Existence and Attributes of God, Discourse 12 (2 of 5)

Existence and Attributes of God · Discourse 12 (2 of 5)

p. 600And as to his Threatnings of Puniſhment for the breach of his Laws, are they not deſigned to diſcourage Wickedneſs, as the Promiſes of Reward were deſigned to encourage Goodneſs? Hath he not multiplied the one to ſcare Men from Sin, as well as the other to allure Men to Obedience? Is not the ſame Truth engaged to ſupport the one as well as the other? And how could he be abundant in Goodneſs, if he were not abundant in Truth? Both are linkt together;**Exod. 34.6.Exod 34:6 If he neglected his Truth, he would be out of love with his own Goodneſs; ſince it cannot be manifeſted in performing the Promiſes to the Obedient, if it be not alſo manifeſted in executing his Threatnings upon the Rebellious. Had not God annext Threatnings to his Laws, he would have had no care of his own Goodneſs. The Order between God and the Creature wherein the declaration of his Goodneſs conſiſted, might have been eaſily broken by his Creature: Man would have freed himſelf from ſubjection to God, been unaccountable to him. Had this conſiſted with that infinite Goodneſs whereby he loves himſelf, and loves his Creatures? As therefore the annexing Threatnings to his Law, was a part of his Goodneſs; the Execution of them is ſo far from being a blemiſh, that it is the honour of his Goodneſs. The Rewards of Obedience, and the Puniſhment of Diſobedience refer to the ſame end, viz. the due manifeſtation of the valuation of his own Law, the glorifying his own Goodneſs, which enjoyned ſo beneficial a Law for Man, and the ſupport of that goodneſs in the Creatures which by that Law he demands righteouſly and kindly of them.

3. Hence it follows, That not to puniſh Evil would be a want of Goodneſs to himſelf. The Goodneſs of God is an indulgent Goodneſs in a way of Wiſdom and Reaſon; not a fond Goodneſs in a way of weakneſs and folly: Would it not be a weakneſs, always to bear with the Impenitent? A want of expreſſing a goodneſs to Goodneſs it ſelf? Would not Goodneſs have more reaſon to complain for a want of Juſtice to reſcue it, than Men have reaſon to complain for the exerciſe of Juſtice in the vindication of it? If God eſtabliſhed all things in Order with Infinite Wiſdom and Goodneſs, and God ſilently behold for ever this Order broken; would he not either charge himſelf with a want of Power, or a want of Will to preſerve the Marks of his own Goodneſs? Would it be a kindneſs to himſelf to be careleſs of the breaches of his own Orders? His Throne would ſhake, yea, ſink from under him, if Juſtice, whereby he Sentenceth, and Judgment, whereby he Executes his Sentence, were not the ſupports of it.††Pſ. 89.14.Ps 89:14 Juſtice and Judgment are the habitation of thy Throne, foreign, the Stability or Foundation of thy Throne; So Pſal. 92.2. Man would forget his Relation to God, God would be unknown to be Soveraign of the World, were he careleſs of the breaches of his own Order.**Pſal. 9.16.Ps 9:16 The Lord is known by the Judgments which he Executes; Is it not a part of his Goodneſs to preſerve the indiſpenſible Order between himſelf and his Creatures? His own Soveraignty which is good, and the ſubjection of the Creature to him as Soveraign, which is alſo good; The one would not be maintained in its due place, nor the other reſtrained in due limits without Puniſhment. Would it be a goodneſs in him to ſee Goodneſs it ſelf trampled upon conſtantly, without ſome time or other appearing for the relief of it? Is it not a Goodneſs to ſecure his own Honour, to prevent further Evil? Is it not a Goodneſs to diſcourage Men by Judgments, ſometimes from a contempt and ill uſe of his Bounty; as well as ſometimes patiently to bear with them, and wait upon them for a Reformation? Muſt God be bad to himſelf, to be kind to his Enemies? And ſhall it be accounted an unkindneſs and a Mark of Evil in him not to ſuffer himſelf to be always outrag'd and defy'd? The World is wrong'd by Sin, as well as God is injur'd by it. How could God be good to himſelf, if he righted not his own Honour? Or be a good Governour of the World, if he did not ſometimes witneſs againſt the Injuries it receives ſometimes from the works of his hands? Would he be good to himſelf as a God, to be careleſs of his own Honour? Or good as the Rector of the World, and be regardleſs of the Worlds Confuſion?

p. 601That God ſhould give an Eternal good to that Creature that declines its Duty, and deſpiſeth his Soveraignty, is not agreeable to the goodneſs of his Wiſdom, or that of his Righteouſneſs; 'Tis a part of Gods Goodneſs to love himſelf: Would he love his Soveraignty, if he ſaw it dayly ſlighted, without ſometimes diſcovering how much he values the Honour of it? Would he have any eſteem for his own Goodneſs, if he beheld it trampled upon, without any will to vindicate it? Doth Mercy deſerve the name of Cruelty, becauſe it pleads againſt a Creature that hath ſo often abuſed it; and hath refuſed to have any pity exerciſed towards it in a Righteous and Regular way? Is Soveraignty deſtitute of Goodneſs, becauſe it preſerves its Honour againſt one that would not have it Reign over him? Would he not ſeem by ſuch a regardleſneſs to renounce his own Eſſence, undervalue and undermine his own Goodneſs, if he had not an implacable averſion to whatſoever is contrary to it? If Men turn Grace into Wantonneſs, is it not more reaſonable he ſhould turn his Grace into Juſtice?

All his Attributes, which are parts of his Goodneſs, engage him to puniſh Sin; without it his Authority would be vilified, his Purity ſtain'd, his Power derided, his Truth diſgraced, his Juſtice ſcorn'd, his Wiſdom ſlighted: He would be thought to have diſſembled in his Laws, and be judged, according to the Rules of Reaſon, to be void of true Goodneſs.

4. Puniſhment is not the primary Intention of God. 'Tis his Goodneſs that he hath no mind to Puniſh; and therefore he hath put a bar to Evil by his Prohibitions and Threatnings, that he might prevent Sin, and conſequently any occaſions of ſeverity againſt his Creature**Zarnovecius, de ſatisfact. Part. 1. cap. 1. p. 3, 4.: The principal Intention of God in his Law, was to encourage Goodneſs, that he might reward it; And when by the commiſſion of Evil God is provoked to Puniſh, and takes the Sword into his hand, he doth not act againſt the Nature of his Goodneſs, but againſt the firſt intention of his Goodneſs in his Precepts, which was to Reward: As a good Judge principally intendeds in the Exerciſe of his Office, to protect good Men from Violence, and maintain the honour of the Laws; yet conſequently to puniſh bad men, without which the Protection of the good would not be ſecured, nor the Honour of the Law be ſupported: And a good Judge in the Exerciſe of his Office, doth principally intend the incouragement of the good, and wiſheth there were no wickedneſs, that might occaſion Puniſhment; and when he doth Sentence a Malefactor in order to the Execution of him, he doth not act againſt the goodneſs of his Nature, but purſuant to the Duty of his Place; but wiſheth he had no occaſion for ſuch ſeverity. Thus God ſeems to ſpeak of himſelf;††Iſaiah 28.21.Isa 28:21 He calls the act of his Wrath, his Strange Work, his Strange Act; A work not againſt his Nature, as the Governor of the World; but againſt his firſt Intention as Creator, which was to manifeſt his Goodneſs: Therefore he moves with a ſlow pace in thoſe Acts, brings out his Judgments with relentings of heart, and ſeems to caſt out his Thunderbolts with a trembling hand: He doth not afflict willingly, nor grieve the Children of Men **Lam. 3.33.Lam 3:33: And therefore he delights not in the death of a Sinner ††Ezek. 33.11.Ezek 33:11: Not in Death as Death, in Puniſhment as Puniſhment, but as it reduceth the ſuffering Creature to the Order of his Precept, or reduceth him into order under his Power, or reforms others who are Spectators of the Puniſhment upon a Criminal of their own Nature: God only hates the Sin, not the Sinner: He deſires only the deſtruction of the one,**Suarez, Vol. 1. de Deo lib. 3. cap. 7. p. 146. not the miſery of the other; The Nature of a Man doth not diſpleaſe him, becauſe it is a work of his own Goodneſs; but the Nature of the Sinner diſpleaſeth him, becauſe it is a work of the Sinners own extravagance. Divine Goodneſs pitcheth not its hatred primarily upon the Sinner, but upon the Sin: But ſince he cannot puniſh the Sin, without puniſhing the Subject, to which it cleaves, the Sinner falls under his laſh. Who ever regards a good Judge as an Enemy to the Malefactor, but as an Enemy to his Crime, when he doth Sentence and Execute him?

p. 6025. Judgments in the World have a goodneſs in them, therefore they are no Impeachments of the Goodneſs of God.

1. A Goodneſs in their preparations. He ſends not Judgments without giving warnings: His Juſtice is ſo far from extinguiſhing his Goodneſs, that his Goodneſs rather ſhines out in the preparations of his Juſtice: He gives Men time, and ſends them Meſſengers to perſwade them to another temper of mind, that he may change his Hand, and exerciſe his Liberality, where he threatned his Severity. When the Heathen had Preſages of ſome Evil upon their Perſons or Countreys, they took them for invitations to Repentance, excited themſelves to many acts of Devotion, implored his Favour, and often Experimented it. The Ninivites upon the Proclamation of the deſtruction of their City by Jonah, fell to Petitioning him; whereby they ſignified, That they thought him good, though he were juſt, and more prone to Pity than Severity; and their humble Carriage cauſed the Arrows he had ready againſt them, to drop out of his hands**Jonah 3.9, 10.Jonah 3:9Jonah 3:10. When he brandiſheth his Sword, he wiſhes for ſome to ſtand in that Gap to mollifie his anger, that he might not ſtrike the fatal blow;††Ezek 22.30.Ezek 22:30 I ſought for a Man among them that ſhould make up the Hedge, and ſtand in the Gap before me in the Land, that I ſhould not deſtroy it. He was deſirous that his Creatures might be in a capacity to receive the Marks of his Bounty**Creſſel Antholog. Decad. 2. p. 162.: This he ſignified not obſcurely to Moſes, Exod. 32.10. when he ſpoke to him to let him alone, that his anger might wax hot againſt the People, after they had made a Golden Calf and Worſhipped it. Let me alone, ſaid God: Not that Moſes reſtrained him, ſaith Chryſoſtom, who ſpake nothing to him, but ſtood ſilent before him, and knew nothing of the Peoples Idolatry; But God would give him an occaſion of praying for them, that he might exerciſe his Mercy towards them; yet in ſuch a manner, that the People being ſtruck with a ſenſe of their Crime, and the horrour of Divine Juſtice, they might be amended for the future; when they ſhould underſtand that their Death was not averted by their own Merit or Interceſſion, but by Moſes his Patronage of them, and pleading for them. As we ſee ſometimes Maſters and Fathers angry with their Servants and Children, and preparing themſelves to puniſh them, but ſecretly wiſh ſome Friend to intercede for them, and take them out of their hands: There is a Goodneſs ſhining in the preparations of his Judgments.

2. A Goodneſs in the Execution of them. They are good, as they ſhew God diſaffected to Evil, and conduce to the glory of his Holineſs, and deter others from preſumptuous Sins:††Deut. 10.3.Deut 10:3 I will be glorified in all that draw near unto me; in his Judgment upon Nadab and Abihu, the Sons of Aaron, for Offering ſtrange Fire.

