diuinitie to be accounted of the same signification and compasse then he is a soule or a bodie what then may you say is the signification of these words Surely they are not positiue but priuatiue they shew not what God is but what he is not namely that hee is not a formall visible and sensible bodie For so they containe in them a refutation of that grosse opinion of the carnall and hypocriticall Iewes who thought that an outward and bodily worship voyde of the spirituall sinceritie of the heart would well ynough fit and please God as if a man hauing to deale with those heathenish idolators that thinke brute beastes or sencelesse stockes to bee Gods should say vnto them you are fouly deceiued in this point for God is not a dead stocke or a brute beast but rather to be resembled to a liuing man So then the meaning of Christes words is this God although in trueth hee bee not a spirit or an angell yet because that nature commeth nearer him and doth more resemble him then any other therefore hee may fitly for your capacitie be so called Sect. 4. YOu remember I doubt not that it was said that there are three things required to the searching out of Gods nature first a conceite of it in the minde gathered by the effects of it secondly a reall example or patterne wherein that conceit doth exist and may bee seene and thirdly the difference betwixt the conceite the example the one being in abstracto the other in concreto the one existing onely in the imagination of the minde the other in some creature and reall subiect The two first wee haue alreadie gotten the one out of the creatures which haue taught vs the nature of God in generall the other we haue found in the angels who are a liuely resemblance of the said diuine nature the third remaineth to wit the difference betwixt the patterne and the thing it selfe For although we haue alreadie ascended and come to the highest steppe of Iacobs ladder for that it is impossible to find any more of the diuine essence in any creature then wee haâ—e alreadie seene in the angelicall nature yet wee are not at our iourneyes ende nor yet halfe waye for although there be as great difference betwixt Angels and men as there is distance betwixt the heauen and the earth yet there is tenne times yea ten thousand times greater oddes betwixt the Angels and God and the space is infinitly greater from the heauen of the Angels and saints to the heauen of heauens where God dwelleth And therefore we are now in the last place to seeke out the difference which exalteth the nature of God thus farre or rather thus infinitly aboue the Angels this is the verie true essentiall forme of God the which if it could bee once named the matter were at an ende the case cleare much labor might be saued which must be spent or rather most profitably and happily bestowed in gessing coniecturing imagining that by many properties attributes actions and effects which by this meanes might be fully knowne all at once But it is not the will of God neither were it profitable for vs that so inestimable a iewell should bee so easily gotten who would esteeme the most precious pearles if so be that they lay in the streetes for the vptaking and if the nature of God were once fully known how could it afterwardes bee so earnestly sought and desired as is mâ—ete Yet we are not to thinke that this impossibilitie of finding out the true forme of God commeth of God as making daintie and daungerous of the knowledge of his nature to make vs eager earnest in desiring to know it although iâ— bee true that hath beene said that it is better to haue our appetite whetted and sharpned by the hardnesse and impossibilitie of attaining it then our stomackes cloyed with the full fruition of it neither are we to think that God doth enuie and grudge vs so great a good and so sweete a pleasure or that in pollicie hee keepeth himselfe close not daring to shew himselfe for feare of being censured or contemned by vs But this commeth of the shallownesse of our braines and the the weaknesse of out capacitie the which making it impossible for vs to conceiue it maketh it impossible for God to reueale it Gent. I was in good hope to haue heard at the next word the very true essential forme of God declared and indeed that had beene woorth the hearing but now I perceiue you will reserue that for another time or rather giue it ouer for euer wherin you deale wisely in my minde for what follie were it for a man to beate his braines in pursuing that which it were more then madnesse once to hope to attaine But I pray you how wil you do to make your proude Lucifer a God Sch. We will doo as we may sir and if all should faile I hope that you will helpe at a dead lift according to your promise but to proceed Seeing that the true forme of gods nature cannot be had we must take in stead of it some essentiall propertie flowing from the forme the which will make those things which are attributed to God differ from the same things as they are in the Angels For example knowledge wisedome might and maiestie haue place both in God and also in the Angels yet they are not alike in both for in the Angels they are although great and perfect yet finit but in god they are absolute and infinit So then if we adde this difference of infinitnesse to the Angelicall nature there will come forth a diuine nature which may not vnfitly be described an angelical nature euery way infinit and so God be defined an infinit Angell as an Angell may be said to be a spiritual man For as surpassing excellencie doth distinguish the Angelicall nature from the humane for although they bee both of one kinde to wit reasonable indued with wit knowledge wisedome and will yet they differ in that the Angelicall nature hath all these in farre greater measurâ— then hath the humane in like manner infinitnesse doth distinguish the diuine nature from the angelicall for they both being reasonable or vnderstanding natures indued with wit and will and with all things belonging there vnto differ in this respect that the one is excellent in vnderstaÌ„ding knowledge wisedome will power puritie and glorie but the other is infinit in all these respects the one hath all these things in an excellent measure the other hath them without measure the one hath much the other hath all And thus by gathering the nature of God out of his workes and word by finding out a patterne of it in the Angelicall nature and lastly by adding vnto this angelicall nature that wherein it commeth short of God we haue in some sort made vp the diuine nature or rather indeuoured to do that which it is impossible to performe for in this case the least
god or doth belong vnto him can be augmented diminished or any way altered for as hee is once at any time so is he alwaies at all times Yet it caÌ„not be denied but that god hath his essentiall properties or attributes and that they are and may be truly and really distinguished from his substance essence or forme and some things I confesse are attributed to God in respect of our weaknesse which are not proper but rather contrarie vnto the nature of God as namely the parts and sences of mans bodie as hands eyes feete going seeing and likewise the passions and perturbations of men as anger furie hatred reuenge repenting forgetfulnesse and diuers other all which are as farre discrepant from the nature of god as darknesse is from light and therefore they are to bee vnderstood as improper and metaphoricall speeches borrowed from our nature to represent make knowne vnto vs the diuers actions of God Againe God is the Creator Preseruer and Redeemer of the world these attributes and many others of the same kind are truly giuen to him yet they are not to bee accounted his essential attributes because they are not coeternall with God therefore not inseparable although creation import omnipotencie and so an essentiall attribute Besides there are diuers other things attributed to God but the true and essentiall attributes of God are those which arise and spring from his essence and forme as naturally necessarely directly continually and immediately as the beames light and heate issue from the sun yea as do the streams from a fountain the twigges and branches from the roote and bodie of the tree as namely vbiquitie eternitie vnitie simplicitie omnipoâ—eÌ„cie these are y â— essential attributes of god arising necessarely from his essentiall forme to wit from an infinit vnderstanding and reason the which we are constrained to make the substitute and vicegerent of the essentiall forme of God the which must of necessitie as hath been said and shewed bee eternall illocall one simple and omnipotent yea omniscient and infinit in many other respects yet these attributes are not the essence and forme of God for they are diuers one from each other as vbiquitie is not vnitie nor vnitie eternitie but the essence of God is not diuers Gent. The difference which you make betwixt the essence and essentiall properties of God as I take it is this that the essence is as it were the foundation fountaine substance head beginning and roote and the attributes the top streames existence inferior members end fruite and in briefe they come from the essence of God is not this your meaning Sch. You say true and I thanke you for explaining it more fully then I could haue done but what of that Gent. Then I pray you let me aske you this question why may you not make some or all of the atttributes the essence and forme of God as well as the infinit vnderstanding of God or at the least why doo you not make the vnderstanding of God one of his attributes as I am sure that vsually Diuines doo who put the knowledge and wisedome of God in the forefront of his attributes I might trouble you with other obiections for by this distinction of Gods essence from his attributes you seeme to make prius and posterius one thing before an other in God and also to take away the vniformitie and equalitie of Gods essence for that the beginning roote and head is more essentiall then the progresse fruites and members but I knowe you would say that I doo but cauill and trifle with you for that it is no absurditie to say that in God one thing is before another in order though not in time as the vnderstanding is to the will and to the other you may say that y e head is no more essential to a man then is the foote nor the roote then a little twig and therefore I pray you resolue mee for that other matter and let these passe Sch. You might haue let that passe too for any great hardnesse that is in it as wil plainly appeare if you consider the same distinction in men or rather in Angels foâ— they haue essentiall attributes proportionable though not comparable to these in God for they haue successiue vbiquitie for they can be any where in a small space of time and for the eternitie or rather sempiternitie of god they haue immortalitie for his simplicitie they haue great subtiltie and for his omnipotencie great power and might yet the beginning and foundation of their essence is in none of these but in their reason or vnderstanding the which onely giueth the denominatioÌ„ of a persoÌ„ to the subiect in the which it is whether it be in the creatures or in god Yea it doth more properly make the subiect excellent then doth any other respect as namely a man indued with vnderstanding hath more of the image and similitude of God and is in that respect more excellent then is the whole earth being but a dead and sencelesse lumpe of clay as it is said Eccles 9. 4. That a quick dog is better theÌ„ a dead Lyon and as wee know that the least bird that flyeth in the ayre is more admired counted more excellent then the hugest mountaine in the world that standeth stone-stiâ— So that liuing things excel those which waÌ„t life as reasonable men excell brute beasts as wise men excell fooles as much as light doth darknesse Eccles 2. 13. as Angels surpasse men as farre as the heauen doth the earth in puritie and subtilitie so doth the infinitnesse of Gods vnderstanding not of his quantitie time or power extoll God aboue all things and in the first place makes him God As for the methode which diuers Diuines vse in putting the knowledge and wisedome of God among his attributes in that they put them in the forefront of them as you saye truly it is plaine that they make them the beginning and foundation of the rest yea I could shewe you some of the latest of them which make the knowledge and wisedome of God to be his life and by life wee knowe that all things are saide to exist And therefore howsoeuer it bee impossible for vs to sound the depth of the diuine essence and to shew fully and plainly wherin the form of it doth consist yet forsomuch as wee need not doubt but that of all that is in scripture attributed to God and said to be in him his infinit vnderstanding hath the first place both in excellencie and also in order of nature we may be bold to make it the roote fountaine and foundation of his essence and the rest of his attributes the branches streames and progresse of it For in the first place God is a substance nature or essence truely subsisting then he is to be accounted not a dead and vnreasonable but a reasonable and vnderstanding nature thirdly not a finit but an infinit vnderstanding whereof it followeth that he is eternall
from some supernaturall power whereof we haue of late had euident examples to the astonishment of all men And if your Atheist wil not beleeue his owne eyes beholding the strange iudgemeÌ„ts of God in others but will rather giue his owne sences the lye then acknowledge the truth of the Godhead let him but by some iniurious deed or coÌ„tumelious word prouoke some witch of Endor that hath the temporary power ouer some spirit vpon condition that he shall haue eternall power ouer her and it is like inough he being voyd of all faith and sence of God so out of his protection that he shall feele to his cost and confesse to his shame that there is a power ouer and beside the ordinary course of nature Gent. Indeed these Atheists that denie God do also denie that there is eyther diuel or Angel I think will confesse them all assoone as any one Sch. And they that will not bee taught by God must will they nill they learne of the diuel who in my mind is the fittest schoole-maister for such schollers CHAP. 2. What God is or of the essence of God Sect. 1. Gent. YOu haue so fully resolued me and setled my minde in this poynt that â— trust neuer hereafter to bee troubled with the obiections which Athists make against the diuine essence especially if that I might by any meanes haue the nature of God declared and described as it is indeed For this is the cause why men are so easily brought to doubt of the being and existence of God because they cannot conceiue or comprehend the manner or forme of his essence nor haue any true notion of it setled and fixed in their mindes whereby it commeth to passe that the imagination of maÌ„ casting god in a thousaÌ„d moules turning him into as many diuerse formes as Proteus is fained to haue neuer resting conteÌ„ted with any as neuer finding any garment that will sit close on his backe or any forme agreeing to the infinitnesse subtilitie of his essence reiecteth all and with all euen the diuine nature it selfe supposing it not at all to exist which they cannot suppose how it doth exist And therefore if I may entreate you to take the like paines in shewing the manner and forme of Gods essence which you haue done in proouing the truth and certaintie of his existence you shall make me much beholden and indebted to you Sch. Indeed it is impossible as for you to keepe that which you neuer had so for me either to declare that to you in words which I my selfe did neuer conceiue in minde or to comprehend that within the compasse of my narrow and shallow braine which is in nature infinit and incomprehensible for so we are to thinke of God that his nature and essence being euery way infinit cannot possibly be comprehended by any finite creature no not by the heauenly Angels themselues whose nature being subtile and spiritual doth easily pierce into the depth of knowledge how much lesse then by men who in comparison of Angels are but dolts and dul-pates groueling here on earth in the mudde and myre of error and grosse ignorance vnable by any art or industrie to finde out the true nature forme and vertue of the meanest creatures no not of the least Flie or Gnat how much lesse then of the mightie Iehoua whose seate is in the heauen and whose footestoole is the earth But what need I alledge the impossibilitie of comprehending fully in our finit mindes and memories the infinit essence of God it beeing impossible for vs to commence or begin this action by receiuing into our imaginations or fancies any true conceit of him Things subiect to sense are conceited in the minde by a resemblance or similitude of them which the sense doth draw from the things themselues But as for things not subiect to sense of the which nature all men confesse God to be how shall they conuey and send to the imagination their picture and resemblance surely they cannot doo it themselues but must substitute in their roomes that sensible thing which is likest vnto them to represent their person as if a man that is far absent should will the Painter to draw his picture and counterfait by beholding the visage of his sonne or brother being not much vnlike vnto him But what creature shall â—it in Gods chayre of estate and represent his person to our imaginations and mindes Whereunto shall wee compare or liken Whereunto shall we compare or liken God or how can we not thinke it to be vnlawfull and flatly forbidden by the law of God to resemble him to any thing eyther in or within heauen or to frame any Image or similitude of him eyther by outward action in deed or by inward imaginatioÌ„n in our mindes Thus God perswadeth the people of Israel from making any Image wherein to worship him because they had not seene him in any forme and therefore could not tell after what fashion the Image should bee made Deut. 4. 15. Besides it may be doubted whether it be lawfull or not to attempt the searching and finding out of the nature and essence of God which wee haue not in the scriptures reuealed vnto vs. We know that God in reuealing himselfe to men hath reserued some things secret to himselfe the which it is his glory to conceale Prou. 25. 2. and therefore his dishonour to haue them knowne Deuter. 29. 29. Let the hidden things be with the Lord our GOD and the reuealed things to vs and to our children for euer But what can bee hidden or secret in GOD if his very forme and essence bee reuealed And therefore we ought to bee rather sober and modest then hotte and hastie in pursuing the knowledge of the diuine essence It is sufficient for vs that we may enter into the Temple and Church of God and there behold his mercie and goodnesse yea his power and iustice toward the wicked what need we be so presumptuous as with the meÌ„e of Bethsemes to look into the aâ—ke of the Lord 1. Sam. 6. 19. or to enter into the holy of holiest or how dare we set eyther foot or face into that place which the Lord hath inclosed with glory and made seuerall for his owne abode and there to behold or rather to outface the Maiestie of God sitting in his Cherubin chaire of estate the which the Angels themselues neither can not yet dare behold and therefore with their wings couer their faces least that they seeing it should be confounded as ouerwhelmed with the greatnesse of his glory And therfore for this mâ—tter I must desire you to hold me excused if I do not take vpon me to declare vnto you the essence of God the knowledge whereof I am sure it is impossible to attaine and I doubt whether it be lawfull to attempt Gent. You put me into a straunge maze and quandary in that you would maâ—e me beleeue that I had committed som hainous offence in desiring
