of such as are to be the eternal subjects of God's goodness is implied
and a merciful God." Ps. 6:4, "Return O Lord, deliver my soul: O save me for thy mercies' sake." Ps. 31:16, "Make thy face to shine upon thy servant: save me for thy mercies' sake." Ps. 44:26, "Arise for our help; redeem us for thy mercies' sake." And here it may be observed, after what a remarkable manner God speaks of his love to the children of Israel in the wilderness, as though his love were for love's sake, and his goodness were its own end and motive. Deut. 7:7–8, "The Lord did not set his love upon you, nor choose you, because ye were more in number than any people, for ye were the fewest of all people; but because the Lord loved you."
4. That the government of the world, in all parts of it, is for the good of such as are to be the eternal subjects of God's goodness is implied in what the Scripture teaches us of Christ's being set at God's right hand, made king of angels and men; set at the head of the universe, having all power given him in heaven and earth, to that end that he may promote their happiness; being made head over all things to the church, and having the government of the whole creation for their good. Christ mentions it, Mark 2:27–28, as the reason why the Son of Man is made Lord of the Sabbath, that "the Sabbath was made for man." And if so, we may in like manner argue, that all things were made for man, that the Son of Man is made Lord of all things.
5. That God uses the whole creation, in his whole government of it, for the good of his people, is most elegantly represented in Deut. 33:26. "There is none like the God of Jeshurun, who rideth on the heavens in thine help, and in his excellency on the sky." The whole universe is a machine which God hath made for his own use, to be his chariot for him to ride in; as is represented in Ezekiel's vision. In this chariot God's seat or throne is heaven, where he sits, who uses and governs and rides in this chariot, Ezek. 1:22, 26–28. The inferior part of the creation, this visible universe, subject to such continual