678 Of the Goodnefs of God. Vol, I; pared with the Goodnefs of God, it does 'not deferve that name ; yet the efferf: tial Notion of Goodnefs in both, muff be thefame ; elfe when-the Scripture fpeaks of the Goodnefs ofGod, we could not know the meaning of it, and if we do not at all underftand what it is for God to be good, it is all one to us (for ought we know) whether he be good or not ; for he maybe fo, and we never the better . for it, if we do not know what Goodnefs in God is, and confequently when he is fo, and when not. Betides, that the Goodnefs'of God is very frequently in Scripture propounded to our imitation ; but it is impotfible for us to imitate that, which we do not un- derhand what it is ; from whence it is certain, that the Goodnefs which weare to endeavour after, is thefame that is inGod, becaufe in this we are commanded to imitate the Perfe&ion of God, that is, to be good and merciful as he is ac- cording to the rate and condition of Creatures, and fo far as we, whole Natures are imperfect, arecapable of refembling the Divine Goodnefs. Thus much for the Notion of Goodnefs in God, it is a propenjón and difpofttioá in the Divine Nature, to communicateBeing andHappinefs to his Creatures. Secondly, I thall endeavour to thew, in the next place, that this Perfection o Goodnefs belongs to God and that from thefe three Heads. I. From the Acknowledgments of Natural. Light. II. From the Teftimony of Scriptureand Divine Revelation. And, III. From the Perfectionof the Divine Nature. I. From the Acknowledgments ofNatural Light. The generality ofthe Ilea; then agree in it, and there is hardly any Perfection of God more univerfally ac- knowledged by them. I always except the Sed of the Epicureans, who attribute nothing but Eternity and Happinefs to the Divine Nature ; and yet if they would have confider'd it, Happinefs without Goodnefs is impoffible. I do not find that they do exprefly deny this Perfection to God, or that they afcribe to him the con- trary ; but they clearly take away all the Evidence and Arguments of the Di; vine Goodnefs ; for they fuppofed God to be an Immortal and Happy Being, that enjoyed himfelf, and had no regard to any thing without himfelf, that neither gave Being to other things, nor concerned himfelf in the happinefs or mifery of any of them ; fo that their Notion of a Deity, was in truth the proper Notion of an idle Being, that is calledGod, and neither does Good nor Evil, But Petting afide this Atheittical Sed, the reft of the Heathen did unanimoufly affirm and believe the Goodnefs of God ; and this was the great Foundation of their Religion ; and all their Prayers to God, and Praifes of him, did neceffarily fuppofe a perfuafion of the Divine Goodnefs. Whofoever prays to God, mutt have a perfuafion, or good hopes of his readinefs to do him good ; and topraife God, is to acknowledge that he hath received good from him. Seneca bath an excellent paffage to this purpofe, " He (lays he) that denies the Goodnefs of God, " does not furely confider the infinite number of Prayers, that with Hands lifted " up to Heaven are put up to God, both in Private and Publick ; which certainly " would not be, nor is it credible, that.all Mankind fhould confpire in this mad- nefs of putting up their Supplications to deaf and impotent Deities, if they " did not believe, that,the Gods were fo good, as to confer benefits upon thole who prayed to them. But we need not to infer their belief ofGod's Goodnefs from the AEfs of their devotion, nothing being more common among them, than exprefly to attribute this Perfection of Goodnefs to him ; and among the divine Titles, this always had . the preeminence, both among the Greeks and Romans ; it; 7E pklas 77, Deus op- timus maximus, was their confiant Rile ; and in our Language, the name of God Teemns to have been given him from his Goodnefs. I might produce innumerable paffages out of the Heathen Authors to this purpofe.; but I (hall only mention that remarkable one out of Seìneca,'primas deorum coitus elf does credere ; deinde red- dere illis majeftatem foam, redderebonitatem, fine rluanulla majeftas, " The firf afit of Worfhip is to believe the Being of God; and the next, to afcribe Majeftyor Greatnefs to him ; and to afcribe Goodnefs, without which there can be no Great- . nee: II. From
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