not see how the most mightie and omnipotent God could make y e first matter of the world for that hee had nothing whereof to make it and iust nothing saith hee though falsely is made of nothing what would hee say to this paradoxe that nothing did of nothing make something yea all things not onely materiall bodies but euen the most pure and operatiue formes But wee knowe that God is eternall that is hee euer was and neuer was not hee was not made by nothing for nothing makes nothing nor by any thing for that which could make God was before god and greater then God and therefore onely God but God made himselfe not by giuing or rather by taking a beginning to himselfe but by being himselfe as he doth still and shall for euer make himselfe Hee was alwaies as hee will bee euermore neuer beginning nor euer ending but alwaies being Hee existeth not of nothing but of himselfe not by another but by himselfe in no other but in himselfe and for no other but for himselfe and so hee is to himselfe all in all Yea as God is eternall so euerie eternall is God for no creature can bee eternall because with the creature there comes in generation and motion with motion time and so eternitie is abandoned for time and eternitie are contraries as are finite and infinite the measure and that which is vnmeasurable But you may say how could God exist without the creature for how could hee exist without working and doing something he being a most actuall and operatiue forme and how could hee worke if hee had no matter to worke on how could God extend his goodnesse there beeing nothing to receiue it or how could hee haue glorie and honour there beeing none to giue it for honour is in the giuer not in the taker or what disparagement would it haue beene to God if hee had made the creature to exist from all eternitie more then it is that hee will make it to existe to all eternitie as wee knowe that hee hath promised in holy scripture yes surely God is not pind vpon the sleeue of the creature that hee could not exist and that in perfect happinesse and glorie without the helpe or company of any creature the which howsoeuer it do set foorth the glorie of God after another manner then that wherby God was glorious in and to himselfe ftom all eternitie yet it addeth nothing to the perfection of Gods glorie which before was absolute although not in the same manner Neyther can wee doubt but that this eternitie of the creature would bee a great blot to the glory of God wherof his eternitie is now a notable part but should not bee if that the creature were eternall as well as God And therefore it must bee content to bee a degree beneath him rather then to striue in vaine to fetch the pedigree from so auncient a stocke eternitie must be left to God as a royall prerogatiue proper to his house and crowne for the antiquitie of a fewe thousand yeares may serue to make y e creature noble Now that obiectiō which saith that God could not exist without the creatures because without thē he could not worke is easely answered for before the creation God did no way mooue or worke yet he was not idle for hee did as hee doth still giue himselfe to the contemplation of himself euen of his own infinit essence and glorie Sect. 4. NExt to the eternitie of GOD commeth to bee considered his vbiquitie which concerneth the stature and greatnesse of GOD as the other did his age and continuance For as in time so also in greatnesse God must bee knowne and acknowledged to bee infinite not inclosed or comprehended within any creature or place eyther in heauen or in earth but silling all creatures and all places both in heauen and earth yea stretching and extending himselfe beyond the compasse of the world by infinite degrees and that not onely by his power his essence beeing in some set particular place as wee knowe that Princes sitting and being contained in a little chaire stretch their power authoritie ouer whole countries and kingdomes farre distant from them but it is not so with God who as in power so also in his substance and essence is euery where in al things and in all places for hee is not by any thing either kept or put and as it were iusled out and dispossessed of his place but is in all places euen where the grossest bodies are as well as where is neyther place nor bodie We see how the ayre to the which wee haue before compared the vbiquitie of God is desirous to inlarge his dominions and therefore assoone as euer it findeth any place emptie it straightway taketh possession but if there be any bodie in it to keepe possession it is kept out a doores and can haue no title to it and so in all other bodies wee see that the weaker giueth place to the stronger for it is impossible that two bodies should bee togither in one place But it is not so with God for no creature is able to put him out of any place hee doth suffer the creatures to haue their seuerall places but not to vsurpe his place the which is euery place as well where the creatures are as where nothing is For their being in place doth not hinder him from being there for he is there as well as they and euen where they are Hee is where the earth is for hee is in the earth and both heauen and earth are in him and subsist in him as in their subiect and foundation vpholding and containing them And therefore his title is better to that place which they haue then is theirs for hee was there in peaceable possession of it before they were any where existing and so he will bee there when they are consumed to ashes and gone Gent. I do easely beleeue that God is euery where and that his exceeding greatnesse is more then sufficient to fill a thousande worlds but I pray you shewe mee how God is present euery where whither he bee partly in one place and partly in another or rather as I haue heard them say wholly in euery place as it is said of the soule that it is tota in toto corpore and tota in qualibet parte wholly both in the whole bodie and also in euery part or member of it Sch. That is indeed the vsuall saying and similitude according to the which god is to bee thought to be wholly in euery Church house yea in the least thing that is as well as in the greatest It is sure that the essence of God is most simple and vniforme without any distinction of partes but the very same euery where yet that common saying is hard to bee vnderstood and therefore may easely by the simple bee peruerted to their own destruction who hearing God to bee wholly in euery place will readely suppose him to bee
contained in that place and so to bee finite yea to bee diuided into infinit Gods as the Heathen imagined euery house and person to haue his proper god attending on him And therefore wee may more â—asely and truely imagine God to bee one whole vndiuided and vniforme essence containing and inclosing in it selfe all bodies as doth the ayre yet not excluded out of any place where any body is as the ayre is out of all such places and that God is not in this or that place Church or house but that all places houses churches yea the earth ayre heaueÌ„ it self are in God that in quantitie euen as a pins poynt is in respect of the whole compasse of heauen and that in him the whole world mooueth and hath his beeing Yea his essence extendeth it selfe infinitly without the compasse of the world and aboue the highest heauens and so is to bee thought to bee totally or wholly in any one place and that equally as much in one place as in another Gent. I pray you shewe mee that for I haue alwaies thought God to be after a speciall manner there where hee professed himselfe to bee as namely to bee present with the Arke and the propitiatorie seate more then in the Idoles of the heathen in the temple of Ierusalem more then in any other so likewise to bee in the godly more then in the wicked in heauen the which the scripture doth vsually make the place of Gods dwelling and residencie more then in hell or on the earth and most of all to bee in the humanitie of Christ wherein the Apostle saith Col. 2. 9. That the fulnesse of the Godhead doth dwell bodeâ—y Sch. If you thinke the essence of God to be in any one place more then in another you are greatly deceiued it is euery where alike neither can it possibly bee otherwise for it cannot be gathered or compacted togither into any other forme then is that infinite greatnesse which filleth all places God may indeede shewe his presence by outwarde actions more in one place then in another and so saye and professe himselfe to bee there onely and no where else speaking according to the erroneous conceit of men that thinke him to be no where present in essence but where he sheweth himselfe and his power by some outward signe Thus God was present in the Temple of Ierusalem and more specially in the holy of holiest and in the propitiatorie seate more then in other places not by his essence but by his mercie and goodnesse the which hee did there reueale and shew to the Iewes more then to any other people Thus God is present in his spirit in the faithfull more then in the carnall man not by the essence but by the effectuall operation of it reneuing in theÌ„ his owne image of holinesse and trueth the which thing hee doth not in the other Thus God is present in heauen more then in hell or heere on earth not in essence but in glorie and maiestie the which shineth more in heauen then any where else For euen as a man hauing been kept all his life in a darke dungeon from the light of the sunne and the sight of the creatures in the world if he were on a suddaine brought vppe into the open ayre and suffered to behold all these glorious creatures would not sticke to say and affirme this world to bee the very dwelling place and pallace of God so doth heauen seeme in respect of this inferiour world wherein wee liue But the greatest doubt is of the humanitie of Christ with the which without doubt the Godheade is present farre otherwise yea farre more excellently then euer it was with any creature or in any place eyther in heauen or earth yea so that if it were possible for the diuine esseÌ„ce to be in any one thing or place more theÌ„ in another it would without question bee more in the humanitie of Christ then euer it was any where For God did neuer before vouchsafe such vnspeakeable honour to any creature as to take it into his own person and to himselfe yea to bee himselfe Yet for all this the essence of God is no more in the humanitie of Christ then in other places and creatures and yet it is ioyned yea vnited to it so as it neuer was to any creature Gent. How is that straunge coniunction of the humanitie of Christ to the diuine essence Sch. For that I must craue pardon of you it is not so soone done as desired it is well if I can get done the taske which you exact of mee thogh I do not meddle with other matters especially with such as being very hard and intricate require seuerall and large treatreatises it is better that wee hold our selues to the matter in hande and so seeing in part the trueth of this poynt to proceede to the rest of the externall attributes of god as namely to the omnipotencie of God Sect. 3. Gent. I did not thinke it to haue beene a matter requiring either long time or any greate labour and then I am sure you would not haue stucke with me but I pray you hold on your course seeing you will not bee intreated to digresse Sch. The omnipotencie of God is resembled in man by the strength of his bodie or the power of his person yet there is as great difference as is betwixt the age of man and the eternitie of God or the stature of man and the incomprehensible greatnesse of god For as God is so is his power by the which hee is able and sufficient to doo whatsoeuer pleaseth him as it is defined Psal 135. 6. The Lord is great aboue all Gods and hath done whatsoeuer hee woulde in heauen and in the earth in the sea and in the deeps what neede there to bee more power then will or to what purpose is that power which is without the will So that the obiect of Gods power is the whole world in the which and ouer the which God hath so ample and absolute authoritie that neither the greatnesse strength nor multitude of the creatur is able to resist his wil and power who is able if hee were willing to turne all things vpside down to make the heauen the earth change places the one with the other so that the heauen should rest in the middest the earth turne about in the circle Yea as hee made both heauen and earth and all things in them contained of nothing so hee is able to turne them all to nothing and that without any labour or difficultie euen by the breath of his mouth and the meer inclination of his will But howsoeuer this power of God cannot bee matched by any creature yet it doth both match and ouermatch it selfe restraining it selfe so that it is not able to doo any thing against it selfe for that which God by his power doth at any time hee cannot by his power make it to be not done or vndone at the
