A treatise of the divine essence and attributes. By Thomas Iackson Doctor in Divinitie, chaplaine to his Majestie in ordinary, and vicar of S. Nicolas Church in the towne of Newcastle upon Tyne. The first part

CHAP. 9.

Of the perpetuall dependance which all things crea∣ted have on the Almighty Creator, both for their beeing and their operations.

1 BVt will it suffice us to beleeve, that as Art hath its proper sub∣ject made or fitted by Nature; or as more perfect substances praesuppose an imperfect state in Nature: so this imperfect state of nature, or the subject on which naturall efficients do work, was made of nothing, without any coagency of Nature or Art, by the sole power of the Almighty Father? To beleeve all this, is but the first part of our beleefe of this Article of Creation. For better apprehending the intire object of our beleefe in this point, we are

to observe the difference betwixt the dependance, which Art hath on nature, or which workes artifi∣ciall have on the Artificer, or which more perfect naturall substances have on the imperfect substan∣ces, whereof they are made, or on their naturall efficients; and the dependance which both naturall Agents & Patients, & which efficient causes as wel artificiall as naturall, with their severall matters or subjects, have on the Almighty Creator and Ma∣ker of all things. First then nature or causes natu∣rall, after they have finished their proper works, and fitted them for Art to worke upon, do not co∣operate with the Artificer in fashioning them to his ends or purpose. The Artificer againe, after he hath finished his worke, doth not continually support, preserve or apply it to those uses, unto which it serves; but leaves this unto their care for whose convenience it was made. The Clocke-maker doth not tye himselfe to keep all the Clocks which he makes: nor doth he which undertakes to keepe them, binde himselfe to watch their motions perpetually, or to observe them as curiously as Physitians doe their sicke Patients. Againe, the most perfect works of nature, as vegetables and living things, depend upon their causes, whether materiall or efficient, (for the most part) onely in fieri, not in facto, whilest they are in making or in perfecting, not after they be made and perfected. The Lyonesse doth not perpetually nourish her whelps with her owne substance; nor doth the Raven continually provide for her young ones; or any o∣ther creatures more kinde than they, perpetually

support or direct their brood in their motions, but leave them to fend for themselves. If the Almigh∣tie Creator should doe no better by his most per∣fect Creatures, their returne to nothing, would be as speedy, as their production from it. All of them have a perpetuall and undispensable dependance upon his power, not onely whilst they are in ma∣king, but as great after they are made. And thus great and perpetuall it is, not in respect of their sub∣stances onely, but as truly in respect of their moti∣ons or operations. The imperfect masse or matter whereof bodies naturall are made, is not onely his sole worke, or effect of his Omnipotency; but that it is workable or fashionable unto any set forme, this likewise is an effect of his operative power; it could not be perpetually thus fashionable, but by his per∣petuall working. That the most perfect naturall Agent, should worke or dispose this matter to any set forme: this likewise is his worke. He doth not onely support both Agent and Patient in that being which he gave them, but doth perpetually coope∣rate with them in their motions; doth apply and direct their motions unto those ends and uses, whereto his wisdome hath ordained them.

2 Concerning the manner of that perpetuall dependance, which all finite Agents with their ef∣fects, have on the one Omnipotent and supreame illimited efficient, whether in respect of their ex∣istence or operation; the disputes in Schooles are intricate, and the questions perplexed. But the best is, the ingenuous Reader may quit them, if he will be but pleased to take unto himselfe, if not

an ocular demonstration, yet a visible representation of this truth, in that perpetuall dependance, which light diffused (whether through the celestiall bo∣dies, as the moone or starres, or through the ayre or other inferiour elementary bodies capable of en∣lightning) hath on the Fountaine of Light, to wit, the body of the Sunne: or which the light in rooms, otherwise dark, hath on the light of Fire or candles by night. So perpetuall, so essentiall is this depen∣dance which light, in bodies inlightned by others, hath on the bodies which enlighten them; that some* 1.1 good Philosophers, from observation of this dependance, have concluded, that [Lumen. non est inhaesive in corpore illuminato, sed in cor∣pore lucente▪] The lightsomnesse which appeares in these inferiour bodies, or in bodies not lucent in themselves, is not inherently or subjectively, in the borrowers, or bodies enlightned, but in the bodies which enlightens them. To prove this conclusion, they use this Antecedent, that light borrowed or participated, doth follow the motion of the body which bestowes or lends it; and this Antecedent they thinke sufficiently proved by sense. For if we hold a looking-glasse to a candle by night, the light which for the present appeares either in the whole glasse or in some part of it, will alter its place or seat according to the motion of the candle. If you move the candle higher or lower than it was, the light in the glasse will remove with it, from the highest place to the lowest, and from the lowest to the highest, as it shall please the mover to alter the aspect betwixt them, so will the light move from

