696 Vol. I. SE R MO NXCIII. The Goodnefs of God, P s A L. CXLV. 9. The Lord is good to all, and his tender Mercies are over ell his Works. IHave made feveral Difcourfes upon this Argument, of the Goodnefs ofGod; (hewing what it is ; on what accounts we afcribe it toGod ; what are theef- feéts and large extent of it to the whole Creation, and more particularly to Man- kind ; and, in the tat} place, confidered the feveral Objeétions which feemto lie againft it. I proceed now to the Application of this excellent Argument, the confideration whereof is fo fruitful of ufeful Inferences in relation both to our Comfort and Duty. And, I. This thews us the prodigious folly and unreafönablenefs of Atheifm. MofÈ of the Atheifm that is in the World, doth not fo much confift in a firm perfwafi on that there is no God, as in vain willies and defires that there were none. Bad men think it would be a happinefs to them, and that they thould be in a much better condition, if there were no God, than if there be one. Nemo ileum non ere Credit, nifi cui deum non efe expedit, no Man is apt to disbelieve a God, but he , whofe Mere it is that there fhould be none. And if we could fee into the Hearts of wicked Men we fhould find this lying at the Bottom, that if therebe a God, he is juft and will punifh fm, that he is infinite in power, and not to be refitted, and therefore kills them with his terror fo often as they think of him ; hence they apprehend it their Intereft, that there thould be no God, and with there were none, and thence are apt to cherifh in their Minds a vain hope that there is none, and at Taft endeavour to impofe upon themfelves by vain reafonings, and to fupprefs the belief of a God, and to ftifle their natural Apprehenfions and Fears of him. So that it is not primes in orbe deos fecit timor, fear thatfrfi made Gods ; but the fear which bad Men have of the Divine Power andJuftice, that firtt tempted them to the disbelief of him. But were not thefe Men as foolifh as they are wicked, they would with with all their Hearts there were a God, and be glad to believe fo. And the Pfalmifi gives them their true Character, who can entertain any' fuch Thoughts or Willies ; Pfal.14. r. The Fool bath [aid in his heart there is no God ; for theyare Fools who do not underf}and nor confult their true Intereft : And if this be true which I have faid concerning the Goodnefs of God, if this be his Nature, to defi?e and procure the happinefs of his Creatures, whoever underftands the true Nature of God and his own true Intereft, cannot but with there were a God, and be glad of any argument to prove it, and rejoice to find it true, as Children are gladof a kind and tender Father, and as Subjeéts rejoice, in a wife and good Prince. The goodnefs of God gives us fo lovely a Character of him, makes him fa good a Father, fo gracious aGovernor of Men,, that if there were no fuch Be- ing in the World, it were infinitely definable to Mankind that there thould be; he is fuch an one, qualemmanes cuperent, fi deeffet, as if he were wanting, allMen ought to with for. The Being of God is fo comfortable, fo convenient, fo necef fary to the felicity of Mankind, that (as Tully admirably fays) Dii immortales_ad ufum hominum fabricati penè videantur, if Godwere not a neceQary Being of himfelf, he might almofi feem to be made on purpafe for the ufe andbenefit of Men ; fo that Atheifin is not only an Inftance of the molt horrible Impiety, but of the greateft Stupidity ; and for Men to glory in their disbelief of a God, is like the rejoy-, cing and triumph of a furious and befotted multitude, in the Murder of a wife and
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