30.

rupt guides, whose authority managed the blind SERM. multitude, defeating the counsel of God toward LXIX. themselves, as St. Luke speaketh, (that is, defeat- Luke vii. ing his gracious purpose of reclaiming them from disobedience, and consequently of withholding the judgments imminent,) they reviled the person of that venerable prophet; He hath a devil, said Matt. xi. 18. they they slighted his premonitions, and rejected his advices, by observing which, those dreadful mischiefs, which fell upon their rebellious heads, might have been averted. We may add, that even those fearful judgments were tempered with mixtures of favourable design, not only to the community of mankind, (which, by so remarkable a vengeance upon the persecutors of our Lord, and the scorners of his doctrine, was converted unto, or confirmed in, the Christian faith,) but even toward that people whom it served to convince of their errors and crimes; to induce them to repentance, to provoke them unto the acknowledgment and embracing of God's truth, so palpably vindicated by him. So that I might here apply that passage of St. Paul, (if not directly and adequately according to his sense, yet with no incongruous allusion at least,) Have they stumbled, that they should fall? Rom. xi. (or, was there no other design of God's judgments upon them but their utter ruin?) un yévOLTO No such matter; but through their fall salvation came to the Gentiles, for to provoke them to jealousy (or emulation). And, in effect, as our Lord in the midst of his sufferings did affectionately pray for God's mercy upon them, as the apostles did offer reconciliation unto them all indifferently who would repent, and were willing to embrace it; so were such of

II.

16.

Carnis, c.

14.

SERM. them as were disposed to comply with those invitaLXIX. tions received to grace, how deeply soever involved in the continued guilt of those enormous persecutions, injuries, and blasphemies; as particularly St. 1 Tim. i. Paul, that illustrious example of God's patience and mercy in this case. So that neither by this instance is any attribute of God more signalized, than his transcendent goodness, in like manner as by the former instances, and in analogy to them by all others, that may be assigned. By all of them it will appear that God is primarily and of himself disposed to do all fitting and possible good to men, not to inflict evil more than is fit and necessary; that De Resur. God is indeed optimus ex naturæ proprietate, (most good according to property of nature,) although justus ex causæ necessitate, (severe from the necessity of the case,) as Tertullian speaketh. To afflict men (either some men singly, or whole societies of men) may be sometimes expedient upon several accounts; for vindicating the esteem, and supporting the interest of goodness, which may by impunity be disgraced, endamaged, endangered; for the discrimination of good and evil men in an observable manner; for the encouragement and comfort of the good, the reduction and amendment of the bad; for preventing the contagion, and stopping the progress of iniquity, whereupon greater guilts and worse mischiefs would ensues: it may be as necessary as sharp physic to cure public or private distempers; as an instrument of rousing us out of our sinful lethargies; as that which may cause us better to understand ourselves, and more to remem

g Basil. Orat. Quod Deus non est causa mali, eleganter, et pulchre de hac re.

Carm. Py

Hier. Da

masc.

ber God; as a ground of fearing God, and an in- SERM. ducement to believe his providence. For those and LXIX. many such purposes, to bring upon men things distasteful to sense may be very requisite; nor doth the doing it anywise prejudice the truth of divine goodness, but rather confirms it, commends it, and advances its just esteem. It would be a fond indulgence, not a wise kindness; a cruel, rather than a loving pity, to deal otherwise. In fine, we are to Wisd. i. 12. consider that all the mischiefs we undergo, God thag. Cyril. doth not so much bring them on us as we do pull them on ourselves. They are αυθαίρετα πήματα, affected, or self-chosen mischiefs; they are κakÀ βλαστήματα προαιρέσεως, bad sprouts of our free choice, as a Father calls them; they are, as another Father saith, ἑκουσίων κακῶν ἀκούσια ἔκγονα, the unwilling of springs of wilful evils; they are the certain results of our own will, or the natural fruits of our actions; actions, which (however God desire, advise, command, persuade, entreat, excite) we do will, we are resolved to perform. We in a manner, as Salvian saith, do force God to do whatever he doeth in this kind; violently plucking down vengeance on our own heads; compelling the kind and merciful Lord, against his nature and will, to afflict us; not so much as giving him leave to spare us. God Miseros vehemently disclaims himself to be the original juranti Deo cause; to design, (according to absolute or primary Her intention,) to desire, to delight in our grief, or our

* Πάντα κινεῖ καὶ πραγματεύεται ὁ Θεὸς, ὥστε ἡμᾶς ἀπαλλάξαι κοι λάσεως, καὶ τιμωρίας. Chrys. tom. viii. p. 100.

