creatures we thence infer severall attributes in God which although they may seem severall to us yet being every way and every one infinite for what should limit or bound God when as indeed there is no thing but God it must therefore necessarily follow that there can be but one infinite and the attributes though they appear severall to us yet are they all but one infinite God more particularly because we receive our first information from sense we thence conclude Whatsoever is is either God or the work of God Deus est quod vides totum quod non vides totum whatsoever thou seest or seest not serves as an argument and proof of the Deity as for example in the creatures in generall consider their proper and bounden nature together with so great variety and perfection in their own kind in this nature such excellent properties affections and accidences which do so well agree with the nature from this nature such strange and wonderfull operations and effects by this nature such an excellent order and proportion both in themselves and to the whole universe through this nature such a constancy and perseverance in keeping their due course in performing their duty service and Ministery to man and as all the creatures look to one end so they must needs have but one efficient cause which made and directed all to the glory of himself the perfection of the universe and the good of particulars in their preservation that they might be more usefull and serviceable to man who might therefore return his praises and thankfulness to God that all may tend and end in Gods glory this was the end which was first in intention and now is the last in execution that as the world is circular where it begins there it ends so beginning with God it endeth with God thus every thing doth testifie a God and therefore you may fill up a Book greater then the whole world with arguments and proofs of the Deity And now I come to the severall Arts and Sciences the Metaphysicks have this prerogative to treat of generals and universals to prescribe every art her own proper bounds and to confirm the first grounds and principles of every Art wherein the Art it self is defective and in particular to take the heavenly bodies seperated Soules and what belongs to the spirituall world as their own proper objects and they do not only conclude one omnipotent Maker but they proceed further and considering the motion of the heavens which are bodies how they move in their own proper places which no other bodies do the like but alwayes rest when they are at home and their motion serves them abroad only to recover their own homes considering that the heavens do not move for their own private ends that they receive no benefit or advantage by their own motion but that it is wholly directed for the good of others for the preservation of the universe when as no other naturall or sensless bodies do the like considering that simple bodies can have but one simple motion yet are there great varieties and diversâ—…ies of motions in the heavens the Metaphysicks do hence infer that needs the motions of â—…he heavens must proceed from intelligences who are indeed Angels and thereby proceed influences the operation whereof we find in our sublunary bodies which cannot be prevented by application of any elementary qualities Thus in the Bowels of the Earth where neither Sunshine nor motioâ—… could penetrate yet by vertue of these influences we find metals and minerals which are of that excellent nature as that for their composition their long continuance and speciall virtues they are not inferior to the best of bodies and therefore they serve for coyn to carry the price of all our other commodities thus do the Metaphysicks by the speculation of the heavens not only conclude a first maker but likewise a necessity of Angels to continue that motion which the Creator began by setting the first wheel on going Thus farre by the heavens alone now by a view of the creatures the Metaphysicks finde that there are certain Transcendentia generall and universall qualities which are incident and must necessarily be fastned on all creatures whereupon they infer that they are but the Rayes and Fooâ—…steps of one unversall Maker as when they see that every thing is Ens â—…num verum bonum they instantly conceive that these are immediately borrowed and proceed from the first Maker and therefore do necessarily conclude that he must be Ens entium prima veritas simplicissima â—…nitas infinita bonitas who is causa eausarum the author of his own beeing the efficient cause from whom all the rest do proceed the finall cauâ—…e to whom all the rest are directed Thus every thing must have as inward causes matter and form whereof it subsists so outward causes efficient and finall from whom and to whom it is directed for of nothing comes nothing adde nothing to nothing and there remains nothing In the Metaphysicks this is a Rule that in things which exceed the ordinary rank and condition such as least exceed must ever be admitted for that they are most facile and easie whereby mans understanding may be better guided in knowledge sooner satisfied and finde lesse opposition E G If I should aske whether every thing should be eternall or that there should be but only one eternallâ—… which should give a beeing to all inferior creatures which as they are bounded in all their dimensions and qualities so likewise in their continuance whereas that only one eternall must be infinite and unlimited in all other attributes as well as eternity surely right reason would instantly conclude rather for one then for all and thence infer a necessity of the Godhead and seeing the whole universe is so well compacted and that every part hath such a mutuall coâ—…respondencie and relation each to other that it makes one body one Corporation right reason concludes there can be but one Maker one efficient cause from whom all do proceed and one finall end to which all do tend The glory and service of that Maker Thus having found out that unum principium that only one efficient cause of the universe I must then recommend unto you another Axiom of the Metaphysicks Semper excipiendum est primum in unoquoque genere By virtue hereof infinite are the prerogatives which are to be ascribed to the Deity while all blemishes and imperfections do vanish and come to nothing thus the knowledge which we have of God by a naturall light it is either by way of eminency transcending and surpassing the Sphear of all creatures for that God is not to be ranked within the compass of their limited measure or otherwise by way of negation in scattering and dispersing those cloudy mists which may any way obscure or cast the least aspersion upon the Deity so zealous are the Philosophers of Gods honour and to
