Discourses upon the Existence and Attributes of God

Again, Though the Scripture was written upon several occasions, yet in the dictating of it, the Goodness of God cast his Eye upon the last Ages of the World,^* They are written for our admonition, upon whom the end• of the World are come. It was given to the Israelites, but Divine Goodness intended it for the future Gentiles. The old Writings of the Prophets were thus designed, much more the later Writings of the Apostles. Thus did Divine Goodness think of us, and prepare his Records for us, before we were in the World: These he hath written plain for our instruction, and wrapped up in them, what is necessary for our Salvation: 'Tis clear to inform our Understanding, and rich to comfort us in our Misery: 'Tis a Light to guide us, and a Cordial to refresh us; 'Tis a Lamp to our Feet, and a Medicine for our Diseases; a Purifier of our Filth, and a Restorer of us in our faintings. He hath by his Goodness sealed the truth of it, by his efficacy on multitudes of Men: He hath made it the Word of Regeneration^*. Men wilder, and more monstrous than Beasts, have been tamed and changed by the power of it: It hath raised multitudes of dead Men from a Grave fuller of horror than any Earthly one. Again, Goodness was in all ages sending his Letters of Advice and Counsel from Heaven, till the Canon of the Scripture was closed; Sometimes he wrote to chide a froward People, sometimes to cheer up an oppressed and disconsolate People, according to the State wherein they were; as we may observe by the several Seasons wherein parts of Scripture were written. It was his Goodness that he first revealed any thing of his Will after the Fall; it was a further degree of Goodness, that he would add more Cubits to its Stature; before he would lay aside his Pencil it grew up to that bulk, wherein we have it. And his Goodness is further seen in the preserving it; He hath triumphed over the powers that opposed it, and showed ⟨p. 654⟩himself good in the Instruments that propagated it: He hath maintained it against the blasts of Hell, and spread it in all Languages against the obstructions of Men and Devils. The Sun of his Word is by his kindness preserved in our Horizon, as well as the Sun in the Heavens. How admirable is Divine Goodness! He hath sent his Son to die for us, and his written Word to instruct us, and his Spirit to edge it for an entrance into our Souls: