Goodness of God–Idea of this Perfection: display of Goodness in the Creation of the Universe: and in his dispensation to Mankind–Existence of Physical Evil consistent with the Divine Goodness–Origin of Moral Evil–Display of Divine Goodness in Redemption.

By the goodness of God, we do not understand the general excellence of his nature, but that particular property or principle, which disposes him to communicate happiness to his creatures. It is in this sense that we pronounce it to be one of his essential attributes. It is necessary in conjunction with other attributes, to complete the idea of an all-perfect Being, and is the foundation of the trust, and love, and hope, with which he is regarded by men. We could think of him only with distant reverence, if we conceived that he took no interest in the well-being of his creatures; and the supposition that he was actuated by a principle of malevolence, would create dread of one infinitely superior to us, from whose pursuit it was impossible to escape. We should tremble at his power, which could torment and destroy us; at his wisdom, the contrivances of which for our injury we possessed no means of evading; at his immensity, which forced upon us the alarming thought, that to what. ever place we might flee for refuge, we should be always in the presence of an enemy. Goodness throws a mild and tranquillizing luster over the majestic attributes of his nature. It presents them to us under a friendly aspect; associated with it, they appear as so many powers, by which its benignant designs will be carried into full effect. We look up to him not only as a Sovereign, but as a Father; we feel emotions of gratitude rising in harmony with sentiments of veneration; we are emboldened to supplicate his favour, and to resign ourselves to his disposal. Goodness has been considered as one of his attributes by men of every nation, conducted no doubt to this conclusion by the proofs of his beneficence in the natural course of events. The ancient heathens called him the Best, as well as the Greatest of Beings. If some believed in the existence of a malevolent Being, because they observed much evil in the world, and knew not how otherwise to account for it, they also acknowledged another Being of an opposite character, the author of order and beauty, by whose bounty the wants of living creatures were supplied.

Goodness being a disposition to communicate happiness, regulated, however, in an intelligent Agent by wisdom, and in a moral Agent by a regard to purity and justice, we learn that, it belongs to God from a survey of hie works and dispensations.

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Yet for all that we must consider with what difference the providence of God does give all things unto all. The goodness of God is of two sorts, as the care of his providence is also: of God’s goodness, some be earthly, bodily, and transitory, & some be heavenly, spiritual and eternal. And some care of God is general, and some special. The general care is that, which is peculiar unto the Creator and conserver of all, the special is that, when as a father he has a care of his elect and faithful, in the general care he foresees indifferently unto the necessities of all. Therefore Christ, said, which brings forth his sun upon the good and the evil, and unthankful. So he bestows his bodily and transitory good things, to the uses not only of men, but also of beasts, not only of the just, but of the unjust also: but of his special providence, by which he bears a fatherly goodwill towards them whom he chose into his kingdom, and unto everlasting felicity before the making of the world, he gives indeed temporary, earthly and bodily goods, according unto his general care, but he gives specially heavenly, spiritual and everlasting goods to the saving of the faithful by his Spirit, the spirit of his children, according unto his special benevolence and good will.

He does both these as creator and saviour: but feely of himself, as owing nothing to any man, bestowing them unequally, but not universally. For if we do consider the quality of man’s estate, he gives to no man less than the necessity of our nature requires. And to say the truth, the wealth of the rich men which consists in gold, silver, an other like gay gear, is not so much to be esteemed of itself, that it ought to be preserved before the necessity of provision and substance, which the providence of God commonly gives unto all and which they which be despised for their poverty, do use more happily, than they which for their notable wealth and riches are taken to be most happy.

“Of him” (the Apostle) “be all things, and he adds, and by him,” Ergo all things not only be of God as the fountain of all good things, but also by himself bestows all his good things unto all, how, as much, and when he will. Indeed he uses the ministry of creatures, but the very work itself of the dispensation and distribution, is not of the creature but his. Therefore David says: “Thou opens thy hand, and fills every living thing with blessing.” He means the very same, that the Apostle does, that is to wit, that not only all things be of God, but by God also.