Nos vim Deo facimus iniquitatibus nostris; nos nolentem ulcisci cogimus. Deus enim pius et misericors est, et qui neminem velit perire, vel lædere, &c. Salv. lib. 5. et 8.

nos si nec

credimus.

SERM. ruin. As I live, saith the Lord, (and surely when LXIX. God swears, we may believe that he is very serious,) Ezek. xviii. I have no pleasure in the death of the wicked, but that the wicked turn from his way, and live. I Deut. xxx. call heaven to record this day against you, that

30. xxxiii.

19.

I have set life and death before you therefore Lam. iii.33. choose life. He doth not afflict willingly, nor grieve the children of men. He would have all men

to be saved, and to come to the knowledge of the Wisd. i. 13. truth. He would not have any perish, but that all should come to repentance. He made not death, nor hath he pleasure in the destruction of the living. God then, if we may believe him, is not the first author of our calamities. Who then? He tells us Hos. xiii. 9. himself: O Israel, thou hast destroyed thyself: Jer. v. 25. thou hast fallen by thine own iniquity. Your sins Isa. lxiv. 6. have withholden good things from you. Our iniMatt. xxiii. quities, like the wind, have taken us away. How

xiv. I.

37.

often would I have gathered you, but ye would not! The designs and the endeavours of God do tend to our welfare and salvation; it is our will and our actions which only procure our ruin: It is we, that, Wisd. i. 12. as the Wise Man saith, seek death in the error of our life, and pull upon our own selves destruction. So that, to conclude this part of our discourse, even those passages of providence, which at first glimpse appear most opposite or disadvantageous to the goodness of God, (or to our opinion and belief concerning it,) do, being well sifted, nowise prejudice it, but rather serve to corroborate and magnify it.

St. Chrysostom in divers places doth insist upon the goodness of God in making and threatening hell itself.

Τῆς βασιλείας οὐκ ἔλαττον, ἡ τῆς γεέννης ἀπειλὴ δείκνυ ἀγαθότητα, &c. 'Ανδρ. ζ'.

αὐτοῦ τὴν

LXIX.

I shall only further briefly touch (or rather but SERM. mention) the uses and effects, to the producing which, the consideration of God's goodness, in so manifold ways declared, should be applied.

1. It should beget in us hearty love and reverence toward God, in regard to this attribute so excellent and amiable in itself, so beneficial and advantageous to us. What can we esteem, what can we love, if so admirable goodness doth not affect us? How prodigiously cold and hard is that heart, which cannot be warmed and softened into affection by so melting a consideration!

2. It should produce, as grateful sense in our hearts, so real endeavours of thankful obedience in our lives. It should make us walk worthy of God, Col. i. 10. to all well-pleasing, bringing forth fruit in every good work; taking heed of doing as did Hezekiah, of whom it is said, that he rendered not according 2 Chron. to the benefit done unto him, for his heart was lifted up; therefore was wrath upon him; that we may not have that expostulation justly applied unto us, Do ye thus requite the Lord, O foolish people and Dent.xxxii. unwise?

xxxii. 25.

6.

3. It should engage us the more to fear God; complying with the prophet's admonition, Fear the Hos. iii. 5. Lord and his goodness; considering that intimation of the Psalmist, There is forgiveness with thee, Ps. cxxx. 4. that thou mayest be feared; observing that advice

24.

of Samuel, Only fear the Lord, and serve him; for 1 Sam. xii. consider what great things he hath done for you. For that indeed nothing is more terrible than goodness slighted, and patience abused.

4. It should humble, ashame, and grieve us, for having crossed and offended such exceeding goodness