in our felves, to know where to have them for asking, whenever we !hand in need of them, fo far as is necefirary to our happinefs. So that tho'. our happinefs depend upon another, yet if we be careful to qualify our felves for it, (and God is always ready to affift us by his Grace to this pur- pole)
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