one part of the roome to another, as the candle is re∣moved. And if you take the candle quite out of the roome, the light will follow it, and leave no∣thing but darknesse behind. The same observa∣tion holds as true in a Dyall, in which the light or shadow constantly followes the motion of the Sun. But to hold this conclusion, [That light borrowed from the Sunne or a Candle, should be inherently or subjectively in the Sunne or Candle] is more than true Philosophy will warrant; more than the unquestionable truth of the former experiment can logically inferre. For though light in bodies not lucent in themselves, bee not their owne, but borrowed; yet in that it is borrowed, it must bee truly in the borrower, not in the body which lends it. For every one which lends, is presumed to transfer the use of what hee lends unto him that borrowes: the borrower must have the posses∣sion of what is lent him, during the time of the loane. As for the former experiments, they may be retorted upon such as use their helpe for infer∣ring this pretended conclusion, [* 1.2 That light diffu∣sed is not inherently in the body enlightned, but in the body lucent, or enlightning.] For the muta∣tion of the seat of borrowed light, whether in a look∣ing-glasse held to a candle, or in a Sun-dyall, will be the very same, albeit the Candle or Dyall stand still in the same place; if so we move the Looking-glasse the same way from the Candle, or the Dyall the same way from the Sunne, by which the Sun did move from the Dyall, or the Candle was mo∣ved from the Looking-glasse. This conclusion is

most certaine, [That the motion of light, accor∣ding to the motion of the body which diffuseth it, doth no way inferre the light not to be inherently, (according to the inherency which it hath) in the body, through which it is diffused; but rather that this light, however inherent in the body enlight∣ned, hath a perpetuall indispensable dependance upon the light of the body which produceth it; a dependance on it, not onely in fieri, that is, whilest it is in production, which is in an instant; but a de∣pendance in facto, so long as it continues in the bo∣dy enlightned. And we cannot better conceive the manner, how a line should be made by the con∣tinued fluxe of a point, or a surface by the continued motion of a line; or how time should receive its continuation from the continued fluxe of an in∣stant, than by observing the manner how light being produced in an instant in the body, which borrowes it (the extremity of it being terminated to a mathematicall point or line) doth vary its place of residence in the same body, moving continually from one part to another, according to the degrees of motion, either of the body which gives the light, or of the body which is enlightned, one from the other. If either body could move or bee moved from the aspect of the other, in an instant, the light would remove from the body enlightned in the same instant. But moving as it doth, the motion of the light from one part of the same body or roome into another, is perpetuall; there is no in∣terruption in the motion so much as momentary, no interposition of darknesse so long as the motion

lasts. And yet it is not the same numericall light, which thus moveth in the bodie or roome enlight∣ned. There is a continuall production of light fully answerable to the continuall succession of the mo∣tion. The light, whilest in motion, continues no longer the same than the aspect betweene the bodie enlightning and enlightned continues the same. And it may be questioned, whether there be not a perpetuall production of new light, even whilest neyther the body enlightning nor enlightned re∣move one from the other, whilest both stand or rest upon their severall centers.

3 But what ever Philosophers may dispute one way or other concerning the proper subject of light diffused or participated, or concerning the identifie or multiplication of it in bodies not lucent in them∣selves, but enlightned: the dependance of borrowed or participated light upon the fountaine of light, whence it is borrowed, is the most perfect Em∣bleme, which the eye of man can behold, of that dependance which all things numerable that are, or can be, have on the incomprehensible Essence, or in∣exhaustible fountaine of Beeing. Whether light participated or diffused, have any true inherence or no in bodies enlightned, or whether it be present with them or in them, (ad modum spiritalium) af∣ter such a manner as spirits are in sublunary bodies, or with them; this is certaine, that light participa∣ted, is not deduced or drawne out of any matter praeexistent, or out of any positive qualitie inhe∣rent; it is produced out of darknes or want of light. And herein it is the true Embleme of created Enti∣ties,

w^ch were not made of any entities praeexistent, but of nothing. As light participated or diffused, hath no permanent root in bodies enlightned: So things created have not their root of beeing in any maetter praeexistent, nor hath the prime matter, of which things generated are made, any root prece∣dent out of which it groweth. Such being as it hath, it hath intirely by its perpetuall dependance upon beeing it selfe. The most excellent numerable bee∣ing that can be imagined, is more truely participa∣ted or borrowed from beeing it selfe, than the light of the Moone or Sarres, than the light in the ayre, water, or yce, is from the body of the Sunne. And albeit the formes or perfect bodies, which, by ope∣ration of efficients naturall, respectively result or are produced out of the matter, have a being di∣stinct from the matter, out of which they are made or produced: yet even these have the same imme∣diate dependency upon the incomprehensible Es∣sence or inexhaustible fountaine of Beeing, which the prime matter hath. As the resplendencie or ir∣radiation of coloured glasses, be they yellow, greene or azure, have the same immediate dependance upon the light of the Sunne, which the light diffu∣sed throughout the heavens, water, ayre, or pure glasses, hath; unlesse the Sun send forth his beames upon them, these colours have no resplendencie, they cannot affect the sense of sight. Nor can any created Agent (albeit endowed with qualities ope∣rative, more forcible and permanent, than any co∣loured glasses can bee) produce any reall effect, without the cooperation or coagencie of the in∣comprehensible

