SERMON I The Divine Goodness explained. PSALM CXlV. 9. The Lord is good to all, and his tender mer cies are over all his works. T HAT Jehovah, who created us and all beings, is good or benevolent in the highest degree, is the dictate of Nature, of Reafon, and of Scripture. That God is good is the earliest fentiment of nature concerning him, and prevails in the breafts of thofe, who have not taken the pains to reafon out the divine perfections, or diligently to trace his kindness in it's numerous effects. Their fenfe of the amiableness of this difpofition, and their approbation of themselves when they feel it prevailing, de termine them without hesitation to afcribe the nobleft dégrees of this quality to that Being, whom all believe the most perfect. Reafon alfo clearly difcerning, after an exact B inquiry, inquiry, the effential worth and amiableness of benevolence, with affurance concludes: that the alwife and almighty God, who fees the worth of this difpofition, must be fupreamly benevolent; and fince he hath no wants of his own, will exert his omnipotence in doing good to other beings. And when it attentively obferves the works of God, the countlefs varieties of creatures to whom he hath given life, the capacities of good which he hath formed, and the immenfe provision he hath made for supplying them all; with intire fatisfaction it fees the conclufions drawn from the acknowledged perfections of the divine nature, abundantly verified by the works of God: and we find in fact that Optimus Maximus, the best and greatest of beings, were titles generally afcribed by the Heathen to the one God and Father of all. The And with the voice of nature and of reafon confents the voice of revelation. Lord is good unto all, and his tender mercies are over all his works. He is gracious and full of compaffion, flow to anger and of great Jehovah is good, bis mercy is ever mercy. lafting. lafting. His only begotten Son, who came from his bofom, and to whom the Father fhowed all things which he had done, affures us, he is fo good, that in comparison none is good but God+; and the beloved dif ciple of Jefus hath left it on record, that God is love +. This perfection of the Deity I would now engage you to contemplate. A perfection which gives the amiable luftre to the other attributes of God; rendering his omnipotence, omniprefence, infinite knowledge, and eternity, which feparate from this would only excite our wonder and dread, objects of veneration, love and delight. Almighty, ever prefent, alwife, unchangeable and everlasting goodness, is the nobleft object of contemplation, love and adoration to men, angels, and all intelligent beings. To this perfection we have been obliged for our existence, and for all our powers, capacities and objects of good, the thought of it is the most chearing amidst the wants, uncertainties and diftreffes of the prefent ftate, and infpires into * Pfalm c. 5. ‡ 1 John iv. 16. + Matt. xix, 17. B 2 the the bofom of the pious and righteous a tranquillity and joy, which the world cannot give or take away; this fupports their largeft hopes for eternity, and brightens the fhades of death: and from contemplating this perfection in the light of Heaven, and anfwerably loving, adoring and celebrating the Father of the univerfe, from an intire refemblance to this truly divine quality, and from sharing in the full and everlasting communications of it, is derived the compleat and eternal felicity of angels and faints. "May this moft gracious Being grant, that "what is laid before you for the illuftration "and proof of the divine benignity, may "raife our apprehenfions and confirm our "faith of it; may kindle in every reader correfpondent fentiments of love and gra titude, excite us all according to our mea"fure to refemble our heavenly Father, and "cheerfully obey all his laws: and thus prepare us for an abode in that world, "where alone from experience we shall "learn the full import of these declarations; "that God is love, that his tender mercies are over all his works, and are everlasting!" The The infpired poet mentions this divine perfection, as a reason why all the faints of the Lord should bless him; and on account of which he would bless his name for ever and ever *. And a stronger reafon cannot be affigned, no perfection being equally deferving of love and praife with goodness, infinitely diffufive, compaffionate, and everlasting. The worship which is excited wholly, or principally, by awful apprehenfions of God, as an almighty and uncontroulable fovereign, who can do whatever he pleafes, and who, for aught we know, may be as much pleased to do evil as good, and to produce mifery as happiness-this is rather fuperftition than religion, the flattery and cringing of flaves to a mafter whom they dread and hate; not the ingenuous and delightful refpect of children to a father whom they love. It debafes and finks the mind, instead of ennobling and making it happy; and changes, what, did we think worthily of God, would be a rational and pleafing homage, into an oppreffive fervitude; which perfons would immediately throw off, but that they fear greater evils if they did. * Pfalm cxlv. 1. 10. B 3 Since |
