and free, defigned and directed by infinite Knowledge and Wisdom. This is the first: the second particular is, that God hath made all Creatures very good, confidering the variety, and order, and end of them. But this I fhall referve to another opportunity. Vol. VII. [25] Vol VII. SERMON II. The Goodness of God. PSAL. CXLV. 9. The Lord is Good to all, and his tender I N the handling of this Argument, I proposed to do these four things. Firft, To confider what is the proper Notion of Goodness, as it is attributed to God. Secondly, To fhew that this Perfection belongs to God. Thirdly, To confider the Effects of the Divine Goodness, together with the large extent of it, in respect of its objects. And, Fourthly, To anfwer fome Objections which may feem to contradict, and bring in queftion the Goodness of God, I have confidered the two first; and in Vol. VII. speaking to the third, I propofed the confidering thefe two things. I. The universal extent of God's Goodness, to all his Creatures. IT. More efpecially the Goodness of God to man, which we are more especially concerned to take notice of, and be affected with. The First of thefe appears in these four particulars. 1. In his giving Being to fo Creatures. many 2. In making them all fo very good, confidering the number and variety, the rank and order, the end and defign of all of them. 3. In his continual prefervation of them. 4. In his providing fo abundantly for the welfare and happiness of all of them, fo far as they are capable and fenfible of it. The First of thefe I fpoke largely to; I proceed to fhew in the, 2. Place, that the univerfal Goodness of God appears, in making all thefe Creatures fo very good, confidering the number and variety, the rank and order, the end and defign of all of them. them. His Goodnefs excited and feta. a work his Power to make this World, Vol. VII and all the Creatures in it; and that they might be made in the best manner that could be, his Wifdom directed his Power, he hath made all things in number,weight, and measure; fo that they areadmirably fitted and proportioned to one another: And that there is an excellent Contrivance in all forts of Beings, and a wonderful beauty and harmony in the whole Frame of things, is I think fufficiently vifible to every difcerning and unprejudiced mind. The lowest form of Creatures, I mean those which are deftitute of fenfe, do all of them contribute fome way or other, to the use, and conveniency, and comfort of the Creatures above them, which being endowed with fenfe are capable of enjoying the benefit and delight of them, which being fo palpable in the greateft part of them, may resonably be prefumed, tho' it be not fo difcernable concerning all the reft; fo that when we furvey the whole Creation of God, and the feveral parts, we may well cry out with David, Pfal. 104. 24. O Lord how manifold are thy works, in wisdom hath thou made them all! 'Tis |