to comprehend the infinit and know the secret essence of God But by your patience a litle is it now become a fault to seeke the knowledge of God in the knowledge and contemplation of whom not only the scripture and as I haue heard all diuines with one assent but euen Plato an heatheÌ„ Philosopher although somewhat smelling of the truth of religion do make our whole happinesse to coÌ„sist the infinitnesse of the nature of God doth hinder the full comprehension but not the true knowledge of it selfe to be in the minde of man the sight of the eye no not the whole eye is able to containe the body of the Sun and yet by it we do plainly beholde and truly know the Sun Moone Starres yea the whole heauen What thogh it be not lawfull evher to make any Image or to imagine any similitude of God yet we may consider of the nature of God by coÌ„paring it to the nature of the creature though there bee neuer so great inequalitie betwixt them Yea the infinitenesse of Gods nature is most plainly seene when it is compared to a finite and meane creature as wee knowe that the chearefull lightsomnesse and fairenesse of white is best perceiued when a darke and sad backe is laid by it that the hugenesse of an Eliphant is most admired when wee thinke of he smalnesse of a flie and a crooked building is best knowne by the straight line The whole bodie and compasse of the sun and moone may bee behelde in a little dishfull of wateâ— and why not God in his creatures especially in those which hee hath made according to his owne image and that as I am perswaded for this very end and purpose But although the nature of god might be by some means in some measure conceiued and knowne yet you doubt of the lawfulnesse of the attempt but your doubting is without cause or rather as I am perswaded without trueth and in shewe onely The propitiatorie is now remooued and the Arke vncouered so that we may be bolde to looke into it the vaile of the Temple is rent a sunder yea quite broken downe and therefore wee need not any longer stand aloofe but may with confidence enter into the holy place approach vnto the throne of grace It is not with God as it is with mortall and sinfull men who of set purpose and in good pollicie doo in many cases withdraw themselues from the sight and view of others least that by bewraying their infirmities they shuld bring their persons into contempt but God is not ashamed of himselfe neither afraid of being knowne seene and censured Men the further they are off from vs the greater they seeme and the lesse they are known thâ— more they are esteemed the more familiaâ—ly that they are acquainted the more likely to bee contemned but it is not so with God who the more he is known the more he is admired the nearer he approcheth to vs the more he amazeth astonieth with his â—urpassing glorie and maiestie so that he may not vnfitly be compared to the cloude which the Prophet Elias or rather God himselfe raised out of the sea 1. King 18. 14. which a farre off seemed no bigger then the palme of a mans hand but when it came neare it couered the whole face of heauen I confesse indeed that the essence of God cannot be fully comprehended by any creature and that if God should shine vppon vs with the bright beames of his glorie wee could not but bee confounded as we see our eyes to be dazeled and our sight dimmed by gazing on the bright shining sunne For this the word of God is plaine Exod. 33. 20. where God saith to Moses My face that is my full glorie and maiestie no man can see and liue but as for my hinder partes that is some part or shadow of my glorie that I will shew vnto thee Yet the doth not proue that this great and greedie yea insatiable desire which this holy man of God had of seeing and knowing still more and more of God yea after that God had many waies reuealed himselfe more fully to Moses then euer hee had done or did since to any man liuing should bee condemned as rash and preâ—umptuous which rather is to be commended and imitated of vs by hauing a most earnest care and desire to know so much of Gods essence as may bee knowne yea much more and euen the whole nature of God if so it stood with his good pleasure For this is the onely happinesse which we aspire vnto hope for in the life to tome that whereas now we see God but darkly in part and as it were his image in a glasse theÌ„ we shall see him face to face 1. Cor. 13. that is in farre more ample manner then now wee doo although not so fully and amply as hee is indeede vnto the which absolute perfection of the knowledge of Gods essence I doo easily graunt you that neither the Saints nor the Angels in heauen can possibly attaine And therefore seeing that my request is no other then both I may wel and lawfully make and you easily performe I pray you doo not shift mee off with this excuse which I am perswaded you made thinking as it is indeed that you Schollers â—an by your logick and schoole-tricks perswadevs simple people to think what you list make vs beleeue that as the prouerb is The moon is made of green cheese but rather at my request take in hand the explication of this poynt which of all other is most needfull to be knowne and most woorthie to bee sought out with all care and diligence as beeing that wherevnto all our knowledge yea our whole life is to be referred Sch. I am glad sir that I haue by this means ferreted you out of this deepe dissimulation wheerin you haue hitherto so closely lurked although indeed I did thinke so much wheÌ„ I first heard you speake did suspect you to be the man whoÌ„ now I finde you to be I am perswaded that you who are so cunning in crauing could if you list bee as bountifull in giuing but seeing the bargaine is made it is now no going backe neither will I looke backe vnto the speech which you haue made of the lawfulnesse of attempting and the possibilitie of attaining the knowledge of Gods nature in some sort It was true and therefore cannot be confuted yet was full and sufficient and therefore need not bee enlarged You doo well to confesse that the infinit essence of god cannot be fully comprehended no not by the Angels in heauen yet that it may in some sort be knowne euen by men here on earth For euen as when a traueller desirous to see straunge countries and fashions arriueth in some coast towne of any forraine kingdome hee may euen there gather some coniectures and get some knowledge of the condition state and power of that Prince but when he commeth to the chiefe
glimse of the truth is to be esteemed knowledge Sect. 5. Gent. I Thanke you for this paines which you haue taken in vnfolding this deepe and darke poynt of religion the ground of all the rest Indeede I confesse that as hee that goeth vppe to the toppe of the highest mountain in the world may farre better see and consider the whole course and order of the starres and heauens then hee that lieth in the low valley hauing his sight hindered by trees hils cloudes and other impediments so he that hath his cogitations fixed on the celestiall Angels the highest and excellentest of all creatures may in them behold the diuine nature more clearly then he that looketh onely vpon man and other earthly creatures in whom although there bee some resemblance of God yet the grossenesse corruption and mortalitie of their bodies beeing betweene our sight and the image of God in them doth hinder vs from the cleare and plaine beholding of it Yet for so much as fewe can clime vp to the toppe of this high hil for that fewe off vs that are vnlearned are so well acquainted with the angelicall nature as to haue any certaine idea or notion of it setled in our mindes I doubt that his demonstration of the diuine nature by the angelicall which indeed and to those that are learned is the most fit and direct that can be imagined will to vs who for the most part either doubt whether there bee any such thing as an Angel in the world or if we beleeue the scripture telling vs that there are such spiritual creatures yet we know no further of them theÌ„ as we haue seen them painted on signes with a paire of wings will seem obscurum per obscurum if not per obscurius for that it will be as hard for theÌ„ to suppose what an Angell is as what God is And therefore mee thinkes I could wish that the diuine nature could be declared and shadowed out vnto vs by some other nature better known more familiar vnto vs. Sch. It were dangerous as that which might be an occasion of idolatrie vnto vs to take so great libertie in imagining the nature of God as to resemble him to any visible thing neither were it agreeable to the nature of God who is inuisible we know that of all bodely creatures there is none by nature inuisible saue onely the ayre And surely if we must needs in respect of the vulgar capacitie or rather dulnesse want of vnderstanding haue some familiar and easie example resemblance of the diuine nature in my mind there is no elementarie creature so fit for this purpose as is this which wee haue light on For first as no man doubteth but that this element of y e ayre doth truly substantially exist although it cannot possibly be seene no more are we to doubt but that God doth most certainly exist al though he caÌ„not possibly be visibly seen Thus doth Christ Ioh. 3. 