Sierd.. XC. The Gòbdnèf.r bfGo`d, 68 i gate our kind; to perpetuate our felves in our Pofterity : But all this frppofeth imperfection; 'and want, and mortality, tonone of which the Divine Nature is liable and obnoxious. , Nay, it was not want, of glory, which, made God to make the World. 'Tis true indeed, the Glory bf God's Goodnefs Both herein appear, and Creatures en- dowld with underftanding have reafon to take notice of it, with thankfulnefs, praife, and admiration;: but there is no happinéfs redounds toGod from it, not does he feed himfelf with any imaginary content and fätisfadion, fuch as vain- glorious perfons have, from the fluttering applaufe'of their Creaturesand Bene ficiaries. God is reallyabove all blefing andpraife. It is great condefcenfion and goodnefs in him, to accept of our acknowledgments óf his benefits, of our im- petfed praifes; and ignorant admirationof him ; and were he not as wonderfully good, as he is great and glorious, he would not fuffer us to fully his great and glorious Name, by taking it into ourMouths ; and were it not for our. advantage and happinefs, to own and acknowledge his benefits, fit any real happihefs and glory that comes to him by it, he could well enough be without it, and difpenfe with us for ever entertaining one thought of him ; and were it ndt for his Good- nefs, might defpife the praifes ofhis Creatures, with infinitely more reafon than wife Men do the applaufe of Fools. There.. is indeed One Text of Scripture, which feems to intimate that God made all Creatures for himfelf, as if he had fome need of them, Prov. x6. 4. The Lord hath made all things for himfelf ; yer even the wickedfor the dayof evil. Now if by God's making all things for himfelf, be meant, that he aimed at and intended the manifeftation of his Wifdom,, and Power, and Goodnefs in the,Creatioh of the World,.'tis molt true, that in this fenfe he made all things for himfelf : but ifwe underftand it fo, as if the Goodnefs of his Nature did not move him thereto, but he, had fome defign to ferve Ends and Neceffities of his own upon his Creatures; this is far from him. But it is very probable, that neither of thefe are the meaning of this Text, which may be rendred With much better fenfe, and nearer to theHebrew thus, Godbath ordained every thing, to that which is It for it, andthe Wicked hath he ordained for the day of evil ; that is, the Wifdom of God hath fitted one thing to another, punifh- ment to fin, the evil day to;the evil doers. (2..) Nor' can Neceffrty and Conftraint have any place in God. Wheri there was no Creature yet made, nothing in Being but God himfelf, there could be no- thing to compel him to make any thing, and to extort from him the effects of his Bounty: Neither are theCreatures neceffary effects and emanations -from the Being of God, flowing fròm the Diïtine Effence, as Water doth from a Spring, and as Light ftreams from the Sun. If fo, this indeed would have been an Ar- gument of the fulnefs of the Divine Nature, butnot of the Bianty and Goodnefs of it ; 'and it would have been matter of Icy tb us that we are, but not a true ground of thankfulnefs from us to God ; as we rejoice and are glad that the Sur fhines, but we do not give it any thanks for fhining, besatifeit fhines without any intention or defign to do us good it doth not know that we are the better for its light, nor did intend we fhould be, and therefore we have no réafon to ac- knowledge its goodnefs to us. But God,who is a Spirit endowed withKnowledge and Urtderftaáding,does not ad as natural and material Caufes dó, which adnecejTarìly and ignorantly, where- as he ads knowingly and ,voluntarily, with particular intention anddeffgn, knowing that he does good,, and intending todofo freely and out of choice, and when he hath no other conftraint upon him but this, that his goodnefs inclines his Will to communicate himfelf to do good : So that the Divine Nature is tinder rio Ne- ceffìty , but fuch as is confiftent with the 'inoft petted Liberty arid freeft Choice. . Nbt but that Goodnefs is effential toGod; and a netieffary Perfectionof his Nature, and he cannot poffîbly be otherwife than good : but when he com- municates his goodnefs, he knows what he does, and wills and chufeth to do fo.' s Sfff And
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