Now this goodness of God's or his bounty, is twofold —
1. Common and general to all creatures, especially to mankind: Ps. cxlv. 9, ' The Lord is good to all, and his tender mercies are over all his works;' to all things, to all persons, he bestoweth many common blessings upon them, as natural life and being, health, wealth, and the like. Nay, he is good to the young ravens : Ps. cxlvii. 9, ' He giveth to the beast his food, and to the young ravens which cry.' He is good to wicked men : Mat. v. 4.5, ' He maketh his sun to rise on the evil and on the good, and sendeth rain on the just and on the unjust.' Nay, even to idolaters : Acts xiv. 17, ' He left not himself without witness, in that he did good, and gave them rain from heaven, and fruitful seasons, filling their hearts with food and gladness.' God might have testified his godhead and being by acts of vengeance, but he would rather among the heathens testify it by acts of bounty ; though they were a bad people, yet they had a good God.
2. His more especial goodness towards his church and faithful people, whom he blesseth with spiritual and saving benefits in Christ. So it is said, Ps. Ixxxiv. 11,' No good thing will he withhold from them that walk uprightly ; ' Lam. iii. 25, ' The Lord is good unto them that wait for him, to the soul that seeketh him.' There is a peculiar goodness which God hath to his people, and all his blessings to them come from it: 2 Thes. i. 11, ' That God would fulfil all the good pleasure of his goodness.'
Use 1. The consideration of his goodness is matter of great comfort to the godly and faithful at all times but especially in the time of
432 SERMONS UPON MARK X. 17-27. [SeR. II.
trouble and distress. At all times : Ps. c. 5, ' For the Lord is good, his mercy is everlasting, and his truth enduretli to all generations.' Here is the stability of the saints, which keeps them in life, and heart, and comfort in all conditions, but especially in a time of want and afEictions, inward or outward. It is a great cordial of the saints to think of the goodness of God. Do we want direction ? Ps. cxix, Q8, ' Thou art good, and doest good; teach me thy statutes.' Do we want support and deliverance ? Nahum i. 7, ' The Lord is good, a strong- hold in the day of trouble, and he knoweth tliem that trust in him.' Do we feel the burden of sin, or do we fear the wrath of God ? Ps. Ixxxvi. 5, ' For thou, Lord, art good, and ready to forgive.' When his old sins troubled him : Ps. xxv. 7, ' Eemeraber not the sins of my youth, nor my transgressions ; according to thy mercy, remember me for thy goodness' sake, 0 Lord.' Do enemies insult, and boast, and threaten much? Ps. Hi. 1, 'Why boastest thou thyself in mischief, 0 mighty man ? the goodness of God enduretli continually.' Though they have never so much might and power, and do never so much machinate against you, yet they cannot take away the goodness of God, therefore you have no cause to be discouraged. God may seem to break down the hedge, and forget his poor servants, and leave them as a prey to their enemies, yet he changeth not his affection to them. In the agonies of death here is our cordial and support. Austin, when he came to die, had this speech to those that were about him, Non sic vixi, ut me picdeat inter vos vivere, nee mori timeo, quia honum habeo Dominum — I have not so lived as that I should be ashamed to live among you, and I have not so believed as that I am afraid to die, for I have a good God. This supports us, and is a very great cordial to our heart ; he is a good God to all that put their trust in him.
Use 2. Let it move all to repentance : Rom. ii. 4, ' Despisest thou the riches of his goodness, and forbearance, and long-sufi'ering ; not knowing that the goodness of God leadeth thee to repentance ? ' God is good, but not to those that continue in their sins. There is hope offered. Oh ! come, try, see how good he will be to you : Ps. xxxiv. 8, ' 0 taste, and see that the Lord is good ; blessed is the man that trusteth in him.' If goodness be despised, it will turn into fury. In point of gratitude the goodness of God should melt our hearts into godly sorrow for sin. The kindness from men melteth us, it is as coals of fire, as fire melts a thing, and makes it capable of any impres- sion. The borrower is a servant to the lender. God hath not lent, but given us all that we have. Oh ! let it break our hearts with sorrow that we should offend so good and bountiful a God. Saul had but a rough military spirit, yet when he heard how kind David had been to him in sparing his life, ' He lift up his voice and wept,' 1 Sam. xxiv. 16. Me thinks when we hear how good God hath been to us all our days, this should make us ashamed of the insolences and abuses we have put upon him. Every man will condemn him that wrongs one that never hurt him. God hath done us no hurt, but a great deal of good. What ! will you sin against God, that is so good in himself, and so good to all his creatures, and return evil for all his goodness to you ? I beseech you by the mercies of God, deal not so unkindly ; how can you sin against him, and abuse all his mercies ?