By them God preſerves the excellent Footſteps of his own Goodneſs in his Creation and his Law; and curbs the Licentiouſneſs of Men, and contains them within the bounds of their Duty. The Judgments are good, ſaith the Pſalmiſt **Pſal. 119. Pſal. 39.Ps 119Ps 39, i. e. Thy Judicial proceedings upon the Wicked: For he deſires God there, to turn away by ſome ſignal act, the reproach the Wicked caſt upon him. Can there be any thing more Miſerable than to live in a World full of Wickedneſs, and void of the Marks of Divine Goodneſs and Juſtice to repreſs it? Were there not Judgments in the World, Men would forget God, be inſenſible of his Government of the World, neglect the Exerciſes of Natural and Chriſtian Duties; Religion would be at its laſt gaſp, and expire among them, and Men would pretend to break Gods Precepts by Gods Authority. Are they not good then, as they reſtrain the Creature from further Evils? Affright others from the ſame Crimes, which they were inclinable to commit? He ſtrikes ſome, to reform others that are Spectators; As Apollonius tam'd Pigeons, by beating Dogs before them. Puniſhments are Gods gracious warnings to others, not to venture upon thoſe Crimes which they ſee attended with ſuch Judgments. The Cenſers of Corah, Dathan, and p. 603Abiram were to be wrought into Plates for a covering of the Altar, to abide there as a Memento to others, not to approach to the Exerciſe of the Prieſtly Office without an authoritative call from God**Num. 16.38, 40.Num 16:38Num 16:40; And thoſe Judgments exerciſed in the former Ages of the World, were intended by Divine Goodneſs for warnings, even in Evangelical times. Lots Wife was turned into a Pillar of Salt, to prevent Men from Apoſtacy: That uſe Chriſt himſelf makes of it, in the exhortation againſt turning back ††Luke 17.32, 33.Luke 17:32Luke 17:33. And,**Pſal. 58.10.Ps 58:10 The Righteous ſhall waſh his Feet in the Blood of the Wicked. When God ſhall drench his Sword in the Blood of the Wicked, the Righteous ſhall take occaſion from thence to purifie themſelves, and reform their Ways, and look to the Paths of their Feet. Would not Impunity be hurtful to the World, and Men receive incouragement to Sin, if ſeverities ſometimes did not bridle them from the practice of their Inclinations? Sometimes the Sinner himſelf is reform'd, and ſometimes removed from being an example to others. Though Thunder be an affrightning noiſe, and Lightning a ſcaring flaſh, yet they have a liberal goodneſs in them, in ſhattering and conſuming thoſe contagious Vapours which burden and infect the Air, and thereby render it more clear and healthful.

Again, There are few acts of Divine Juſtice upon a People, but are in the very Execution of them attended with demonſtrations of his Goodneſs to others: He is a Protector of his own, while he is a Revenger on his Enemies; When he rides upon his Horſes in anger againſt ſome, his Chariots are Chariots of Salvation to others**Hab. 3.8.Hab 3:8. Terrour makes way for Salvation: The overthrow of Pharaoh and the ſtrength of his Nation compleated the deliverance of the Iſraelites. Had not the Aegyptians met with their Deſtruction, the Iſraelites had unavoidably met with their Ruine, againſt all the Promiſes God had made to them, and to the defamation of his former Juſtice in the former Plagues upon their Oppreſſors. The death of Herod was the ſecurity of Peter, and the reſt of the Malic'd Chriſtians. The gracious deliverance of good Men is often occaſion'd by ſome ſevere ſtroak upon ſome eminent Perſecutor: The deſtruction of the Oppreſſor is the reſcue of the Innocent.

Again, Where is there a Judgment but leaves more Criminals behind than it ſweeps away, that deſerved to be involved in the ſame fate with the reſt? More Aegyptians were left behind to poſſeſs and enjoy the goodneſs of their fruitful Land, than they were that were hurried into another World by the overflowing Waves; Is not this a Mark of goodneſs as well as ſeverity?

Again, Is it not a goodneſs in him not to pour out Judgments according to the greatneſs of his Power? To go gradually to work with thoſe, whom he might in a moment blow to deſtruction with one breath of his Mouth?

Again, He ſometimes exerciſeth Judgments upon ſome, to form a new Generation for himſelf; He deſtroy'd an old World, to raiſe a new one more Righteous; As a Man pulls down his old Buildings to erect a ſounder and more ſtately Fabrick. To ſum up what hath been ſaid in this particular; How could God be a Friend to Goodneſs, if he were not an Enemy to Evil? How could he ſhew his enmity to Evil, without revenging the abuſe and contempt of his Goodneſs? God would rather have the Repentance of a Sinner than his Puniſhment; but the Sinner would rather expoſe himſelf to the ſevereſt frowns of God, than purſue thoſe Methods wherein he hath ſetled the conveyances of his kindneſs; You will not come to me that you might have Life, ſaith Chriſt. How is Eternity of Puniſhment inconſiſtent with the Goodneſs of God? Nay, how can God be good without it? If Wickedneſs always remain in the Nature of Man, Is it not fit the Rod ſhould always remain on the Back of Man? Is it a want of goodneſs that keeps an incorrigible Offender in Chains, in a Bridewell? While Sin remains, it's fit it ſhould be Puniſhed: Would not God elſe be an Enemy to his own Goodneſs; and ſhew favour to that which doth abuſe it, and is contrary to it? He hath threatned Eternal Flames to Sinners, that he might the more ſtrongly excite them to a Reformation of their Ways, and a Practice of his Precepts.

p. 604In thoſe Threatnings he hath manifeſted his Goodneſs; And can it be bad in him to defend what his Goodneſs hath Commanded, and Execute what his Goodneſs hath Threatned? His Truth is alſo a part of his Goodneſs; for it is nothing but his Goodneſs performing that which it oblig'd him to do. That is the firſt thing, Severe Judgments in the World are no Impeachments of his Goodneſs.

2. The Afflictions God inflicts upon his Servants, are no violations of his Goodneſs. Sometimes God aflicts Men for their Temporal and Eternal good; for the good of their Grace in order to the good of their Glory; which is a more excellent Good than Afflictions can be an Evil. The Heathens reflected upon Ʋlyſſes his hardſhip as a Mark of Jupiters goodneſs and love to him, that his Virtue might be more conſpicuous. By ſtrong Perſecutions brought upon the Church, her Lethargy is Cur'd, her Chaff Purg'd, the glorious Fruit of the Goſpel brought forth in the lives of her Children; The number of her Proſelytes multiply, and the ſtrength of her weak ones is increaſed, by the Teſtimonies of Courage and Conſtancy which the ſtronger preſent to them in their Sufferings. Do thoſe good Effects ſpeak a want of goodneſs in God, who brings them into this condition? By thoſe he cures his People of their Corruptions, and promotes their Glory by giving them the honour of ſuffering for the Truth, and raiſeth their Spirits to a Divine pitch. The Epiſtles of Paul to the Epheſ. Philip. and Coloſ. wrote by him while he was in Nero's Chains, ſeem to have a higher ſtrain than ſome of thoſe he wrote when was at liberty.

As for Afflictions, they are Marks of a greater meaſure of Fatherly Goodneſs than he diſcovers to thoſe that live in an uninterrupted Proſperity, who are not dignifi'd with that glorious Title of Sons, as thoſe are that he chaſteneth **Heb. 12.6, 7.Heb 12:6Heb 12:7. Can any queſtion the goodneſs of the Father that Corrects his Child to prevent his Vice and Ruine, and breed him up to Vertue and Honour? It would be a Cruelty in a Father leaving his Child without Chaſtiſement, to leave him to that Miſery an ill Education would reduce him to. God judges us that we might not be condemned with the World ††1 Cor. 11.32.1 Cor 11:32. Is it not a greater Goodneſs to ſeparate us from the World to Happineſs by his Scourge, than to leave us to the condemnation of the World for our Sins? Is it not a greater Goodneſs to make us ſmart here, than to ſee us ſcorcht hereafter? As he is our Shepherd, it is no part of his Enmity or ill will to us, to make us feel ſometimes the weight of his Shepherds Crook, to reduce us from our Stragling. The viſiting our Tranſgreſſions with Rods, and our Iniquities with Stripes, is one of the Articles of the Covenant of Grace, wherein the greateſt luſtre of his Goodneſs appears**Pſal. 89.33.Ps 89:33. The advantage and gain of our Afflictions is a greater Teſtimony of his Goodneſs to us, than the pain can be of his Unkindneſs: The Smart is well recompenced by the acceſſion of clearer Graces.

It is rather a high Mark of his Goodneſs, than an Argument for the want of it, that he treats us as his Children, and will not ſuffer us to run into that Deſtruction we are more ambitious of, than the Happineſs he hath prepared for us, and by Afflictons he fits us for the partaking of, by imparting his Holineſs together with the inflicting his Rod††Heb. 12.10.Heb 12:10. That is the third thing, God is Good.

The Fourth thing is, The manifeſtation of this Goodneſs in Creation, Redemption, and Providence.

1. In Creation. This is apparent from what hath been ſaid before, That no other Attribute could be the Motive of his Creating, but his Goodneſs; His Goodneſs was the Cauſe that he made any thing, and his Wiſdom was the Cauſe that he made every thing in Order and Harmony: He pronounced every thing good, i. e. ſuch as became his Goodneſs to bring forth into Being, p. 605and reſted in them more, as they were Stamps of his Goodneſs, than as they were Marks of his Power, or Beams of his Wiſdom: And if all Creatures were able to anſwer to this Queſtion, What that was which Created them? The Anſwer would be, Almighty Power, but employed by the Motion of Infinite Goodneſs**Cuſan. p. 228.. All the varieties of Creatures are ſo many Apparitions of this Goodneſs. Though God be one, yet he cannot appear as a God but in variety. As the greatneſs of Power is not manifeſt but in variety of Works, and an Acute Underſtanding not diſcover'd, but in variety of Reaſonings; ſo an Infinite Goodneſs is not ſo apparent, as in variety of Communications.

1. The Creation proceeds from Goodneſs. 'Tis the Goodneſs of God to extract ſuch multitude of things from the depths of nothing. Becauſe God is Good, things have a Being; If he had not been Good, nothing could have been Good; Nothing could have imparted that which it poſſeſſed not: Nothing but Goodneſs could have communicated to things an Excellency, which before they wanted. Being is much more Excellent than nothing. By this Goodneſs therefore the whole Creation was brought out of the dark Womb of Nothing: This formed their Natures, this beautified them with their ſeveral Ornaments and Perfections, whereby every thing was enabled to act for the good of the Common World. God did not Create things becauſe he was a Living Being; but becauſe he was a Good Being: No Creature brought forth any thing in the World meerly becauſe it is; but becauſe it is good, and by a Communicated Goodneſs fitted for ſuch a Production. If God had been the Creating Principle of things, only as he was a Living Being, or as he was an Underſtanding Being; then all things ſhould have partaken of Life and Underſtanding; becauſe all things were to bear ſome Characters of the Deity upon them. If by Underſtanding ſolely God were the Creator of all things, all things ſhould have born the Mark of the Deity upon them, and ſhould have been more or leſs Underſtanding; but he Created things as he was Good, and by Goodneſs he renders all things more or leſs like himſelf: Hence every thing is accounted more noble, not in regard of its Being, but in regard of the beneficialneſs of its Nature. The Being of things was not the End of God in Creating, but the Goodneſs of their Being: God did not reſt from his Works, becauſe they were his Works, i. e. becauſe they had a Being, but becauſe they had a Good Being; **Gen. 1.Gen 1becauſe they were naturally uſeful to the Univerſe: Nothing was more pleaſing to him, than to behold thoſe Shadows and Copies of his own Goodneſs in his Works.

2. Creation was the firſt act of Goodneſs without himſelf. ††Petav. Theclog. Dogmat. Tom. 1. p. 401.When he was alone from Eternity, he contented himſelf with himſelf, abounding in his own Bleſſedneſs, delighting in that abundance: He was incomprehenſively rich in the poſſeſſion of an unſtain'd Felicity.**Leſſius de Perfect. div. p. 100. This Creation was the firſt Efflux of his Goodneſs without himſelf: For the work of Creation cannot be called a work of Mercy: Mercy ſuppoſeth a Creature miſerable; but that which hath no Being, is ſubject to no Miſery: For to be Miſerable, ſuppoſeth a Nature in Being, and deprived of that Good which belongs to the pleaſure and felicity of Nature; but ſince there was no Being, there could be no Miſery: The Creation therefore was not an act of Mercy, but an act of ſole Goodneſs: And therefore it was the Speech of an Heathen, That when God firſt ſet upon the Creation of the World, he transform'd himſelf into Love and Goodneſs, foreign.††Pherecy…es. This led forth and animated his Power, the firſt moment it drew the Univerſe out of the Womb of Nothing; And

3. There is not one Creature but hath a Character of his Goodneſs. The whole World is a Map to Repreſent, and a Herald to proclaim this Perfection: 'Tis as difficult not to ſee ſomething of it in every Creature with the Eye of our Minds, as it is not to ſee the Beams of the Shining Sun with thoſe of our p. 606Bodies.**Pſal. 145.9.Ps 145:9 He is good to all: He is therefore good in all; Not a drop of the Creation, but is a drop of his Goodneſs.

