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. 7.

Of the infinity of Divine Power.

1 THe circumstances of time and place are presupposed, the one as spectator, the other as stage to all things, which wanting place or time, or be∣ing it self, present themselves anew in their proper shape and forme. But of things so presented, operation or power in their kinde is the native and immedi∣ate property. Nothing that hath any proper seat or existence numerable in this spacious Amphithe∣atre, but is fitted for acting some part or other use∣full for the maintenance of the whole. Now all o∣peration or power, which (according to the varie∣ty of things created) is manifold and diverse, doth give but such a shadow of that infinite power, which is eminently contained in the union of infi∣nite Essence, as time and place did of his immensity and eternity. The force and vertue of some things may perhaps more properly be termed strength or power passive, then operation. Howbeit even in the earth and earthly bodies, by nature most dull, there is a power or strength to sustaine waights laid upon them; a power to resist contrary impulsi∣ons, which perhaps essentially includes an active force or operation; a power of swaying to the center, which is no more passive than active, but a

meane betwixt both. Even in the dullest body that is, there is a secret force or slow activity to assimi∣late other things to themselves, or to preserve sym∣bolizing natures. In bodies lesse grosse and more unapt to resist violence offered, as in the windes, vapours, or exhalations, or in the spirits or influ∣ences which guide our bodies, we may perceive an active force or power motive fully answerable to the greatest passive strength or resistance. Other E∣lements or mixt bodies, are indued with an opera∣tive power of producing the like, or destroying contraries. Celestiall bodies, the Sunne especially, have a productive force to bring forth plants out of their roots, to nourish and continue life in al things. It is perhaps impossible, for any thing, that hath not being of it selfe, to receive infinity of being in any kind from another, though infinite. Impossible for the fire, because the substance of it is finite, to be infinitely hot; but were it such, it would be infinite in operation.

2 As the Author or first setter forth of all things operative, who alone truly is, surpasseth all conceit of any distinct or numerable branch of being: so is his power more eminently infinite in every kinde, than all the united powers of severall natures, each supposed infinitely operative in its owne kinde, and for number likewise infinite, can bee conceived to be. Now what was generally observed before, that things by nature most imperfect, doe oftentimes best shadow divine perfections, hath place againe in this particular. Gods infinite power is clearliest manifested in creatures which seem least powerful.

Where wast thou (said God to* 1.1 Iob) when I laid the foundations of the Earth? declare if thou hast under∣standing. Who hath laid the measures thereof, if thou knowest? Or who hath stretched the line upon it? Whereupon are the foundations thereof fastened? or who laid the corner stone thereof? The excellent majesty of this speech, sufficiently testifies it was uttered by God himselfe, though taken from his mouth, by the pen of man. But setting aside the ma∣jesticke phrase or resemblance, farre surmounting all resemblance all observance of poeticall decorum; What cleerer fountaine of deeper admiration, can the eye of mans understanding looke into, then this, that not onely every corner stone in the world with its full burthen, but all the mighty buildings or erections, which are seene upon the whole sur∣face of the earth; yea the whole earth it selfe, with all the mountaines and rockes upon it, with all the metalls or massie substance that are within it, should be borne up by that which is lesse than any corner stone, by that which indeed is no body or substance, not so much as a meere angle or corner. Yet so it hath pleased Him, by whose wisedome the foundations of the earth were layd; to make that little point or indivisible Center; which is far∣thest removed from our sight, the most conspicu∣ous place and seate of that indivisible power which is infinite. Let Mathematicians imagine what rules or reasons of equipendence they list, their last resolution of all supportance into the Center, must suppose the same truth which the Aegyptian Magicians confessed, [Hic digitus

Dei est] The finger of God is here. Impossible it were for that, which in it selfe is matter of nothing, im∣pregnably to support all things supportable; unlesse it were supported by the finger of God. And yet if we conceive of Him, as Isaias describes Him, all the strength and power that is manifested in the supportance of the whole earth, and all therein, is not the strength of his little finger. Yea though wee should imagine, that as the waight of solids amounts according to their masse or quantity: so the sustentative force, which is chambered up in the Center, should be multiplyed according to the severall portions or divisibilities of magnitude successively immensurable: yet this imagination of force so multiplyed, it being divisible, could not equalize that true and reall conceipt of force di∣vine, which ariseth from consideration, that it is in∣divisibly seated, throughout immensity. To uphold earths innumerable much weightier and massier than this is, which borne by him, beareth all things; would be no burthen to his power sustentative: (so from the effects, his power, though in it selfe one, must receive from us plurality of denominations.) And yet fully commensurable to this power susten∣tative, is his active strength or power motive. He that spans the Heavens with his fist, could tosse this Vniverse with greater ease, than a Gyant doth a Tennis Ball, throughout the boundlesse Courts of immensity. Rocks of Adamant would sooner dis∣solve with the least fillep of his finger, than bubbles of water with the breath of Canons.

