A32723:2936
Discourses upon the Existence and Attributes of God
Several discourses upon the existence and attributes of God by that late eminent minister in Christ, Mr. Stephen Charnocke ...
London: printed for D. Newman, 1682
Modern spelling is a reading aid: the words are the author’s, only the spelling is modernized. Original shows the page as printed, with the transcription marks.
8. The eighth Instruction; This renders God worthy to be obeyed and honoured. There is an Excellency in God, to allure, as well as Sovereignty to enjoin Obedience: The infinite Excellency of his Nature is so great, that if his Goodness had promised us nothing to encourage our Obedience, we ought to prefer him before our selves, devote our selves to serve him, and make his glory our greatest content; but much more when he hath given such admirable Expressions of his Liberality, and stored us with hopes of richer and fuller Streams of it. When David considered the Absolute Goodness of his Nature, and the Relative Goodness of his Benefits, he presently expresseth an ardent desire to be acquainted with the Divine Statutes, that he might make ingenuous returns in a dutiful observance;* Thou art good, and thou dost good, teach me thy Statutes. As his Goodness is the Original, so the acknowledgement of it is the end of all, which cannot be without an observance of his Will. His Goodness requires of us an ingenuous, not a servile Obedience.
8. The eighth Instruction; This renders God worthy to be obeyed and honour'd. There is an Excellency in God, to allure, as well as Soveraignty to enjoyn Obedience: The infinite Excellency of his Nature is so great, that if his Goodness had promised us nothing to encourage our Obedience, we ought to prefer him before our selves, devote our selves to serve him, and make his glory our greatest content; but much more when he hath given such admirable Expressions of his Liberality, and stor'd us with hopes of richer and fuller Streams of it. When David consider'd the Absolute Goodness of his Nature, and the Relative Goodness of his Benefits, he presently expresseth an ardent desire to be acquainted with the Divine Statutes, that he might make ingenuous returns in a dutiful observance;* Thou art good, and thou dost good, teach me thy Statutes. As his Goodness is the Original, so the acknowledgment of it is the end of all, which cannot be without an observance of his Will. His Goodness requires of us an ingenuous, not a servile Obedience.