curb to bridle and order this liberty of will as he shall see cause and Gods prescience imposeth no necessity upon the action for as the Omnipotency of God creates all things out of nothing so the Omnisciency of God may foresee and foreknow all things out of nothing Gods power and Gods knowledge are of like extent and efficacy and when no cause is determinated and ordered yet God who seeth all things which are not as if they were so he may foresee things which shall be though the causes be free and not determinated for he sees things not onely in their causes but in the infinite light of his own Intellectuals so that in respect of the causes whereof alone we are to judge the effects may be free voluntary though in respect of Gods prescience whereof we are not to judge they may be necessary and infallibly succeed This I will illustrate by an example He that stands on a high Mountain and on either side sees passengers riding in the same rode-way some forward some backward some towards each other the passengers ride of themselves and it lies in their power to go or not to go but he that stands on the hill may know where and when they shall meet and yet notwithstanding his foreknowledge they meet very casually and voluntary and thus may Gods prescience stand with the freedom and liberty of mans actions Hitherto I have made a high flight and now me thinks I am like a man that is weary in holding up his head to look upon the Sun and the heavens and finding that his spirits are a little wasted with too much light he retires home and coming to his inner rooms he findes them so dark that he can see nothing yet rests himself there for a time to recover his strength whereby he might be the better enabled again to discern the Sun and the heavens So give me leave in stead of making further search into the Attributes of God wherein I finde my eyes dazled now to turn mine eyes inward and to make a diligent search what knowledge man hath of his own in such things as meerly concern himself and how far his natural knowledge may transport him in the knowledge of God and Religion and how far we may presume upon our natural light to discern a supernatural object and things of another world of a higher condition Our own reason informs us that there is nothing in man that hath not bounds of Circumscription Thus in our stature Datur maximum minimum we cannot adde to our own growth thus in our senses Excellens sensibile â—…orrumpit sensum we cannot fasten our eyes on the Sun thus in the strength of our limbs we finde in our selves a definite and determinate power that we cannot work beyond our ability so is there a measure and stint of knowledge that we cannot conceive beyond our limited capacity This will better appear if we consider the several degrees of understanding in man himself how one man doth far exceed another in wit capacity and apprehension Thus we finde that all wits are not fit for all studies and all Sciences he must have the light of great natural Intellectuals who is fit to wade through the midnight of the Metaphysicks or to spy out the curious subtilties of School-learning he must have engines in his brain who is fit for Mathematical studies or Architecture he must have a quick and nimble fancy who aims to excel in Poetry or Rhetorick he must have an exact memory to compute the Concordancy of Times to be a perfect Historian So then it pleaseth God so to order the states of men and the several gifts of nature that some should become Teachers others prove Scholars and Proficients as God shall give a blessing and prosper their endevours And while they are learning necessary it is that they should believe their Teachers And is there such a difference of men between themselves comparing one with another then much more is there a far greater difference between God and man Suppose I should compare God with man in other Attributes and see the infinite difference what is the strength of man but weakness in respect of Gods Omnipotency what is the length of mans age but less then a minute in respect of Gods eternity what is the wealth of man but beggery in respect of Gods treasures Then what is the wit and understanding of man but meer foolishness in respect of Gods wisdome But that we may lay a deeper foundation lest natural reason might presume too far she must first be taught to humble her self I would then first ask what is the object of natural reason surely I will extend the object as far as possibly I can I will give her the uttermost due and therefore I do acknowledge the object of natural reason to be the natural world for upon the same grounds and principles whereof the world doth subsist Reason doth likewise guide her self by way of direction but man sees the bounds of the natural world the material heavens which incompass and hedge in the world as a Circumference to the Centre or Circle Then surely he must see the bounds of his natural Reason beyond which he cannot extend his natural knowledge which is very fitly set forth by the form and fashion of mans head or scull which is somewhat circular and not unlike the Globe of the world all his brains are within the scull and what is without is no part of man So what is within the cavity of the Globe of the world may be partly involved and laid up in mans brain as it were written in Characters but what is without the convexity of this Globe it cannot enter into mans brain Thus every faculty hath his object and this must be adaequatum every way answerable and proportionable to the faculty and what exceeds this object comes not within the sphere of that faculty as the eye cannot hear the ear cannot smell the hand cannot taste for every faculty hath as her own proper organs and instruments so her own proper bounds And lest Reason should be presumptuous and being onely natural should rashly adventure to leap into the supernatural world or out of infidelity should utterly deny what is above her reach and apprehension I must lay open her weakness and see how far she is wounded even in her own naturals that she may be well asham'd of her self if being so ignorant at home and in things which concern her yet she must presume to comprehend mysteries of another world which so far exceed her reach and apprehension See then our defects in natural knowledge not onely in the motion of the heavens the insensible Influences the miraculous Meteors but come we to the meanest Creatures and to speak of them in general The Philosophers will tell you that the forms of things are utterly unknown whence the Logicians conclude That we cannot
