Discourses upon the Existence and Attributes of God

4. A sense of the Divine Goodness, would make us patient under our Miseries. A deep sense of this, would make us give God the honour of his Goodness in whatsoever he doth, though the reason of his actions be not apparent to us, nor the event and issue of his proceedings foreseen by us. 'Tis a stated case, that goodness can never intend ill, but designs good in all its acts, to them that love God^*: Nay, he always designs the best; when he bestows any thins upon his People, he sees it best, they should have it; and when he removes any thing from them, he sees it best, they should lose it. When we have lost a thing, we loved, and refuse to be comforted, a sense of this Perfection, which acts God in all, would keep us from misjudging our sufferings, and measuring the intention of the hand, that sent them, by the sharpness of what we feel. What Patient fully persuaded of the affection of the Physician, would not value him, though that ⟨p. 689⟩which is given to purge out the Humours, racks his Bowels? When we lose, what we love, perhaps it was some outward lustre tickled our apprehensions, and we did not see the Viper, we would have harmed our selves by; but God seeing it, snatched it from us, and we mutter, as if he had been Cruel, and deprived us of the good we imagined, when he was kind to us, and freed us from the hurt, we should certainly have felt. We should regard that, which in goodness he takes from us, at no other rate than some gilded Poison, and lurking Venom; The sufferings of Men though upon high provocations, are often followed with rich Mercies, and many times are intended as preparations for greater goodness. When God utters that Rhetoric of his Bowels,^* How shall I give thee up Oh Ephraim, I will not execute the fierceness of my anger! he intended them Mercy in their Captivity, and would prepare them by it, to walk after the Lord. And it is likely, the Posterity of those Ten Tribes were the first that ran to God, upon the publishing the Gospel, in the places where they lived: He doth not take away himself, when he takes away outward Comforts: While he snatcheth away the Rattles we play with, he hath a Breast in himself, for us to suck. The consideration of his Goodness, would dispose us to a composed frame of Spirit. If we are sick, 'tis Goodness it is a Disease, and not a Hell. 'Tis Goodness, that it is a Cloud, and not a total Darkness.