Theſe are the Colours worn upon the Heads of every Creature. As in every Spark the light of the Fire is manifeſted, ſo doth every grain of the Creation wear the viſible Badges of this Perfection. In all the Lights, the Father of Lights hath made the riches of Goodneſs apparent; No Creature is ſilent in it, 'tis legible to all Nations in every work of his hands. That as it is ſaid of Chriſt,††Pſal. 40.7.Ps 40:7 In the Volume of thy Book it is written of me: In the Volume of the Book of the Scripture 'tis written of me, and my Goodneſs in Redemption; So it may be ſaid of God, In the Volume of the Book of the Creature 'tis written of me, and my Goodneſs in Creation. Every Creature is a Page in this Book, whoſe Line is gone through all the Earth, and their Words to the end of the World **Pſal. 19.4.Ps 19:4. Though indeed the leſs Goodneſs in ſome is obſcur'd by the more reſplendent Goodneſs he hath imparted unto others: What an admirable piece of Goodneſs is it to communicate Life to a Fly? How ſhould we ſtand gazing upon it, till we turn our Eye inwards, and view our own Frame, which is much more raviſhing?

But let us ſee the Goodneſs of God in the Creation of Man.

1. In the Being and Nature of Man. God hath with a liberal hand conferr'd upon every Creature the beſt Being it was capable of in that Station and Order, and conducing to that end and uſe in the World he intended it for: But when you have run over all the meaſures of Goodneſs God hath poured forth upon other Creatures, you will find a greater fulneſs of it in the Nature of Man, whom he hath placed in a more Sublime Condition, and endued with choicer Prerogatives than other Creatures: He was made but little lower than the Angels, and much more loftily crown'd with glory and honour than other Creatures††Pſal. 8 5.Ps 8:5. Had it not been for Divine Goodneſs, this Excellent Creature had lain wrapt up in the Abyſs of nothing: Or if he had call'd it out of nothing, there might have been leſs of Skill, and leſs of Goodneſs diſplay'd in the forming of it, and a leſſer kind of Being imparted to it, than what he hath conferr'd.

1. How much of Goodneſs is viſible in his Body? God drew out ſome part of the Duſt of the Ground, and Copy'd out this Perfection, as well as that of his Power, on that mean Matter, by erecting it into the form of Man, quickning that Earth by the Inſpiration of a living Soul **Gen. 2.7.Gen 2:7: Of this Matter he compoſed an Excellent Body in regard of the Majeſty of the Face, Erectneſs of its Stature, and Grace of every Part: How neatly hath he wrought this Tabernacle of Clay, this Earthly Houſe, as the Apoſtle calls it††2 Cor. 5.1.2 Cor 5:1? A curious wrought piece of Needle-work, a Comely Artifice;**Pſ. 139.15.Ps 139:15 an Embroyder'd Caſe for an Harmonious Lute: What variety of Members, with a due proportion, without confuſion, beautiful to ſight, excellent for uſe, powerful for ſtrength? It hath Eyes to conduct its Motion, to ſerve in Matter for the Food and and delight of the Underſtanding: Ears to let in the pleaſure of Sounds, to convey Intelligence of the Affairs of the World, and the Counſels of Heaven to a more noble Mind: It hath a Tongue to Expreſs, and ſound forth what the learn'd Inhabitant in it thinks; and Hands to act what the inward Counſellor directs; and Feet to ſupport the Fabrick: 'Tis temper'd with a kindly Heat, and an Oyly Moiſture for Motion, and endued with conveyances for Air to qualifie the fury of the Heat, and Nouriſhment to ſupply the decays of Moiſture: 'Tis a Cabinet fitted by Divine Goodneſs for the encloſing a rich Jewel; a Palace made of Duſt, to lodge in it the Viceroy of the World: An Inſtrument diſpos'd for the operations of the Nobler Soul, which he intended to unite to that Refined Matter: What is there in the ſituation of every part, in the proportion of every Member, in the uſefulneſs of every Limb and String to the Offices of the Body, and Service of the Soul? What is there in the whole Structure that doth not inform us of the Goodneſs of God?

p. 6072. But what is this to that goodneſs which ſhines in the Nature of the Soul? Who can expreſs the wonders of that Comelineſs that is wrapt up in this Mask of Clay? A Soul endued with a clearneſs of Underſtanding and freedom of Will: Faculties no ſooner fram'd, but they were able to produce the Operations they were intended for; A Soul that excelled the whole World, that comprehended the whole Creation; A Soul that evidenced the extent of its Skill, in giving names to all that variety of Creatures, which had iſſued out of the hand of Divine Power**Gen. 2.19.Gen 2:19; A Soul able to diſcover the Nature of other Creatures, and manage and conduct their Motions. In the Ruines of a Palace we may ſee the Curioſity diſplay'd, and the Coſt expended in the building of it; In the Ruines of this fallen Structure, we ſtill find it capable of a mighty Knowledge; a Reaſon able to regulate Affairs, govern States, order more Mighty and Maſſy Creatures, find out witty Inventions; There is ſtill an Underſtanding to irradiate the other Faculties, a Mind to contemplate its own Creator, a Judgment to diſcern the differences between Good and Evil, Vice and Vertue, which the Goodneſs of God hath not granted to any lower Creature. Theſe Excellent Faculties, together with the Power of Self-reflection, and the ſwiftneſs of the Mind in running over the things of the Creation, are aſtoniſhing Gleams of the vaſt Goodneſs of that Divine Hand which ennobled this Frame. To the other Creatures of this World, God had given out ſome ſmall Mites from his Treaſury; but in the Perfections of Man, he hath opened the more ſecret parts of his Exchequer, and liberally beſtow'd thoſe Doles, which he hath not expended upon the other Creatures on Earth.

3. Beſides this, He did not only make Man ſo noble a Creature in his Frame, but he made him after his own Image in Holineſs. He imparted to him a Spark of his own Comelineſs, in order to a communion with himſelf in Happineſs, had Man ſtood his ground in his tryal, and uſed thoſe Faculties well, which had been the gift of his Bountiful Creator: He made Man after his Image, after his own Image;††Gen. 1.26, 27.Gen 1:26Gen 1:27 That as a Coyn bears the Image of the Prince, ſo did the Soul of Man the Image of God: Not the Image of Angels, though the ſpeech be in the Plural Number, [Let us make Man.] 'Tis not to a Creature, but to a Creator; Let us, that are his Makers, make him in the Image of his Makers. God Created Man, Angels did not Create him; God Created Man in his own Image, not therefore in the Image of Angels: The Nature of God, and the Nature of Angels are not the ſame. Where in the whole Scripture is Man ſaid to be made after the Image of Angels? God made Man not in the Image of Angels, to be conformed to them as his Prototype; but in the Image of the Bleſſed God, to be conformed to the Divine Nature: That as he was conform'd to the Image of his Holineſs, he might alſo partake of the Image of his Bleſſedneſs, which without it could not be attained: For as the felicity of God could not be clear without an unſpotted Holineſs, ſo neither can there be a glorious Happineſs without Purity in the Creature; This God provided for in his Creation of Man, giving him ſuch accompliſhments in thoſe two Excellent Pieces of Soul and Body, that nothing was wanting to him but his own will, to inſtate him in an invariable Felicity. He was poſſeſſed with ſuch a Nature by the hand of Divine Goodneſs, ſuch a loftineſs of Underſtanding, and purity of Faculties, that he might have been for ever Happy as well as the ſtanding Angels: And he was placed in ſuch a Condition, that moved the envy of fallen Spirits; He had as much Grace beſtow'd upon him, as was proportionable to that Covenant God then made with him: The Tenor of which was, That his Life ſhould continue ſo long as his Obedience, and his Happineſs endure ſo long as his Integrity: And as God by Creation had given him an Integrity of Nature, ſo he had given him a power to perſiſt in it, if he would. Herein is the Goodneſs of God diſplay'd, that he made Man after his own Image.

p. 6084. As to the Life of Man in this World, God by an immenſe Goodneſs Copied out in him the whole Creation, and made him an Abridgment of the higher and lower World; a little World in a greater one. The Link of the two Worlds, of Heaven and Earth, as the Spiritual and Corporeal Natures are united in him, the Earth in the Duſt of his Body, and the Heavens in the Chryſtal of his Soul: He hath the upper Springs of the Life of Angels in his Reaſon, and the neather Springs of the Life of Animals in his Senſe. God diſplay'd thoſe Vertues in Man, which he had diſcover'd in the reſt of the lower Creation; but beſides the communication which he had with Earth in his Nature, God gave him a participation with Heaven in his Spirit. A meer Bodily Being he hath given to the Heavens, Earth, Elements; a Vegetative Life, or a Life of Growth he hath vouchſafed to the Plants of the Ground: He hath ſtretched out his Liberality more to Animals and Beaſts by giving them Senſe. All theſe hath his Goodneſs linkt in Man, Being, Life, Senſe, with a richer Dole than any of thoſe Creatures have receiv'd in a Rational, Intellectual Life, whereby he approacheth to the Nature of Angels. This ſome of the Jews underſtood.**Gen. 2.7.Gen 2:7 God breathed into his Noſtrils the Breath of Life, and Man became a living Soul, foreign Breath of Lives, in the Hebrew; not one ſort of Life, but that variety of Lives which he had imparted to other Creatures: All the Perfections ſcattered in other Creatures, do unitedly meet in Man: So that Philo might well call him every Creature, the Model of the whole Creation: His Soul is Heaven, and his Body is Earth††Eugubin, lib. 5. cap. 9.. So that the Immenſity of his Goodneſs to Man, is as great as all that Goodneſs you behold in Senſitive and Intelligible things.

5. All this was free Goodneſs. God Eternally poſſeſſed his own Felicity in himſelf, and had no need of the Exiſtence of any thing without himſelf for his ſatisfaction. Man before his Being could have no good qualities to invite God to make him ſo Excellent a Fabrick: For being nothing, he was as unable to allure and merit, as to bring himſelf into Being; Nay, he Created a Multitude of Men, who he foreſaw, would behave themſelves in as ungrateful a manner; as if they had not been his Creatures, but had beſtow'd that rich variety upon themſelves without the hand of a Superior Benefactor.

How great is this Goodneſs, that hath made us Models of the whole Creation, tied together Heaven and Earth in our Nature, when he might have rankt us among the lower Creatures of the Earth, made us meer Bodies as the Stones, or meer Animals as the Brutes, and denied us thoſe Capacious Souls, whereby we might both know him and enjoy him? What could Man have been more, unleſs he had been the Original, which was impoſſible? He could not be greater than to be an Image of the Deity, an Epitome of the whole Creation. Well may we cry out with the Pſalmiſt,**Pſal. 8.1, 4.Ps 8:1Ps 8:4 O Lord, our Lord, How Excellent is thy Name, the Name of thy Goodneſs in all the Earth? How more particularly in Man: What is Man that thou art mindful of him? What is a little Clod of Earth and Duſt, that thou ſhouldeſt ennoble him with ſo rich a Nature, and Engrave upon him ſuch Characters of thy Immenſe Being?

6. The Goodneſs of God appears in the Conveniencies he provided for, and gave to Man. As God gave him a Being Morally perfect in regard of Righteouſneſs, ſo he gave him a Being Naturally perfect in regard of delightful Conveniencies, which was the fruit of Excellent Goodneſs; Since there was no quality in Man, to invite God to provide him ſo Rich a World, nor to beſtow upon him ſo Comely a Being.

