Observations, censures, and confutations of notorious errours in Mr. Hobbes his Leviathan and other his bookes to which are annexed occasionall anim-adversions on some writings of the Socinians and such hæreticks of the same opinion with him / by William Lucy ...

Sect. 1.

* 1.1CArthagena is so impudent, that he affirme's, impos∣sibile est per Dei potentiam fieri creaturam, cui sit na∣turalis cognitio mysterii Trinitatis; in Thomam Quaest. 32. art▪ primo conclusione secunda. It is impossible that by the power of God, a creature should be made, to whom the knowledge of the Trinity should be natural; which, in my conceipt, is little lesse then blasphemy; for why cannot ••od make a Creature natural doe that which he can ena∣ble him to doe? for these Termes, naturall or superna∣tural, are only such, because God hath confined Nature to such bounds as it cannot goe farther; and exalted other things to such an height, as is ultra Sphaeram acti∣vitatis, beyond the reach of that naturall arm to come at; but, if it shall please God to enlarge the bounds of that Nature, or draw the other neerer to it, it may then do that naturally, which before, without that enlarge∣ment, it could not doe; as we see that fire cannot, with its heat, warme a thing which is far off, yet bring that body nee••er to the fire, or let the fire be made more intense, it can then doe it; so can God make a Creature••s understanding more intense and active, and, if he please, make that sun whose glorious

light, in its self, we cannot behold, have such gentle Clouds interposed, as may make us see him behind them, which in its self nakedly, without those Cloudes, we could not; so may God make himself discernable by such expressions as were fit for him, and kindly to us; it is a mighty fault in the great wits frequently, that they will limit God's abilities to their own appre∣hensions, and because they cannot conceive how, there∣fore they will say he cannot doe it; and, because na∣turall men, in this Condition, cannot apprehend this, therefore God cannot make such a man; and so this Author, whilest he labour's to shew how divine excel∣lencies transcend our capacities, he himselfe confine's God's infinite power to his owne fancy. But I say, I have almost all against my undertaking, and therefore, before I go, I will smooth the way, by disputing that question de possibilitate rei, whether it be possible to be proved or no.

Notes

• * 1.1

  C••rthag••na's l••tle lesse then blasphemous, intimating God's power of enlarging the capac••ty of his Creature.