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STANZ. 8. and 66.A Circle whose Circumference no where Is Circumscrib'd, &c. The Cuspis and the Basis of the Cone. Were both at once, &c.
WHen I speak of God this Mathematicall way, (which is no new thing; for the Ancients also have defined Him to be a Circle whose Cen∣tre is every where and Circumference no where. And
Synesius calls him 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉, the Centre of Centres,) I say when I speak thus of God, I then set out that mo∣dification of his Being which answers to quantity in Bo∣dies. But God is so perfect that no one appellation or re∣semblance can exhaust that Treasure of Attributes in him, He being so fully all things in himself. So that if we will venture to call Him all that He eminently contains, we must be forc'd upon at least seeming inconsistencies.
And now we endeavour to set out that which answers in God to Quantity, we fall into disagreeing terms of Centre, and Basis of a Cone. But why we adumbrate the divine Entity by this representation you shall compendi∣ously conceive in the following figure: and see in what re∣spect he is a Centre, and in what the Basis of a Cone, as also what that is we call the Cuspis of the Cone.
Let KIHK be the whole Orb of beings. The Cen∣tre A. Ahad or Atove, BCDEFGH Aeon, Psyche, Semele, Arachne, Physis, Tasis, Hyle. I say that Ahad in respect of those subsequent Effluxes BCD, &c. is fitly termed a Centre, and is as the Sunne in respect of the Light and Rainbow. But now all things flowing from him 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 with abatement as is most discernable in the Extremes (for the point A is in every point of the whole Orb KIHK, and so is as large as the whole Orb.
As for example, The point A is at the point G and every where else as well as at A; but the point G is one∣ly at G, or if it be at L it is onely then at L, and not at G nor any where else) therefore A though in respect of the Universall orders of Beings which flow from him may be the Centre of a Circle, yet in respect that these orders fall short of his large Ubiquity (some of them at least, all of his perfection and excellency) and the last reall efflux is contracted after a manner to a mere mathematicall point, for such is the nature of the Orb G, or corporeall sub∣stance, as I have intimated. For this reason I say, may A rightly be called the largest Basis of the Cone, whose Di∣ametre is IM, or NL, as the descent of these Degrees and Beings from Ahad or Atove may fitly resemble a Conicall figure whose Cuspis is G.
And here I may seasonably appeal unto the appre∣hensions of men, whether the divine fecundity A flow'd out per saltum, and produced onely the Orb G, or whe∣ther there being a possibility of more excellent intermedi∣ate Orbs, (I will not stand upon this number I have as∣signed) he did not produce BCD, &c. And if he produ∣ced G onely, whether that Orb G be not either an arbi∣trarious or naturall efflux from A. i.e. dependeth on him as closely and intimately, as a Ray doth on the Sun. And if so, why the nature of Atove should be lesse fruitfull,
then the imaginations of men, who can in reason, and di∣stinct notion place severall Orbs betwixt A and G. Or why the free will of Atove or Ahad should be lesse boun∣tifull then the minds of well meaning men, who if it were in their power as it is in the arbitrarious power of Ahad, (it clashing with no other good attribute) would fill up that empty gulf betwixt A and G. Wherefore as farre as free reason and authority of Platonisme will reach, the mystery of the Cone will hold good, though my drift at this time was rather to explane it, then confirm it.
But if any should be so adventrous as to deny such an U∣biquity as I have described, yet in some sort this adum∣bration of the Cone, will still hold good. For there will be a latitude and contraction of power, if not of presence. And this will be ground enough for this expression.
But it is to be noted, that if we forsake this apprehen∣sion of the omnipo••ency of Ahad, God and all things else will prove mere bodies. And then must God, if he can, make himself up in severall parcells and pieces. And God administring the affairs of the Earth, will scarce know what God doth in Saturn, or at least many milli∣ons of miles distant, which conceit seems to me farre below the light of Nature and improv'd Reason. But to conceive God not onely a body, but a body devoid of life, sense, and understanding, is so dark and melancholick a phan∣sie, that I professe, I think I could with far lesse pain and reluctancy, suffer my body to be buried alive in the cold Earth, then so stark and stupid conceit to entombe my soul.
STANZ. 85. Besides the Conflux and Congeries Of lesser Lights, a double augmen∣tation Emplies, and 'twixt them both a lessening coarctation.
The difficulty that their opinion is entangled with that hold the Comets to be nothing but a conflux of lesser stars, is this. That they must then seem first bigger, then lesser; then bigger again, which will evidently appear in the following Scheme.
Where let the closest meeting of the Stars, DFBEGC be at A. I say before they come to A, they will make the show of a broad light; suppose, when come all to the
Circle I. But afterward this light will be lesse and lesse, till they come to the Centre A, where it will be least of all, they coming there closest of all one to another. But then they holding on stil in their severall Arks, they will passe by one another, and the Comet will grow bigger, and bigger, till they have reached the Circle I again, where the Comet is as big as at the biggest before. But then disjoyning themselves more wide one from another, their severall Circles so carrying them, they cease to be seen of us.
This would be the 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 of a Comet, if it did consist
of a conflux of Starres. But sith there is no such thing ob∣served in Comets it is very probable they arise not from this cause.