Five pious and learned discourses 1. A sermon shewing how we ought to behave our selves in Gods house. 2. A sermon preferring holy charity before faith, hope, and knowledge. 3. A treatise shewing that Gods law, now qualified by the Gospel of Christ, is possible, and ought to be fulfilled of us in this life. 4. A treatise of the divine attributes. 5. A treatise shewing the Antichrist not to be yet come. By Robert Shelford of Ringsfield in Suffolk priest.

Gods Goodnesse.

Gods third attribute is his Goodnesse: and this is splendent in two respects: First, in that he is the cause efficient of things; and next, the cause appetible; for good and appetible are convertibles: what is good, is to be desired; and what is to be desired, is good. Therefore Aristotle saith, Omnia bonum appetunt. Thus we distinguish between the substance of things and their goods: for substances are but emptie vessels without their goods adjected: and these goods are certain similitudes or conveniences in which things rejoyce; for like desireth like. From whence it follows, that if the created similitudes be goods appetible, then much more God the creatour of them must be good, yea the chief good, as the fountain of them. Now there can be no better similitude for man the image to delight in, then God his exem∣plar, and his Sonne by flesh and bloud to him allied. Therefore he above all things is of him to be desired.

Thus from these three great attributes we have the great and infinite God described; who in English is called God, of good. From these three he expresseth himself in the creation of the world his image. From his unitie in es∣sence

we have our essences to be individuals; from his truth we have the perfection of our composition; and from his goodnesse we have our end in desires, which is the height of our growth: so from the beginning we have our beginning and active principle; from the truth we have our medium and way to our end; and from goodnesse we have the complement of our desires in the end, which the School cal∣leth quies in bono.

Now to shew the good things of God for mans good created, he in this life offers to the intellect the contemplation of things in∣tellectuall, mathematicall, and materiall, as the causes and reasons of things, by which Solo∣mon spake, from the cedar that is in Lebanon, to the hysope that springeth out of the wall. Again, he offers to the will the good divided in∣to utile, honestum, delectabile. Utile sheweth the means by which we tend toward things good; honestum is that which is good of it self; and delectabile is the rest and joy in the good obtained. Lastly, he offers to the senses their proper and desired objects; as fair sights to the eyes, harmonies to the eares, sweet smells to the nostrills, pleasant meats to the taste, and smooth things to the touch. But as the goodnesse of God thus sheweth it self in this life, so it exceedeth all our expectation in the next life, where is our last rest and chief good. Eye hath not seen, nor eare heard, neither have

entred into the heart of man, the things which God hath prepared for them that love him: for some of Gods goods are so great and so good, that this life, though it be good, is not capable of them.

Hitherto of the goodnesse of God in the state of nature: now followeth the goodnesse of God in the state of grace. And this is prin∣cipally to be seen in his justice and mercie in redeeming mankinde. The goodnesse of Gods justice appeareth in that no mercie could ap∣peare without it: for mercie presupposeth miserie, and miserie is the pay of justice. Where therefore there is no justice, there can be no mercie. Had not God permitted men and angels to fall, neither angels nor men could have been sensible of Gods love the root of goodnesse, in keeping some from fall∣ing, and in saving others after the fall. There∣fore fit it was for God to make justice his way to shew his mercie, by which above all his goodnesse is applauded. And these two in the redemption of man the greatest of Gods works are to be observed, wherein they met and saluted each other, according to the Psalm∣ist, Mercie and truth are met together: righteous∣nesse and peace have kissed each other. He shew∣ed his justice upon his own Sonne; he shew∣ed his mercie in ransoming all mankinde: and here is verified Samsons riddle, Out of the eater came meat, out of the strong came sweetnesse.

What is more strong and devouring then justice? and what is more sweet then mercie? God gave his Sonne to death, and by this he redeemed the world. Mercie kissed justice, and justice yeelded her right to mercie. Mercie (saith S. James) rejoyceth or glorieth against judgement. In the death of Gods Sonne mercie and justice contended; mercie overcame, and therefore she triumpheth. Now therefore mercie hath the preeminence all the world over; yet not without justice, as they met at first, lest man should runne out of mercies bounds, and fall into relapse: both therefore, because we are saved by both, and preserved by both, are to be respected of us as our spe∣ciall good from God.

