Certain Questions and Answers Concerning the Knowledge of God, Part 42 – Part 50
Of the goodnesse of God.
Q. Why is God called in the Scriptures a good God?
A. The goodnesse of God is to bee considered two waies. First, either as he is in his own nature, of himselfe simply good, and goodnesse it selfe: id est, so perfect, and euerie way so absolute: as nothing can be added vntounto him. Secondly, or else as hee is good to others. Both waies God is in himselfe a good God, but especially for his goodnesse towardes vsus, hee is called a good God, as a Prince is called a good Prince.
Q. Shew how that is?
A. Wee call him a good Prince that is good to his subiects: that is, if he be milde, gentle, liberall, iust, a defender of the godly, a punisher of the wicked, so that the good may leade a quiet and a peaceable life in all honestie and goodnesse; for he may bee a good man if hee hurt no man and liueth honestly, &c. But hee is not called a good Prince, except he deale otherwise.
So the scriptures call God a good God, because he is not onelie good in himselfe, and his essence is perfect, eternall, vnchangeable, most wise, &c. But also because he is good to others, that is milde,Psal. 34.9. gracious, mercifull, liberall, his nature is not cruell, sauadge, nor bloodie towardes vsus,Psal. 16.11. but to vsus most milde, pleasant, sweet, and such as may allure all men to trust in him, to louelove him, to call vponupon him, and to worship him.
Q. Is God onelyonly himselfe truely good?
A. Yea: God is not only good, but goodnesse it selfe,…at. 19.17. and he onelyonly is truely good. For whatsoeuer goodnes is in the creatures, it is of God the creator, & they are so far forth good, as they are made good by God, & are made partakers of his goodnes, which appeareth to be true by the scriptures.… Cor. 4.7.
…m. 1.17.Againe, that goodnesse which is in the things created, whether it be naturall or supernaturall is imperfect and finite: but the goodnesse of God is most perfect & infinite, & therfore onelyonly God is trulie good, and goodnesse it self: yea, he is Summum bonum, that chiefe good of all to be desired.
Q. Is the goodnes of God extended vntounto all creatures?
A. Yea it is so, & as this is knowne by daily experience, so it is witnessed by these scriptures following. Psal. 119.64. Psal. 145 15. Mat. 5.45.
Q Hath God shewed his goodnesse to all alike?
A. No: for the things created are of two sorts, either inuisible or visible. Inuisible as ange's, vntounto whom the Lord hath giuen more excellent gifts then to the other.
Q. And was his goodnes parted equally amongst them?
A. No: for some hee suffered to fall into sin, for which they were thrust downe from heauen to hell, as Peter speaketh:2. Pet. 2.4. others he hath preserued by his grace, that they shuld not fal away frō him.
Q. Is his goodnes alike to his visible creatures?
A. No: for of them some are indued with reason as mankind: some are void of reason, & therfore is man called a lord ouer the rest of the creatures.
Q. Is the goodnes of God alike to reasonable creatures?
A. No: for of them God hath chosen some to eternal life, whom he hath purposed to cal effectually in his time, that they may be iustified & glorified by Christ. Others he hath (yet iustly) left to their sinnes without any effectuall calling, to perish for euer.
That Gods goodnes is far greater to the elect then to the reprobate, it is manifest in the scriptures. For the Psalmist saith, Yet God is good: that is (singularly good) to Israel,Psal. 73.1. Psal. 51.10. Matth. 13.11 euen to the pure in heart: but God makes his elect onelyonly to bee pure in heart, and Christ auoucheth no lesse.
Q. Doth the goodnes of God towards all men, turne to the good of all men?
A. No: for in the reprobate, gods goodnes is turned into euill, and serueth to their destruction, as Paul teacheth: & that is through their own fault, for they doe contemne and altogither abuse the goodnes of God.2. Cor. 2.15. Rom. 2.4. Psal. 106.13. And for all his goodnes bestowed vponupon them continually, they neuer trust him, nor trust in him.
The vses of Gods goodnes.
Q. How may we vse the goodnes of God to our good, and to our saluation?
A. If we hauehave the goodnes of God in a true and worthie estimation, if we vse it with feare and reuerence, and learne thereby to repent vsus of our sinnes, and to repose all our trust and confidence in the Lord for his goodnes:Rom. 8.28. then shall all things, yea euen our sinnes, worke for our good.
Q. What vse must we make of Gods goodnes?
A. It serueth to many vses in the Church of God.
1 It teacheth vsus that we hauehave and do serue a true God, for he is no true God that is not so good as our God is.
2 If our God be so good, we should be ashamed to offend him. As it is intollerable to hurt an infant, that is innocent and harmeles, so it is most intollerable to requite the Lordes goodnes with euill.
3 If God be so good, and goodnes it selfe, we must trust him, and trust in him: For wee will repose trust in a good man, and shall we not much more in our good God?
