fia,and fuch other Potentates of remote Countries? who though they are Princes of great Power and Magnificence,are able to bring many hundred thousands of Fighting-men into the Field; yet they having nothing to do with us, nor we with them, we have therefore but a small Regard for them. Whereas, the next ordinary Gentleman, who is but Lord of a Manor, or Juftice of Peace, with whom we are concerned to deal, and who hath any Power, of punishing or rewarding, of doing us either a Kindness or a Difcourtesy, we use to be accordingly affected in our Efteem and Veneration towards him. And thus muft it be likewife for our Adoration of the Divine Nature; which will be either more or lefs, according as we conceive our felves more or lefs concerned in his Providence towards us.

CHAP.

Of the Perfections relating to the Divine Will; Goodness, Justice, Faith

2.

nefs.

T

HE Perfections belonging to the Divine Will, were before reckoned to be, 1. His Goodness. 2. His Justice. 3. His Truth and Faithfulness.

1. His Goodness. By which word is fometimes fignified, the notion of Perfection in general; and fometimes it denotes Moral Goodnefs in oppofition to all kind of Moral Imperfections. Of both which kinds of Goodness, God is the Fountain and Author, the Rule and Measure, from whom all created Goodness is derived, and by conformity to whom it is to be eftimated. But that more particular sense of this Word, according to which it is now to be treated of, doth refpect the Inclination of the Divine Will toward his Creatures; that propenfion of his, whereby he is generally difpofed to procure their happiness, in oppofition to Envy or Malice, which delights in withholding good from o-> thers, or doing Mischief to them. And that this Attribute is natural to the Notion of God, may appear,

1. By Teftimony. There being no one Perfection about which the generality of Men are more agreed than about this, (excepting only the Epicureans,) who attribute nothing to God but everlasting Happiness and Blessednefs, which yet cannot be without Goodness. Plato ftiles him rò ngátov, the best Being. And his common Title amongst the Latins, was Deus Optimus Maximus. And our Forefathers in this Nation, seem to have given this very Name of God from Good. That is a known and an excellent Paffage in Seneca, Primus eft Deorum cultus, Deos credere ; deinde reddere, illis Majeftatem fuam, reddere bonitatem, fine qua nulla Majeftas.

"The

"moft Fundamental thing in Religion, is to " acknowledge the Being of God, and then tc to demean our felves towards him suitably "to the greatness of his Majefty, and to his "Goodness, without which there can be no "Majefty." And in another place, "He De Beneficce that doth not acknowledge the Goodness of "the Divine Nature, doth not take notice of "the general Custom amongst Men, of

lib. 4.

praying to him in their Distress, and making Vows both publick and private, " which would not be, unless they had this "Perfuafion well fixed within them, that "God was ready to hear and to help them, and that he is in his own Nature propense "to Kindness and Pity. Nec in hunc furorem omnes mortales confenfiffent, alloquendi furda

furda numina & inefficaces Deos.

" Nor is

"it poffible that all Mankind should fo una"nimously agree together in fo great a Mad"ness, of praying to fuch Deities as they did "not believe could either hear or help

<< them.

De Ira lib.

And in another Place, Quædam funt quæ nocere non poffunt, &c. "Some things there 2.cap. 27. "are of fo benign and helpful a nature, so "mild and beneficial, that nothing of evil "or hurt can proceed from them: Such is "the Deity, who neither can, or will do ૬૮ any thing that is mischievous; being as re"mote from any Action that is injurious to "others, as to it felf.

And elsewhere, Ecce fceleratis fol oritur, Ibid. lib.4. & Piratis patent Maria. "He caufeth his cap. 26. "Sun to fhine upon the Juft and Unjuft, "and the Seas are open to Pirates as well as "Merchants. He communicates his Bounty "to us in our Infancy and Childhood, when

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we can have no sense of it: nor doth he De Benefic. presently withdraw and cease his Favours 7.31. " towards fuch Wretches as make a question " and doubt concerning the Author of them: "Nor is there any Perfon fo miferable and De Benefic. "wretched, who hath not in several refpects lib. 4. "had experience of the Divine Bounty. Hierocles afferts, that God is effentially good; Pythag. not by accident, and from external Motives and Confiderations.

4

Garm.

2. By Reason. It is fo plain, fo fundamental a Notion, that Goodness mnft belong to God, that I know not how to go about the Proof of it. 'Tis the brightest Ray of the Deity, the first and clearest Notion we have of God. We may fee every Day many thousand visible Effects of this Goodness in the World. And there are some Glimpses, and weak Impreffions of it amongst the Creatures, and therefore much more must it be in the Creator himself.

This is the Foundation of all Worship and Religion amongst Men, the Reason of their Prayers to God, and Praises of him. Without this his other Attributes would not afford any fufficient ground for our Love and Adoration of him. Knowledge and Power without Goodness, would be but Craft and Violence. He can by his Wifdom out-wit his Creatures, and eafily impose upon them; and by his Power he could tyrannize over them, and play with their Mifery; but that he will not do thus we are affured by his Goodness. This is fo effential to him, that to imagine him without Goodness, were to imagine a God without a Deity, i. e, without that which chiefly conftitutes him what he is; Nay, it were to imagine instead of a God, a worse Devil, and more qualify'd to do Mifchief, than any is now in the World.

2. The