In the next place we are beholding to Gods goodnesse in the 3 graces, Faith, Hope, and Charitie, and the Sacraments, by which Gods ransome is applied to us. By faith God resto∣reth our understanding; by hope he sanctifieth our affections, and gives us state of the king∣dome of heaven; and by charitie he draws us out of our selves, and taketh us into himself by making us partakers of the divine nature. And the Sacraments are outward means by which God bestoweth on us his inward graces, to teach us that grace is not bred in our selves, but given to us forinsecus.

And this goodnesse of God natively pro∣ceedeth from his will, as thought and truth

proceedeth from his minde. The one is im∣manent, the other alwaies erumpent. Good∣nesse is known by its going forth. Therefore we call him the good man, not which is good to himself within, but good to others with∣out. Wisdome and truth never come forth but in the companie of goodnesse. Therefore the Psalmist saith, Mercie and truth are met to∣gether. When they meet, mercie cometh out first, and bringeth truth and wisdome with it.

Now the will of God, because it is the su∣preme dispenser of all things, as it is one, so it is universall: and because it is universall, it containeth in it all wills, and by conse∣quent all things under it. And thus it cometh, that with one and the same will he permitteth things most contrarie to be willed, and yet his will is still one and the same. And it must be so, because otherwise the wills of his crea∣tures which are contrarie to his, should not move under it, but without it and above it, and so God should not be omnipotent. For though God did not positively or with plea∣sure will that men and angels should sinne and fall, because the Psalmist saith, Thou art not a God that hath pleasure in wickednesse, neither shall my evil dwell with thee; yet per accidens & per∣missivè, according to his order or decree of contingencie, he would leave men and angels to themselves, to see what they would bring forth. And rather then he would violate the

order of nature in depriving men of the liber∣tie of their wills (which is essentiall to them) it pleased his all-swaying providence to suffer evil to be done (being he knew how to bring good out of it) then to permit none at all. And this is ratified from the words of S. Au∣gustine, Saluberrimè confitemur quod rectissimè credimus, Deum Dominúm{que} rerum omnium, qui creavit omnia bona valde, & mala ex bonis exori∣tura esse praescivit, & scivit magìs ad suam omni∣potentissimam bonitatem pertinere, etiam de malis benefacere, quàm mala esse non sinere: ut ostende∣ret primùm quid possit liberum arbitrium, deinde quid possit gratiae suae beneficium, justitiae{que} judici∣um. We most savingly confesse, which most right∣ly we beleeve, that the God and Lord of all things, who created all things exceeding good, and foresaw evil would arise from the good, knowing also that it more appertained to his most omnipotent goodnes, even out of evil to bring good, then to suffer no evil to be done at all: first, that he might shew what free-will could do; secondly, the benefit of his grace, and power of justice. For if men and angels could have sinned whether God would or no, therein they had been superiour to Gods will: but this they could not: therefore God would suffer it, to shew his omnipotencie, in being not onely able to make all things good, as he did in the beginning; but in a degree further, to make good of evil, in turning their evils to a greater good, by his justice toward angels,

and by advancement of mercie towards men. So that now since mans fall, God, by his re∣sulting and superabounding mercie, hath pro∣vided such a remedie, which should not re∣store him to his former paradise in puris natu∣ralibus, but to a supernaturall happinesse in the kingdome of glory; not to wade in reason, but to walk in vision, to enjoy glorie above the sunnes light, and to reap content above all conceit. But for such as shall fall double, from lesse and from greater grace, and never rise; for such whom no warning will amend, for such justice hath a double due, a naturall and a su∣pernaturall death, seated not onely in poena damni, but in poena sensûs, which the torments of hell-fire afford. S. Thomas well teacheth, that God by no means will have evil or blame simply, as it is evil, (because he is all good) but onely as evil is joyned to some good: as he that would have justice, must also be willing to have punishment; and as he that would have the order of nature to be preserved, must also be willing to have nature corrupted: but to de∣sire evil as it is onely evil, or to approve evil of blame, God by no appetite, either naturall, animall, or intellectuall, desireth. And this is confirmed by S. Augustine; Miro & ineffabili modo non fit praeter ejus voluntatem, quod fit etiam contra ejus voluntatem; quia non fieret si non sine∣ret; nec utique nolens sinit, sed volens: nec sineret bonus fieri malè, nisi omnipotens etiam de malo

posset facere bonum bene. By a wonderfull and un∣speakable manner, that is not done without his will, which is done against his will; because if he did not suffer it, it should not be done; neither doth he suffer it against his will, but willingly: neither would he that is good suffer evil things to be done, but that he being omnipotent is able of evil to make good things well.

