The divine life in three treatises

2. The goodness of God must also encourage the soul to trust him. For Infinite good will not deceive us. Nor can we fear any hurt from him, but what we wilfully bring upon our selves. If I knew but which were the best and most Loving man in the world, I could trust him above all men; and I should not fear any injury from him. How many friends have I that I dare trust with my estate and life, because I know that they have Love and goodness in their low degree! And shall I not trust the Blessed God, that is Love it self and Infinitely good? what ever he will be in Justice to the ungodly, I am sure he delighteth not in the death of sinners, but rather that they turn and live; and that he will not cast off the soul that Loveth him, and would fain be fully conformed to his will. It cannot be that he should spurn at them that are humbled at his feet, and long, and pray, and seek, and mourn after nothing more then his grace and love! Think not of God as if he were scanter of love and goodness, then the Creature is: If you have high and confident thoughts of the goodness and fidelity of any man on earth, and dare quietly trust him with your life and all; see that you have much higher thoughts of God, and trust him with greater confidence, left you set him below the silly creature in the Attributes of his goodness, which his Glory and your Happiness require you to know.

3. The Infinite goodness of God, must call off our hearts from the inordinate Love of all created good whatever. Who would ⟨p. 68⟩stoop so low as earth, that may converse with God? And who would feed on such poor delights that hath tasted the graciousness of the Lord? Nothing more sure then that the Love of God doth not reign in that soul, where the Love of the world, or of fleshly lust, or pleasure reigneth, 1 John 2. 15. Had worldlings, or sensual, or ambitious men, but truly known the goodness of the Lord, they could never have so fallen in Love with those deceitful vanities. If we could but open their eyes to see the Loveliness of their Redeemer, they would soon be weaned from other Loves. Would you conquer the Love of Riches, or Honour, or any thing else that corrupteth your affections? O try this sure and powerful way! Draw nigh to God, and take the fullest view thou canst, in thy most serious Meditation of his Infinite goodness, and all things else will be vile in thy esteem, and thy heart will soon contemn them and forget them, and thou wilt never dote upon them more.