fervently afk it, or more diligently use it. And fo now I come to,

II. The Second Thing I propofed to confider, namely, that God loves to be asked, and acknowledged, and waited upon, for the good Things which he is willing and ready to grant. There are three plain Reasons for this Doctrine; that it is abfolutely neceffary for his Honour, and for our Good, and for the right Government of the World.

(1.) First, I fay for God's Honour. Suppose a Prince ever fo merciful, would it be confiftent with his Honour to pardon his rebellious Subjects, if they refused fo much as to beg Pardon, or to petition for any Favour? Or would it ftand with the Honour of any Father, to receive a rebellious Son into Favour, while he refufes to fubmit, and fcorns to afk any Favour of him? The utmost we can fuppofe to be honourable for the tenderest Prince or Parent in such a Cafe, is, to declare their Willingness and Readiness, upon the rebellious Subject's or Son's returning to his Duty, to forgive what is past, and to receive him into Favour for the Time to come; and this God has amply done in the Gospel. But ftill there must be a Submiffion on the Part of the Tranfgreffor, otherwise it is no Way honourable for the Prince or Parent actually to quit their Resentment, and to receive into Favour fuch rebellious Children or Subjects.

(2.) It is neceffary likewise, for the Good of the Perfons themselves, that God fhould treat them in this Manner. To grant them their Requefts, while they stand out in Rebellion, or to

M 3

think

think to make them happy, without addreffing God, or in any other Manner than by drawing near to him, is a Repugnancy and Contradiction in itself, which it is not poffible to reconcile, except Man were a more ignoble Creature, and incapable of knowing and loving God. And,

(3.) It is abfolutely neceffary for the right Government of the World. For if Men could obtain all good Things, without addreffing to God for them, would not this be great Encouragement to wicked Men not to draw near to God, and to ftand out in Rebellion against him? Would not this introduce an utter Confufion into the Government of the World; and by perverting the due Ufe of Rewards and Punishments, cut off that comely Order which God hath established, that Duty and Reward, and Sin and Punishment, fhould go together? So now I am come to,

III. The third and laft Thing which I propofed to confider; namely, what Duties are incumbent upon us, from the Knowledge and Belief of this paternal Affection in God, toward his poor Creatures. A great many noble Duties flow from this Doctrine, not only with Relation to Almighty God, but with Relation to our Neighbours. I fhall endeavour to put you in mind of the chief of them, that we may not be barren, but fruitful in the Knowledge of God, and of his Son Jefus Chrift our Lord.

1. First then, from hence will very naturally follow that great Duty, which is the Sum and Substance of all our Duty to God, namely, the loving of him out of Gratitude, with all our

Heart

Heart and Soul, and Mind and Strength. If we preserve in our Minds this Notion of God, that he is affected to us his Creatures, as a loving Father is to his own Child, this joined with his other Excellencies and Perfections, muft be a powerful Inducement to us to love him again. For what more lovely Object can poffibly be fo much as imagined, than unerring Wisdom and Almighty Power, in the Management of fuch a paternal Inclination to us, and Propenfion to do us good, as the most loving Father has to his own Son ?

I am the more willing to take notice of this in the first Place, becaufe fuch an earnest drawing near to God, as is here preft, seems to me to be a very comprehenfive Duty; fo comprehensive indeed, as to take in the whole Duty that Man owes to God; as the next Verfe takes in the Whole of our Duty to our Neighbour. For Proof of this, I need fay no more than I have juft now faid, while I fhewed you that it teaches us the Love of God, which you know our Saviour made the Šum and Subftance of our Duty to God, which is taught us in the first Table of the Law; as the Love of our Neighbour is the Sum and Substance of our Duty to our Neighbour, taught in the fecond Table. But I fhall endeavour to give more particular Satisfaction as to this fame Notion, by a brief Induction of the chief Duties we owe to Almighty God; and by fhewing you, that they all flow from this lovely Notion of God, here given in the Text.

1. Faith is a fundamental Duty we owe to God; now as this is neceffarily presupposed as the Foundation of our Prayers; for he that comes to God, muft believe that he is, and that he is the Rewarder of them who diligently feek him; Heb. xi. 6. fo it is chiefly converfant about his Goodnefs; one Instance of which, namely, his fending Chrift into the World to bring us to Heaven, is the Foundation of all our Faith.

2. Obedience naturally flows from our Belief of the Goodness of God; for who can it be due to, except to the fupreme Being, who lays upon us fo many Obligations of Love and Gratitude? Among Men, a Superior, who, to his Power and Authority, adds the Endearments of Love and Goodness, with what Pleasure are his Commands received and obeyed? And if Greatness and Goodness, when they are in Conjunction, are fo much refpected and obeyed in a mortal Man, where the Effects of them, as to us, are fo foon at an End; how much more ought they to be fo in the living God, of whofe Goodness we hope to reap the good Effects to all Eternity?

3. This Goodness is the great Ground of our Hope. For we cannot but believe that a moft loving, merciful Father, feeks the Good of his Children; and we are all his Children both by Creation and Redemption; and nothing can bind up the Bowels of God's Mercy toward us, but our own Undutifulness. What greater Encouragement can there be to hope in God, than that he accepts of all our fincere Performances with the good Will of a Father? If a Father perceives a Readiness in his Child to ferve him; if he does but offer at many Services, though he

has

has not Strength to accomplish them, he accepts the Will for the Deed; and if the Child errs in many Things, whether through Weakness of Understanding, or Defect of Memory; then it is our Comfort, that like as a Father pitieth his Children, fo the Lord pitieth them that fear him, Pfal. ciii. 13. It is our great Comfort, I fay, that all our Actions are interpreted with the Love of a Parent, and not strictly scanned with the Criticalness of a Judge. Miftake me not, as if I meant that God looks upon our Actions with a blind Indulgence, which hinders many Parents from perceiving their Childrens Faults, or correcting them; all I mean is, that he bears a true paternal Affection to us, and provided we are dutiful, not rebellious Children, that he will excuse our Sins of Weakness and Ignorance, and accept of our very imperfect Duties, proceeding from a fincere Love and Affection to him. And likewife for a Remedy of the Imperfection of our Services, that he is ready and willing, if we duly apply to him for it, to bestow upon us all Grace requifite to render our Obedience more acceptable. What can we defire further for our Encouragement, than that this Grace, which facilitates all Duty, fhould be in the Disposal of our heavenly Father, and that we may have it, by due Application to him, through the Mediation of Jefus Chrift; and that he should be wellpleased with these our Addreffes, and as defirous to bestow Grace upon us, if we are duly qualified to ask and use it, as we can be defirous to have it?

4. A true Senfe of the Goodness of God, is the greatest Ground of our Fear of him; I mean, that filial reverential Fear, which is joined with

Love