By this you see, that if God should not suf∣fer evil, and admit contraries, there could be no world. And this libertie God hath bestow∣ed also upon man. For we many times suffer the evil of blame and displeasure willingly, to see how farre our adversaries will proceed a∣gainst us, because we know how to reverse all again at our pleasure, and to right it by taking satisfaction of punishment, or to merit by suf∣ferance. Yet this permission neither in God nor man importeth any approbation, but dis∣like, while an evil act ensueth upon an inno∣cent license.

Now in regard of the universalitie and com∣prehensivenesse of Gods will, the School-di∣vines for our better understanding have distin∣guisht it into divers kindes; as his will antece∣dent and consequent, his will of signe, and his will of good pleasure. The antecedent will of God is expressed in these testimonies of his word, Who will have all men to be saved, and to come to the knowledge of the truth. Again, Not willing that any should perish, but that all should

come to repentance. And this will is confirmed by his will of signe, which is the will of his word. And this consisteth of these five parti∣culars, prohibition, precept, counsel, operation, and permission. By his prohibitions he fore∣warneth of all evils that are against his will antecedent; by his precepts he informeth us of all the means that leade toward it; by his counsels, which go beyond his precepts (be∣cause God hath given to man free-will to get what he can in the state of grace for the state of glorie) he shews him some exceeding means to grow to this lifes perfection, and to improve the common reward of glorie for the next life; as, Sell that thou hast, and give it to the poore, and thou shalt have treasure in heaven. Here we are counselled to change temporall riches for eternal which are the better: second∣ly, we are counselled to change permitted fleshly pleasures for heavenly pleasures, where it is said, Qui potest capere, capiat: thirdly, we are counselled to denie our selves and our law∣full liberties, to follow Christ through the worlds difficulties, to receive a hundred-fold more enlargements in the kingdome of glorie. These are Gods counsels, which of the primi∣tive Church were put in practise, but in our times they are put off with a Non placet.

The fourth part of Gods will of signe is his operation; and this is the sermon of his works which he makes all the yeare long to instruct

us. By his works of justice and punishment he calls us to repentance; by his works of favour and mercie he procureth us to praise him. This the Apostle expresseth in Acts 14. 17. Never∣thelesse, he left not himself without witnesse, in that he did good, and gave us rain from heaven, and fruitfull seasons, filling our hearts with food and gladnesse. Thus by his operation he really preacheth unto us.

The fifth and last part of this will, is his per∣mission; and by this he suffers man to do what he will under his divine rule and measure. And this will he affordeth to man in three re∣spects; in regard of his creation, in regard of his judgement, and in regard of excuse. In his creation he gave to man free-will; therefore it was fit to grant him together with it suffe∣rance and free libertie to exercise it: other∣wise it were all one as if God should make hands, and then binde them as soon as he had made them. Again, the will of Gods suffe∣rance is due in regard of mans last end, and Gods judgement: for if God should not per∣mit man to do his actions freely, then he could not in justice punish him if he did not as he should, because he wanted free libertie; nor give him reward, by reason of necessitie. For as God will not call the beasts of the field to doom at the last day, because he gave them not free-will; no more would he call man to judgement, if he wanted permission to execute

his free-will. Lastly, God suffers man to live long, to expect his repentance: wherefore if he do not repent, his excuse is prevented. In this respect the Apostle saith, Rom. 2. 4. De∣spisest thou the riches of his bountifulnesse, and patience, and long sufferance, not knowing that the goodnesse of God leadeth thee to repentance?