it is grounded in Scripture so it is strengthned and fortified with the Bulwark of naturall Reason and Philosophy and against which the most wicked Socinian shall never be able to oppose Hereunto as an addition give me leave to relate my own private opinion which I hope may be without offence either to God or man for that it proceeds not out of any vain presumption neither doth it any way derogate from the truth but whether it ariseth from a strong apprehension and from a minde that is totally possessed with the love of truth and admiration of this great and ineffable mystery that I leave to better judgements The first is that I do believe and am confident that this mystery of the most blessed Trinity doth together and as well as all the rest of Gods attributes appear and is plainly made manifest in the works of nature and in the framing of this created visible corporeall world My reasons and arguments briefly are these First see in the framing of the creatures what footsteps there are of the Trinity which may in some measure point out a Triun-efficient cause take nature in her first ground and foundation are there not three distinct principles the Matter the Form the sympathy and agreement between both see how these principles are knit and united together the Matter tamquam matrix commune seminarium the Form eduâ—…itur ex materia the sympathy and agreement indifferently arising from both Or if you take the Elixir of bodies have not the Chymists found out that all bodies consist of Sal Sulphur Mercury Thus far it is in the constitution of things take then the propagation of the kinde do not the Male and Female agreeing in nature but differing in sex number and person bring forth an issue I will leave curious subtilties in Philosophy and descend to the gross and terrestriall substances wherein you shall likewise observe some obscure shadow of a Trinity Do not all bodies consist of three dimensions Longitude Latitude and Profundity and these necessarily and inseparably knit and united together do not all qualities admit of three degrees of Comparison is not the most perfect number the number of Three which I think was the occasion that Aristotle could say In numero ternario perfecto colitur Deus A strange speech for a Heathen man whether he spake it casually or blindely of himself or whether by an elevated understanding he was carryed in an extasie or trance or rather as I suppose guided by a divine providence being the King of Philosophers among the Heathen like Caiaphas at the Death and Passion of Christ God put into his mouth words which he himself understood not as it were to give a true testimony to succeeding ages for the conversion of the Heathen No perfection ought to be denyed to the Deity suppose that all things were good in their own kinde in the root and foundation of nature according to Gods own approbation Et vidit deus erant omnia valde bona yet are there severall and different perfections as first in respect of quantity there is one perfection of an unity an other of a number let the number appear in the Persons the unity in the Godhead so secondly in qualities they are good in themselves good in diffusion Bonum est maximè diffusivum sui ipsius what is finitely good doth finitely communicate it self therefore that which is infinitely good must infinitely communicate it self within it self to the Persons in the Deity Thirdly in relations there is a paternal there is a filial relation both perfections must appear in the Deity Fourthly in Actions it is the highest perfection of the Creature Generare sibi simile and therefore not to be denyed to the Deity yet being impossible to produce many severall infinite natures therefore different Persons do appear in one and the same infinite nature for it is as proper for God to be perfect as it is to the Creatures to be imperfect let all perfection be elevated to the Deity while the imperfection like dross fals upon the Creatures man himself though fruitfull in his own kinde yet corruptible in his own kinde the Angels though beautifull and incorruptible yet fruitless and barren like Rachel but with God in respect of himself there is a generation without any corruption or diminution as in respect of his works there is a creation without any change in his nature Fifthly God made man according to his own Image and likeness and then God spake of Adam Non est bonum hominem esse solum it is not good for man to be alone let us make him a helper like unto himself If then man be like unto God why may not he reflect upon God and say unto God Non est bonum Deum esse solum it is not good for God to be alone we will therefore in all humility prostrate our selves and with boldness and confidence adore three Persons in one Deity for the greatest comfort which a man hath in this world it is in a sweet society therefore God injoying infinite happiness he must have Consortium aequalium a sweet society there must be severall persons in one Deity I come now to my second position which God knowes as it proceeds from no ill intention so I hope through his Mercy I may deliver my poor opinion without offence I confess that Supreme Magistrates are very tender of their prerogative as without which they cannot support their government and therefore they seldom name it but with this addition and Parenthesis Quam argui nolumus so jealous they are of themselves and of their own power but surely with God it is otherwise for he is able as he made the world of nothing so with the least word of his mouth to reduce it again to nothing and thereby upon every occasion to vindicate his own Authority Here then I will first inform you That it is necessary that every act which God doth it should partake of God and what is contrary to Gods nature it is without the compass of Gods power God can do no injustice being Justice it self God cannot speak an untruth being Truth it self or commit any sin being Goodness it self 2dly God can do nothing to the prejudice or disparagement of himself as to make any thing independent from himselfe but it is necessary as it was made of nothing so it must be continually supported from falling to nothing to which of it self being left to it self it would instantly fall 3dly God can do nothing according to the uttermost extent of his Power the Reason is because his Power hath no uttermost extent but is every way Infinite So when he hath made the most excellent Creature in respect of such as are now in being yet still he is able to create a more excellent and as in every creature God doth imprint a Character of himself whereby it speaks the praise of the Maker so my second position