3 Our admiration of this his active power,

which we conceive as incomprehensible, and alto∣gether uncapable of increase, may bee raised by cal∣culating the imaginary degrees of active powers increase in creatures divisible, as well in quantity, as operation. Though Powder converted into smoake, be the common mother of all force, which issueth from the terrible mouth of the Gunne: yet the Canon sends forth his bullet (though more apt to resist externall motion) with greater violence than the Sachar: and every Ordinance exceeds o∣ther in force of battery, according to the quantity of the charge or length of barrell. But were it pos∣sible for the same quantity of steele or iron, to bee as speedily converted into such a fiery vapour, as gunpowder is; the blow would be ten times more irresistible then any, that Gunpowder out of the same close concavity, can make. The reason is plaine; the more solid or massie the substance to be dissolved, is, the greater quantity would it yeeld of fire, or other rarer substance, into which it were dis∣solved. And the greater the quantity, the more vio∣lent is the contraction of it into the same narrow roome: and the more violent the contraction is, the more vehement is the eruption, and the ejacu∣lation swifter. Thus from vapours rarified or ge∣nerated in greater quantity, than the concavities of the earth, wherein they are imprisoned without vent, is naturally capable of; doe Earthquakes be∣come so terrible: These and the like experiments bring forth this generall rule, The active strength of bodies multiplieth, according to the manner of con∣traction or close unition of parts concurring to the im∣pulsion

or eruption: So doth the active force or vi∣gour of motion, alwayes increase, according to the degrees of celerity which it accumulates. Now though the most active and powerfull essence can∣not be encompassed with walls of brass, nor cham∣bred up in vaults of steele, albeit much wider than the heavens; yet doth it every where more strictly gird it selfe with strength then the least or weakest body can be girt. For what bonds can we prescribe so strict, so close or firme, as is the bond of indivi∣sible unity, which cannot possibly burst or admit eruption, wherein notwithstanding infinite power doth as intirely and totally encampe it selfe, as in immensity. How incomparably then doth His active strength exceed all conceipt or comparison? The vehemency of his motive power, whose infi∣nite Essence swallowes up the infinite degrees of succession in a fixed instant, and of motion in vigo∣rous rest; cannot bee exprest by motion so swift and strong, as would beare levell from the Sunne setting in the West, to the Moon rising in the East. To cast the fixed Starres downe to the Center, or hoyse the Earth up to the Heavens, within the twinkling of an eye, or to send both in a moment beyond the extremities of this visible world, into the wombe of vacuity whence they issued, would not straine his power motive. For, all this we sup∣pose to be lesse then to bring nothing unto some∣thing, or something to such perfection, as some of his creatures enjoy. Howbeit even such as take the fullest measure of perfection from his immen∣sity, must derive their pedigree by the mothers

side, from meere nothing or vacuity. Homo, saith S. Austine, terrae filius, nihili nepos; Man is the son of the earth, and the grandchilde of nothing. And when he shall come unto the height of his glory, he cannot forget, he must remember, that the worme was his sister, and the creeping thing the sonne of his mother. To produce as many worlds out of nothing, as the Sunne each yeare doth Herbes or Plants out of the moistned Earth, would breed no cumbrance to his power or force productive. To maintaine, repaire, or continue all these in the same state, whilest he makes as many moe, would neither exhaust nor hinder his conservative vertue. Multi∣plicity or variety greater than wee can imagine of workes most wonderfull, all managed at one and the same time, could worke no distraction in his thoughts, no defatigation in his Essence. From the unity of these and the like branches of power, all in him most eminently infinite, doth the at∣tribute of Omnipotency take its denomination, whose contents, so farre as they concerne the strengthning of our faith, shall hereafter be un∣foulded.

Notes

• * 1.1

  Cap. 38. vers. 4, 5, 6.