655 The E cacy ofPrayer, VoI.II. goodgifts untoyour Children ; how much more(hallyour heavenlyFather give the Ho- ly Spirit to them that afk him ? This is a plain and undeniable Argument, fitted to all capacities , becaufe it proceeds upon two Suppofitions which every Man muft acknowledge to be true. r. That earthlyParents have generally fuch a natural affeftion for their Children, as does ftrongly incline them to give them fuch good things, as are necetlîiry and convenient for them , and which will not fuffer them, inftead ofgood things , to give them fuch things as either are no wife ufeful , or anywife hurtful to them; this is a matter ofcommon , and certain, and fenfible experience, which no Man can deny. 2. The other Suppofition, which is as evident in Reafon, as the former is in Ex- perience, is this, That God is better than Men, and that there is infinitely more Goodnefs in him, than in the heft Man in the world, becaufe Goodnefs in its molt exalted degree , and higheft Perfe&ion, is effential to that notion which all Men have of God -, and this being a common principle , in which Men are univerfally agreed, no Man can gainfay it. Now let but thefe two things be fuppofed , that Men , tho' otherwife evil, yet commonly have fo much of natural Goodnefs and Affe&ion for their Children, as to be ready to give them thofe things which are good for them; and that God is infinitely more liberal and bountiful than Men ; and it will appear to be a thing highly credible, that this good God will not deny the belt of Gifts, even his Holy Spirit, to them that aft( him. But for th@ farther Illuftration of this Argument, wewill confider a little more particularly the Terms of the Compárifon which our Saviour here ufeth; our Earthly, and our Heavenly Father ; Temporal and Spiritualgood things. t. Our Earthly and our HeavenlyFather, in which terms theGivers are compared together. Now there are three confiderations in a Giver, which make him capable of being bountiful, and difpofe him to it. (a.) That he have wherewithal to be liberal, and can part with it, without da- mage and prejudice to himfelf. (a.) That he begood natur'd, and have a mind to give. (3.) That he be related to thofe to whom he gives, and be concerned in their wel- fare. Now all thefe confiderations are more eminently in God, and with far grea- ter Advantage than in any Father upon Earth. For, (t.) Godbath wherewithal to be liberal, and can confer what Benefits he plea- feth, without anyharm or prejudice to himfelf. EarthlyParents cannot manytunes be fo good to their Children as they defire, becaufe theyhave it not to bellow, they cannot perhaps feed them plentifully without pinching themfelves, nor give them fit provifionwithout impoverifhing themfelves: But the Divine nature is a perpe. tual and inexhauftible fpring of all good things, evenof more than hecan commu- nicate ; in him are all the Treafures of Riches, and Power, and Wifdom, and he cannot by giving to others, ever empty or impoverifh himfelf; when he makes the freeft communications ofhis Goodnefs to his Creatures, he does not thereby diini- nifh and leffen his native flore. (a.) Godbath infinitely more Goodnefs than Men, hehath ftronger propenfions and inclinations to doGood, than are to be found in the beft natur'd and mofe ge- nerous Man in the world. All the goodnefs that is in the Creature, is derived from God, who is the fountain and original ofit, it is but an imperfe& Image, and imperfeft Reprefentation of that Excellency and Perfe&ion which the Divine na- ture is poffeffed of in the higheft degree that can be imagined. Men are many times evil and envious; (for fo the word fignifies, Ifye being evil, worre91 ofan en- view, niggardly, and illiberal difpofition) but at the heft Men are of a finite and limited Goodnefs and Perfe&ion. But now no fuch thing as envy and ill-will can poffibly happen to God, who is fo rich in his own native flore, and fo fecure of the enjoyment of what hehath, that he can neither hope for the enlargement, nor fear the impairing of his Eftate. (3.) God
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