A Body of Practical Divinity

1. He is an Universal Good; Bonum in quo omnia Bona. The Excellencies of the Creature are limited. A Man may have Health, not Beauty; Learning, not Parentage; Riches, not Wisdom: But in God are eminently contained all Excellencies: He is a Good commensurate fully to the Soul; he is a Sun, a Portion, an Horn of Salvation; in him dwells [Greek or Hebrew] all Fullness, Col. 1.19. 2. God is an Unmixed Good: No Condition in this Life but hath its mixture; for every drop of Honey, there is a drop of Gall. Solomon, who gave himself to find out this Philosopher's Stone▪ to search out for an Happiness here below, he found Vanity and Vexation, Eccles. 1.2. but God is a perfect, quintessential Good. He is sweetness in the Flower. 3. God is a Satisfying Good. The Soul cries out, I have enough. Psal. 17.15. I shall be satisfied with thy likeness; A Man that is thirsty, bring him to the Ocean, and he hath enough. If there be enough in God to satisfy the Angels, then sure enough to satisfy us. The Soul is but Finite, but God is an increase Infinite Good. And yet though God be such a Good as doth satisfy, yet not surfeit. Fresh Joys spring continually from God's Face; and God is as much desired after Millions of Years by Glorified Souls, as at the first moment. There is so much Fullness in God as satisfies, yet so much Sweetness that the Soul still desires; it is Satisfaction without Surfeit. 4. God is a delicious Good. That which is the chief Good must ravish the Soul with pleasure; there must be in it Spirits of Delight, and Quintessence of Joy; and this is to be enjoyed only in God. In Deo quadam dulcedine delectatur anima immo rapitur; the Love of God drops such infinite suavity into the Soul as is unspeakable and full of glory. If there be so much delight in God, when we see him only by Faith, 1 Pet. 1.8. what will the joy of Vision be when we shall see him face to face? If the Saints have found so much delight in God while they were Suffering, O then what Joy and Delight will they have when they are Crowning? If Flames are Beds of Roses, O then what will it be to lean on the Bosom of Jesus, what a Bed of Roses will that be? 5. God is a Superlative Good. He is better then any thing you can put in competition with him; he is better then Health, Riches, Honour. Other things maintain Life, he gives Life. But who would go to put any thing in Balance with the Deity?