Discourses upon the Existence and Attributes of God

The neglect or refusal in a Malefactor to supplicate for his Pardon, is a wrong to, and contempt of the Princes goodness: Either implying, that he hath not a goodness in his Nature worthy of an Address, or that he scorns to be obliged to him for any Exercise of it.

The neglect or refusal in a Malefactor to supplicate for his Pardon, is a wrong to, and contempt of the Princes goodness: Either implying, that he hath not a goodness in his Nature worthy of an Address, or that he scorns to be oblig'd to him for any Exercise of it.

6. The Goodness of God is contemned or abused, in relying upon our Services, to procure Gods good Will to us. ^*As when we stand in need either of some particular Mercy, or special Assistance: When Pressures are heavy, and we have little hopes of ease in an ordinary way: When the Devotions in course have not prevailed for what we want: We engage our selves by extraordinary Vows and Promises to God, hereby to open that Goodness, which seems to be locked up from us. Sometimes indeed Vows may proceed from a sole desire, to engage our selves to God, from a sense of the levity and inconstancy of our Spirits: Binding our selves to God by something more sacred and inviolable than a common Resolution. But many times the Vowing the building of a Temple, Endowing an Hospital, giving so much in Alms, if God will free them from a Fit of Sickness, and spin out the thread of their Lives a little longer, (as hath been frequent among the Romanists) arises from an opinion of Laziness, and a Selfishness in the Divine Goodness; that it must be squeezed out by some solemn Promises of Returns to him, before it will exercise it self to take their parts. Popular Vows are often the effects of an ignorance of the free and bubbling Nature of this Perfection of the Generousness and Royalty of Divine Goodness: As if God were of a mean and Mechanic Temper, not to part with any thing, unless he were in some measure paid for it: And of so bad a Nature, as not to give passage to any kindness to his Creature without a Bribe. It implies also, that