Having spoken of Gods will as it is antece∣dent and of signe; now it followeth to speak of it as it is of good pleasure, and of consequent. The will of Gods good pleasure is expressed in the 135 Psalme, vers. 6. Whatsoever the Lord plea∣sed, that did he in heaven and in earth, in the seas, and in all deep places. This is Gods pro∣per and essentiall will; first, because it is of the nature of the will to do of pleasure; and next, because it is most generall, and not re∣strained to any place or person. His will of signe is not alwaies done, because it is his will for men and not for himself respectively. Therefore his precepts are broken, his prohi∣bitions slighted, his counsels not regarded: but his will of good pleasure is above the law of the Medes and Persians; this cannot be put by, because it is divina 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉.

Lastly, after that God hath shewed man all his favours by his will of signe and word re∣vealed, to which he addeth the effects of his grace expressed by S. Prosper in these seven particulars, perswading by exhortations, ad∣monishing by examples, terrifying by dangers,

inciting by miracles, giving understanding, in∣spiring counsel, and lightning the heart with faiths affections. When all these are despised and rejected, then God proceedeth with his will consequent, which is the will of his ju∣stice. First he would have all men to be saved by his will antecedent: but because all men will not consent to this, therefore, to main∣tain mans free-will, God will not save all in effect; but the same will turneth from mercie to justice, which before turned from justice to mercie, and saith, Depart from me ye cursed into everlasting fire, which is prepared for the devil and his angels. Neither is Gods will altered nor broken, because it turneth from mercie to judgement, for that it still retaineth its former mercie, and man his former resist∣ance to receive it. How often (saith our Savi∣our) would I have gathered thy children together even as a hen gathereth her chickens, but ye would not? If God hath not bound man to one ob∣ject, but given him free-will to turn from ob∣ject to object, according to reasons rule; then should God be bound and man free? The will of God is wider then all wills: all his di∣vine attributes may rest in it; his truth, his wis∣dome, his justice, his mercie, his power, his pleasure and displeasure: yea all the contraries that are in the world, are within it, and lie under it; as life and death, sicknesse and health, good and evil, salvation and da∣mnation:

and without this there could be no world.

Notwithstanding, though Gods will be ne∣ver so wide and comprehensive, yet it impo∣seth no necessitie upon mans will, because all will by Gods creation is free; and if it were not free, it were no will. Necessitie and will are incompatibilia, they cannot stand together. Nature and things without will are of a strait disposition; therefore for them God hath ordained necessitie, and determined them to one thing: but mans will, because it is the image of Gods will, is wide and capacious; and therefore he hath provided for it the ocean of contingencie. He hath set fire and water before thee, (saith Ecclesiasticus) stretch out thy hand unto which thou wilt. Before man is life and death, good and evil; and whether him liketh, shall be given him. Now no man can justly complain while all things are set before him, and he hath free choice to all. Election expel∣leth necessitie, and necessitie thrusteth out e∣lection. If mans will were not free from neces∣sitie, then there could neither be merit nor demerit, that is, neither reward nor punish∣ment; and then the two great streams of Gods bountie and justice should be dried up: but now he hath given to man free-will; and to maintain this, he hath ordained contingencie, and added his grace to aid his will, that there might be no defect on his part: for freedome

naturall to good Theologicall is not free∣dome, but stubbornnesse without grace.

And this grace and goodnesse of God, as it ordereth and aideth things naturall to their naturall ends, so it ordereth and aideth man to his supernaturall end, which is to live with his God in heaven. And this goodnesse of grace is like to the vertuous magnet the most remarkable of all stones, the guide of the di∣all, and the direction for sea-travell: for as the pin and needle of the diall being toucht with it, the needle will stand no way but north and south; so the heart of man being toucht with Gods grace in his regeneration, will stand no way but to heaven-ward. And this touch is that which Divines call the habit of charitie, alwaies enclining and bending to heaven and heavenly things through all the rubs of the world. Though the toucht needle for a while is shaken and justled from its for∣mer due station; yet as soon as the shaking is over, it returneth instantly to the same point: right so, though the heart be for a time justled either by the lust of the flesh, or the lust of the eyes, or the pride of life from its right stand∣ing; yet as soon as the force is over, pre∣sently it returneth to its former station to heaven-ward. And the onely reason is the touch of Gods goodnesse in the regenerate soul, to which above all things mans heart is beholding.

