Discourses upon the Existence and Attributes of God

1. By his Absolute Goodness, or the Goodness of his Nature. Suppose a Creature had drawn its Original from something else, wherein God had no influx; and had never received the least mite of a benefit from him, but from some other hand, yet the infinite Excellency and goodness of his Nature, would merit the love of that Creature, and it would act sordidly and disingenuously, if it did not discover a mighty Respect for God: For what ingenuity could there be in a Rational Creature, that were possessed with no esteem for any Nature filled with unbounded goodness and Excellency, though he had never been obliged to him for any favour? That Man is accounted odious, and justly despicable by Man, that reproaches and disesteems, nay, that doth not value a Person of a high Virtue in himself, and an universal goodness and Charity to others, though himself never stood in need of his Charity, and never had any benefit conveyed from his hands, nor ever saw his face, or had any commerce with him: A value of such a Person is but a just due to the natural claim of Virtue. And indeed, the first Object of Love is God in the Excellency of his own Nature, as the first Object of Love in Marriage, is the Person; the Portion is a thing consequent upon it. To love God only for his Benefits, is to love our selves first, and him secondarily: To love God for his own Goodness and Excellency, is a true love of God; a love of him for himself. That flaming Fire in his own Breast, though we have not a Spark of it, hath a right to kindle one in ours to him.

1. By his Absolute Goodness, or the Goodness of his Nature. Suppose a Creature had drawn its Original from something else, wherein God had no influx; and had never received the least mite of a benefit from him, but from some other hand, yet the infinite Excellency and goodness of his Nature, would merit the love of that Creature, and it would act sordidly and disingenuously, if it did not discover a mighty Respect for God: For what ingenuity could there be in a Rational Creature, that were possessed with no esteem for any Nature fill'd with unbounded goodness and Excellency, though he had never been oblig'd to him for any favour? That Man is accounted odious, and justly despicable by Man, that reproaches and disesteems, nay, that doth not value a Person of a high Vertue in himself, and an universal goodness and Charity to others, though himself never stood in need of his Charity, and never had any benefit conveyed from his hands, nor ever saw his face, or had any commerce with him: A value of such a Person is but a just due to the natural claim of Vertue. And indeed, the first Object of Love is God in the Excellency of his own Nature, as the first Object of Love in Marriage, is the Person; the Portion is a thing consequent upon it. To love God only for his Benefits, is to love our selves first, and him secondarily: To love God for his own Goodness and Excellency, is a true love of God; a love of him for himself. That flaming Fire in his own Breast, though we have not a Spark of it, hath a right to kindle one in ours to him.