4 It teacheth vsus neuer to lay the fault vppon God for any thing, nor to complaine of Gods dealing, for he is alwaies perfectly good.
5 Whereas the goodnesse of God is not to all a like, that is, to these endes.
…. Tim. 2.20.1 It serueth to the adorning and bewtifying of Gods Church.
2 It serueth to the maintenance of mutuall louelove and societie amongst men. For if the goodnesse of God were to all a like,1. Cor. 12.20. Ephe. 4.7.1…. then one could not helpe another: and to this ende serue the varietie of gifts.
3 It maketh to the greater manifesting of the glory of the goodnesse of God: for if all had a like we would contemne this goodnes, thinking that he were bound to be good to vsus of necessitie.
4. From the consideration of Gods speciall goodnes towards vsus his electe by Christ,Tit. 3.3.4.5.5.7.8. to saluation: wee must arise to the studie of good works, whereby Gods goodnes may be glorified, as Paul teacheth.
Of the grace of God.
Q. When you speake of the grace of God, what meane you by grace?
A. This word Grace is vsed in the Scriptures, and hath 3. speciall significations.
Sometimes it is put for comelines,Luke. 2.5.2. stature, meekenes, or mildenes.
Sometimes for free fauour,Gen. 6.8. whereby one embraceth another, pardoning former iniuries, and receiuing the partie offending into fauour again.
Thirdlye,Act. 2.23. Eph. 4.7. it is taken for all kinds of giftes and graces, which of this free fauour are bestowed, whether temporall or eternall.
Q. Whether is there grace in God according to the first signification of grace, or no?
A. Yea, for God is of his own nature most gracious, and grace it selfe:Luke 5.52. Psal. 45. which grace was in Christ Iesus from his infancie (as he was man) and did eueryevery day more and more encrease, and amongst all thinges which were created, there was nothing endued with such grace as was the humane nature of Christ,Collo. 2.9. and that was by the fulnes of the godhead, which dwelt boldly in him.
Q. Whether is grace properly attributed to God in the 2. sence, or no?
A. Yea, most properly, for God doth iustifie vsus, that is, he doth account vsus for iust, through his sonne Iesus Christ, and that of his free grace and fauour, without any deserte of our partes, or any thing in vsus, which appeareth to be true by these Scriptures. Ro. 3.20.24. Ro. 4.16.
Q. What be the causes of this grace or fauour of God?
A. Th'efficient cause is his goodnes and free will: the finall cause therof, is the saluation of his chosen children, and the glory of himselfe, and of his Sonne Christ Iesus.
The effects of Gods grace.
Q. What be the effects of Gods grace to vsus ward?
A. In generall, the grace of God (wherof there is no cause in vsus,Rom. 9. & 11. Eph. 1 4. Ioh. 3.16. Rom. 5.8. Gal. 1.16. Eph. 3.9. but onelye his owne goodnes and will) is the first cause, the middle cause, and the last cause, and the onelye cause of all the belongeth to our saluation. And particularly it is the cause of our election, predestination, of our redemptiō, of the sending of Christ into the world, of our calling, of the preaching of the Gospel, it was the cause why the Apostles were called to the preaching of the Gospell,2. Tim. 1.9. Phil. 2.13. it is the cause of our faith, of the forgiuenes of our sinnes, of our whole iustification, of our regeneration, of our renouation,Ro. 12.6. of our louelove to God and our neighbour, of the holy ghost in vsus, of our good works, of our obedience,1. Cor. 12.9. of our perseuerance, of the feare of God,Ro. 3.24. Tit. 3.5. 1. Iohn. 4.9. Eze. 36.27. Ier. 32, 40. and of eternall life, and of life it selfe: and in a word, the beginning, the continuance, and th'accomplishment of our whole saluation, doth depend wholy vponupon the grace and fauour of God, and what good thing soeuer we hauehave, or hauehave had, or may hauehave, belonging either to this life or to the life to come, is to be attributed wholy to the grace and fauour of God.
Of the louelove of God.
Q. What is meant by the louelove of God in the Scriptures?
A. That we may the better know what the louelove of God is, it will not be amisse first to consider what louelove is in our selues.
Q. Very well, declare then what louelove is?
A. It is a passion of the minde, wherby we are so affected toward the partie whome wee louelove: that we are rather his then our owne, forgetting our selues to do him good whom we louelove.
Q. And is louelove such a thing in God?
A. No, the louelove of God is not such as our louelove is?
Q. What difference is there?
A. There is great difference two waies.
First in time, for louelove was in God before it was in vsus,Iohn. 17.23. or in any thing created, for he loued himselfe, and vsus also, before the world was.