1. The World was made for Man. Since Angels have not need of any thing in this World, and are above the Conveniencies of Earth and Air, it will follow, that Man being the nobleſt Creature on the Earth, was the p. 609more immediate End of the viſible Creation. All Inferior things are made to be ſubſervient to thoſe that have a more excellent Prerogative of Nature; and therefore all things for Man, who exceeds all the reſt in Dignity: As Man was made for the honour of God, ſo the World was made for the ſupport and delight of Man, in order to his performing the Service due from him to God. The Empire God ſettled Man in as his Lieutenant over the Works of his Hands, when he gave him poſſeſſion of Paradiſe, is a clear manifeſtation of it: God put all things under his Feet, and gave him a deputed Dominion over the reſt of the Creatures under himſelf, as the abſolute Soveraign;**Pſal. 8.6, 7, 8.Ps 8:6Ps 8:7Ps 8:8 Thou madeſt him to have Dominion over the Works of thy Hands, thou haſt put all things under his Feet, all Sheep and Oxen, yea, and the Beaſts of the Field, the Foul of the Air, and the Fiſh of the Sea, yea, and whatſoever paſſeth through the Paths of the Sea. What leſs is witneſt to by the Calamity, all Creatures were ſubjected to by the Corruption of Mans Nature? Then was the Earth Curs'd, and a black Cloud flung upon the Beauty of the Creation, and the ſtrength and vigor of it languiſheth to this day under the Curſe of God††Gen. 2.17, 18.Gen 2:17Gen 2:18, and groans under that vanity the Sin of Man ſubjected it to **Rom. 8.20, 22.Rom 8:20Rom 8:22. The Treaſons of Man againſt God, brought Miſery upon that which was fram'd for the uſe of Man: As when the Majeſty of a Prince is violated by the Treaſon and Rebellion of his Subjects, all that which belongs to them, and was before the free Gift of the Prince to them is forfeit, their Habitations, Palaces, Cattle, all that belongs to them bear the Marks of his Soveraign fury: Had not the Delicacies of the Earth been made for the uſe of Man, they had not fallen under the Indignation of God upon the Sin of Man.

God Crown'd the Earth with his Goodneſs to gratifie Man; gave Man a right to ſerve himſelf of the delightful Creatures he had provided;††Gen. 1.28, 29, 30.Gen 1:28Gen 1:29Gen 1:30 yea, and after Man had forfeited all by Sin, and God had waſht again the Creature in a Deluge, he renews the Creation, and delivers it again into the hand of Man, binding all Creatures to pay a Reſpect to him, and Recognize him as their Lord, either ſpontaneouſly or by force;**Gen. 9.2, 3.Gen 9:2Gen 9:3 and commiſſions them all to fill the heart of Man with food and gladneſs: And he loves all Creatures as they conduce to the good of, and are ſerviceable to his prime Creature which he ſet up for his own glory: And therefore when he loves a Perſon, he loves what belongs to him: He takes care of Jacob and his Cattle: Of Penitent Nineveh and their Cattle:††Jonah 4.11.Jonah 4:11 As when he ſends Judgments upon Men, he deſtroys their Goods.

2. God richly furniſht the World for Man. He did not only Erect a ſtately Palace for his Habitation, but provided all kind of Furniture as a Mark of his Goodneſs for the Entertainment of his Creature Man: He Archt over his Habitation with a beſpangled Heaven, and Floor'd it with a ſolid Earth, and ſpread a curious wrought Tapeſtry upon the Ground where he was to tread, and ſeemed to ſweep all the Rubbiſh of the Chaos to the two uninhabitable Poles. When at the firſt Creation of the Matter the Waters cover'd the Earth, and rendred it uninhabitable for Man, God Drain'd them into the proper Chanels he had founded for them, and ſet a bound that they might not paſs over, that they turn not again to cover the Earth **Gen. 1.9.Gen 1:9. They fled and haſted away to their proper Stations,††Pſal. 104.7, 8, 9.Ps 104:7Ps 104:8Ps 104:9 as if they were ambitious to deny their own Nature, and content themſelves with an Impriſonment for the convenient Habitation of him, who was to be appointed Lord of the World. He hath ſet up ſtanding Lights in the Heaven, to direct our Motion and to regulate the Seaſons: The Sun was Created, that Man might ſee to go forth to his Labour **Pſal. 104.22, 23.Ps 104:22Ps 104:23: Both Sun and Moon though ſet in the Heaven, were form'd to give light on the Earth††Gen. 1.15, 17.Gen 1:15Gen 1:17. The Air is his Aviary, the Sea and Rivers his Fiſh-ponds, the Valleys his Granary, the Mountains his Magazine; The firſt afford Man Creatures for Nouriſhment, the other Metals for Perfection: The Animals were Created for the ſupport of the life of Man, the Herbs of the Ground were provided for the maintenance of their Lives, and gentle p. 610Dews, and moiſtening Showers, and in ſome places ſlimy Flouds appointed to render the Earth fruitful, and capable to offer to Man and Beaſt what was fit for their Nouriſhment. He hath peopled every Element with a variety of Creatures both for neceſſity and delight; all furniſht with uſeful qualities for the Service of Man. There is not the moſt deſpicable thing in the whole Creation, but it is endued with a Nature to contribute ſomething for our Welfare; either as Food to Nouriſh us when we are Healthful, or as Medicine to Cure us when we are Diſtemper'd, or as a Garment to Cloath us when we are Naked, and Arm us againſt the Cold of the Seaſon, or as a refreſhment when we are weary, or as a delight when we are ſad; All ſerve for Neceſſity or Ornament, either to ſpread our Table, beautify our Dwellings, furniſh our Cloſets, or ſtore our VVardrobes:**Pſal. 104.24.Ps 104:24 The whole Earth is full of his Riches. Nothing but by the rich Goodneſs of God is exquiſitely accomodated in the numerous brood of things, immediately or mediately for the uſe of Man; All in the iſſue conſpire together to render the VVorld a delightful Reſidence for Man. And therefore all the living Creatures were brought by God to attend upon Man after his Creation, to receive a Mark of his Dominion over them by the impoſition of their Names ††Gen. 2.19, 20.Gen 2:19Gen 2:20. He did not only give variety of Senſes to Man, but provided variety of delightful Objects in the VVorld for every Senſe; The Beauties of Light and Colours for our Eye, the Harmony of Sounds for our Ear, the Fragrancy of Odours for our Noſtrils, and a Delicious Sweetneſs for our Palates: Some have qualities to pleaſure all, every thing a quality to pleaſure one or other: He doth not only preſent thoſe things to our view, as Rich Men do in Oſtentation their Goods: He makes us the Enjoyers as well as the Spectators, and gives us the Uſe as well as the Sight: And therefore he hath not only given us the Sight, but the Knowledge of them. He hath ſet up a Sun in the Heavens, to expoſe their outward Beauty and Conveniencies to our Sight; and the Candle of the Lord is in us, to expoſe their inward Qualities and Conveniencies to our Knowledge, that we might ſerve our ſelves of, and rejoyce in all this Furniture wherewith he hath garniſht the World; and have wherewithal to employ the inquiſitiveneſs of our Reaſon, as well as gratifie the pleaſure of our Senſe: And particularly, God provided for Innocent Man a delightful Manſion-houſe, a place of more ſpecial Beauty and Curioſity, the Garden of Eden, a delightful Paradiſe, a Model of the Beauties and Pleaſures of another World, wherein he had placed whatſoever might contribute to the felicity of a Rational, and Animal Life, the Life of a Creature compoſed of Mire and Duſt, of Senſe and Reaſon**Gen. 2.9.Gen 2:9: Beſides the other Delicacies conſign'd in that place to the uſe of Man, there was a Tree of Life provided to maintain his Being, and nothing denied in the whole compaſs of that Territory but one Tree, that of the knowledge of Good and Evil, which was no Mark of an ill will in his Creator to him, but a Reſerve of Gods abſolute Soveraignty, and a Trial of Mans voluntary Obedience. What blur was it to the Goodneſs of God, to reſerve one Tree for his own propriety, when he had given to Man in all the reſt ſuch numerous Marks of his Rich Bounty and Goodneſs? VVhat Iſrael after Mans Fall enjoyed ſenſibly, Nehemiah calls great Goodneſs ††Neh. 9.25.Neh 9:25. How inexpreſſible then was that Goodneſs manifeſted to Innocent Man, when ſo ſmall a part of it indulg'd to the Iſraelites after the Curſe upon the Ground, is call'd, as truly it Merits, ſuch great Goodneſs? How can we paſs through any part of this great City, and caſt our Eyes upon the well Furniſht Shops, ſtor'd with all kinds of Commodities, without reflections upon this Goodneſs of God, ſtarting up before our Eyes in ſuch varieties, and plainly telling us, that he hath accommodated all things for our uſe, ſuited things both to ſupply our need, content a reaſonable Curioſity, and delight us in our aims at, and paſſage to our Supream End?

3. The Goodneſs of God appears in the Laws he hath given to Man, the Covenant he made with him. It had not been agreeable to the Goodneſs of God, p. 611to let a Creature governable by a Law, be without a Law to regulate him, his Goodneſs then which had broke forth in the Creation, had ſuffer'd an Eclipſe and obſcurity in his Government. As Infinite Goodneſs was the Motive to Create, ſo Infinite Goodneſs was the Motive of his Government. And this appears;

1. In the fitting the Law to the Nature of Man. It was rather below than above his ſtrength; he had an integrity in his Nature to anſwer the Righteouſneſs of the Precept.**Eccleſ. 7.29.Eccl 7:29 God Created Man upright; his Nature was ſuited to the Law, and the Law to his Nature; it was not above his underſtanding to know it, nor his will to embrace it, nor his paſſions to be regulated by it: The Law and his Nature were like two exact ſtreight Lines, touching one another in every part when joyned together: God exacted no more by his Law, than what was written by Nature in his Heart: He had a knowledge by Creation to obſerve the Law of his Creation, and he fell not for want of a Righteouſneſs in his Nature: He was enabled for more than was commanded him, but wilfully indiſpoſed to leſs than he was able to perform. The Precepts were eaſie, not only becoming the Authority of a Soveraign to exact, but the Goodneſs of a Father to demand, and the Ingenuity of a Creature and a Son to pay.††1 John 5.3.1 John 5:3 His Commands are not grievous; the obſervance of them had fill'd the Spirit of Man with an extraordinary Contentment. It had been no leſs a pleaſure and a delightful ſatisfaction to have kept the Law in a Created State, than it is to keep it in ſome meaſure in a Renew'd State: The Renewed Nature finds a ſuitableneſs in the Law to kindle a delight **Pſal. 1.2.Ps 1:2: It could not then have anywiſe ſhook the Nature of an upright Creature, nor have been a burden too heavy for his Shoulders to bear. Though he had not a Grace given him above Nature, yet he had not a Law given him that ſurmounted his Nature: It did not exceed his Created ſtrength, and was ſuited to the Dignity and Nobility of a Rational Nature: It was a juſt Law, ††Rom. 7.12Rom 7:12and therefore not above the Nature of the Subject that was bound to obey it. And had it been impoſſible to be obſerved, it had been unrighteous to be Enacted: It had not been a matter of Divine Praiſe, and that ſeven times a day; as it is,**Pſal. 119.164.Ps 119:164 Seven times a day do I praiſe thee, becauſe of thy Righteous Judgments. The Law was ſo Righteous, that Adam had every whit as much reaſon to bleſs God in his Innocence for the Righteouſneſs of it, as David had with the Reliques of Enmity againſt it: His Goodneſs ſhines ſo much in his Law, as merits our Praiſe of him, as he is a Soveraign Law-giver, as well as a Gracious Benefactor in the imparting to us a Being.