Then if all things be of him, and by him, it follows that there is nothing of any other, but all of, and by God only. So that he may be as well called monarkes, as panarkes, and truly so it is. Unless we do receive our things of God, neither Heaven nor Earth, nor any other thing that seems to be of any power, can do any good, no nor the world can so fill one man’s heart, that he shall desire nothing more. This pertains unto God only, sufficiently to fulfill those things which he has made. He which has God himself has not only much, but sufficient in all things.

Furthermore the Apostle says also, “And all things be in him.” Wherefore all things be so of God, that nevertheless all which we have of him, is in him: we be both of him, an do also live, move, and be in him. Those things which be of God, can not stand but in God, the essence and life of all things as it is of God, so it is also in God. He loses nothing that he gives. But the condition of us is far other, than of God is. Those things which we do beget of us, can both live and continue without us: and those things which we do give unto others, we do give them, that they be no longer ours but theirs, unto whom we have given them. But God so gives all things, that for all that he loses none of those things, which he gives. It is never a wit the farther from him, there is no alienation made, for there is nothing taken from him, although that all be received from him. The weighing of all this, may be a great comfort unto us, and avails much to the confirmation of the faith of God’s providence. In vain should all things be of God, unless withal all things were in him, and consisted in him: for without hum there is neither life, nor ability to stand up, and to continue. Let our very life and motions that we move by, declare unto us not only of whom, we be. What a madness is it therefore, not to acknowledge him of whom we be, and of whom we do receive all things: and not to have him before our eyes, nor to depend upon his providence, in whom we be and do live and in whom all things be what we have, and without whom neither we of ourselves nor any thing we have, can stand and continue? Wherefore it is not possible, that we should without great injury of God ’s majesty seek aid and help of any other, but of him when we need anything, of whom, by whom, and in whom, we be, we live, and we be moved? How is it possible that he which of his own motion and goodness made us to be when we were not. He which does stay us in him after we be made by him, does feed us, maintain us and save us, can forsake us if with sincere faith and trust w do wholly depend upon his providence? This much we have spoken as briefly passing over this treatise of the sufficiency of God.

Wolfgangus Musculus, Common Places of Christian Religion, trans., by Iohn Merton (London: Imprinted by Henry Bynneman, 1578), 903-05.

[To be continued.]

So much concerning the affections attributed to God, his virtues follow; which as they their seat in man, in the will and affections; so it is not inconvenient for methods sake to refer them to the same in God. Gods virtues are his essence considered, as it always worketh orderly, firstly, and agreeably to perfect reason. They are not things differing from his essence as in us, but we must conceive them according to our capacity and hand them distinctly.

By virtues we understand first in general the idea of virtue, or the chiefest moral perfection, by which God is in himself absolutely the best, and in respect of which all virtues of angels and men are only slender shadows and representations. For God is Summon bonum, the chief good, and most perfect goodness, both metaphorically and morally; so that his nature and will is the first rule of goodness and rectitude, with which, as far as things agree, so far they are, and are called good. H is the cause of all goodness in the creatures, which have so much goodness as God works and keeps in them.

God’s goodness, is an essential property whereby he is infinitely, and of himself good, and the author and cause of all goodness in the creature.

God’s goodness is considered as he is good in himself, yea, goodness itself, Exod. 34:6. Psal. 119:68. or as he is good to his creatures, which is his bounty, which being referred to his creatures, either as having goodness communicated to them, in his love; or has being in misery, is his mercy, or as having deserved no good thing at the hands of God, but rather contrary, is his grace.

Goodness is the perfection of things for which they are desirable; good and appertible are convertible: What is good is to be desired. God is to be desired of all, he is the chiefest good.

The properties of which are these:
1. It is propter se amabile, to be desired for itself; so only God.
2. It is able to satisfy the soul, and that satisfaction which it gives is perpetual. In God there is both satiety and stability; satisfaction of the appetite, and continuance of that satisfaction.
2. God is causally good, worketh all goodness in the creature, and doth good to them, Psal. 33:5.
3. Eminently and absolutely good, the only good. There is a goodness in the creature, its nature is good, but goodness I not its nature; so there is none good but God; viz. Essentially, originally.

Our Saviour Matt 19:17. reproved one for calling him good; not that he is not so essentially, but because he thinking him to be no more than a Prophet, did yet call him so. God is the only good essentially, independently; comparatively to God the creature is not good; as a drop is no water compared to the Ocean.

