The Lord is good to all, and his tender mercies are over all his works.

THE goodness of God has been a theme so frequently enlarged on, that, to discourse on it, may, perhaps, to many appear trite and common. But, in truth, neither can we speak too much on so excellent a subject, nor ought we ever to be weary in hearing it. The mind, indeed, may almost be pronounced to be distempered, if we do not even delight in any mention that is made of the divine goodness though, at the same time it must be confessed that the observance of the common prac

* Isaac Barrow was born 1630, and died 1677.

tice of mankind would induce us to think, that either this point is not well known, or but little believed, or, at least, not well considered. For, how could we be so void of love and gratitude to God, of faith and hope in him, were we thoroughly persuaded, that he is so infinitely good to us? How can we be so insensible of the benefits we enjoy, so distrustful of assistance in our wants, so dissatisfied and discontented with what befals us, if we seriously considered that all things are guided and governed by divine goodness? And how comes it to pass that, if they have such an opinion of God impressed upon their minds, men are so little anxious to resemble him in kindness, bounty and mercy to one another? How is it, in fine, that the most powerful inducement to the practice of virtue, and the weightiest aggravation of sin, have so little force and efficacy on us? To which may be added, that to discourse on this most amiable attribute of the Deity approaches the nearest to the formal exercise of the highest and most heavenly part of devotion, praise and thanksgiving. But, besides so many reasons, we have also the best examples; I will sing, says the Psalmist, of the mercies of the Lord; with my mouth will I make known thy faithfulness to all generations. Again; It is a good thing to give thanks unto the Lord, and to sing praises unto thy name, O thou most high: to show forth thy loving kindness in the morning, and thy faithfulness every night. And thus ear

nestly does he express his wishes that others would join him in this exercise of his devotion. Oh! that men would praise the Lord for his goodness, and for his wonderful works to the children of men. Praise the Lord, O give thanks unto the Lord, for he is good, for his mercy endureth for ever. This example alone, indeed, might sufficiently authorize the practice. But we have innumerable others to encourage us, even the whole choir of heaven; whose business and whose happiness it is to contemplate with their mind, and celebrate with their tongue, the goodness of Him whose throne is in the heavens, and whose kingdom ruleth over all. They rest not day and night, saying, Holy, holy, holy, Lord God Almighty, which was, and is, and is to come.

That God, the Lord and maker of all things, is infinitely good, the frame of nature and the course of Providence afford us sufficient reason to conceive; and frequent and express testimonies of holy Scripture fully demonstrate. There is no argument from natural effects, discernible by us, which prove God's existence, which does not, at the same time, convince us that he is most kind and benignant. The strongest arguments asserting the existence of a Deity, are deduced from the manifold and ma-. nifest indications of wisdom, skill, and design inthe general order, and in the particular frame of all the works of creation, the wonderful contrivance of each part, and the beautiful harmony of the

whole which no unprejudiced mind can possibly conceive should proceed from blind chance, or as blind necessity. When we consider the provision which is made for the necessary sustenance and relief, convenience and delight of every created being, we cannot but exclaim with the Psalmist, O Lord, how manifold are thy works; in wisdom hast thou made them all! so that we may also pronounce and acknowledge with him that the earth is full of the goodness of the Lord: the earth, O Lord, is full of thy mercy. Thy mercy is great unto the heavens! thy mercy is great ABOVE the heavens. Every thing we see, or taste, or smell, or hear; the useful, the wholesome, the agreeable; are so many indisputable arguments of the divine goodness. We not only collect it from our reason, but we even touch and feel it with all our senses.

A similar conclusion may be inferred from the consideration of divine providence. The general preservation of things in their natural constitution and order; the constant vicissitude of seasons, adapted to the supply of all our wants; the aids and consolations arising from mutual society; the encouragement and rewards of virtue; the restraint and chastisement of wickedness; to him that shall regard the works of the Lord, and the operation of his hands, sufficiently declare the goodness of God, and assure us that he is a friend to the welfare and happiness of mankind. He that shall well consider, how, amid so many fierce, crafty, and

domineering spirits, the weak and simple still subsist, and even have their share of pleasure, cannot but be convinced, that a hand, though undiscernible, yet full of pity and of bounty, conveys what is necessary, and diverts what is injurious to them; cannot but acknowledge it credible that God, in the words of the prophet, is a strength to the poor, a strength to the needy in his distress, a refuge from the storm, a shadow from the heat, when the blast of the terrible ones is as a storm against the wall. He that shall remark, how frequently succour and relief spring up to the innocent in the most unaccountable manner; how iniquity is checked · even in its fullest career; how many times the world is rescued from confusions, inextricable by any human power; must admit the secret interposition of transcendent goodness, and must be ready to acknowledge with the Psalmist-Verily there is a reward for the righteous, verily there is a God that judgeth the earth.

St. Paul informs us that in times past (that is, from the very beginning of the world) God did attest himself to be the Governor of the world. How? By his beneficence: giving to men rain from heaven, and fruitful seasons, filling their hearts with food and gladness. These, surely, are sufficient proofs of his all-bounteous Providence: though some have abused this testimony, and converted an argument, so valid in itself, to a directly contrary purpose; alledging, that, if God were the