Serm. LX:K$rIII. The Happinds ofGod pofe) it is reallyand in effect in our own power ; and we are every whit as fafe and happy in God's care and protection of us, as, if we were fufficient for our felves. However this is the higheft happinefs that the Condition of a Creature is capable of, to have all our defeds fupply'd in fo liberal a manner by the Bounty of another, and to have a free recourfe to the Fountain of Happinefs, and at laft to be admitted to the blefted fight and enjoyment ofHim, in whofeprefence isful- nefs of goy, and at whoferight hand are Pleafuresfor evermore. I have done with the Three Things I propofed to fpeak to. But to what purpofe, may Tome fay is this long Defcription and Difcourfe of happinefs? How are we the Witer and the Better for it ? I anfwer ; very much, in leveral refpeds. r. This plainly -thews us, That Atheifm is a very melancholy and mifchievous thing; it would take away the Fountain ofhappinefs, and the only perfeet Pattern of it ; endeavours at once to extinguith the Being of God, and all the Life and Comfort of Mankind, fo that we could neither form any Idea of happinefs, or be in any poi ability ofattaining it. For it is plain, we are not fufficient forit of our felves ; and if there be not a God, there is nothing that can make us fo. God is the true light of theWorld, and a thoufand times more neceffary to the comfort and happinefs ofMankind, than the Sun it fell, which is but a dark Shadow of that infinitely more bright and glorious Being; the happy and only Potentate (as the Apoftle defcribes him in the latter end ofthis Epifile) who only bath immortality, dwelling in that light which no man can approach unto, whom no man hathfeen, - nor can fee, meaning in this mortal flue.. So that the greateft Enemies, and moll injurious of all others to Mankind, are thofe who would banifh the Belief of a God out of the World ; becaufe this is to lay the Ax to the root of the Tree, and at One blow to cut offall Hopes of happi- nefs from Mankind. So that he is a Fool indeed, that fags in his heart there is no God; that is, that wifheth there were none ; becaufe it is not po(Iible for a Man to with woofe to himfelf, and more effectually to defiroy his own hap- pinefs. a. If the Divine Nature be fo infinitely and compleatly happy, this is a very great confirmation ofour Faith and Hope concerning the happinefs of another Life, which the Scripture defcribes to us, 'by the fight and Enjoyment of God. As we are Creatures, we are not capable of the happinefs that is abfolutely and in- finitely perfect, becaufe our Nature is but finite, and limited ; but the Blefj'edGod who is infinitely happy himfelf, can alto make us happy according to our finite Meafure and Capacity. For, ashe that is the Firlt ánd Original Being, cancom- municate Being to other things, fo He that is the Fountain ofhappinefs, can derive and convey happinefsto his Creatures. And we (hall the more eafily believe this, when we confider that Goodnefs, as it is the primePerfection, fo is it likewife the chief felicity of the Divine Nature. It is his Glory and Delight to communicate himfelf, and flied abroad his goód- nefs ; and, the higheft expreffion of the Divine Goodnefs, is to communicate hap- pinefs t0 his Creatures, and to be willing that they fhould !hare and partake with,him in it. Bale and Envious Natures are narrow and contracted, and love to confine their Enjoyments and good Things to themfelves, and are loth that others fhould take part with them ; but the molt Noble and moil Generous Minds are molt free and enlarged, and cannot be happy themfelves unlefs they find or make others fo. This is the higheft pitch of Goodnefs, and confequently the higheft Content- ment, and the fupream delight of the Divine Nature. Now it is natural toeves ryBeing, to be moil frequent and abundant in thofe Ads in which it finds the greateft Pleat-tires; to he good, and todo good is the fupream Felicity of God him- felf; therefore we mayeafily believe, that he is very ready and forward to make us happy, by all the ways that are agreeable to his Wifdom and Righteoufnefs; and that he is allo willing to make us abundantly fo, and to advance us to the higheft degree of Felicity, of which our Natureis capable, if we do not render our felves incapable of fach a Bletling, by an obílinate refufal of it, and utterin- difpofition for it. This, 589
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