8. by the inuisibilitie of the winde teach Nicodemus the secrecie of the spirit of God The wind bloweth whither it listeth thou hearest the sound of it but knowest not whence it commeth nor whither it goeth euen so is euery one that is borne of the spirit or so secret is the operation of Gods spirit in reneuing men And without question it is the safer and the better course whensoeuer we thinke of God and therfore must of necessitie coin in our minds some idea or forme of him to resemble him to this inuisible bodie then to any beast or man to the sunne moone starres or any other visible creature Againe this element doth the which neither Angell man beast nor any other creature can very notably represent vnto vs the vbiquitie of God for it is euery where in euery open place secret corner in the towne in the fields and in the widest deserts in the bowels of the earth and in the bottome of the sea within without vs yea inseparably closing and compassing vs about So that if we doo but stretch this element vp to the heauens supposing them to be made of this matter as sure the matter of theÌ„ is not much vnlike neither can we more probably compare it to any thing then to a pure and firme kind of ayre so in imagination aboue the highest heauens although in truth there be there neither ayre bodie nor place we shall truly plainly conceiue of the vbiquitie of god A point of doctrine very needneedfull to be plainly declared truly learned for that most men doo greatly and in truth very grossely erre in it by tying god to one certaine place and shutting him vp in heauen as it were a Bee in a Box for that the Scripture doth often assigne vnto him that place not meaning that he in essence is there more theÌ„ in this inferior world but that there his glorie and maiestie do mote clearly shine From this foule error another farre woorse doth spring for by this meanes they exclude both God and his prouidence out of the world cast off all feare â—offending him whom they thinke to be faâ—â—â—â—sent by the wals doores and windowes of their closets and chambers kept from seeing or knowing their doings whereas on the other side if they were perswaded of his vbiquitie presence in all places that he doth immediately compasse them about as doth the aire sitteth as closely to them as their shirts doo to their backes yea that he hath place euen in their minds and hearts as certainly as they do continually drawe the ayre into their brains and bodies it could not bee but that they should continually stand in awe of him So then to let passe without any inlarging diuers other respects in the which this Element doth not vnfitly represent vnto vs some properties and attributes of the diuine nature as that it is most mightie making the verie earth to shake and rocking it too and fro like a little childe in a cradle that it is most subtile pearcing into euery place and passing through the least cracke and narrowest crannie or chinke that it is the beginning of things if we thinke as some Philosophers haue done that it is the first matter whereof being thickned and compacted togither the water and other things were made that it is the preseruer of our life for that without it we caÌ„not continue any space but do presently perish so that we may truly say of it as the Apostle saith of the diuine nature Act. 17. 28. In it we liue we mooue and haue our beeing But to let these things passe thus briefly if wee suppose a thousand worlds one aboue another all of them replenished with thiâ— primarie pure simple subtile pearching inuisible yea insensible for of it selfe not affected or distempered by any accidentall qualitie it is neither seene heard tasted smelt nor felt this mightie large vniuersal creature we shall haue a pretie patterne and resemblance of the infinitnesse
pleasant to behold And no doubt but that it is a great happinesse that a man hath this grace giuen him of God and his eyes opened to consider and acknowledge it in any measure For if the Queene of Saba were so rauished with the report and much more with the sight of Salomons wisedome appearing in his fit sound answeres sayings sentences and prouerbes containing in thē great depth of knowledge and also in the practise of his life whereby hee turned his speculatiue knowledge into practicall wisdome in the orderly constitution of his house and kingdome and the right contriuing of al matters belonging therunto that shee thought her trauell in comming to heare see and behold it well bestowed and the seruants of Salomon most happie men for that they making their daily attendance in his Court and presence had singular opportunitie of knowing and considering it how much more happie a thing are we to esteeme it to haue the wisdome of God reuealed vnto vs from the which as from the sunne shining in the firmament this dimme candle of Salomons wisedome receiued light If Salomons house and kingdome were so well appointed and so wisely ordered that it wrought in the beholders admiration yea astonishment and vnspeakeable pleasure how much more excellent shall we think the orders of Gods house to be whether we consider the world in generall which is the outward court into the which all both holy prophane are admitted but much more if we consider the Temple it selfe to wit his Church wherin he is serued and worshipped and wherein hee doth reueale his glory in Christ his Gospell after a speciall maner but most of all if we consider his glory in the holy of holiest to wit in y e heauens in the heauen of heauēs where the Apostle heard and we may imagin things not to be vttered First then when as wee come into the outward Court of his Pallace and consider eyther the whole frame of the world or the particular creatures therein contained how euery thing is so curiously contriued in it self so correspondent to the rest we shall see how truly wise Salomon doth acknowledge the incomparable wisedome of God in the creation of the world Prou. 3. Iy 20. The Lord through wisedome hath laid the foundations of the earth and hath established the heauēs throgh vnderstanding by his knowledge the depthes are broken vp and the Cloudes drop downe the deawe If wee should enter into particulars where should wee beginne or how should wee euer make an ende what profession is there in the world which would not thinke it great madnesse not to mention that about the which it is conuetsant as a most pregnant witnesse of the infinit wisdome of God how doth the Astronomer with endlesseadmiratiō and astonishment gaze vpon the starres and is neuer satisfied with beholding their brightnesse counting their number demonstrating their greatnesse obseruing their vertues and influence not to speake of those as not worthy to be mentioned who with the heathen worship the Sunne Moone and Starres by ascribing all operations and effects vnto thē neither yet to roue abroade in these large fieldes which yeeld as many arguments of Gods wisedome as the earth doth piles of grasse but to keep at home in our owne houses how infinitly and yet how worthely do Phisitians extoll the frame of mans body how euery part is so wisely and warely deuised to auoide all harmes and inconueniences which might happen neither do our bodies alone that but euen the lowest flower that groweth out of the earth the which if it can be but rudely counterfeited in wood stone or colour workmen think their cunning and Princes their Pallaces highly aduanced yea the silliest worme that creepeth on the groūd and the least flie that floteth in the ayre declare the same For the which purpose the studie of naturall Philosophie is to bee accounted as pleasant so also very profitable and worthy tobe followed by Christians as their gifts and callings do permit for without question they that go downe into the depth of it see the wonderfull wisedome of God But if we enter into the inner Court of Gods Pallace to wit into his Church and there consider his dealings with it from time to time the small beginnings the slowe progresse the meane knowledge which it had in the first ages as it were in the infancie of it and how in these latter ages it hath so mightely preuailed so stretched it selfe so far abroad into the world still fleeting and moouing as doth the Sunne in the outward Court from the Easterne to the Westerne countries and kingdomes But if we step a little further into it and there consisider the deepe misteries of knowledge and wisedome contained in the bowels of the scripture the vnsearchable obscuritie of aenigmaticall Oracles mocking the sharpnesse of all humane wit the agreement of ceremonies with the body of the types with the things signified of punishments with sinnes but especially if wee consider in the three folde state of man himselfe first the stately building of this Pallace begun in Adam then the miserable ruine of it in his fall and lastly the glorious repairing of it'm Christ the second Adam◠it cannot bee but that we shall burst forth with the Apostle into admiration of it and say O the depth of the knowledge and wisdome of God how vnsearchable are his iudgements and his waies past finding out and agree to the truth of that Eph. 3. 10. that the wisdome of god shewed in the church is so great that the Angels in heauen do may well admire it and as it is Col. 1. 3. that in Christ and in the matter and mistery of the Gospell the very treasures of Gods wisedome are both hid and reuealed Lastly if we should draw a litle nearer and with confidence enter into the glorious presence of God in heauen where there are no cloudes or mystes to keepe from vs the cleare sunshine of his wisedome all his counsels decrees deuises and dealings beeing vnfolded and fully accomplished we should thē say as the Queene of Saba said of Salomons wisedome and the vnspeakable pleasure conceiued by the beholding it that the report which goeth on earth and in the church of the wisedome of God yea the conceit which we haue in our mindes of it how great soeuer it be is as nothing to the thing it selfe But I wil not be so presumptuous as to take in hand this argument or to attempt to set forth the wisedome of God as it shineth in the world and in the Church and much more fully although as yet not so plainly to vs in heauen It were an argument fitter for the tongues or pennes of Angels then of men and whereof we may say that if all should bee written that might bee brought to that purpose the whole world would scarce suffice to hold the bookes which would be written Sect. 4. Gent. VVHat followeth to bee considered in the nature
