Serm. XCI. The Góoodnefr of God. cellency of our Natures above them ; for as the Apoftle reafons in another cafe, ¡loth God take care for Oxen, and: (hall he not much more extend his care to Man To this purpofe our Saviour reafons,; Mat. 6. Behold theFowls of the air, they low not, neither do they reap, and yetyour heavenly Father takes careof .them ; are not je much better than they ? And v. 3o. Wherefore if Godfo death the grafs of the field, Jhall he not much more cloathyou ? . And Chap. ao. 19. Are not two Sparrows foldfor a Farthing? and one of them /hall not fall on theground, withoutyour Father; But the very hairs ofyour head are all 'tumbrel. ..Fear ye not therefore, ye are of more value than many Sparrows. 'Tis true, God hath a fpecial care of his People and Servants, above thereft of Mankind ; but our. Saviour ufeth thefe Arguments to his Difciples, to convince them of the Providence of God towards them, as Men, and of a more excellent Nature than other Creatures. And indeed we are born into the Worldmore deftitute and helplefs, than other Creatures ; as if it were on purpofe to thew, that God had referved us for his more peculiar Care and Providence ; which is fo great, that .the Scripture, by way of condefcentión, expreffeth it to us by the name of Love ; fo that what ef- feéts of Care the greateft and tendereft Affeetion in Men is apt to produce to- wards one another, that, and much more, is the erred of God's Goodnefs to us ; and this Afteóti.on of God is common to all Men (tho' of all Creatures we have leaft deferved it) and is ready to diffufe and lhed abroad it felt, where-ever Men are qualified for it,by Duty and Obedience, and donot obftruét and flop the ema- nations of it, by their Sins and Provocations. And tho' the greateft part of Mankind be evil, yet this doth not whollyput a flop to hisGoodnefs, tho it caufe many abatements of it, and hinder many good things from us ; but fuch is the Goodnefs of God, notwithí'anding the evil and undutifulnefs`óf Men, that he is pleafed flit' to concern himfelf, in the Govern- ment of the World, and to preferve the Societies of Men from running intout- ter confuuón and diforder notwithftanding the violence and irregularities of Mens Wills and Pallions, the Communities of Men fúbfift upon tolerable terms; and notwithilanding the rage and craft of evil Men, poor and unarmed Innocence and Virtue is ufually prote&ed, and fometimes rewarded in this World ; and do- mineering and outragious Wickednefs is very often remarkably checked and cha- ftifed. All which Inflances of God's Providence ; as they aregreatly for the ad- vantageand comfort ofMankind, fo are they an elfeetual declaration of that Good- nefs which governs all things, and of God's kind care of the Affairs and Coil- cernments of Men ; fo that if we look no farther than this World, we may fay. with David, Verily there is a reward for the Righteous, verily there is a Godthat: judgeth the earth. I know this Argument hath been perverted to a quite contrary purpofe ; that if Góodnefs govern'd the World, and adminifired the Affairs of it, Good and Evil would no be fo carelefly and promifcuoufly difpenfed ; Good Men would not be fo great fufferers, nor wicked Men fo profperous as many times they are. But this alfo, if rightly confidered, is an effé& of God's Goodnefs, and Infinite Patience to Mankind ; That he caufeth his Sun to rife, and his Rain to fall upon the full andunjufi. That upon the Provocations of Men, he does not give over his care of them, and throw all things into confufion and ruin ; this plainly thews, that he defigns this Life for the tryal of Mens Virtue and Obedience, in order to the greater Reward of it ; and therefore he fullers Men to ¡balk in their own ways, without any great check and controul, and referves the main bulk of Rewards and Punifhments for another World : So that all this is fo far from being any Ob jeétion againft the Goodnefs of God, that on the contrary, it is an Argument of God's Immenfe Goodnefs, and Infinite Patiente, that the World fubfifls and conti- nues, and that he permits Men to take their courfe, for the fuller tryal of them, and the clearer and moft effe&ual declaration of his Jufiee, in the Rewards and Puni[hmerit of another Life. Fourthly, and LàjIly, The Goodnefs of God to Mankind moft glorioufly ap pears, in the provifion he bath made for our Eternal Happinefs. What the Hap- pinefs of Man thould have been, had he continued in Innocency, is notparticu- larly 687
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