Essence, or inexhaustible fountaine of Beeing. As impossible it is, that any agent should move, or be moved, otherwise than by the vertue of his Almighty power, as that it should have beeing or existence (extra infinitum esse) without his infi∣nite Beeing or immensitie, or that the continuance of it in such being, should not be comprehended in his infinite and interminable duration, which wee call Eternitie. Againe, as light borrowed or diffu∣sed throughout this inferiour world, hath a beeing in its kinde distinct from that light, which is per∣manently seated in the fountaine of light, on which, notwithstanding, all borrowed light abso∣lutely depends as being eminently contained in it: so every numerable beeing, or part of this world, the Sunne, the Moone, the Starres, the Elements, mixt bodies, vegetables, man, and beast, have their proper kinde of Beeing distinct each from other, and distinct againe from the incomprehensible fountaine of beeing; on which notwithstanding all of them have more immediate, more essentiall de∣pendance, than either the lights, or different shapes in a glasse, have on the Sunne which gives the light, or on the bodies which they represent. And in this incomprehensible fountaine of beeing, all things not onely which are, but which possibly may bee, are more eminently contained, than the least-spar∣kles or portions of borrowed light, which appeare in broken glasses, are in the body of the Sunne.

4 In this point onely, or in this especially, is the production of light in this inferiour world by the Sunne, unlike the Creation of all things by the Al∣mighty

Father of lights, in that the Sunne produ∣ceth light or resplendency, without any free choice or intelligence, but by a necessitie of nature, that is, it so produceth light, as it hath no power not to produce it. So doth not the Almighty Father ey∣ther create the things that are, or preserve them in their estate of beeing, or cooperate with them in the production of such effects, as they in their seve∣rall kindes and rankes are truly said to produce. For albeit the Almighty Father, bee more immutable than the Sunne, yet is hee immutably free. For freedome of will, by which creatures rationall ex∣ceede all creatures meerly naturall, or capable of no better endowment then sense, being a true and reall branch of beeing, a perfection of the most per∣fect creatures, must be as truely and really, though in an eminent manner, contained in the Maker of all things, as any other branch of numerable beeing is. Now the object of this freedome of will in the Omnipotent Maker, is not onely the Creation or not creation of things that are or may bee; not the preservation or destruction of things created, or of the severall endowments or qualifications: but part of this object of divine freedome is the ena∣bling or inhibiting of all his creatures, to exercise those qualities or faculties which are to them most naturall, and in their kinde most powerfull. Albeit Nebuchadnezzar had power to make the flames of intēded persecution, much hotter than any ordina∣ry fire; though other Tyrants might have power to make the like againe, much hotter than hee did, or to environ Gods Saints with the fire of Hell; yet

if the Almighty Creator withdraw the influence of his power from such fire or flames, they can have no more power to burne or scorch his Ser∣vants, than they have to coole them; although we suppose their nature and qualities to be preserved still entire, by the same power, by which they were created. For as (but now) was said, the inhibition or enabling of naturall qualities or faculties to ex∣ercise their native force, is as truely the object of divine freedome, as the preservation or destruction of the Agents themselves, with their qualities or endowments is. For the same reason, the Sunne was no way wounded in his substance, nor hurt, nor tainted in its influence or other qualitie, when, by the divine power, which is immutably and perpe∣tually free, it was inhibited in its course or mo∣tion.

5 That the Almightie Creator neyther in our time, nor in the times long before us, hath laid any such restraint upon the Sunne, that it should not move, or upon the fire, that it should not burne, is not from any restraint which hee hath laid upon his power by his eternall decree; but from his immuta∣ble and eternall freedome. Wee may not say, that he cannot, for the times present or which are to come, lay the like inhibition upon the Sunne, upon the fire, or upon other celestiall or sublunarie bodies, for exercising the functions most naturall to them. That hee will not, at any time, lay the like restraint upon them, wee are not bound to beleeve, untill thus much be by his word revealed unto us. That God cannot at this time bring such a generall In∣undation

