THE PREFACE. W ORTHY conceptions, and a firm and habitual perfuafion of the Divine Benevolence, being of high importance to the credit, pleasure, and practice of religion; it is greatly to be defired that these should become universal. The writers who have treated this subject in the most judicious manner, have aimed more at the fatisfaction of the thoughtful and studious, than the instruction and conviction of the main Body of Christians, who yet are equally interested in this important doctrine. They have also omitted a diftinct and animating representation of the practical Consequences. The Author of the following discourses hath therefore endeavoured to set the evidences of this great doctrine in a Light easy to the understandings of the generality, still preferv ing their clearness and strength; and to af fist Persons in regarding the Works of God in a view, proper to raise their apprehenfions of the Divine Goodness, and to warm their hearts with an habitual sense of it, and engage them to live as always furrounded with the prefence and kindness of the best of Parents, well affected to their brethren, alike children of the great Father of Spirits, cheerfully resigned amidst the trials of Life, and serene and full of hope at death. This the Author can say, that to the firm belief, and frequent meditation of those interesting truths, which are included in the boundless benevolence of our Creator and Governor, he himself has been obliged for the most valuable satisfactions he hath known in life; and to these he owes it, that he can look forward to a future state with the noblest hopes. And if the publication of the following Discourses shall make these truths more cordially received, and their beneficial influence more felt, he shall greatly rejoice in the time and thought employed for these purposes. Whatever the event be, he he has the Satisfaction of having, according to his abilities, endeavoured to ferve the Honour of his Maker, and the best interest of his fellow creatures; and can therefore humbly commend these, with the other Difcourses on like important fubjects, to the Divine Bleffing, and to the candid perufal of the serious and judicious. CON SERMON I. The Divine Goodness explained. PSALM cxlv. 9. The Lord is good to all, SERMON IV. The creation of mankind a glorious instance and proof of the Divine PSALM viii. 5. Thou hast made him a little SERMON V. The Creator's goodness illuf- trated in various laws of the human con- SERMON VI. The goodness of Divine Pro- vidence to mankind in particular. MATTH. V. 45. He maketh his fun to rife |