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THE GOODNESS OF GOD
THE perfections of God, if considered only in a speculative view, must excite our admiration; but, if contemplated in reference to our state and conduct, they will be to us a source of unspeakable comfort, and a spring of incessant activity. What emotions a knowledge of the Divine goodness will produce in the soul, we see in the words before us; in discoursing upon which we shall notice,
I. The goodness of God—
In conformity with the text, we shall call your attention to,
1. His essential goodness—
[This is not an indiscriminate regard to all, whether they be good or evil; for such a regard would not consist with justice, or holiness, or truth: but it is a general benevolence towards the whole creation, operating incessantly for the good of the whole. The manner in which it discovers itself is as various as the states of men: but, however diversified its operations may be, it is the same principle in God. It is the sum of all his perfections: towards the undeserving it is grace; and to the ill-deserving, mercy: to the indigent it is bounty; to the distressed, pity and compassion: towards the impenitent it is forbearance; and to the obstinate and incorrigible it is justice. This is the view which God himself gives us of his goodness [Note: Moses prays for a sight of God’s glory; God promises to shew him his goodness; and then represents it as consisting in an united exercise of all his perfections. Exo_33:18-19; Exo_34:6-7.]; and, in this view, it resides in him necessarily, in him only, and in him continually.]
2. His communicative goodness—
[This he manifests to the world at large. When first he created the world, he formed every thing “very good.” And if we look around us, we shall be constrained to say, “The earth is full of his goodness.”
Towards man in particular, his goodness is more abundantly displayed. Towards the ungodly he has shewn it, by giving his only dear Son to die for them, and his good Spirit to instruct them: yea, he has set apart an order of men also to entreat them in his name to accept the proffered salvation. Towards the godly he has abounded yet still more in the exceeding riches of his grace: for, in addition to all that he has done for the ungodly, he has made his word effectual for their conversion; and he watches over them with paternal care, supplying all their wants, and protecting them in all their dangers; and, to complete the whole, he will crown them finally with his glory [Note: Psa_103:1-5.].]
Such a view of God as this cannot but lead us to adopt,
II. The petition grounded upon it—
The petition itself is such as all ought to offer for themselves—
[By “the statutes” of God we understand both the truths he has revealed, and the precepts he has enjoined. Of these we are by nature ignorant; nor can we by mere human exertions ever acquire a right understanding of them [Note: 1Co_2:14.]. We must be taught of God: our eyes must be opened by his Spirit: then only shall we keep his statutes, when God himself shall “write them on the fleshy tables of our hearts.”]
But the petition has peculiar force as grounded on a discovery of God’s goodness; for, in that, as in a glass, we see,
1. Our duties—
[The law of God primarily declares our duty towards him: but none ever attain a just knowledge of that duty from the law alone; they cannot see the necessity of loving God with all their hearts, till they have some idea of the obligations they lie under to him for the stupendous work of redemption. But let the love of God in Christ Jesus be once clearly revealed to the soul, and the excellency of the law will instantly appear; and obedience to it will be considered as perfect freedom.]
2. Our defects—
[We are naturally averse to acknowledge our vileness and wickedness. But a sight of the Divine goodness softens the mind, and renders it ingenuous. Hence the more we are acquainted with God, the more we know of ourselves; and the more we have experienced of his love, the more we “abhor ourselves for our ingratitude to him, and our want of conformity to his image [Note: Job_42:5-6. Eze_16:63.].”]
3. Our encouragements—
[Wherever we look, we have no encouragement but in God. Indeed, if only we be acquainted with his goodness, we want no other encouragement: for, what will not He do, who is so good in himself? and what will He refuse us, who has done so much for us already [Note: Rom_8:32.]? Such considerations as these are sufficient to counterbalance every difficulty that the world, or the flesh, or the devil can place in our way. Having this God for our God, we can want nothing for time or for eternity.]