[6.] The goodness of God is the great argument to move us to love God. If he be good, he is worthy to be loved, and that with a super- lative love ; for God is both the object and the measure of love. A less good should be loved less, and a greater good more. All that is not God is but a finite and limited good, and must be loved accordingly. God only is infinite and eternal, and therefore he is to be loved of all, and above all, wntli our chief est and most worthy love, by preferring his glory above all things that are dear to us, and being content for his sake to part with all that we have in the world. But if any lower thing prevail with us, we prefer it before God, and so contemn his goodness in comparison of it. If the object of love be good, none so properly deserveth our love as God. For (1.) He is originally good, the fountain of all good; therefore if we leave God for the deceitful vanities of this present life, we leave ' the fountain of living waters,' for a 'broken cistern,' Jer. ii. 13. The creatures are but dry pits and broken cisterns. (2.) He is summum honum, the chiefest good. Other things, what good they have, they have it from him ; therefore it is infinitely better and greater in him than in them ; all the good that is in the creature is but a spark of what is in God. If we find any good there, it is not to detain our aftections, but to lead us to the greater good, not to hold us from him, but to lead us to him, as the streams lead to the fountain, and the steps of a ladder are not to stand still upon, but that we may ascend higher. There is goodness in the creature, but mixed with imperfection ; the good is to draw to him, the imperfection to drive us off from the creature. (3.) He is in- finitely good. Other things may busy us and vex us, but they cannot satisfy us ; this alone sufficeth for health, wealth, peace, protection, grace, glory. Necessities that are not satisfied in God are but fancies, and the desires that are hurried out after them, apart from God, are not to be satisfied, but mortified. If we have not enough in God, it is not the default of our portion, but the distemper of our hearts. In choosing God for our portion, one hath not the less because another enjoyeth it with him : here is a sharing without division, and a par- taking without the prejudice of copartners. We straiten others in worldly things so much as we are enlarged ourselves ; finite things cannot be divided, but they must be lessened ; they are not large enough to be parted ; but every one possesseth all that is good in God w'ho liath God for his portion ; as the same speech may be heard of all, and yet no man heareth the less because others hear it with him, or as no man hath the less light because the sun shincth on more than hirhself : the Lord is all in all; tlie more we possess him the better. As in a choir of voices, every one is not only solaced with his own voice, but with the harmony of those that sing in concert with him. Many a fair stream is drawn dry by being dispersed into several" channels, but that which is infinite will suffice all. (4.) He is
244 SERMONS UPON PSALM cxix. [See, LXXVII.
eternally good : Ps. Ixxiii. 26, ' God is the streugth of my heart, and my portion forever.' The good things of this life are perishing and of a short continuance ; we leave other good things when we come to take full possession of God. At death wicked men perceive their error, when the good they have chosen cometh to be taken from them; hut a man that hath chosen God then entereth into the full possession of him ; that which others shun, he longeth for, waiting for that time when the creature shall cease, and God shall he all in all Oh ! let all these things persuade us to love God, and so to love him that our hearts may be drawn off from other things. Let us love him becau.'-e of the goodness and amiableness of his nature, because of his bounty in our creation, redemption, and daily providence, and because he will be our God for ever.
[7.] God's goodness is our consolation and support in all afflictions. God is a gracious father, and all that he doth is acts of grace and goodness ; even the sharpest of his administrations are absolutely the best for us: Ps. Ixxiii. 1, ' Truly God is good to Israel ;' all his work is good ; as in the six days, so in constant providence, it is either good or it will turn to good : Eom. viii. 28, ' All things shall work together for good to them that love God.' God may change our condition, yet he doth not change his affection to us ; he is all good, and doth that Avhich we shall find good at length.