An exposition of certayne words of S. Paule, to the Romaynes, entiteled by an old wryter Hugo. A treatise of the workes of three dayes. Also an other worke of the truth of Christes naturall body. By Richarde Coortesse Docter of Diuinitie, and Bishop of Chichester

❧ The tenth branch.

I Haue spoken of the infinitenesse of creatures and bewty, as I could, but not as I would.

Now must I intreate of the profyta∣blenesse of the same.

The profytablenesse looketh to four•• things.

Néedefulnesse, Commodiousnesse, Con∣••••••ientnesse, and Delightsomnesse.

That is necessary to euery thing, without the which the same cannot wel be. As in the diet of man, bread and wa∣ter, in his apparell, cloth or leather, or some such Garmentes.

That is commodious, which although it carry with it sometimes a further de∣light, yet without that a man may liue: As in the diet of man, wyne and Flesh, in his apparell, Silke and fine Linnen, and such other softe apparell.

That is méete and conuenient, which though it be not profytable to the vsers, yet it is séemely to the vse, as colloures, and precious stones, and such like.

That is delightsome, which is not to any great vse, and yet is pleasaunte to the shew, as hearbes, and flowers, cer∣taine beastes, and fyshes, and such like.

It is worthy searching out, why God would make those thinges, which he foresaw would not be necessary for the vse of man, for whō he made all things. But this will soone appeare, if we con∣sider of the cause and manner of mans

estate.

God made man for himselfe, and al o∣ther thinges for man.

God made man for him selfe, not be∣cause he néeded man, but to geue him∣selfe to be inioye•• of man, because he could geue no better thing.

Ech other creature is so made, that both it is subiect to man by the state, and lyable to his profyte. So man being set as it were in the middest, hath God a∣boue him, & the world vnderneath him. And by body is ioyned downeward to the world, but by the spirite he is lifted vpward to God. And therefore it was necessary that the state of thinges seene should be so appoynted, that man might by them outwardly see, which a thing the vnséene good were, which he ought outwardly to desyre, that is to say, that he might see in the world below, what he should desyre in heauen aboue.

Therefore it were not conueniente, that there should be any want of things seene, to this end and purpose, that the plentifulnesse of the same, might shew•• the inestimable abundaunce of euerla∣sting

good thinges. This is the cause, why as I haue sayd, God would also make thinges, which he foresaw, should not be necessary for the vse of man.

For if GOD had geuen man one•••• thinges necessary, he should haue shew∣ed himselfe good, but not rich. But now that he geueth ouer and aboue necessary thinges, also commodious, he sheweth the riches of his goodnesse. But when ••e putteth to thinges necessary, and com∣modious, also thinges conuenient, he sheweth the aboundaunt riches of his goodnesse. And fynally when to those thrée, he addeth thinges delight some, what doth he else but make knowne the aboue aboundant riches of his goodnes.