within the compasse of his kingdome are put in execution by loyal subiects without any resistance And indeed will may very fitly be it compared to an absolute mightie Monarche for that it cannot either be controled coÌ„manded or compelled by any superior power without it selfe or yet resisted by any inferiour within his owne dominions it being impossible euen to God himself to inforce or constraine the will of the least of his creatures He may indeed abolish destroy al the wils and all the creatures in the world or enforce theÌ„ by outward violence to whatsoeuer pleaseth him yea he may as hee doth in regeneration by changing inlightning y e minde make that the will shall incline it selfe to that which it did before abhor yet he caÌ„not compel any thing to be willing it being of it selfe vnwilling Wherof it coÌ„meth that this soueraigne monarche harh place in those creaturs only which are intire absolute in theÌ„selues not depending vpoÌ„ any other without it self-whatsoeuer for abilitie of motion action And therfore trees which haue not in themselues sufficient power of natural heat wherby to mooue theÌ„selues at their own pleasure but do depeÌ„d vpoÌ„ the sun by whose heat they are helped caÌ„not be said to haue will But as for those things which do perfectly liue and mooue as do all things which haue life and soule for they do as freely mooue or rest and performe any naturall action as any man or gell Gent. I like wel that youmake the wil of god the first beginning of al his actios but to make this coÌ„mon vnto the creaturs as if they wer so absolute that they did not nor neded to depeÌ„d on god me thinks it is harsh and soundeth somewhat to the disgrace of God to whom me thinkes you should not deny this royall prerogatiue that his will should bee the first moouer and beginning not onely of his owne actions but also of all the actions of all the creatures rather then to make euery liuing creature as it were a priuiledged place exempted froÌ„ his iurisdiction Sch. Wee are rather to account it to bee a great praise and glorie to God that as hee himselfe is most perfect so he is able to make other things also not onely imperfect as some of the creatures to wit those which waÌ„t sence may bee called although they also be perfect in their kindes but also perfect and absolute in themselues able to mooue themselues within the compasse of their naturall power when and as it pleaseth themselues without any outward helpe whatsoeuer Let vs suppose for wee may reade of such a matter that some cunning Mathematican made a doue of wood or some such matter which could flie out and returne to him home againe should hee thinke it a disgrace vnto him that this doue needed not his helpe or that hee should carrie it abroad when as it could flie of it selfe and not rather thinke it a matter of incomparable praise that hee could make such an absolute and admirable peece of worke yes surely for the perfection and absolutenesse of the worke doth not detract but addeth to the praise of the workman as no doubt but that it is a great glorie to God that all the creatures in the world mooue preserue and increase themselues by the sole means of that vertue strength which hee put into them in the beginning without any other supply or streÌ„gth althogh without question they do many waies both need feele his helping hand Yet hath not the creature hence any matter of boasting against god for that all that absolutenesse and perfection which it hath came not of it self but from God who as hee gaue it so hee is able to take it way and as hee made all the creatures of nothing so also to consume them all to nothing if it were his will Besides if wee did make the will of God the beginning and fountaine not onely of his own actions but also of the actions of the creatures wee should admit many inconueniences and absurdities for then all the enormities monstrous confusions sinnes which are in the world should bee ascribed and referred to God as to the fountain from the which they sprang Yea wee should fall into their heresie or rather extreame madnesse who imagine the whole world and all the creatures coÌ„tained in it to be the bodie of god god to be the soule of euery liuing thing theÌ„ the which nothing can be imagined more grosse and impious So then in this comparison of the will of God with the will of the creature we see in the first place that as God so also the perfect that is all liuing and moouing creatures haue their proper wils not onely distinct and diuers from the will of God but also free and absolute in themselues and exempted from being constrained or enforced by the authoritie or power of God yea it may be said truly if it can bee so â—aken and vnderstood that the will of the creature is no lesse free in the own kinde then is the wil of God for nothing can bee added to that which is in the highest degree Whereof it commeth that this freedome of will is alike in all things in the brute beast as in the reasonable man in men as in angels in the creature as in the creator yea si paruis componero magna liceret in the least flie or weakest worme as in the mightie God of heauen and earth Not that any creature hath so effectuall a will as God hath for there is no comparison between the power of God and of all the creatures in the world ioyned togither in one as a poore maÌ„ is not of so great abilitie as is a great Lord yet his freedome may bee as great The creature can doo nothing but it may will any thing against the will of god the mightiest creature is not free to doo what it list yet the weakest is free to do whatit list as can be imagined euen as the prisoner that lieth bound in chaines in the corner of a straight prison is as free in will as the king that sitteth on his throne Freedome therefore is so inseparable and essentiall a propertie of the will that it cannot possibly by any meanes or power whatso-soeuer be taken away eyther from the brutish the reasonable or the diuine will Will may be taken from the creature the creature out of the nature of things yet cannot freedome be taken froÌ„ the will for it wil follow it either existing or at the least desisting with it Lastly herein agree the wils of y e creature with the wil of God rhat all of theÌ„ whither created or vncreated tend incline to good not all to that which is in trueth good yet al to y â— which is in appearance good For as it is the nature of euery thing to preserue to delight it selfe so for that purpose it escheweth whatsoeuer seemeth euil and inclineth
and of maintaining his iust honour against al vniust vsurpers whatsoeuer Thus the scripture teacheth vs that God is not onely carefull but euen curious as wee may say and as it selfe saith iealous of his honour the which he cannot abide that it shuld bee any touched or impared as hee doth openly professe of himselfe Es 48. 11. My glory I will not giue to any other Neither indeed will he suffer any to take it or any portion of it but doth straightway confound them all with all their deuices whosoeuer do any way obscure it much more such as haue most impiously yet more foolishly sought to vsurpe or participate it Thus were the aspyring spiriâ—s throwne from heauen into the place and pit of darkenesse to the which man also treading in the same steps of sacrilegious pride was sent out of paradise to beare them coÌ„pany Thus were the vaineglorious builders of the Tower of Babel confounded in al their deuises and thus the Lord slewe 50000. of the presumptuous Bethsemites who by looking into the Aâ—ke brought the name and presence of God into contempt Thus he made proude Nabuchadnesar who thought that hee might with the maiestie of his person and Pallace outface the sunne in heauen yea God himself whose glory filleth both heauen earth to become as a silly and miserable beast and thus he confounded Herode by a filthy disease that tooke to himselfe the glorious tytle of God which the flattering people ascribed vnto him Neither need we maruell that God is so carefull in maintaining his honour and glory it being the last and chiefe end of the creation of all things all which tend to this one end and euen bend their whole forces to maintaine vphold the glory of God as of the highest and greatest good euen as we see loyall subiects to endeauor nothing so much as to maintaine the maiestie and honor of their Prince as we read Rom. 11. 36. Of him by him and for him are all things to him be praise for euer For if God should suffer any false or fained God any man or Angell to vsurpe any royall prerogatiue belonging to the godhead and so himselfe to be disgraced and his maiestie diminished the confusion of all things as of the streames the fountaine being troubled must of necessitie follow And yet god is not so desirous of aduancing his name and glory but that he can on the other side debase himselfe when hee thinketh meete as beeing endued with humilitie in as great or rather in greater measure Gent. me thinks that humilitie doth not well agree with the nature of God and that there is small vse of humiliation in his doings Sch. As God doth aduance others beeing humble so he doth by his humilitie not debase but honour and magnifie himselfe for as wee see it to come to passe in Princes and other great personages that nothing doth make them to bee loued honoured and extolled so much as doth their gentle and familiar behauiour with their subiects and inferiours so God is exalted in his humilitie and made most glorious in it Psal 113. The Lord is aboue all Nations and his glory aboue the heauens who is like vnto our God that hauing his habitation in the highest heauen doth debase himselfe to behold things on earth Yea not onely to behold them a farre off but also to haue a hand and a part in them Princes do not vse to conuerse much with their subiects but that any of them should so farre debase himselfe as to take vpon him the condition of a subiect and to suffer his owne subiects to rule and insult ouer him yea to vse him despightefully and contumeliously that is a thing neuer heard of neither supposed to be possible to be brought to passe but that they wold rather loose both their kingdomes and their liues then suffer such a disgrace especially at the hands of their subiects But God the King of Kings did leaue his Throne of maiestie in heauen and made one litle Caue or hole of the earth all which before was but his footestoole his chayre of estate yea he tooke to himselfe the forme of weake and fraile man not of a Lord or King but of a base seruant yea of a vile and loathsome sinner hee suffered himselfe to be taunted and reuiled yea which is the greatest disgrace in the world to bee spit on as a most vile and filthy thing who can imagine must lesse alleadge an example of so great humilitie yet herein God is most glorious This one instance of his extreame humiliation maketh it needlesse to alleadge his familiar conuersing with men heere one earth his familiar conferring with Moses face to face as one friend doth with another his answering them to all their demaunds as it were comming at their call whereof wee haue many examples in the scripture as namely in Abraham pleading so hard for Sodome and in the story of Dauid 1. Sam. 29. 8 who there asketh one question after an other of God about his worldly affaires as if he had bene aduising with some familiar friend but that one example of his vnspeakeable humilitie shewed in his incarnation and in suffering all the miseries of our life and in the ende that most shamefull death is so notable that it can neuer bee sufficiently admired Sect. 2. THese two onely which haue bene declared of all those vertues which concerne our selues are attributed to god but of those which tend and reach to others many may very fitly and truly be ascribed vnto him to shew the manner of his dealing with men as namely iustice in recompeÌ„cing indulgence in forbearing faithfulnesse in performing promises and goodnesse in dooing good to men For the first namely iustice it doth belong vnto God in respect of that soueraigne authoritie which he hath ouer al the creatures in the world as well Princes as subiects as well men as Angels hee beeing by vertue of the creation wherein hee made them all of nought their most naturall King and the onely absolute Monarch of the world all other Kings and Rulers whatsoeuer being but his substitutes and vicegerents holding their Crownes and Kingdomes of him as uassalles of their liege Lord and maister and ruling by him from him and in his name and steed yea and by his lawes For howsoeuer God haue permitted the ordering of their subiects in great part to their will and discretion yet he hath giuen and published to the whole world his owne supreme and vniuersall lawes to the obseruing whereof all without any exception are bound by his commaundement and the violating whereof he doth most seuerely punish But as no state or Common-wealth can stand by penal lawes onely which restraine vice by threatnings and punish offences committed by due paines because it is needefull that there should also be rewards appointed whereby the vertuous endeauours of good subiects may be recompenced and encouraged in the right disposing and distributing whereof iustice hath place as well