And this goodnesse proceedeth from the holy Ghost, as truth proceedeth from the Sonne of God: for as the Sonne is the Fathers essentiall truth, so the holy Ghost is the Fa∣thers and the Sonnes essentiall goodnesse. And as the holy Ghost is the increate goodnesse of God in himself, so love and charitie is the create goodnesse of the holy Ghost in man. And untill this be wrought in us by the holy Spirit, we may be men and true men, but we cannot be good men, nor for the kingdome of heaven. Therefore S. Augustine saith, Sola charitas dividit inter filios regni & filios aeternae damnationis. So excellent is charitie, that God is called by it, 1 John 4. 8. God is charitie. And so good is it, that Divines call it grace, per Antonomasiam, because it is the principall grace. And S. Paul calleth it the greatest; The greatest of these is charitie. Yea so great is it, that no good can be done without it, because it is the cause impulsive of every good action. You may beleeve without it, but then your belief is not good, because it wanteth his right end, which must proceed from chari∣ties election and direction. Therefore in this sense, S. Paul gives faiths action to charitie; It beleeveth all things, it hopeth all things, &c. Why? because it enliveneth faith and all other vertues by giving spirit unto them. Faith is the candle to charitie, and sheweth her light how to work, according to Gods word: but

charitie, being the impulse of the regenerate soul, acteth all.

And whereas bonum is by Divines distin∣guished into verum & apparens, the true good, and the appearing good; the true good is that which hath order to the best end, which is Gods glorie and our eternall good: of this kinde are all holy habits, qualities, and good works commanded by God. The appearing good is that which hath no order to the best end, but is onely for this world, and appeareth glorious to the naturall man. And this is ex∣pressed by S. John in these three particulars, the lust of the flesh, the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life. The lust of the flesh is fleshly con∣cupiscence, the lust of the eyes is covetous∣nesse, and the pride of life is a mans animositie, appearing in anger, arrogancie, and the like. All these, as S. John saith, are not of the Fa∣ther, but of this world, and are the devils baits to hook the unwise generation.

Lastly, here may the question be moved, Whether the goodnesse of substance in man be better then the goodnesse of qualitie. To this I answer, that the goodnesse of substance is de esse; but the goodnesse of qualitie is de be∣ne esse, which is Gods grace qualifying sub∣stance, and therefore the better. For the souls of the damned have their esse in hell, and are miserable: but the souls of the Saints, by Gods grace and the good qualitie, are in heaven,

which is their chief good. Grace and the good qualitie is the perfection and complement of substance. A holy and a good man is better then a man; because holinesse and goodnesse is the perfection of a man. As the soul is the form of man; so grace and goodnesse is the form of the soul: it healeth nature, it giveth to man quoddam supernaturale, it is the root of vertues, it is the greatest of gifts, it is corre∣spondent to eternall glorie, by it the holy Ghost inhabiteth in us; and therefore in this life this good is maximè appetibile.

Thus farre of the goodnesse of God in the state of grace: but the greatest of his goodnes is to be seen in the state of glorie, because the state of glorie is the end and perfection of the state of grace. In this state his goodnesse con∣sisteth of joy and glorie. Joy is the crown of the heart, and glorie is the crown of the head: the one is the complement of the will and ap∣petite, the other of the minde and intellect. The intellect shall there be filled with the visi∣on of God, the will and affections with the fru∣ition of his love, and the lower part of the soul with its proper objects. And that this may the better be effected in that blessed estate, God hath ordained certain means for the possessing of it, which S. Thomas calleth dotes, dowries: and these are certain glorious habits or dispo∣sitions, fitting the souls and bodies of the saints for the enjoying of eternall blisse, because

without means nothing may be applied. And these dowries are three; vision, which answer∣eth to faith in this life; apprehension, answering to hope; and fruition, answering to charitie. Besides, in that blessed estate there are degrees of joy and glorie, insinuated by our Lord, say∣ing, In my Fathers house are many mansions; and by S. Paul, comparing, As one starre differeth from another in glorie, so is the resurrection of the dead; again, by the parable of the seed sown in good ground, which brought forth some an hundred-fold, some sixty, & some thirty-fold. To this agreeth S. Gregory, Quia in hac vitano∣bis est discretio operum, erit proculdubio in illa dis∣cretio dignitatum; ut quo hîc alius alium merito su∣perat, illîc alius alium retributione transcendat. So also hath S. Cyprian, In pace coronam vincenti∣bus candidam pro operibus dabit, in persecutione purpuream pro passione geminabit: & further thus, Certent nunc singuli ad utriusque honoris amplissi∣mam dignitatem. Accipiant coronas vel de operi∣bus candidas, vel de sanguine purpureas. Here shineth Gods justice in distributing rewards ac∣cording to the varietie of his own grace in this life bestowed, and Christians works by their free-will to the best end employed. And be∣cause there are certain excellencies of works, in overcoming the greatest difficulties; there∣fore the School, after the former demonstrati∣on, argueth certain priviledged crowns, which they call aureolae, to be due to them which