2. In fitting it for the Happineſs of Man. For the ſatisfaction of his Soul, which finds a Reward in the very act of keeping it,††Pſal. 119.165.Ps 119:165 Great peace in the loving it; for the preſervation of Human Society, wherein conſiſts the External felicity of Man. It had been inconſiſtent with Divine Goodneſs, to enjoyn Man any thing that ſhould be oppreſſive and uncomfortable. Bitterneſs cannot come from that which is altogether Sweet: Goodneſs would not have oblig'd the Creature to any thing, but what is not only free from damaging him, but wholly conducing to his VVelfare, and Perfective of his Nature. Infinite Wiſdom could not order any thing, but what was agreeable to Infinite Goodneſs. As his Laws are the moſt Rational, as being the contrivance of Infinite Wiſdom: ſo they are the beſt, as being the Fruit of Infinite Goodneſs. His Laws are not only the acts of his Soveraign Authority, but the Effluxes of his Loving-Kindneſs, and the Conductors of Man to an enjoyment of a greater Bounty: He minds as well the promotion of his Creatures Felicity, as the aſſerting his own Authority: As good Princes make Laws for their Subjects benefit, as well as their own honour. What was ſaid of a more difficult and burdenſom Law long after Mans fall, may much more be ſaid of the eaſie Law of Nature in the ſtate of Mans Innocence, that it was for our good **Deut. 10.12, 13.Deut 10:12Deut 10:13. He never pleaded with the Iſraelites for the obſervation of his p. 612Commands upon the account of his Authority, ſo much as upon the ſcore of their benefit by them.††Deut. 4.40.Deut 4:40**Deut. 12.28.Deut 12:28

And when his Precepts were broken, he ſeems ſometimes to be more griev'd for Mens impairing their own felicity by it, than for their violating his Authority;††Eſaiah 48.18.Isa 48:18 Oh that thou hadſt hearken'd to my Commandments, then had thy Peace been as a River! Goodneſs cannot preſcribe a thing prejudicial: whatſoever it enjoyns, is beneficial to the Spiritual and Eternal Happineſs of the Rational Creature: This was both the deſign of the Law given, and the end of the Law. Chriſt in his Anſwer to the Young mans Queſtion, refers him to the Moral Law, (which was the Law of Nature in Adam) as that whereby Eternal Life was to be gained: Which evidenceth, that when the Law was firſt given as the Covenant of VVorks, it was for the happineſs of Man; and the end of giving it was, that Man might have Eternal Life by it: There would elſe be no ſtrength or truth in that Anſwer of Chriſt to that Ruler. And therefore Stephen calls the Law given by Moſes, which was the ſame with the Law of Nature in Adam, **Acts 7.38.Acts 7:38The living Oracles: He enjoyned Mens Services to them not ſimply for his own Glory, but his Glory in Mens VVelfare: As if there were any Being better than himſelf, his Goodneſs and Righteouſneſs would guide him to love that better than himſelf; becauſe it is Good and Righteous to love that beſt which is moſt amiable: So if there were any that could do us more good, and ſhour down more happineſs upon us than himſelf,††1 Kings 18.21.1 Kgs 18:21 he would be content we ſhould obey that as Soveraign, and Steer our Courſe according to his Laws: If God be God, follow him, but if Baal, then follow him: If the obſervance of the Precepts of Baal be more beneficial to you; If you can advance your Nature by his Service, and gain a more mighty Crown of Happineſs than by mine, follow him with all my heart: I never intended to enjoyn you any thing to impair, but increaſe your Happineſs. The chief deſign of God in his Law, is the Happineſs of the Subject; and Obedience is intended by him, as a means for the attaining of Happineſs, as well as preſerving his own Soveraignty: This is the reaſon why he wiſhed that Iſrael had walked in his ways, that their time might have endured for ever, Pſal. 81.13, 15, 16. And by the ſame reaſon, this was his intendment in his Law given to Man, and his Covenant made with Man at the Creation, that he might be fed with the fineſt part of his Bounty, and be ſatisfied with Honey out of the Eternal Rock of Ages. To Paraphraſe his Expreſſion there. The Goodneſs of God appears further;

3. In engaging Man to Obedience by Promiſes and Threatnings. A Threatning is only mentioned, Gen. 2.17. but a Promiſe is implied: If Eternal Death were fixed for Tranſgreſſion, Eternal Life was thereby deſign'd for Obedience: And that it was ſo, the Anſwer of Chriſt to the Ruler evidenceth, that the firſt intendment of the Precept was the Eternal Life of the Subject, order'd to obey it.

1. God might have acted, in ſettling his Law only as a Soveraign. Though he might have dealt with Man upon the ſcore of his abſolute Dominion over him as his Creature, and ſignified his pleaſure upon the right of his Soveraignty, threatning only a Penalty if Man tranſgreſſed, without the promiſing a bountiful acknowledgment of his Obedience by a Reward as a Benefactor: yet he would treat with Man in gentle Methods, and Rule him in a tract of Sweetneſs as well as Soveraignty; He would preſerve the rights of his Dominion in the Authority of his Commands, and honour the condeſcenſions of his Goodneſs in the allurements of a Promiſe. He that might have ſolely demanded a compliance with his Will, would kindly Article with him, to oblige him to obſerve him out of love to himſelf as well as Duty to his Creator; that he might have both the intereſt of avoiding the Threatned Evil to affright him, and the intereſt of attaining the promiſed Good to allure him to Obedience. How doth he value the Title of Benefactor above that of a p. 613Lord! when he ſo kindly Sollicites, as well as Commands, and engageth to Reward that Obedience which he might have abſolutely claim'd as his due, by enforcing fears of the ſevereſt Penalty. His Soveraignty ſeems to ſtoop below it ſelf for the elevation of his Goodneſs; and he is pleaſed to have his Kindneſs more taken notice of than his Authority. Nothing imported more condeſcenſion than his bringing forth his Law in the Nature of a Covenant, whereby he ſeems to humble himſelf, and vail his Superiority to treat with Man as his equal, that the very manner of his Treatment might oblige him in the richeſt Promiſes he made to draw him, and the ſtartling Threatnings he pronounced to link him to his Obedience: And therefore is it obſervable, that when after the Tranſgreſſion of Adam God comes to deal with him, he doth not do it in that thundring Rigor, which might have been expected from an enrag'd Soveraign, but in a gentle Examination,**Gen. 3.11, 13.Gen 3:11Gen 3:13 Haſt thou eaten of the Tree whereof I commanded thee, that thou ſhouldſt not eat? To the Woman, he ſaid no more than, What is this that thou haſt done? And in the Scripture we find, when he cites the Iſraelites before him for their Sin, he Expoſtulates with them not ſo much upon the abſolute right he had to challenge their Obedience, as upon the equity and reaſonableneſs of his Law, which they had tranſgreſt: That by the ſame Argument of ſweetneſs wherewith he would attract them to their Duty, he might ſhame them after their Offence ††Iſaiah 1.2.Isa 1:2.**Ezek. 18.25.Ezek 18:25

2. By the Threatnings he manifeſts his Goodneſs as well as by his Promiſes. He Promiſes that he might be a Rewarder, and Threatens that he might not be a Puniſher; the one is to elevate our hope, and the other to excite our fear, the two Paſſions whereby the Nature of Man is manag'd in the World. He imprints upon Man Sentiments of a Miſery by Sin in his thundring Commination, that he might engage him the more to embrace and be guided by the Motives of Sweetneſs in his gracious Promiſes. The deſign of them was to preſerve Man in his due bounds, that God might not have occaſion to blow upon him the Flames of his Juſtice; to ſuppreſs thoſe irregular Paſſions, which the Nature of Man (though Created without any diſorder) was capable of entertaining upon the appearance of ſuitable Objects; and to keep the Waves from ſwelling upon any turning Wind, that ſo Man being modeſt in the uſe of the Goodneſs God had allowed him, might ſtill be capable of freſh ſtreams of Divine Bounty, without ever falling under his Righteous Wrath for any Tranſgreſſion. What a proſpect of Goodneſs is in this proceeding, to diſcloſe Mans Happineſs to be as durable as his Innocence; and ſet before a Rational Creature the extreameſt Miſery due to his Crime, to affright him from neglecting his Creator, and making unworthy Returns to his Goodneſs? What could be done more by Goodneſs to ſuit that paſſion of fear which was implanted in the Nature of Man, than to aſſure him he ſhould not degenerate from the Righteouſneſs of his Nature, and violate the Authority of his Creator, without falling from his own Happineſs, and ſinking into the moſt deplorable Calamity?

3. The Reward he promiſed, manifeſts yet further his Goodneſs to Man. It was his Goodneſs to intend a Reward to Man: No neceſſity could oblige God to Reward Man, had he continued obedient in his Created State: For in all Rewards which are truly Merited, beſides ſome kind of equality to be conſider'd between the Perſon doing Service, and the Perſon Rewarding, and alſo between the Act performed, and the Reward beſtow'd, there muſt alſo be conſider'd the condition of the Perſon doing the Service, that he is not oblig'd to do it as a Duty, but is at his own choice whether to offer it or no: But Man being wholly dependent on God in his Being and Preſervation, having nothing of his own, but what he had receiv'd from the hands of Divine Bounty,††1 Cor. 4.7.1 Cor 4:7 his Service was due by the ſtrongeſt Obligation to God: But there was no natural Engagement on God to return a Reward to him; for Man could return nothing of his own, but that only which he had received p. 614from his Creator: It muſt be pure Goodneſs that gives a gracious Reward for a due Debt, to receive his own from Man, and return more than he had received. A Divine Reward doth far ſurmount the value of a Rational Service.

It was therefore a mighty Goodneſs to ſtipulate with Man, that upon his Obedience he ſhould enjoy an Immortality in that Nature.**Amyral. Diſſertat. p. 637, 638. The Article on Mans part was Obedience, which was neceſſarily juſt, and founded in the Nature of Man: He had been unjuſt, ungrateful, and violated all Laws of Righteouſneſs, had he committed any act unworthy of one that had been ſo great a Subject of Divine Liberality: But the Article on Gods part of giving a perpetual Bleſſedneſs to Innocent Man, was not founded upon Rules of ſtrict Juſtice and Righteouſneſs, for that would have argu'd God to be a Debtor to Man; but that God cannot be to the Work of his hands, that had receiv'd the Materials of his Being and Acting from him, as the Veſſel doth from the Potter. But this was founded only on the Goodneſs of the Divine Nature, whereby he cannot but be kind to an innocent and holy Creature. The Nature of God enclin'd him to it by the Rules of Goodneſs, but the Service of Man could not claim it by the Rules of Juſtice without a Stipulation: So that the Covenant whereby God oblig'd himſelf to continue the Happineſs of Man upon the continuance of his Obedience, in the Original of it, ſprings from pure Goodneſs, though the performance of it upon the fulfilling Condition requir'd in the Creature, was founded upon the Rules of Righteouſneſs and Truth, after Divine Goodneſs had brought it forth.

God did Create Man for a Reward and Happineſs: Now Gods implanting in the Nature of Man a deſire after Happineſs, and ſome higher Happineſs than he had in Creation inveſted him in, doth evidence that God did not Create Man only for his own Service, but for his attaining a greater Happineſs. All Rational Creatures are poſſeſſed with a Principle of ſeeking after Good, the higheſt Good, and God did not plant in Man this Principle in vain: It had not been Goodneſs to put this Principle in Man, if he had deſign'd never to beſtow a Happineſs on Man for his Obedience; This had been Repugnant to the Goodneſs and Wiſdom of God; And the Scripture doth very Emphatically expreſs, the Felicity of Man to be the deſign of God in the firſt forming him and moulding him a Creature, as well as working him a new Creature,††2 Cor. 5.1, 2.2 Cor 5:12 Cor 5:2 He that hath wrought us for the ſelf ſame thing is God: He framed this Earthly Tabernacle for a Reſidence in an Eternal Habitation, and a better Habitation than an Earthly Paradiſe. What we expect in the Reſurrection, that very ſame thing God did in Creation intend us for; but ſince the Corruption of our Natures, we muſt undergo a diſſolution of our Bodies, and may have juſt reaſon of a deſpondency, ſince Sin hath ſeem'd to change the courſe of Gods Bounty, and brought us under a Curſe. He hath given us the Earneſt of his Spirit, as an aſſurance that he will perform that very ſelf ſame thing, the conferring that Happineſs upon renewed Creatures for which he firſt form'd Man in Creation, when he compacted his Earthly Tabernacle of the duſt of the Ground, and rear'd it up before him.

