not willing that any should perish, but that all should come to Repentance; and therefore he defers the Execution of his Vengeance, and his Long-Juffering to usward, that fo we may at length bear and abey his Voice, and qualify ourselves to enter into his Reft.

Thirdly and Laftly, The Goodnels of God receives the higheft Illuftration from the Redemption of the World by our Lord JESUS CHRIST. Although Man fell from the blissful Abode in which he was feated and by finning defaced God's Image that was ftamped upon his Soul; notwithftanding this Ingratitude and High-Treafon against Heaven, he was re-admitted into Favour, and put in a Capacity of obtaining a Poffeffion in it. The fame Chapter of the Bible which gives an Account of his Fall, doth alfo relate his Recovery. The fame Chapter which records his Breach of the firft Covenant, doth alfo regifter God's entring into the fecond with him. Nay, before we come to the condemnatory Sentence which God pronounced for that Violation, we read his Promife, that the Seed of the Wo man should bruife the Serpent's Lead. All which you may fee at large in the third Chapter of the Book of Genefis.

And

And when the Fullness of Time was come, God fo loved the World, that he lent forth his Son made of a Woman, that the World through bim might be faved. And can there be a greater Evidence of divine Goodness than this? Could this Attribute be more glorioufly difplay'd than by fuch an Action?

Confidering the Mifery from which we are redeemed, and the Happiness which is procured for us, we cannot but acknowledge God's fingular Love and Goodness, even in the bare Act of Redemption But that he should accomplish it in fuch an astonishing Manner! That his only begotten Son, he who was God of God, Light of Light, very God of very God; that be thould leave the Throne of his Glory; difrobe himself of all the outward Marks of his Majefty; and cloath himfelf with Flesh and Blood in order to work it out! That he who was Rich fhould for our Sakes become Poor, that we through his Poverty might be Rich! That be who was Immortal (hould fubmit to aflume our mortal Nature, and endure in it a great Fight of Afflictions, and at length die a moft painful and ignominious Death; that we might live for ever, that we might be exempted from everlafting

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lafting Mifery, and enjoy eternal Happinefs,how unfathomable is this Grace? What an unfearchable Depth of Love and Goodness is this? God could have no private View; no Design of encreafing his own Happiness; no; That was from all Eternity infinite, and therefore as little capable of being encreas'd, as diminifl'd. But all this Humility and Abafement, all this ftupendous Condefcenfion, all these Miracles of Mercy were in Pity and Compaffion to the Milery of his Creatures. 'Twas for us Men and for our Salvation, that he came down from Heaven,' › took upon him the Form of a Servant, and became obedient to Death, even the Death of the Cross

And thus I have gone through what I at first propofed I fhall now draw fome ufeful Inferences from what hath been delivered, and fo conclude. And

First, From the foregoing Difcourfe we may infer the Nobleness of being good natured and generous; of wifhing well to all Men, and doing good to as many as we can. For by thefe Qualities, we are conformed to the Divine Nature, and made like unto the beft of Beings. And can any thing be more noble than to be like unto God: Or can anything derive to

us

us fo much Glory, as to do as the King of Glory doth? He reckons his greatest Honour and Excellency, to confift in his Artribute of Goodness. And therefore if we imitate That: If we open our Hands wide to relieve the needy; if we contribute with a free Heart, to advance the Satisfaction of our Brethren; and are ready to oblige all Men as far as is juft and equitable; we must needs be proportionably brave and glorious; our Perfons cannot but be greatly honour'd and ennobled. The more we resemble the Supreme Being, the more honourable and illuftrious we muft of neceffity be; but now the more Generous and Goodnatur'd we are; the more we shall refemble him.

Whereas on the other Hand, nothing can be more unlike and contrary to him, than Selfishness and Ill-nature. These are Properties which God utterly loaths and abhors; as rendring thofe that are governed by them, Paltry and Mean, Earthly and Develifh. God Almighty made us fociable Creatures and defign'd that we thould fet forward one another's Welfare. So that if we lay groveling upon the Earth, like Muck-worms: If we gripe from others as much as we can: And if we bear any body ill-will: In short, if we L 3

are

are cross to one another; and unwihing poldo each other what good Offices we are able; 'tis plain, that we don't regard at main End of our Creation; that we make ourselves little and contemptible; and transcribe upon our Minds the Dif pofition of the grand Apoflater.

Thefe are Thoughts, which if dulgrana tended to, may unclinch the closest Filt; enlarge the narrowelt Heart; and render them as Generous and Good-natur'd, as one would with. Let us then think them over and over again with ourselves, that fo they may have their kind Influence upon us: And whenever we perceive in us any Motions to Unkindness or Kindness; let us remember for our Difcouragement from the Former, and Encouragement to the Latter; that to be Selfifh and Ill-natired, is to be Mean, Earthly, Devilish; But to be Generous and Good-natur'd, is to be Noble, Heavenly, God-likes

Secondly, From the foregoing Difcourse, we may infer the prodigious Wickedness and Folly of willful and impenitent Sinners. The Goodness of God doth mightily enhance the Guilt of bad Men, and mak eth their Sins to become the more exceeding Sinful To live without having Re(pect to his Laws, at whofe Hands we