A treatise of the divine essence and attributes. By Thomas Iackson Doctor in Divinitie, chaplaine to his Majestie in ordinary, and vicar of S. Nicolas Church in the towne of Newcastle upon Tyne. The first part

CHAP. 11.

Of transcendentall goodnesse: and of the infinity of it in the Divine nature.

1 IF in assigning reasons of Ma∣ximes or proverbiall spee∣ches, wee might not bee thought to fetch light be∣yond the Sunne; we should say, Life unto things living is therefore sweet, because it is a principall stemme of being, as sweetnesse like∣wise is of goodnesse. However, we may resolve this Physicall Axiome, into a Metaphysicall: Omne ens qua ens est bonum; Vnto every thing, its owne proper being is good. Poyson, though noysome to man, to the Aspe is pleasant, so is venome to the Toad, and the Adder delighteth in his sting. In things inani∣mate, there should be no reluctance of contrary or hostile qualities, unlesse each had a kinde of grate∣full right or interest in their owne being, and were taught by nature to fight for it, as men doe for their lives or goods. This is that goodnesse which we call entitative or transcendentall. A goodnesse equally, alike truly communicated to al things that are, from his goodnesse who onely is; but not participated equally, or according to equality, by all. For as the

least vessell that is filled to the brimme, is as full as the greatest that can be, and yet the quantity of li∣quor contained in them equally full, is most une∣quall: So, albeit the entitative being of the Flye, Ant, or Worme, be unto them as good as mans be∣ing is to man: (For even the Ant or Flye being vext, or Wormes trod upon, will bewray their spleene, and labour as it were to right themselves for the losse or prejudice which they suffer in their Entitative goodnesse, by doing harmes to their tormentors) yet is mans being simply much better than the being of Ants or Wormes. And much worse were that Man, than any Beast, that with Gryllus in the Poet, would like to change his hu∣mane nature, for a bruitish. This excesse of entita∣tive goodnesse, by which one creature excelleth another, accreweth partly from the excellency of the specificall Nature of Entity which it accompa∣nieth; as there is more Entitative goodnesse is be∣ing a Man than in being a Lyon; and more in being a Lyon, than in being some inferiour ignoble Beast: it partly accreweth according to the greater or les∣ser measure, wherein severall creatures enjoy their specificall Nature. Men though by nature equall, are not equally happy, either in body or minde. Bodily life in it selfe is sweet, and is so apprehen∣ded by most; yet is lothsome to some; who (as we say) doe not enjoy themselves, as none of us fully doe. Sensitive appetites may be in some mea∣sure satisfied by course, not all at once. The com∣pleat fruition of goodnesse incident to one, defeats another (though capable of greater pleasure) for

the time, of what it most desires. Venter non habet aures, The Belly pinched with hunger must be satisfi∣ed with meat, so must the thirsty throat bee with drinke, before the eares can sucke in the pleasant sound of musicke, or the eye feed it selfe with fresh colours or proportions. Too much pampering bo∣dily senses, starves the minde; and deepe contem∣plation feedes the mind, but pines the body Of ma∣king many Bookes (saith* 1.1 Salomon) there is no end; and much study is a wearinesse of the flesh The more Knowledge we get, the greater capacity wee leave unsatisfied; so that we can never seize upon the in∣tire possession of our owne selves: and contempla∣tion (as the wise King speaketh) were vanity, did we use the pleasures of it any otherwise, thā as pledges or earnest of a better life to come. And albeit man, in this life, could possesse himselfe as intirely as the Angels doe their Angelicall Natures, yet could not his entitative goodnesse or felicity, be so great as theirs is; because the proper patrimony which he possesseth, is neither so ample nor so fruitfull. God alone is infinite, in being infinitely perfect; and he alone, infinitely enjoyes his intire being, or perfection. The tenure of his infinite joy or hap∣pinesse, is infinitely firme, infinitely secured of be∣ing alway what it is; never wanting so much as a moment of time, to inlarge or perfect it by conti∣nuance, uncapable of any inlargement or increase for the present. But this entitative or transcenden∣tall goodnesse, is not that which wee now seeke; whereto notwithstanding it may lead us. For even amongst visible creatures, the better every one is

in its kind, or according to its entitative perfection, the more good it doth to others. The truest mea∣sure of their internall or proper excellencies, is their beneficial use or service in this great Vniverse, whereof they are parts. What Creature is there almost in this whole visible Sphere, but specially in this inferiour part, which is not beholden to the Sunne; from whose comfortable heat, Nothing (as the* 1.2 Psalmist speakes) can bee hid? It is, at least of livelesse or meere bodies, in it selfe, the best and fai∣rest; and farre the best to others. And God (as it seemes) for this purpose, sends forth this his most conspicuous and goodly messenger, every morning like a bridegroome bedeckt with light and come∣linesse, to invite our eyes to looke up unto the Hils whence commeth our Helpe: upon whose tops he hath pitched his glorious Throne, at whose right hand is fulnesse of pleasures everlasting. And from the boundlesse Ocean of his internall or transcen∣dent joy and happinesse, sweet streames of perpetu∣all joy and comfort, more uncessantly issue, than light from the Sunne, to refresh this vale of misery. That of men the chiefe inhabitants of this great Vale, many are not so happy as they might be, the chiefe causes are; that, either they doe not firmely beleeve the internall happinesse of their Creator, to be absolutely infinite, as his other attributes are; or else consider not in their harts, that the absolute in∣finitie of this his internall happinesse, is an essentiall cause of goodnesse (in it kinde, infinite) unto all o∣thers, so farre as they are capable of it; and capable of it all reasonable creatures, by creation, are: none

but themselves can make them uncapable of happi∣nesse, at least, in succession or duration, infinite. Goodnesse is the nature of God; and it is the nature of goodnesse to communicate it selfe unto others, un∣to all that are not over growne with evill: of which goodnesse it selfe can be no cause or author.

Notes

• * 1.1

  Eccles. 12 12.
• * 1.2

  Psa. 19. 9.