counsell and acquaintance as men doo some speciall and approoued friends Thus wee reade that Enoch walked with GOD that Moses did ordinarely talke and conferre with him face to face as one friende doth with an other thus he did as it were in sporte familiarly wrastle with Iacob and continually both accompany and assist him thus he was to Dauid as a Counseller to direct him in all his affaires and thus hee tooke Paul vppe to heauen and shewed him things not to be vttered But of all other most notable in this respect was Abraham called often in Scripture by the name or rather by the most honourable and glorious title of Gods friend as 2 Chro. 20. 7. Es 41. 8. Iames 2. 23. And in trueth so might hee well bee called for God did both make and keepe with him very solemnely all the lawes of true friendship For first hee made a couenant of perpetualloue with him and with his seed for euer calling Abraham Gods friend and himselfe Abrahams God Secondly hee did bestowe vpon him all his blessings both temporall and spirituall yea the greatest honour that could bee namely to bee as it were the foundation of his Church and chosen people and the first of the progenitours of Christ And lastly hee did impart to him his purposes and counsels in all things that did any way concerne him or might make for his good Yea wee reade that God was so carefull in the performance of this dutie for so it pleaseth God to binde himselfe in duties to men of friendshippe that beeing about to destroy those wicked Citties of Sodome and Gomorra he thought it needfull to impart the matter to his friend Abraham yea to haue his assent for the doing of it Thus it pleaseth God of his mercie and goodnesse to exalt wretched men to this highest degree of honour which indeed is so high as that the Angels in heauen do seldome attaine vnto it So that in this respect and in many other heretofore mentioned wee may well burst forth with the Prophet Psal 8. 5. And say what is man that thou that art the great God of heauen and earth shuldest remember him or the sonne of man that thou shouldest thus visit him Sect. 5. Gent. I Am thinking with my selfe what facultie there is in the soule of man not yet mentioned for if there bee any I doubt not considering the great likenesse betwixt the soule of man the nature of God in those faculties common to them both which you haue already handled but that it is ether truly belonging to God or at the least will giue occasion to consider something in his nature You know that men conceiue things by imagination and retaine them by memory are these faculties in God likewise conscience in man is a distinct facultie or rather an act of the mind and there are in him diuers affections as ioy and greefe and diuers vertues not as yet mentioned what are we to thinke of these things Sch. I hope you do not looke to heare at this time whatsoeuer might be said of the nature of God you are not now so desirous but if that were taken in hand you would bee as wearie of hearing ere it were halfe done if the cheefe matters be declared they will giue sufficient light whereby the rest may be perceiued and so by those which haue beene handled you may easely vnderstand the nature of the rest of those good affections and vertuous dispositions which are in scripture attributed to God So for the essentiall faculties of the soule you say very truly that they are most like to the diuine nature and euen a plaine and expresse Image of it yet this difference must be noted that whatsoeuer thing is in them that argueth weakenesse or suture possibilitie that hath not truly place in the diuine nature which is a perfect and complete act As in these particulars which you haue named imagination is but a possibilitie or meanes of knowledge but the knowledge of God hath beene said to bee eternall and actuall It is hard I confesse and euen impossible for vs to see or imagine how all the particulars in the world should exist actually in any vnderstanding from all eternitie but wee must not measure the infinitnesse of Gods vnderstanding by our shallow braines But as touching the question which you mooue of imagination and the meanes and manner of knowledge in God how the ideae or notions of things enter into his mind or rather how they exist eternally in it without any entering in or beginning first it must bee helde that although they exist eternally in GOD yet they are not essentiall to him that is so naturall and necessary as that without them he could nor exist as is the knowledge of himselfe and the idea of his owne nature yea all the rest of Gods essentiall attributes of all which if wee should detract but one from God wee shuld quite destroy and ouerthrow his whole nature and essence But the knowledge of the creatures is not of that kinde for God beeing in himselfe absolute and all sufficient might haue if it hadde so seemed good vnto him existed without euer eyther making or knowing any creature and therefore the knowledge of them in God must be thought to arise not from the absolute necessitie of his nature but from the free libertie of his will moouing yet eternally his vnderstanding to this actuall knowledge of the creatures Yea that as the knowledge oridea of his own nature is according to y â— order of nature not any difference of time first in the essentiall vnderstanding of God and then in his will so the knowledge or idea of the creatures hath his beginning not in the vnderstanding but in the will of God This difference we haue and see more plainely in our selues for as we haue some general notions engrauen in our mindes by nature it selfe and so in a maner both bred and borne with vs without any helpe of our wils so the knowledge of other things hath the beginning in the will disposing and inclining the minde to this or that knowledge as it seemeth best vnto it Secondly as touching this in a manner accidentall knowledge of God it must bee held that God hath it of himselfe and not by the means or from the creatures as we haue that by sence and imagination get the resemblances of things into our mindes the which way of knowledge if it were admitted to bee in God it would follow that his knowledge of the creature doth not go before but followeth after it and so is not the cause but rather an effect of it and not eternall but temporall whereas wee holde that the will and eternall foreknowledge of God are the cause of all things Gent. I haue heard it said that the diuine nature is as it were a Glasse wherein al things that do at any time exist in the world may be seene and knowne and that by the Saints and Angels in
same time for so the power of God should bee contrarie to it selfe And therefore if God by his power make the sunne to shine at any time hee cannot by his power make that it shall not shine at the very same time If he make maÌ„ free he caÌ„not make him bouÌ„d if hee giue him will he cannot compell him to be willing for so hee should not giue but take away will from him and so in all other instances it is impossible to God to make contradictories to bee true because he being perfect vnitie cannot bee contrarie to himselfe And if God cannot make any repugnancie in the nature of the creatures much lesse can hee doo it in his owne nature and therfore he cannot do any thing coÌ„trarie vnto it as namely to iustifie a wicked man or to condemne the righteous to loue one that is sinfull or to hate him that is indued with his owne image of holinesse to diminish destroy or any way to alter himself who is vnchangeable These things God cannot do beeing hindered not by any creature but by himself and therefore the impossibilitie of dooing them is not to bee accounted weaknesse or impotencie but strength and power otherwise nothing is impossible to bee done by God that can possibly be imagined by man How then can we sufficiently wonder at the grosse errour and sottish ignorance of those men who in respect of the difficultie or rather impossibilitie as they thinke of performing them call into question the trueth of those promises which God hath made to his Church of the resurection of the bodie although consumed to nothing and of eternall glorie But as they erre not knowing the scriptures nor the power of God so we seeing these things to bee most easie to God are to bee confirmed in faith and in the resolute perswasion of the trueth of them Gent. I am I thanke God fully perswaded that God both can easely and will vndoubttedly restore vs to life though we were consumed to nothing by burning a thousande yeares in the hotest fire that can bee made or imagined Yet I pray you tell me one thing doo you thinke it possible that the very same indiuiduum and as you say in the Schooles idem numero hauing beene consumed to nothing can bee restored as namely the same candle after that it is consumed Sch. I perceiue you meaning it is certaine that God both can and will raise vs to life againe not in any other but in these very same persons which now we are but what the Schoolemen meane by that quidditie of idem numero many other of the same kind as I neuer did so I do not now mean to trouble my selfe