Secondly they differ in nature and qualitie,Rom. 9.13. for that louelove which is in God is most perfect and pure, without any passion, but in vsus it is imperfect, and matched with passions, with impure affections and greefes of the minde,
Q. After what manner doth the Scripture expresse the louelove of God?
A. In the Scriptures God doth compare himself to a Father, and a mother louing their Children: to a Hen gathering her Chickens together vnderunder her winges: to a good Shepheard seeking vp his Sheepe, and to diuers other things.
Q And wherfore serue these comparisons?
A. They are for our profit two waies.
1 To shew vsus that Gods louelove towardes vsus, is most vehement and sincere.
2 To make vsus bolde in comming to him and calling vponupon him.
So, for this louelove Christ Iesus calleth vsus by al the names of louelove: as, his Seruants, his kinsemen, his frēds, his spouse, his bretheren, & by many names moe, to shew that he loueth vsus with all loues, the fathers louelove, the mothers louelove, the maisters louelove, the husbandes louelove, the brothers louelove, &c. & if al loues were put together, yet his louelove exceedeth them al: for al could not do so much for vsus as he alone hath done.
What the louelove of God is.
Question.
If louelove doth not signifie any affection or passion in God, as it doth in vsus: what then doth is signifie?
Answere.
In God it signifieth three things most perfect.
1 The eternall and good will of God towards some bodie: for the louelove of God (suppose towards the elect) is his euerlasting good will, or his purpose and determination, to shewe them merciemercy, to do them good, and to saue them as in Rom. 9.11.13.
2 The effects themselues of this louelove or good will, whether they be temporall concerning this life: or eternall concerning the last life to come, as in 1. Iohn. 3.1.
3 The pleasure or delight which he taketh in that, which he loueth, and so it is taken in Psa. 45.7.23.
Q. What things doth God louelove besides himselfe?
A. Besides himselfe God loueth all thinges else whatsoeuer he made: but he loueth not sinne and iniquitie,1. Iohn. 2.16. for he neuer made it, as S. Iohn saith. Againe he loueth his sonne, being manifested in the flesh, and he loueth his chosen Children for his sonnes sake,Mat. 3. last. with whom he is well pleased.
Obiection.
The Scripture saith, that God doth hate al that worke iniquitie, how then can God both hate and louelove one and the same man?
Answere.
In euerye wicked man we must consider two thing. First his nature, second his sin: his nature is the worke of God, and that he loueth: but his iniquitie is not of God, and that he hateth.
Obiection.
God doeth afflict his children, therefore he doth not louelove them.
Answere.
Pro. 3.12.Whom he loueth he correcteth: and therfore he correcteth them because he loueth them; euen as a Goldsmith trieth his gold in the fire, because he loueth it.
Whether God loueth all alike.
Q. Whether doeth God louelove all alike, or no?
A. No: he preferreth mankinde before all his other creatures: for which cause God is called Philanthropos, that is, a louer of men. And this appeareth by three effects of his louelove.
Gen. 1.26. Ephes. 4.24.1 He made him according to his owne image; that is, in righteousnes, and true holines.
2 Hee made him Lorde ouer all his creatures Psal. 8.5.
3 Hee gaue his owne sonne to death for his ransome.
Q. Doeth God louelove all men alike?
A. No: for he loueth his elect better then the reprobate: for the elect he calleth effectually by his spirite in their hearts, when he calleth others but by the outwarde voice of the Gospell. &c.
Againe, amongst the elect themselues, some are actuallie wicked, and not yet reconciled nor called, as was Paul before his conuersion: but the rest are called, and alreadie made holy by faith in Christ, as Paul was after his conuersion. And of these hee loueth the latter sort with a greater measure of louelove then the former, as the scripture testifieth in Pro. 8.17.
Q. What manner of louelove doeth God beare to his elect?
A. It hath three adiuncts, or properties.
1 It is free, without desert.
2 It is great, without comparison.
3 It is constant, without any ende.
Q. How is the louelove of God said to be free?
A. It is free two waies. 1 Because nothing caused God to louelove vsus but his owne goodnesse and grace, & therefore Saint Iohn saith,1. Iohn 4.7 that his louelove was before ours.
2 It is free because God in louing vsus, regarded nothing that belonged to his owne commoditie: for as Dauid saith,Psal. 16.2. he hath no need of our goods, but onelyonly to our owne saluation he loued vsus.
Q. Wherein doeth the greatnes of Gods louelove appeare to his elect?
A. It appeareth two waies. 1 By the meanes which God vsed to saue vsus by, that is, the death of his sonne:Iohn 3.16 and so Saint Iohn setteth foorth his louelove, when he saith, Outo, Sic: that is, so: as if he should say, so vehemently, so ardentlie, so earnestly, so wonderfullie did he louelove vsus: that for our saluation he spared not his owne onlie begotten sonne, but gaue him to the death of the crosse for our saluation.