have conquered best; to Martyrs for overco∣ming persecutions, to Virgins for conquering the flesh, and to Doctours for putting the devil to flight from their flocks.

And this goodnesse of God is so great, that in the kingdome of glorie he giveth not even rewards to any, but exceeding to all, accor∣ding to his riches in the parable expressed, Give, and it shall be given to you; good measure, pressed down, and shaken together, and running over, shall they give into your bosome.

Lastly, so great is Gods goodnesse every way, that it sustaineth even the worst things, that is to say, all evil: for such an infirmitie is evil, that it cannot exist except it lean upon some good, as on a subject: for there can be no sicknesse but in the bodie, no blindnesse but in the eye, no lamenesse but in the member; no more can there be the evil of pain but in the organ of sense; nor sinne, which is the evil of blame, but in the soul receding from grace: for sinne in the action is nothing else but the leaving of the divine order to the good end. The subject is good, and the action as it is an action is good; but the running of it without order to a wrong end, that onely is evil, and is no way to be righted and resisted, but by the other evil, which is the evil of pain: but of the two, the evil of blame is the worst and greatest, because it is opposite to Gods good∣nesse, as the evil of pain is opposite to the creatures good.

Consectaries.

The profitable consectarie is, that, whereas all true good proceedeth from God, as from the cause both efficient and appetible, the one being the beginning, and the other the end of all true delights, therefore he above all things is to be desired of us, as the most appetible: but with this caveat, that he can never be en∣joyed of us, except we first become good, like unto him by divine charitie: and further, that as he is good to all, by causing his sunne to shine and his rain to rain as well upon the bad as the good; so should we be good to all, in praying for our enemies, in converting sin∣ners, and in shining upon all our poore distres∣sed neighbours with the light of mercie and liberalitie.

Notes

• 1. Cor. 2. 9.
• Psal. 85. 10.
• Judg. 14. 14.
• Jam. 2. 13.
• Psal. 85. 10.
• Psal. 5. 4.
• De cor. & grat. cap. 10.
• Quid melius, quid omnipo∣tentius eo, qui, cùm mali nihil faciat, bene etiam de malis facit? Et rursus, Omnipotens Deus, qui o∣peratur bona etiam de no∣stris malis, qualia dabit bona, cum li∣beraverit ab omnibus ma∣lis? Aug. lib. de Continen∣tia, cap. 6.
• 1. Tim. 2. 4.
• 2. Pet. 3. 9.
• Matth. 19. 21.
• Matth. 19. 12.
• Matth. 16. 24. Mark 8. 34.
• Nec pecca∣tum nec rectè factum impu∣tari cuiquam justè potest, qui nihil se∣cerit propriâ voluntate: est enim pecca∣tum & rectè factum in di∣bero volun∣tatis arbi∣trio. Aug. lib. 83. q. 24. Quid illud, quòd tam multis in lo∣cis omnia mandata sua custodiri & fieri jubet Deus? quomo∣do jubet, si non est l••be∣rum arbitri∣um? Aug de grat. & lib. arb. cap. 2.
• Matth. 25. 41.
• Matth. 23. 37.
• Ecclus 15. 16, 17.
• Tract. 5. in epist. Joh.
• 1. Cor. 13. 13.
• Vers. 7.
• 1. Joh. 2. 16.
• Joh. 14. 2.
• 1. Cor. 15. 42.
• Mor. l. 5. c. 42.
• Ad Martyr. epist. 6. lib. 2.
• Apoc. 2. 17. and 14. 3.
• Dan. 12. 3.
• Luk. 6. 38.