The Scripture proves God’s goodness,

1. Affirmatively, when affirmed that God is good, and commends his goodness.
2. Negatively, when it denies that there is any evil in him, Psal. 92:16, Deut. 32:4.
3. Symbolically, when it celebrates the riches of his goodness, Rom. 2:4.
4. Effectively, when it affirms that all the works of God are good, Gen. 1:31. It was said of every thing particularly when it was mad, The Lord saw that it was good, yea, very good; that is, commodious for the comfort of man, and all other creatures. He made all things good, therefore he is good himself. This may be proved by the goodness which still remains in the creatures; each creature hath yet remaining in him a power and fitness to do much good, and brings much comfort to man, as daily experience proves; therefore he, that notwithstanding the rebellion of man hath continued yet much good in the world, surely good; the beasts do good to their young, man to his children; this power they receive from God.
5. God is to be loved, honored, praised, and served by man, therefore he is good; or else, he were not worthy this respect from the creature.

The goodness of God is either considered ad intra and absolutely, or else ad extra and respectively. For the first, God in himself is good.

This appears:
1. In reckoning up all the kinds of good things that are; for there is 1, Bonum utile the profitable good: now how happy must they needs be who have him which can command all things; if thou hast him, thou hast all things else in him. 2. There is bonum jucundum, taste and see how sweet he is, At thy right are pleasures for evermore. 3. Bonum honestum, he is the holy God, the Author of all holiness, and the exemplar of it.
2.This goodness of his cannot be increased, it being his essence, it cannot be made better; for God has in him, not only all the actual, but all the possible goodness that is in the creatures; any creature still may be better; thy riches honors, comforts may be better, but thy God cannot be a better God; therefore we should infinitely affect him more than all creatures.
3. It is independent goodness, he is omnis boni bonum; hence he is said to be the only good essentially and immutably.
4. It is essential; the essence and goodness of the creatures is different; goodness in the angels the perfectest creature, is a superadded-quality to them, they may be good, but ill bonus suo bonest, He is good with his own goodness, he cannot e good if he be not good.
5.It is unlimited goodness, infinite, without all bounds, above all that can be conceived, he being essentially so, and not limited to this or that being, neither in his goodness.
6. It is unmixed goodness, 1 John 1:5. he is light, and there is no darkness in him, not the least evil of sin.
7. It is the samplar and form of all goodness in the creatures: so far a thing is good as it doth resemble him.

All the good of the creature is in God always:
1. Eminently, as you consider it in its kind, without imperfection.
2. Efficiently, as he is the Author and cause of all the good hath.
3. Exemplarily, as he is the rule and pattern of all goodness.
4. Finally, as he the chiefest good of all creatures, so that all terminate their desires in him.

Secondly, God is good respectively in what he doth to the creature: that appeareth in the good things bestowed upon them. He giveth to all liberally, especially the rational creatures, as men and angels, partake of his goodness, being made capable of enjoying him for ever. 2. In the evil he keeps off from the elect; as he will withhold no good things, so he will no evil befall them.
Object. God is infinitely good (say the Arminian) therefore he cannot but naturally will good to his creatures.

Sol. It doth not follow; for out of his goodness he made the world, his goodness freely communicated, not out of necessity, then it will follow that he is naturally made the world. 2. God is infinitely just, therefore he also naturally wills the perdition of all sinners, which they will not admit. 3. He is infinitely good in himself, not therefore so to his creatures, for so he should will all good to them, and actually communicate it and so should save all. Notwithstanding God’s goodness of nature, suffered man to fall; but yet he was so good that he would not have suffered it, unless he could have showed as much goodness to man another way; and indeed Christ is a greater good to us by faith, then Adam’s innocency could have been; but yet since that evil is come into the world how many calamities might befall thee, did not God’s goodness prevent it? that the earth swallows thee not up tis God’s goodness. The goodness of God is so great, that no creature should suffer punishment, but that the justice of God doth require the same, or else some greater good may be drawn from thence, Ezek. 33:11.

Object. How doth it agree with God’s goodness, that it is said Psal. 18:17. With the froward he will show himself froward?
Answ. In the general, the meaning is only, that God’s judgements shall agree with men’s manners, and David shows how God is in himself, but relatively how he is to us.