Q. What els doeth set foorth the greatnes of Gods louelove vntounto vsus.
Answere.
The consideratiō of our own selues, for he did not onelyonly geue his onlie Sonne to death for vsus, but it was for vsus being his enemies. And this circumstance is vsed by the Apostle to expresse the same.Rom. 5.7.8
Q. Where finde you it written that Gods louelove is constant, and perpetuall?
A. That is manifestly shewed in these scriptures following: Hose. 11.9. Iohn 13.1. Rom. 11.29. For as God is vnchangeable in his essence and nature, so is he vnchangeable in his louelove, which is his essence and nature, and therefore is God called louelove in the Scripture.1. Iohn 4.8
The vses of Gods louelove.
Q. What vse must we make of Gods louelove?
A. 1 It filleth our hearts with gladnes, when we vnderstand that our God is so louing, & louelove it selfe: and what is this but the beginning of eternall life?Iohn 17.3 If eternall life consiste in the true knowledge of God, as our Sauiour Christ saith.
2 Out of the knowledge of this louelove, as out of a fountaine, springeth the louelove of God and our neighbour. For S. Iohn saith, he that loueth not, knoweth not God, for God is louelove.
3 When wee consider that God loueth all his creatures which he made, it should teache vsus not to abuse any of the creatures to serue our lustes, and beastly affections: For God will punish them which abuse his beloued, as he punished the riche glutton,Luke 16 which abused the creatures of God.
4 We are taught to louelove all the creatures, euen the basest of all, seeing that God loueth thē; and for the louelove he beareth to vsus, he made them: and we must (if we louelove them for Gods sake) vse them sparingly, moderatelie, and equally or iustlie. To this ende are wee commanded to let our cattle rest vponupon the Saboth day, as well as our selues. To this ende we are forbidden to kill the damme vponupon her neste. And to this ende are we forbidden to mussel the oxes mouth which treadeth out the corne.
5 We are taught from hence to louelove mankind better then all other creatures, because God doth so: and therfore we must not spare any thing that we hauehave, that may make for the safetie of his bodie, and the saluation of his soule: and for this cause are we commanded to louelove our enemies, & to doe them good, be cause our good God doth so.
6 From Gods louelove we learne to preferre the godly brethren, and those which professe sincerelie the same religion that wee professe, before other men: because Gods louelove is greater to his elect then to the reprobate.Gal. 6.10. And this doeth the Apostle teach vsus.
7 Whereas Gods louelove is freely bestowed vponupon vsus, it teacheth vsus to be humble, and to attribute no part of our saluation to our selues, but only to the free louelove of God.
8 From hence ariseth the certaintie of our saluation: for if Gods louelove was so free and great when we were his enemies: much more will it be so, and constant also to vsus, being reconciled to God by Iesus Christ.
Of the merciemercy of God.
Q. What do the Scriptures vnderstande by the merciemercy of God?
A. It is his minde and will, alwaies most ready to succour and helpe him that is in miserie.
Q. Some say that merciemercy is a griefe and sorowe of the minde, conceiued at anothers miseries, and therfore that merciemercy cannot properly be attributed to God, because in God are no passions nor griefes.
A. Indeed in vsus it may be such a thing, but not in God, and merciemercy was first in God, and from him was deriued to vsus, and therfore God is called the father of mercies:2. Cor. 1.3. and when it came to vsus, it was matched with many infirmities and passions, but it is improperly attributed to God frō our selues as though it were first in vsus.
Q. Declare then briefly what things of perfection are signified by this word [merciemercy] in God.
A. By the name of [merciemercy] two things are properly signified in God.
1 The minde and wil, readie to help and succour.
2 The helpe and succour, or pitie it selfe, that is shewed.
Q. Where, in the Scriptures is merciemercy taken the firste way?
A. Those places of Scriptures are so to bee vnderstoode, wherein God doeth call himselfe mercifull, and saith that he is of much merciemercy: that is, he is of such a nature as is most readie to free vsus from our euils.
Of [merciemercy] in the other sence, (that is, being put for the effects of merciemercy) mention is made in Rom. 9.15. where it is said,Rom. 9.15. that God wil hauehave merciemercy on whom he will hauehave merciemercy: that is, he will call whome hee will, he will iustifie whom hee will, hee will pardon whom hee will, and he will deliuer and saue from all their miseries and euils whom hee will, and these be the effectes of Gods merciemercy. Againe in Exod. 20.6. it is so taken.
Q. From whence springeth this merciemercy of God?
A. The essence and being of God is most simple without any mixture or composition, & therfore in him there are not diuers qualities, and vertues as there be in vsus; wherof one dependeth vponupon another, or one differ from another: but for our capacitie and vnderstanding, the scripture speaketh of God as though it were so, that so wee may the better perceiue what maner of God, & how good our God is.