68o The Goodnefs ofGood. Vol. I. And if this Perfection be in fore degree in the Creature, it is much more in God ; if it be derived from him, he is much more eminently poffeffed of it him- felf. All that Goodnefs which is in the beft natured of the Sons of Men, or in the molt glorious Angels of Heaven, is but an imperfect and weak reprefentation of the Divine Goodnefs. _ The Third thing I propofed to confider, was the Effects of the Divine Good- nefs, together with the large extent of it, in refpe& of the Objects of it, the Lord is good to all, andhis tender Mercies are over all hisWorks ; thou artgood, and loft good, Pays David, Pfal. 159. 68. The great evidence and demonfration of God's Goodnefs, is from the Effects of it. To the fame purpofe St. Paul fpeaks, . Alls 14. 5 7. He bath not left himfelf without Witnefs, in that he cloth good, and fends us Rain fromHeaven, and fruitful Seafons. I frail confider the etTe is of the Divine Goodnefs, under thefe Two Heads. I. The univerfal extent of God's Goodnefs to all his Creatures. II. I fhall confider more particularly the Goodnefs of God to Men, which we are more efpecially concern'd to take notice of. I. The univerfal extent of his Goodnefsto the whole Creation, the Lord isgood to all. The whole Creation furnilheth us with clear Evidences and Demonifra- tions of the Divine Goodnefs ; which way foever we call our Eyes, we are en- countered with undeniable'.Intfances of the Goodnefs of God ; and every thing that we behold is a fenfible demonftration of it.;. the Heavens declare the Glory of God, and the Firmament fheweth his handy-Work, Pays the Pfalmift, Pfal s9. I. And again; Pfal. 33. 5. The Earth is full of theGoodnefs of the Lord: The whole Frame of this World, and every Creature in it, and all the fevers! degrees of Be- ing and Perfection, which are in the. Creatures, and the Providence of God to- wards them all, in the prefervation of them, and providing for the happinefs of all of them, in fuch degrees as they are capable of it, are a plentiful demonfira- tion of the DivineGoodnefs, which I lhall endeavour to illutirate in thefe Four Particulars. t. The univerfal Goodnefs of God appears in giving Being to fo many Crea- tures. z. Inmaking them all fo very good, cenudering the variety, and order, and tnd of them. . 3. In his continual prefervationof them. q. In providing fo abundantly for the welfare and happinefs of all of them, fo far as they are capable and fenfible of it. I. The extent ofGod's Goodnefs appears in givingBeing to fo many Creatures. And this is a pure effect of Goodnefs, to impart and communicate Being to any thing. Had not God been good, but of an envious, andnarrow, and contracted nature, he would have confined all Being to himfelf, and being unwilling, that any thing betides himfelf Ihould have been: but,his Goodnefs prompted him to fpread and diffufe hitnfelf, and fet his Power and Wifdom on Work, to give Being to all that variety of Creatures, which we fee 'and know to be in theWorld; and probably to infinite more than we have the knowledge of. Now it is not imagi- nable, that God could have any other motive to do this, but purely theGoodnefs of his Nature. All the Motives imaginable befides this, mutt either be indigen- cy and want, or conftraint and neceffity ; but neither of thefe can have any place in God, and therefore it was meer Goodnefs, that moved him to give Being to other things ; and therefore all Creatures have reafon, with the Four and Twenty El- ders in the Revelations, to raft their crowns before the throne of God, Ealing, thou art worthy, 0 Lord, to receive glory, and honour, and power, for thou haft created all things, andfor thy pleafure (that is, of meer goodnels) they areand were created. (I.) Indigency and Want can have no place in God ; becaufe he that hash all pofible Perfection, hath all plenty in himfelf ; from whence refults all- fufficiency and compleat Happinefs. So that the Divine Nature need not look out of it felf for Happinefs, being incapable of any addition to the Happinefs and Perfeótion it is already poflefied of, ipfa pollens opibus nihil indiga noftri. We make things for our ufe, Honks to filcher us, and Cloaths to keep us warm ; and we propa- gate
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