4. It was a mighty Goodneſs that God ſhould give Man an Eternal Reward. That an Eternity of Reward was promiſed, is implied in the Death that was threatned upon Tranſgreſſion: Whatſoever you conceive the threatned Death to be, either for Nature, or duration upon Tranſgreſſion; of the ſame Nature and duration you muſt ſuppoſe the life to be, which is implied upon his conſtancy in his Integrity. As Sin would render him an Eternal Object of Gods hatred, ſo his Obedience would render him an Eternally amiable Object to his Creator, as the ſtanding Angels are preſerved and confirmed in an intire Felicity and Glory. Though the threatning be only expreſt by God,**Gen. 2.17.Gen 2:17 yet the other is implied, and might eaſily be concluded from it by Adam. And one reaſon why God only expreſt the Threatning, and not the Promiſe, was, becauſe p. 615man might collect ſome hopes and expectations of a perpetual Happineſs from that Image of God which he beheld in himſelf, and from the large Proviſion he had made for him in the World, and the Commiſſion given him to Increaſe and Multiply, and to Rule as a Lord over his other Works; whereas he could not ſo eaſily have imagined himſelf capable of being expos'd to ſuch an extraordinary Calamity as an Eternal Death, without ſome ſignification of it from God. 'Tis eaſily concludable, that Eternal Life was ſuppoſed to be promiſed, to be conferr'd upon him if he ſtood, as well as Eternal Death to be inflicted on him if he Rebell'd**Suarez. de Gratia Vol 1. p. 126, 127.. Now this Eternal Life was not due to his Nature, but it was a pure Beam, and Gift of Divine Goodneſs: For there was no proportion between Mans Service in his Innocent Eſtate, and a Reward ſo great both for Nature and duration: It was a higher Reward than can be imagined either due to the Nature of Man, or upon any Natural Right claimable by his Obedience. All that could be expected by him, was but a Natural Happineſs, not a Supernatural: As there was no neceſſity upon the account of Natural Righteouſneſs, ſo there was no neceſſity upon the account of the Goodneſs of God to elevate the Nature of Man to a Supernatural Happineſs, meerly becauſe he Created him: For though it be neceſſary for God, when he would Create, in regard of his Wiſdom, to Create for ſome End, yet it was not neceſſary that End ſhould be a Supernatural End and Happineſs, ſince a Natural Bleſſedneſs had been ſufficient for Man. And though God in Creating Angels and Men intellectual and Rational Creatures, did make them neceſſary for himſelf and his own Glory, yet it was not neceſſarily for him to order either Angels or Men to ſuch a Felicity as conſiſts in a clear Viſion, and ſo high a Fruition of himſelf: for all other things are made by him for himſelf, and yet not for the Viſion of himſelf. God might have Created Man only for a Natural Happineſs, according to the Perfection of his Natural Faculties, and had dealt Bountifully with him, if he had never intended him a Supernatural Bleſſedneſs, and an Eternal Recompence: But what a largeneſs of Goodneſs is here, to deſign Man in his Creation for ſo rich a Bleſſedneſs as an Eternal Life, with the Fruition of himſelf? He hath not only given to Man all things which are neceſſary, but deſign'd for Man that which the poor Creature could not imagine: He garniſht the Earth for him, and garniſht him for an Eternal Felicity, had he not by ſlighting the Goodneſs of God ſtript himſelf of the preſent, and forfeited his future Bleſſedneſs.

2. The ſecond thing is the manifeſtation of this Goodneſs in Redemption. The whole Goſpel is nothing but one entire Mirror of Divine Goodneſs: The whole of Redemption is wrapt up in that one Expreſſion of the Angels Song, Luke 2.14. Good will towards Man. The Angels Sang but one Song before, which is upon Record, but the Matter of it ſeems to be the Wiſdom of God chiefly in Creation. Job 38.7. compar. 9. v. 5, 6, 8, 9. The Angels are there meant by the Morning Stars; The viſible Stars of Heaven were not diſtinctly form'd, when the Foundations of the Earth were laid: And the Title of the Sons of God verifies it, ſince none but Creatures of underſtanding are dignifi'd in Scripture with that Title. There they Celebrate his Wiſdom in Creation; here his Goodneſs in Redemption, which is the intire Matter of the Song.

1. Goodneſs was the Spring of Redemption. All and every part of it owes only to this Perfection the appearance of it in the World. This only excited Wiſdom to bring forth from ſo great an Evil as the Apoſtacy of Man, ſo great a Good as the Recovery of him. When Man fell from his Created Goodneſs, God would evidence that he could not fall from his Infinite Goodneſs: That the greateſt Evil could not ſurmount the ability of his Wiſdom to contrive, nor the Riches of his Bounty to preſent us a Remedy for it. Divine Goodneſs would not ſtand by a Spectator, without being Reliever of that Misery Man had plung'd himſelf into; but by aſtoniſhing Methods it p. 616would recover him to Happineſs, who had wreſted himſelf out of his hands, to fling himſelf into the moſt deplorable Calamity: And it was the greater, ſince it ſurmounted thoſe Natural Inclinations, and thoſe ſtrong Provocations, which he had to ſhower down the Power of his Wrath. What could be the Source of ſuch a Procedure, but this Excellency of the Divine Nature; Since no Violence could force him, nor was there any Merit to perſwade to ſuch a Reſtoration? This under the name of his Love, is render'd the ſole cauſe of the Redeeming Death of the Son: It was to commend his Love with the higheſt Gloſs, and in ſo ſingular a manner that had not its parallel in Nature, nor in all his other Works, and reaches in the brightneſs of it beyond the manifeſted extent of any other Attribute**Rom. 5.8.Rom 5:8. It muſt be only a miraculous Goodneſs that induced him to expoſe the Life of his Son to thoſe difficulties in the World, and Death upon the Croſs for the freedom of ſordid Rebels: His great End was to give ſuch a demonſtration of the liberality of his Nature, as might be attractive to his Creature, remove its ſhakings and tremblings, and encourage its approaches to him. 'Tis in this he would not only manifeſt his Love, but aſſume the name of Love. By this Name the Holy Ghoſt calls him in relation to this good will manifeſted in his Son,††1 John 4.8, 9.1 John 4:81 John 4:9 God is love. In this is manifeſted the love of God towards us, becauſe that God ſent his only begotten Son into the World, that we might live through him. He would take the Name he never expreſt himſelf in before. He was Jehovah in regard of the truth of his Promiſe; ſo he would be known of old: He is Goodneſs in regard of the grandeur of his Affection in the Miſſion of his Son: And therefore he would be known by the Name of Love now in the days of the Goſpel.

2. It was a Pure Goodneſs. He was under no obligation to pity our Miſery, and repair our Ruines: He might have ſtood to the terms of the firſt Covenant, and exacted our Eternal Death, ſince we had committed an infinite Tranſgreſſion: He was under no tie to put off the Robes of a Judge for the Bowels of a Father, and erect a Mercy-ſeat above his Tribunal of Juſtice**Rada Controverſ. Part. 3. p. 363.. The reparation of Man had no neceſſary connexion with his Creation; It follows not, that becauſe Goodneſs had extracted us from nothing by a mighty Power, that it muſt lift us out of wilful Miſery by a mighty Grace. Certainly that God who had no need of Creating us, had far leſs need of Redeeming us: For ſince he Created one World, he could have as eaſily deſtroyed it and rear'd another. It had not been unbecoming the Divine Goodneſs or Wiſdom, to have let Man perpetually wallow in that Sink wherein he had plung'd himſelf, ſince he was Criminal by his own will, and therefore Miſerable by his own fault: Nothing could neceſſitate this Reparation. If Divine Goodneſs could not be obliged by the Angelical Dignity to repair that Nature, he is further from any Obligation by the meaneſs of Man to repair Humane Nature. There was leſs neceſſity to reſtore Man, than to reſtore the fallen Angels: What could Man do to oblige God to a Reparation of him, ſince he could not render him a Recompence for his Goodneſs manifeſted in his Creation? He muſt be much more impotent to render him a Debtor for the Redemption of him from Miſery. Could it be a ſalary for any thing we had done: Alaſs! we are ſo far from Meriting it, that by our daily Demerits, we ſeem ambitious to put a ſtop to any further Effuſions of it: We could not have complain'd of him, if he had left us in the Miſery we had courted, ſince he was bound by no Law to beſtow upon us the Recovery we wanted. When the Apoſtle ſpeaks of the Goſpel of Redemption, he giveth it the Title of the Goſpel of the Bleſſed God ††2 Tim. 1.11.2 Tim 1:11. It was the Goſpel of a God abounding in his own Bleſſedneſs, which receiv'd no addition by Mans Redemption; If he had been bleſſed by it, it had been a goodneſs to himſelf, as well as to the Creature: It was not an Indigent Goodneſs needing the receiving any thing from us; but it was a pure Goodneſs, ſtreaming out of it ſelf, without bringing any thing into it ſelf for the Perfection of it: There was no Goodneſs in p. 617us to be the Motive of his Love, but his Goodneſs was the Fountain of our Benefit.

3. It was a diſtinct Goodneſs of the whole Trinity. In the Creation of Man we find a general Conſultation,**Gen. 1.26.Gen 1:26 without thoſe diſtinct Labours and Offices of each Perſon; and without thoſe rais'd Expreſſions and Marks of Joy and Triumph as at Mans Reſtoration. In this there are diſtinct Functions: The Grace of the Father, the Merit of the Son, and the Efficacy of the Spirit; The Father makes the Promiſe of Redemption, the Son Seals it with his Blood, and the Spirit applies it; The Father Adopts us to be his Children, the Son Redeems us to be his Members, and the Spirit Renews us to be his Temples. In this the Father teſtifies himſelf well pleaſed in a Voice; The Son proclaims his own delight to do the will of God; and the Spirit haſtens with the Wing of a Dove, to fit him for his work; And afterwards in his apparition in the likeneſs of Fiery Tongues, manifeſts his zeal for the propagation of the Redeeming Goſpel.

4. The Effects of it proclaim his great Goodneſs. 'Tis by this we are deliver'd from the Corruption of our Nature, the Ruine of our Happineſs, the deformity of our Sins, and the puniſhment of our Tranſgreſsions: He frees us from the Ignorance wherewith we were darkned, and from the Slavery wherein we were fetter'd. When he came to make Adams Proceſs after his Crime, inſtead of pronouncing the Sentence of Death he had merited, he utters a Promiſe that Man could not have expected: His Kindneſs ſwells above his provoked Juſtice, and while he chaſeth him out of Paradiſe, he gives him hopes of regaining the ſame or a better Habitation; and is in the whole, more ready to prevent him with the Bleſſings of his Goodneſs, than charge him with the horrour of his Crimes††Gen. 3.17.Gen 3:17: 'Tis a Goodneſs that pardons us more Tranſgreſſions than there are Moments in our Lives; and overlooks as many Follies as there are Thoughts in our Heart: He doth not only relieve our wants, but reſtores us to our Dignity. 'Tis a greater Teſtimony of Goodneſs to inſtate a Perſon in the higheſt Honour, than barely to ſupply his preſent Neceſſity; 'Tis an admirable Pity, whereby he was inclin'd to Redeem us, and an incomparable Affection whereby he was reſolv'd to exalt us. What can be deſir'd more of him than his Goodneſs hath granted? He hath ſought us out when we were loſt, and Ranſom'd us when we were Captives: He hath Pardon'd us when we were Condemn'd, and rais'd us when we were Dead. In Creation he rear'd us from nothing, in Redemption he delivers our Underſtanding from ignorance and vanity, and our Wills from impotence and obſtinacy, and our whole Man from a Death worſe than that nothing he drew us from by Creation.

