CHA P. X.

Of the Perfections relating to the Divine Will; Goodness, Justice, Faithfulness.

2.

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 goodness, 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 estimated. 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 ma lice, which delights in withholding good K 4 from

from others, or doing mischief to them. And that this Attribute is natural to the notion of God, may appear.

1. By Testimony. There being no one perfection about which the generality of men are more agreed than about this, (excepting only the Epicureans,) who attribate nothing to God but everlasting happiness and bleffednefs, which yet cannot be without Goodness. Plato ftyles him Tongeirov, the best Being. And his common title amongst the Latins, was Deus Optimus Maximus. And our forefathers in this Nation, feem 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 ac "knowledg the Being of God, and then to "demean our felves towards him fuitably "to the greatness of his Majefty, and to his "Goodness, without which there can be no De Benefic" Majefty. And in another place, lib. 4.

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that doth not acknowledg the Goodnefs "of the Divine nature, doth not take no"tice of the general cuftom amongst men, "of 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 propenfe to kindness and pity. Nec in

bunc furorem omnes mortales confenfiffent, alloquendi furda numina & inefficaces Deos. "Nor is it poffible, that all man"kind fhould fo unanimously agree toge"ther in fo great a madness, of praying to "fuch Deities as they did not believe "could either hear or help them.

And in another place, Quædam funt De Ira. lib. que nocere non poffunt, &c. "Some things 2. cap. 27. there are of fo benign and helpful a na“ ture, fo mild and beneficial, that no"thing of evil or hurt can proceed from "them: Such is the Deity, who neither can, or will, do any thing that is mifchievous; being as remote from any action that is injurious to others, as to it "felf.

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And elsewhere, Ecce fceleratis fol ori- Ibid. lib.4. tur, & Piratis patent maria. "He caufeth cap. 26. his 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 child"hood, when we can have no sense of it: Nor doth he prefently withdraw and

(4 ceafe

De Benefic

7.35.

De Benefic.

lib. 4.

Pythag.
Carm.

"ceafe his favours towards fuch wretches "as make a question and doubt concerning the Author of them: Nor is there any person fo miferable and wretched, "who hath not in feveral refpects had ex

perience of the Divine bounty. Hierocles afferts, that God is effentially good; not by accident and from external motives and confiderations.

2. By Reason. It is fo plain, fo fundamental a notion, that Goodness must belong to God, that I know not to go about the proof of it. 'Tis the brightest ray of the Deity, the firft 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 fome 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. Knowledg 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 misery; 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 constitutes him what he is: Nay, it were to imagine instead of a God, a worse Devil, and more qualify'd to do mischief, than any is now in the world.

2. The second attribute belonging to the Divine Will, is his Justice. By which is meant not only the rectitude of his Nature in general, but more fpecially his dealing with his creatures according to the defert of their deeds.

And that this Perfection is natural to the notion of God, may appear,

1. By Teftimony. It is an affertion of Plato, Theatetus. Θεός ἀδαμή εδαμῶς ἀδικός, ἀλλ' ὡς οἷς τε δικαι óra. "God cannot be faid in any kind "or refpect whatsoever to be unjust, but fo "far as is poffible to be most juft. Tully De Legibus lays it down as a principle, that before men are fit to affociate under government, they ought to be first convinced, that God is the fupreme Governour of the World, and doth take particular notice,

Qua

lib 2.