with them Sect. 4. WEe will rather come to the rest of these external attributes the which as I am of my selfe not vnwilling so you see that we must of necessitie knit vp in very fewe words First for the similitude of the diuine essence the which must be graunted to bee a most simple and pure forme altogither voyde not onely of all mixsture of diuers matters or contrarie qualities as wee knowe the elements to bee but euen of all manner of composition whatsoeuer euen of that which is the simplest to wit of matter and forme whereof all creatures do necessarely subsist for that neyther matter nor form can in them exist the one without the other But there can no kinde of matter bee admitted into the diuine essence no not that wherof as being most pure subtile and simple the heauens or the Angelles themselues more subtile then the heauens if more may bee do consist For so wee should pull downe all that wee haue built vp and gainesay all that hath hithertoo beene affirmed of the nature of God For we cannot make him both eternall and also compounded of matter and forme for in composition there is motion in motion time and time taketh away eternitie yea wee must graunt the matter wherof hee is compounded to haue beene before him the which must subsist in simple before it bee brought into composition Againe if hee bee materiall he is locall for all matter is in place and so hee is not infinite but finite and circumscribed Yea thus wee shall take from him his omnipotencie which ariseth of the puritie of his simple forme beeing mere actuall because it is inmateriall whereas if it were compounded of matter and forme it should be compounded of impotencie and of power of passion as well as of action for it must participate the nature of both the parents taking from the one operatiue power and from the other passible impotencie and so bee not a pure act but clogged and blunted with the grossenesse of matter and by it made vnable to worke yea as like and readie to suffer it selfe as to worke in others And therefore in the building of this pallace for the great God of heauen wee must reiect all corruptible matter yea all matter whatsoeuer because al matter is corruptible and so make the diuine nature to bee a pure forme wholly actiue and in no respect or part passiue Ge. I haue ofte heard men speak haue red mens writings of these pure abstract formes of the which kind many do hold not only god but eueÌ„ the angels which are meer creatures to bee yet it couâ—d neuer sinke into my head how a forme should subsist of it selfe without some matter to vphold it and as I remember you said before that some ancient diuines I thinke you named Tertullian were of the same opinion or rather dulnesse of conceit and did therefore allowe bodies wherein to subsist not onely to the Angels but euen to God himselfe Sch. It is haâ—d for vs who consisting of grosse bodies and braines esteeme other natures by our own to imagine how any forme should subsist without some materiall subiect to vphold it As touching the Angels if you cannot thinke or will not beleeue them to be pure and abstract formes altogither voyde of materiall composition you shall for mee continue in your error or opinion but if you will not admit God to subsist in this manner to wit as a substantial forme vpholding both it selfe and also all things whatsoeuer do any way exist you will marre all Neyther ought the difficultie of supposing it breede in vs any doubting of the trueth of it it hauing beene often alreadie saide that the maner of Gods subsisting in his essentiall forme is altogither vnsearchable and incomprehensible Let it bee sufficient that wee haue it prooued by most necessarie demonstrations that God is a most pure substantiall immateriall actiue forme without any coÌ„position of matter form or distinction of parts but euery where alike and the very same Yea I do not see but that this praerogatiue of being a mere and pure forme must be reserued to God and in no case coÌ„municated to any creature as the grossenesse of matter must be left to the creature and in no wise ascribed to God
heauen much more then by God himselfe who knoweth all things by his owne essence it being the similitude of all things Sch. Some haue thought as you say but it is a mere fable to say that eyther the Saints or the Angels do or can see the essence of God much lesse all things in it It is true that God knoweth all things and that by his essence if thereby we meane his essentiall vnderstanding and that by the similitude which his essentiall vnderstanding hath to the creatures if thereby wee meane the similitude which is betwixt the generall idea or notion and the particular instance For as it is essentiall and naturall to God to know himselfe so it is essentiall and natural to him to know the generall differences of things without the knowledge whereof he could not knowe himselfe As namely it is essentiall to God to know what is reasonable infinit knowledge wisedome good and eternall for otherwise hee could not know his owne nature which consistesh in these differences By the same meanes also hee knoweth what is vnreasonable finite errour folly euill and time which are contrary to the other for one contrary cannot bee knowne without the knowledge of the other This is the essentiall knowledge engrauen in the very nature of GOD and as wee saye of our naturall notions both borne and bred with him but it doth not extend it selfe any further or descend into particulars for it is not essentiall to GOD to know Peter Paule or any other man nor yet to know the nature of man nor yet to knowe this worlde wherein wee liue for GOD might haue existed though none of these hadde euer beene But the knowledge of these particulars is by the free will of GOD deducted from those generall notions which are essentiall to God who hath thought good to make by the creation a particular instance example and as it were an experiment of his essentiall and vniuersall knowledge Gent. You seeme to bee of their opinion that thinke that God knoweth no particulars because there is no medium no means or way by the which the similitudes of them should bee carried from the things to the nature of God for that there must be a conuenience betwixt the things knowne and the minde which is not betwixt the creatures and the vnderstanding of God Sch. I am far from that absurd error and I hope from any such I do not doubt but that God knoweth euery particular thing in the world seuerally and distinctly from all other yea that hee hath in his eternall counsell distinguished them as namely men of whom he hath appointed some to glory and others to confusion yea that he knoweth euery particular thing farre more distinctly and truly then we do that see and feele them for hee knoweth them in their causes and essentiall formes the which only is the true knowledge whereas we do but gesse at their natures by their qualities and effects Gent. Yet perhaps you doo thinke that God knoweth the particulars of this world which now existeth more then he doth a 1000. other worlds which neuer did nor shal exist indeed altho they exist in the vniuersal notions of Gods vnderstanding and so may be as wel knowne to God as this particular world which is brought forth into act Sch. We cannot say if we speake properly that God knoweth any particulars but those which do sometime exist He knoweth himselfe able to make such particulars if it were his will but they are not particulars vntill his will do bring them into act for as vniuersall notions are in Gods vnderstanstanding as in their first fountaine or rather in their proper place so particulars come from the will of God And therefore wee must needs thinke that God knoweth those particulars which do or shal exist or haue existed otherwise then those which doo neuer exist for hee knoweth the one and not the other Gent. Let me trouble you once more and no more for this is a poynt that I could neuer vnderstand to wit how God getteth the knowledge of these things doo you thinke that he knoweth those things which hee hath decreed to exist no otherwise when and while they doo exist then he doth before and after or that the existance of them maketh some kinde of impression or alteration in his minde which was not before Sch. No surely the existence of things doth no way alter or affect God obiects do worke vpon our sences and minde but Gods vnderstanding is merely actiue not passiue yet wee cannot doubt but that as God maketh vs to perceiue things by sence and the Angels by some other meanes so hee is able by meanes to make himselfe capable of the qualities of particular obiects but of himselfe and in his owne nature hee is altogither vncapable of them or of any knowledge by them Gent. You haue no list to answere me directly to the question I do not thinke that God doth suffer from the obiects but that is all one I would know whether that hee doth not know and see vs as we go here otherwise then he did when we were in the loines of our first father Adam and whether that he doo not plainely see vs two particularly and distinctly whether he do it intromittendo as we doo or which is more agreeable to his nature being impassible extramittendo that is not the question but I cannot be perswaded but that although hee knoweth vs fully and certainely before we exist yet when once we do exist in nature he then doth see behold vs after an other manner Sch. You say true I haue no minde to wade farre into this matter for it is very hard yea impossible for vs to know the manner of the actual knowledge of God and therfore I did passe it ouer in the proper place neither wold I haue mentioned it but that you vrge mee so hard for I thinke it sufficient for vs to know that God knoweth all things euen the most secret thoughts of our mindes although wee be ignorant how he commeth to that knowledge But for your question I haue told you my opinion that howsoeuer you seeme to thinke that God knoweth things not existing and seeth thē as it were with eyes when they do exist yet it seemeth more consonant to the truth to say y ◠the creatures whither existing or desisting are all alike knowne to God and I pray you rest in this answere for this time Now as touching memorie as God hath no vse of imagination because he hath nothing to learne so he hath no need of memorie for that he cannot loose any thing by forgetfulnesse all things being present vnto him both past future Likewise for conscience which is the testimonie giuen by the minde in the presence of God of the innocencie and integritie or of the guiltinesse of this or that reasonable creature and so eyther of the want or of the desert of blame it may in some sort bee attributed to God