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as the Sun doth it's invigorating refreshing Rays, and a Fountain it's Streams; but not merely by a natural Neceffity, but from a most wife, free, and generous Benevolence!

The glorious Angels, as they are endued. with the most enlarged Capacities, do most abundantly partake of thofe Communications of the Divine Goodness, which fill those blissful Realms above with inexpreffible Light and Joy. But God's Goodnefs is not confined to them. Every Part. of the Univerfe which comes within our Notice exhibiteth the amiable Difplays of the Divine Benignity: The Lord is good to all, and his tender Mercies are over all his Works. Pf. cxlv. 9. He provideth even for the brute Creation, who are therefore beautifully reprefented by the Ffalmift as looking with waiting Eyes towards him the common Parent of the Univerie, and receiving their Food from his liberal Hand, Pf. civ. 27, 28, 29. But it is especially. delightful to contemplate his Goodnefs as manifefting itself towards the Children of Men. He hath made us a noble Order of Beings, endued with noble Faculties, and capable of various Joys, fenfitive, moral, and intellectual. He placed Man at his first Creation amidst the pure Delights of Paradife

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Paradife, and him many

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Tokens of his Favour, while he continued in his State of Innocence. And though it may justly be fuppofed, that, in the prefent finful State of Mankind, many Things are ordered for our Correction and Punishment, and as Tokens of the Divine Displeasure against us for our Sins; yet ftill there are numberless Bleffings poured forth by his benign Providence upon the degenerate human Race, notwithstanding their manifold Offences and Provocations: He giveth us Rain from Heaven and fruitful Seafons, and filleth our Hearts with Food and Gladness. Acts xiv. 17. The Earth is full of the Goodnefs of the Lord. Pf. xxxiii. 5. It is replenished with a great Abundance of Things for the Use and Delight of Mankind. Out of it's Bofom are produced various Kinds of Herbage and Grain, Trees, Fruits, and Flowers of manifold Ufe and exquifite Beauty. It's Bowels are stored with hidden Treasures, and it's Surface is diverfified in fuch a Manner, as to yield the most agreeable and entertaining Profpects. The Animals upon it in their several beautiful Forms, and wonderful Powers and Instincts, are not only furnished with whatever is neceffary for their own fenfitive Life, but are defigned to minifter in various

Ways

Ways to our Neceffities and to our Pleasure. The Mercies we daily receive from God, and the Provifion that is made for the Suftenance and Accommodation of this prefent Life, fhould excite grateful Affections. in our Hearts towards our fovereign Benefactor: But above all what Joy muft it yield to take a View of the infinite Grace: and Goodness of God in the marvellous: Methods made Ufe of for recovering us: from our ruinous and lapfed State to Holinefs and Happinefs? Nothing can poffibly exhibit a more affecting Proof of the wonderful Love of God to Mankind, than his fending his only begotten Son into the World, to inftruct us by his heavenly Doctrine, to lead us by his moft perfect and lovely Example, and by his Sufferings and Sacrifice to obtain eternal Redemption for zis. How delightful, how tranfporting, is it to confider God as a God in Chrift reconciling the World unto himself? To behold that moft glorious Being, according to the amiable Reprefentation that is made of him in the facred Writings, inviting Sinners to forfake the Paths of Vice and Destruction, and to return to him their rightful Lord and fupreme Good; offering to enter into a gracious Covenant with them through Jefus Chrift, and to pardon all

their Iniquities upon their fincere Repentance; urging and engaging them by all the Charms of Love, by a Regard to their own trueft Intereft, by every Confideration that is proper to work upon their Hopes and Fears, and thus, as far as is confiftent with the Freedom of ratinoal Beings, even compelling them to be happy! How pleafing to behold him as on a Throne of Grace, encouraging their Addresses, accepting their fincere though imperfect Services, pitying them as a Father pitieth his Children, and, when he feeth it neceffary to correct and chaften them, doing it with great Tendernefs, fupporting and comforting them in their Tribulations, and caufing all Things to work together for their Good! To confider him as fending his Angels to minister unto them, but especially as communicating his Holy Spirit to enlighten, fanctify, and comfort them, and to guide them fafe through all the intricate Paths, the Snares and Difficulties of this Pilgrimage State! And, finally, which completeth all, to confider him as having prepared, for all those that fincerely believe and obey him, everlasting Glory and Felicity in the highest Heavens ! To have enlarged

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Views of the Divine Goodness, as difplaying and exercifing itself in fo many different Ways, and in fuch a Variety of beneficial Effects and Inftances, muft needs fill the Heart of a truly religious and good Man with a fublime Satisfaction and Joy, efpecially when he is inabled to make a particular Application of all this to his own Cafe; when, being confcious of his own Sincerity, and feeling his Heart powerfully drawn to the God of Love, he looks forward with a lively Faith to that bleffed State, where he hopes to be perfectly happy in the Enjoyment of him to all Eternity. Then it is that he may with inexpreffible Delight

break forth into thofe noble Strains of Devotion: Ob give Thanks unto the Lord, for he is good; for his Mercy endureth for ever. Because thy Loving-kindness is better than Life, my Lips fhall praise thee. Thus will I bless thee, while I live; I will lift up my Hands in thy Name. Whom have I in Heaven but thee? And there is none upon Earth that I defire befides thee. How excellent is thy Loving-kindness, O God! therefore the Children of Men put their Truft under the Shadow of thy Wings. They fhall be abundantly fatisfied with the Fatness of thy Houfe; and thou shalt make

them

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