upon the earth as hee did in the dayes of Noah, we may not say or thinke: but that hee will not destroy the world by water, wee must beleeve, because wee have his solemne promise to this pur∣pose sealed unto us, by the signe of the Bow in the Cloud. But when the iniquitie of this present world shall come unto the same height and mea∣sure, which the old world had made up, wee be∣leeve hee will destroy it by fire. For other mutati∣ons in the course of nature, the condition or exi∣gence of times ensuing, may be such, as that they may be as strange and miraculous, as at any time heretofore they have beene. The not interposing of miracles in these our dayes, proceedes not from any Act passed by the Almightie to the contrary, nor from the unchangeablenesse of his eternall will; but from the condition or course, which his crea∣tures hold de facto, whose condition or estate is in it selfe, and by his Almighty will so to have it, so changeable and so improveable to different pur∣poses, that many events, which to our observation would be most strange, might upon speciall occa∣sions be produced, without any change or altera∣tion in his power, whose exercise ad extra, that is, in respect of effects producible in the creature, is im∣mutably free, untill hee promise to inhibit them, as hee hath done the generall Inundation. And al∣though hee be most immutable in all his promises or inhibitions: yet doth not every promise or in∣hibition which hee makes, induce an absolute im∣mutabilitie or necessitie of the things promised or inhibited. Their immutabilitie or necessitie is the

proper effect of his more solemne or peculiar pro∣mises. Nor are such inhibitions as he hath set un∣to the water absolutely necessary from Eternity, but grow necessary in revolution of time, by the changeable condition of the Creature. And albeit we can neither prescribe limits to his will, nor con∣ceive any reason of the mutations which fall out in the Creatures by his inhibition, by his permission, or by his positive enabling them to exercise their native functions; yet of the least mutation, that can fall out in the world, he knowes a cause or reason, nor doth he suffer any thing to be done, for which his immutable freedome in governing the world, hath not an eternall rule or reason infinitely more perfect, than the wisest man living can give any for his best Acts or undertakings. But suppose the Sun to have that freedome of power in the emission or not emission of his beames, which men have over their breath, or that dexterity in tempering or mo∣derating its light or influence, which skilfull Mu∣sitians have in modulating their voices: and the former representation of that power which God hath over all his creatures, and of their dependance on him in their beings and operations by the de∣pendance which light hath on the Sunne, would be more lively and full.

6 But the Psalmist hath made choice of that free power, which man hath over his animall fa∣culties, as over his breath or operation of his senses; as the fairest picture of Gods free power creative and providence over his Creatures. These wait all upon thee, that thou mightest give them their meat in

due seasons. That thou givest them, they gather: thou openest thine hand, they are filled with good. Thou hidest thy face, they are troubled: thou takest away their breath, they dye, and returne to their dust. Thou sendest forth thy spirit, they are created: and thou renewest the face of the earth. The glory of the Lord shall endure for ever: the Lord shall rejoyce in his workes. He looketh on the earth, and it trembleth: he toucheth the hils and they smoake. Psal. 104. vers. 27. &c. Yet even in these and the like emblemati∣call expressions of the Creators free power over his Creatures, or in the choisest that can bee taken or gathered out of the Propheticall descriptions, from the exercise of mens free and purest thoughts, there will still remaine this disparity: We cannot alter the objects of our intellectuall or abstract con∣templations, without some alteration or change of Acts. It is then the prerogative of the Almighty, freely to will things most contrary and different, without any diversity in his will. And this his free will not onely worketh greater varietie or change in the Creature, than the wits of all men in the world can conceive, but withall irresistibly deter∣mines the issue of every possible change, without any shadow of change or alteration in his thoughts or resolutions; which in him are not many, but more truly one infinity, than any one thought in us is one. This disparity betweene the Identity of his Eternall knowledge, and of his immutable freedome, and the manner of our understanding or intellectu∣all choice, I cannot yet better represent than by the * 1.3former disparity, betweene the circle and many

sided figures. Mans purest intellectuall thoughts or actuall choices, are in the contemplative part of the soule, as angles are in many sided figures, all as different each from other, as one angle is from a∣nother in a quadrangle, and every one is as distinct from the substance of the soule wherein they are, as angles in a quadrangle are from the sides or surface of it. But those which wee terme, or conceive as severall Acts or exercises of the Divine power, as the Act of creation, the act of preservation, the act of conseruation, the production of miracles, &c. are in the Almighty, not so much distinct one from another, or from his incomprehensible essence, as the Angles in a circle are from the sides or from the circumference, which notwithstanding is a to∣tangle, in which there is no sensible distinction be∣tweene sides and Angles, albeit both of them bee truly contained in the circumference, as all power and freedome of power is contained in the immu∣table, infinite and incomprehensible Essence.

Notes

• * 1.1

  Vide Za∣barel. de Lumine.
• * 1.2

  Vide An∣ton. Scar∣milion. de coloribus.
• * 1.3

  See the first part of the Divine Essence & Attributes, chap. 21. pag. 229, 230. &c.