5. Hence we may conſider the height of this Goodneſs in Redemption to exceed that in Creation. He gave Man a Being in Creation, but did not draw him from unexpreſſible Miſery by that act. His Liberality in the Goſpel doth infinitely ſurpaſs what we admire in the Works of Nature: His Goodneſs in the latter is more aſtoniſhing to our belief, than his Goodneſs in Creation is viſible to our Eye. There is more of his Bounty expreſt in that one Verſe, (**Joh. 3.16.John 3:16 So God loved the World, that he gave his only begotten Son.) than there is in the whole Volume of the World: 'Tis an incomprehenſible ſo; a ſo, that all the Angels in Heaven cannot Analyze, and few Comment upon, or underſtand the dimenſions of this ſo. In Creation he form'd an Innocent Creature of the Duſt of the Ground; in Redemption he reſtores a Rebellious Creature by the Blood of his Son: It is greater than that Goodneſs manifeſted in Creation.

1. In regard of the difficulty of effecting it. In Creation meer nothing was vanquiſht, to bring us into Being; In Redemption ſullen Enmity was conquer'd p. 618for the enjoyment of our Reſtoration; In Creation he ſubdued a Nullity to make us Creatures; In Redemption his Goodneſs overcomes his Omnipotent Juſtice to reſtore us to Felicity; A word from the Mouth of Goodneſs inſpir'd the Duſt of Mens Bodies with a living Soul; but the Blood of his Son muſt be ſhed, and the Laws of Natural Affection ſeem to be overturn'd, to lay the Foundation of our renew'd Happineſs. In the firſt, Heaven did but ſpeak, and the Earth was form'd; In the ſecond, Heaven it ſelf muſt ſink to Earth, and be clothed with duſty Earth to reduce Mans Duſt to its Original State.

2. This Goodneſs is greater than that manifeſted in Creation, in regard of its Coſt. This was a more expenſive Goodneſs than what was laid out in Creation; The redemption of one Soul is pretious ††Pſal. 49.8.Ps 49:8, much more coſtly than the whole Fabrick of the World, or as many Worlds as the underſtandings of Angels in their utmoſt extent can conceive to be Created: For the effecting of this God parts with his deareſt Treaſure, and his Son Eclipſes his choiceſt Glory; For this God muſt be made Man, Eternity muſt ſuffer Death, the Lord of Angels muſt weep in a Cradle, and the Creator of the World muſt hang like a Slave; he muſt be in a Manger in Bethlehem, and die upon a Croſs on Calvary: Unſpotted Righteouſneſs muſt be made Sin, and unblemiſht Bleſſedneſs be made a Curſe. He was at no other Expence than the Breath of his Mouth to form Man; the Fruits of the Earth could have maintained Innocent Man without any other Coſt; but his broken Nature cannot be heal'd without the invaluable Medicine of the Blood of God. View Chriſt in the Womb and in the Manger, in his weary Steps and hungry Bowels, in his Proſtrations in the Garden, and in his clodded drops of Bloody Sweat; View his Head pierced with a Crown of Thorns, and his Face beſmeared with the Soldiers Slabber; View him in his march to Calvary, and his Elevation on the painful Croſs with his Head hanged down, and his Side ſtreaming Blood; View him pelted with the Scoffs of the Governours, and the Deriſions of the Rabble; And ſee in all this, what Coſt Goodneſs was at for Mans Redemption. In Creation his Power made the Sun to ſhine upon us, and in Redemption his Bowels ſent a Son to die for us.

3. This Goodneſs of God in Redemption is greater than that manifeſted in Creation, in regard of Mans deſert of the contrary. In the Creation, as thre was nothing without him to allure him to the Expreſſions of his Bounty; ſo there was nothing that did damp the Inclinations of his Goodneſs: The nothing from whence the World was drawn, could never merit, nor demerit a Being, becauſe it was nothing: As there was nothing to engage him, ſo there was nothing to diſoblige him: As his Favour could not be merited, ſo neither could his Anger be deſerved: But in this he finds ingratitude againſt the former Marks of his Goodneſs, and Rebellion againſt the ſweetneſs of his Soveraignty: Crimes unworthy of the dews of Goodneſs, and worthy of the ſharpeſt ſtroaks of Vengeance: And therefore the Scripture advanceth the honour of it above the Title of meer Goodneſs, to that of Grace **Rom. 5.2. Tit. 2.11.Rom 5:2Titus 2:11; becauſe Men were not only unworthy of a Bleſſing, but worthy of a Curſe. An Innocent Nothing more deſerves Creation, than a Culpable Creature deſerves an exemption from Deſtruction. When Man fell, and gave occaſion to God to repent of his Created Work, his raviſhing Goodneſs ſurmounted the occaſions he had of repenting, and the provocations he had to the deſtruction of his Frame.

4. It was a greater Goodneſs than was expreſt towards the Angels.

1. A greater Goodneſs than was expreſt towards the ſtanding Angels. The Son of God did no more expoſe his Life for the confirmation of thoſe that ſtood, than for the reſtoration of thoſe that fell: The Death of Chriſt was p. 619not for the holy Angels, but for ſinful Man; They needed the Grace of God to confirm them, but not the Death of Chriſt to reſtore or preſerve them; They had a beloved Holineſs to be eſtabliſhed by the powerful Grace of God, but not any abominable Sin to be expiated and blotted out by the Blood of God; They had no Debt to pay but that of Obedience; but we had both a Debt of Obedience to the Precepts, and a Debt of Suffering to the Penalty after the Fall. Whether the holy Angels were confirm'd by Chriſt, or no, is a queſtion: ſome think they were, from Coloſ. 1.20. where things in Heaven are ſaid to be reconcil'd; but ſome think that place ſignifies no more than the Reconciliation of things in Heaven, if meant of the Angels, to things on Earth, with whom they were at enmity in the Cauſe of their Soveraign; or the Reconciliation of things in Heaven to God, is meant the glorified Saints who were once in a State of Sin, and whom the Death of Chriſt upon the Croſs reached, though dead long before. But if Angels were confirm'd by Chriſt, it was by him not as a ſlain Sacrifice, but as the Soveraign head of the whole Creation, appointed by God to gather all things into one, which ſome think to be the intendment of, Epheſ. 1.10. where all things, as well thoſe in Heaven, as thoſe in Earth are ſaid to be gathered together in one in Chriſt. Where is a ſyllable in Scripture of his being Crucified for Angels, but only for Sinners? Not for the Confirmation of the one, but the Reconciliation of the other; So that the Goodneſs whereby God continued thoſe Bleſſed Spirits in Heaven through the effuſions of his Grace, is a ſmall thing to the reſtoring us to our forfeited Happineſs through the Streams of Divine Blood. The preſerving a Man in life, is a little thing and a ſmaller benefit than the raiſing a Man from Death. The reſcuing a Man from an ignominious Puniſhment lays a greater obligation, than barely to prevent him from committing a capital Crime. The preſerving a Man ſtanding upon the top of a ſteep Hill is more eaſie, than to bring a Crippled and Tiſſical Man from the bottom to the top. The continuance God gave to the Angels, is not ſo ſignal a Mark of Goodneſs, as the deliverance he gave to us, ſince they were not ſunk into Sin, nor by any Crime fallen into Miſery.

2. His Goodneſs in Redemption is greater than any Goodneſs expreſſed to the Fallen Angels. 'Tis the wonder of his Goodneſs to us, that he was mindful of Fall'n Man, and careleſs of Fall'n Angels; That he ſhould viſit Man, wallowing in Death and Blood with the Day-ſpring from on high, and never turn the Aegyptian darkneſs of Devils into a chearful day; When they Sinn'd Divine Thunder daſht them into Hell; When Man Sinn'd Divine Blood wafts the Fallen Creature from his Miſery: The Angels wallow in their own Blood for ever, while Chriſt is made partaker of our Blood, and wallows in his Blood, that we might not for ever corrupt in ours; They tumbled down from Heaven, and Divine Goodneſs would not vouchſafe to catch them: Man tumbles down, and Divine Goodneſs holds out a hand drencht in the Blood of him, that was from the Foundations of the World, to lift us up, Heb. 2.16. He ſpared not thoſe dignified Spirits, when they Revolted; and ſpared not puniſhing his Son for duſty Man, when he offended; when he might as well for ever have let Man lie in the Chains wherein he had intangled himſelf, as them. We were as fit Objects of Juſtice as they, and they as fit Objects of Goodneſs as we: they were not more wretched by their Fall than we, and the poverty of our Nature rendred us more unable to recover our ſelves, than the dignity of theirs did them; They were his Reuben his firſt born, they were his Might and the beginning of his Strength, yet thoſe Elder Sons he neglected to prefer the Younger; They were the Prime and Golden Pieces of Creation, not laden with groſs Matter, yet they lie under the Ruines of their Fall, while Man, Lead in compariſon of them, is refin'd for another World.

p. 620They ſeem'd to be fitter Objects of Divine Goodneſs in regard of the eminency of their Nature above the Humane: One Angel excelled in Endowments of Mind and Spirit, vaſtneſs of Underſtanding, greatneſs of Power, all the Sons of Men; they were more capable to praiſe him, more capable to ſerve him, and becauſe of the Acuteneſs of their Comprehenſion more able to have a due Eſtimate of ſuch a Redemption, had it been afforded them; yet that Goodneſs which had Created them ſo Comely, would not lay it ſelf out in reſtoring the Beauty they had defaced. The Promiſe was of bruiſing the Serpents head for us, not of liſting up the Serpents head with us; Their Nature was not aſſum'd, nor any command given them to believe or repent: Not one Devil ſpar'd, not one Apoſtate Spirit recover'd, not one of thoſe eminent Creatures reſtor'd; Every one of them hath only a proſpect of Miſery without any glimps of Recovery: They were ruin'd under one Sin, and we repair'd under many. All his Redeeming Goodneſs was laid out upon Man, Pſal. 144.3. What is Man that thou takeſt knowledge of him, and the Son of Man that thou makeſt account of him? Making account of him above Angels; As they fell without any tempting them, ſo God would leave them to riſe without any aſſiſting them. I know the Schools trouble themſelves to find out the reaſons of this peculiarity of Grace to Man, and not to them; becauſe the whole Humane Nature fell, but only a part of the Angelical; The one Sinned by a Seduction, and the other by a ſullenneſs without any Tempter: Every Angel Sinned by his own proper will, whereas Adams Poſterity Sinned by the will of the firſt Man, the common Root of all. God would deprive the Devil of any glory in the ſatisfaction of his envious deſire to hinder Man from attainment and poſſeſſion of that Happineſs which himſelf had loſt. The weakneſs of Man below the Angelical Nature might excite the Divine Mercy: And ſince all the things of the lower World were Created for Man, God would not loſe the honour of his Works, by loſing the immediate End for which he framed them. And finally becauſe in the Reſtoration of Angels, there would have been only a Reſtoration of one Nature that was not comprehenſive of the Nature of Inferior things: But after all ſuch Conjectures Man muſt ſit down, and acknowledge Divine Goodneſs to be the only Spring without any other Motive. Since Infinite Wiſdom could have contrived a way for Redemption for Fallen Angels, as well as for Fallen Man, and reſtor'd both the one and the other; Why might not Chriſt have aſſumed their Nature as well as ours into the unity of the Divine Perſon, and ſuffer'd the Wrath of God in their Nature for them, as well as in his Humane Soul for us? 'Tis as conceivable that two Natures might have been aſſum'd by the Son of God, as well as three Souls be in Man diſtinct, as ſome think there are.

3. To Enhance this Goodneſs yet higher; It was a greater Goodneſs to us, than was for a time manifeſted to Chriſt himſelf. To demonſtrate his Goodneſs to Man in preventing his Eternal Ruine, he would for a while with-hold his Goodneſs from his Son, by expoſing his Life as the price of our Ranſom; not only ſubjecting him to the Deriſions of Enemies, Deſertions of Friends, and Malice of Devils, but to the unexpreſſible bitterneſs of his own Wrath in his Soul, as made an offering for Sin.