We should 1. Love God because of his goodness, for it is the proper object of love. That which is the chief good, ought to be the principal object of all powers of our souls. God is the principal good: O that we could account him so, and accordingly carry ourselves toward him. Sine summo bono nil bonnum, there is no good thing, without the chiefest good, Psal. 73:25,26.

2. To imitate him, to be good as he is good, be like our heavenly Father, good to all, summa religionis est imisariquem colis Aug. de Civ.Dei l.8.c.27. It is a chief point of all Religion to imitate him whom we worship, Rom. 12:9, Cleave to that which is good, we should still be doing or receiving good.

3. God’s goodness will support his children in their calamities, Nehem. 1:7. and arm them against poverty, and the fear of death itself. I do not fear to die (said Ambrose) because we have a good Lord. Nec pudes vivere, nec piget mori, qui bonum habemus Dominum.

We are much to be blamed for slighting, despising or neglecting him the fountain of all goodness. Man is the most loathsome creature that hateth, and foolish that slighteth his chief good.

Here is the ground of thankfulness to God’s people, which enjoy the goodness of God in part here in the creature, and hereafter shall immediately and fully. God is especially good to some, whom he has chosen to life eternal.

We see the great evil ofsin; nothing is so opposite to this attribute of God’s goodness as sin; the Devils are not evil as creatures, but as sinful.

Edward Leigh, A System or Body of Divinity, (Printed by William Lee, at the Sign of the Turk’s-head in Fleet-street over against Fetter-lane, 1654), 172-175.

a’ Brakel:

Goodness is the very opposite of harshness, cruelty, gruffness, severity, mercilessness–all of which are far removed from God. How unbecoming it is to have such thoughts about God! Such sinful emotions are found in man. The goodness of God, on the contrary, is the loveliness, benign character, sweetness, friendliness, kindness, and generosity of God. Goodness is the very essence of God’s being, even if there were no creature to whom this could be manifested. “The good LORD pardon every one” (2 Chr.30:18); “Good and upright is the LORD: therefore will He teach sinners in the way” (Psa. 25:B); “There is none good but one, that is, God” (Mat. 19:17).

From this goodness issues forth lovingkindness and an inclination to bless His creatures. This is to the astonishment of all who take note of this, which explains why David exclaims twenty-six times in Ps. 136, “For His Mercy endureth for ever.” In the following texts we read likewise. “Also unto Thee, O Lord, belongeth mercy” (Psa. 62:12); “All the paths of the LORD are mercy” (Psa. 25:l0). From goodness and benevolence issues forth the doing of that which is good. “Thou art good, and doest good” (Psa. 119:68); “Rejoice the soul of Thy servant: and attend unto the voice of my supplications. For Thou Lord, art good, and ready to forgive; and plenteous in mercy unto all them that call upon Thee” (Psa. 86:4, 6, 5).

Thisgoodness is of a general nature in reference to all God’s creatures, since they are His creatures. “The LORD is good to all: and His tender mercies are over all is works” (Psa. 145:9); “The earth is full of the goodness of the LORD” (Psa. 33:5); “For He maketh His sun to rise on the evil and on the good, and sendeth rain on the just and on the unjust” (Mat. 5:45). The goodness which is of a special or particular nature as it relates to God’s children is thus expressed: ‘Truly God is good to Israel, even to such as arc of a clean heart” (Psa. 73:l); “The LORD is good unto them that wait for Him, to the soul that seeketh Him” (Lam. 3:25). This goodness of God is the reason why a believer, even after many backslidings, is motivated by renewal to return unto the Lord. “The children of Israel shall return… and shall fear the LORD and His goodness” (Hosea 3:5); “But I have trusted in Thy mercy” (Psa. 13:5). This is why they call the Lord “the God of my mercy” (Psa. 59:10, 17). In this goodness they rejoice and this goodness they magnify. “I will sing of the mercies of the LORD for ever” (Psa. 89:l); “Praise ye the LORD. 0 give thanks unto the LORD; for He is good: for His mercy endureth for ever” (Psa. 106:l).

Wilhemus a’ Brakel, The Christian’s Reasonable Service, trans., by Bartel Elshout, (Ligonier, PA: Soli Deo Gloria Publ., 1992) 1:122-123.