Sermons preached

USE 1. Is to confute all Misapprehensions of God. It is the grand Design of Satan to lessen our Opinion of God's ⟨p. 296⟩Goodness. So he assaulted our first Parents, as if God (notwithstanding all his Goodness in their Creation) was envious of Mans Felicity and Happiness. And he hath not left off his old wont. He seeketh to hide God's Goodness, and to represent him as a God, that delighteth in our Destruction and Damnation, rather than in our Salvation; as if he were inexorable, and hardly entreated to do us good. And why? That we may stand aloof from God, and apprehend him as unlovely. Or if he cannot prevail so far, he tempteth us to poor unworthy mean thoughts of his Goodness and Mercy. Now we can not obviate the Temptation better, than by due reflections on his Love in giving his Son for the World. This showeth, that he is fuller of Mercy and Goodness than the Sun is of Light, or the Sea of Water. So great an Effect shows the greatness of the Cause. Wherefore did he express his Love in such a wonderful astonishing way, but that we might have higher and larger thoughts of his Goodness and Mercy. By other Effects we easily collect the Perfection of his Attributes; that his Power is Omnipotent, Rom. 1. 20. That his Knowledge is Omniscient, Heb. 4. 12, 13. And by this Effect it is easy to conceive, that his Love is infinite, or that God is Love.

USE 1. Is to confute all Misapprehensions of God. It is the grand Design of Satan to lessen our Opinion of God's ⟨p. 296⟩Goodness. So he assaulted our first Parents, as if God (notwithstanding all his Goodness in their Creation) was envious of Mans Felicity and Happiness. And he hath not left off his old wont. He seeketh to hide God's Goodness, and to represent him as a God, that delighteth in our Destruction and Damnation, rather than in our Salvation; as if he were inexorable, and hardly entreated to do us good. And why? That we may stand aloof from God, and apprehend him as unlovely. Or if he cannot prevail so far, he tempteth us to poor unworthy mean thoughts of his Goodness and Mercy. Now we can notobviate the Temptation better, than by due reflections on his Love in giving his Son for the World. This sheweth, that he is fuller of Mercy and Goodness than the Sun is of Light, or the Sea of Water. So great an Effect shews the greatness of the Cause. Wherefore did he express his Love in such a wonderful astonishing way, but that we might have higher and larger thoughts of his Goodness and Mercy. By other Effects we easily collect the Perfection of his Attributes; that his Power is Omnipotent,