The Particle ſo, John 3.16. ſeems to intimate this Supremacy of Goodneſs: He ſo loved the World that he gave his only begotten Son. He ſo loved the World, that he ſeem'd for a time not to love his Son in compariſon of it, or equal with it. The Perſon to whom a Gift is given, is in that regard accounted more valuable than the Gift or Preſent made to him: Thus God valued our Redemption above the worldly Happineſs of the Redeemer, and ſentenceth him to an Humiliation on Earth, in order to our Exaltation in Heaven: He was deſirous to hear him groaning, and ſee him bleeding, that we might not groan under his Frowns, and bleed under his Wrath: He p. 621ſpared not him, that he might ſpare us; refuſed not to ſtrike him, that he might be well pleaſed with us; drencht his Sword in the Blood of his Son, that it might not for ever be wet with ours; but that his Goodneſs might for ever triumph in our Salvation: He was willing to have his Son made Man, and die, rather than Man ſhould periſh, who had delighted to ruine himſelf; He ſeem'd to degrade him for a time from what he was**Lingend de Euchariſt, p. 84, 85.. But ſince he could not be united to any but to an intellectual Creature, he could not be united to any viler and more ſordid Creature than the Earthly Nature of Man. And when this Son in our Nature prayed, that the Cup might paſs from him, Goodneſs would not ſuffer it, to ſhew how it valued the manifeſtation of it ſelf in the Salvation of Man above the preſervation of the Life of ſo dear a Perſon.

In particular wherein this Goodneſs appears;

1. The firſt Reſolution to Redeem, and the means appointed for Redemption, could have no other inducement but Divine Goodneſs. We cannot too highly value the Merit of Chriſt; but we muſt not ſo much extend the Merit of Chriſt, as to draw a value to Eclipſe the Goodneſs of God: Though we owe our Redemption and the Fruits of it to the Death of Chriſt, yet we owe not the firſt Reſolutions of Redemption, and aſsumption of our Nature, the means of Redemption, to the Merit of Chriſt. Divine Goodneſs only, without the aſſociation of any Merit, not only of Man but of the Redeemer himſelf, begat the firſt purpoſe of our Recovery: He was ſingled out, and predeſtinated to be our Redeemer, before he took our Nature to Merit our Redemption. God ſent his Son, is a frequent Expreſſion in the Goſpel of St. John ††John 3.34. Joh. 9.24. Joh. 17.3.John 3:34John 9:24John 17:3. To what end did God ſend Chriſt, but to Redeem?**Leſſius. The purpoſe of Redemption therefore preceded the pitching upon Chriſt as the means and procuring Cauſe of it, i. e. of our actual Redemption, but not of the Redeeming purpoſe; the end is always in intention before the means. God ſo loved the World, that he gave his only begotten Son; The love of God to the World was firſt in Intention and the Order of Nature, before the will of giving his Son to the World. His Intention of ſaving was before the Miſſion of a Saviour: So that this Affection roſe not from the Merit of Chriſt, but the Merit of Chriſt was directed by this Affection. It was the Effect of it, not the Cauſe. Nor was the union of our Nature with his Merited by him; All his Meritorious acts were performed in our Nature: The Nature therefore wherein he performed it, was not Merited; that Grace which was not, could not Merit what it was: He could not Merit that Humanity, which muſt be aſſumed before he could Merit any thing for us, becauſe all Merit for us muſt be offer'd in the Nature which had offended. 'Tis true Chriſt gave himſelf, but by the order of Divine Goodneſs; he that begat him pitcht upon him, and call'd him to this great work:††Heb. 5.5.Heb 5:5 He is therefore call'd the Lamb of God, as being ſet apart by God to be a propitiating and appeaſing Sacrifice. He is the Wiſdom of God, ſince from the Father he reveals the Councel and Order of Redemption. In this regard he calls God his God in the Prophet,**Iſaiah 49.4.Isa 49:4 and in the Evangeliſt;††Joh. 20.17.John 20:17 though he was big with affection for the accompliſhment, yet he came not to do his own will, but the will of Divine Goodneſs: His own will it was too, but not principally as being the firſt Wheel in Motion, but ſubordinate to the eternal will of Divine Bounty. It was by the will of God that he came, and by his will he drank the dreggy Cup of Bitterneſs. Divine Juſtice laid upon him the iniquity of us all, but Divine Goodneſs intended it for our Reſcue: Divine Goodneſs ſingled him out, and ſet him apart: Divine Goodneſs invited him to it: Divine Goodneſs commanded him to effect it, and put a Law into his heart, to biaſs him in the performing of it: Divine Goodneſs ſent him, and Divine Goodneſs moved Juſtice to bruiſe him; and after his Sacrifice, Divine Goodneſs accepted him, and careſſed him for it. So earneſt was it for our Redemption, as to give out ſpecial and irreverſible Orders: p. 622Death was commanded to be endured by him for us, and Life commanded to be imparted by him to us**John 10.10, 18.John 10:10John 10:18. If God had not been the Mover, but had received the propoſal from another, he might have heard it, but was not bound to grant it: His Soveraign Authority was not under any obligation to receive anothers Sponſion for the miſerable Criminal. As Chriſt is the head of Man, ſo God is the head of Chriſt ††1 Cor. 11.3.1 Cor 11:3; He did nothing but by his directions, as he was not a Mediator but by the Conſtitution of Divine Goodneſs. As a liberal Man deviſeth liberal things **Iſaiah 2.8.Isa 2:8, ſo did a bountiful God deviſe a bountiful act, wherein his kindneſs and love as a Saviour appeared: He was poſſeſſed with the reſolutions to manifeſt his Goodneſs in Chriſt in the beginning of his way ††Prov. 8.22, 23.Prov 8:22Prov 8:23, before he deſcended to the act of Creation. This intention of Goodneſs preceded his making that Creature Man, who he foreſaw would fall, and by his fall disjoynt, and entangle the whole Frame of the World without ſuch a proviſion.

2. In Gods giving Chriſt to be our Redeemer, he gave the higheſt gift that it was poſſible for Divine Goodneſs to beſtow. As there is not a greater God than himſelf to be conceiv'd, ſo there is not a greater Gift for this great God to preſent to his Creatures: Never did God go farther in any of his excellent Perfections than this. 'Tis ſuch a Dole that cannot be tranſcended with a choicer: He is as it were come to the laſt Mite of his Treaſure. And though he could Create Millions of Worlds for us, he cannot give a greater Son to us. He could abound in the expreſſions of his Power in new Creations of Worlds, which have not yet been ſeen, and in the luſtre of his Wiſdom in more ſtately Structures; but if he ſhould frame as many Worlds, as there are Mites of Duſt and Matter in this, and make every one of them as bright and glorious as the Sun; Though his Power and Wiſdom would be more ſignalized, yet his Goodneſs could not, ſince he hath not a choicer Gift to bleſs thoſe brighter Worlds withall, than he hath conferr'd upon this. Nor can Immenſe Goodneſs contrive a richer means to conduct thoſe Worlds to Happineſs, than he hath both invented for this World, and preſented it with. It cannot be imagin'd, that it can extend it ſelf farther, than to give a Gift equal with himſelf; a Gift as dear to him as himſelf. His Wiſdom, had it ſtudied millions of Eternities, (excuſe the Expreſſion, ſince Eternity admits of no Millions, it being an interminable duration) it could have found out no more to give, this Goodneſs could have beſtow'd no more, and our neceſſity could not have requir'd a greater offering for our relief. When God intended in Redemption the manifeſtation of his higheſt Goodneſs, it could not be without the Donation of the choiceſt Gift. As when he would enſure our Comfort, he ſwears by himſelf, becauſe he cannot ſwear by a greater **Heb. 6.13.Heb 6:13: So when he would enſure our Happineſs, he gives us his Son, becauſe he cannot give a greater, being equal with himſelf. Had the Father given himſelf in Perſon, he had given one firſt in order, but not greater in Eſſence and glorious Perfections: It could have been no more than the life of God, that ſhould then have been laid down for us; and ſo it was now, ſince the Humane Nature did not ſubſiſt but in his Divine Perſon.

1. 'Tis a greater Gift than Worlds, or all things purchaſed by him. What was this Gift but the Image of his Perſon, and the brightneſs of his Glory ††Heb. 1.3.Heb 1:3? What was this Gift, but one as rich as Eternal Bleſſedneſs could make him? What was this Gift, but one that poſſeſſed the fulneſs of Earth, and the more Immenſe Riches of Heaven? 'Tis a more valuable Preſent, than if he preſented us with thouſands of Worlds of Angels and inferior Creatures, becauſe his Perſon is incomparably greater, not only than all conceivable, but inconceivable Creations: We are more obliged to him for it, than if he had made us Angels of the higheſt Rank in Heaven, becauſe it is a Gift of more value than the whole Angelical Nature, becauſe he is an infinite Perſon; and p. 623therefore infinitely tranſcends whatſoever is finite, though of the higheſt Dignity. The Wounds of an Almighty God for us are a greater Teſtimony of Goodneſs, than if we had all the other Riches of Heaven and Earth. This Perfection had not appeared in ſuch an aſtoniſhing grandeur, had it pardon'd us without ſo rich a ſatisfaction; that had been pardon to our Sin, not a God of our Nature. God ſo loved the World that he pardon'd it, had not ſounded ſo great and ſo good, as God ſo loved the World that he gave his only begotten Son. Eſt aliquid in Chriſto formoſius Servatore. There is ſomething in Chriſt more Excellent and Comely than the Office of a Saviour; the greatneſs of his Perſon is more Excellent, than the Salvation procured by his Death: It was a greater Gift than was beſtow'd upon innocent Adam, or the holy Angels. In the Creation, his Goodneſs gave us Creatures for our uſe: In our Redemption, his Goodneſs gives us what was deareſt to him for our Service; our Soveraign in Office to benefit us, as well as in a Royalty to govern us.

2. It was a greater Gift, becauſe it was his own Son. Not an Angel. It had been a mighty Goodneſs to have given one of the lofty Seraphims; A greater Goodneſs to have given the whole Corporation of thoſe glorious Spirits for us; thoſe Children of the moſt high: But he gave that Son, whom he commands all the Angels to Worſhip **Heb. 1.6.Heb 1:6, and all Men to adore, and pay the loweſt Homage to ††Pſal. 2.12.Ps 2:12; that Son that is to be honoured by us, as we honour the Father **Joh. 5.23.John 5:23; that Son which was his delight; his delights in the Hebrew, ††Prov. 8.30.Prov 8:30wherein all the delights of the Father were gathered in one, as well as of the whole Creation; and not ſimply a Son, but an only begotten Son, upon which Chriſt lays the ſtreſs with an Emphaſis ††Joh. 3.16.John 3:16. He had but one Son in Heaven or Earth, one Son from an unviewable Eternity, and that one Son he gave for a degenerate World; this Son he Conſecrated for evermore a Prieſt **Heb. 7 28.Heb 7:28. The word of the Oath makes the Son; The peculiarity of his Sonſhip heightens the Goodneſs of the Donor. It was no meaner a Perſon that he gave to empty himſelf of his glory, to fulfil an obedience for us, that we might be rendred happy partakers of the Divine Nature. Thoſe that know the natural affection of a Father to a Son, muſt judge the affection of God the Father to the Son infinitely greater, than the affection of an Earthly Father to the Son of his Bowels. It muſt be an unparallell'd Goodneſs, to give up a Son that he loved with ſo ardent an Affection for the Redemption of Rebels: Abandon a glorious Son to a diſhonourable Death for the ſecurity of thoſe that had violated the Laws of Righteouſneſs, and endeavoured to pull the Soveraign Crown from his head. Beſides, being an only Son, all thoſe Affections center'd in him, which in Parents would have been divided among a multitude of Children: So then, as it was a Teſtimony of the higheſt Faith and Obedience in Abraham to offer up his only begotten Son to God **Heb. 11.17.Heb 11:17; So it was the Triumph of Divine Goodneſs, to give ſo great, ſo dear a Perſon for ſo little a thing as Man; and for ſuch a piece of nothing and vanity, as a Sinful World.