Seim. Cl. The Immenity ofthe Divine Nature. 757 'Now to fuppofe the Divine Effence to be limited, or confined, and his Prefence to be any where excluded, doth contradict both this neceffary Perfection of God, his univerfal Providence ; and his neceffary Duty of Creatures, to worfhip and truft in him; and the voluntarymanifeftation and appearance ofGod, in the In- carnation ofJefus Chrift. I. It contradicts the univerfal Providence of God. The univerfal Providence oPGod fuppofeth many Perfethons, viz. infinite Knowledge, and infinite power, his Omnifcience and Omnipotence, neither of which can be imagined without Omnifcience. We find that all finite Beings, have a finite Knowledge, and a fi- nite Power ; and it cannot be conceived how infinite Underftanding and Power can be founded any where elfe, than in an infinite Effence. To have an infinite Knowledge ofall things, even thofe things, which are moll recret and hidden, to be able to do all things, to fleer and govern the Actions of all Crea- tires, and to have a perfect care of them, feems to all the Reafon of Mankind to require immediate Prefence. z. It contradicts the neceffary Duty of the Creature, which is to worlhip God, to depend upon him-for every thing, and in every thing to acknowledge. him. Now all Worfhip of God is rendred vain, or at leaft uncertain, if God be not prefent to us tò hear our Prayers, to take notice of our Wants, and receive our Acknowledgements ; it will much abate our Confidence in God, and our Fear to offend him, if we be uncertain whether he be prefent to us or not, whether he fees our Actions or not. 3. It contradicts a voluntary Manifellation and Appearance of God in the Incarnation ofChrift. He that fuppofethGod not tobe every where prefent by his Effence, mutt in all reafon confine his Prefence to Heaven, and fuppofe him to be prefent elfewhere onlyby his Virtue and Power: but if this were fo, how could the Divinity be effentially united to the Human Nature of Chrift, which was here upon Earth? How is God withus? How does he pitch his Tabernacle a- mong Men; ifhis effentiall Prefence beconfin'd to Heaven? Thirdly, Icome to anfwer Objeáions againft this Doctrine. There are two Objectionsagainft this. z. From Reafon. z. From Scripture. Reafon will be ready to fuggeft, that this is a difparagement to the Divine Nature, to tye his Prefence to this vile dunghil of the Earth, and fordid Sink of Hell. This is a grofs Apprehenfion of God, and a meafuring of him by our felves. Indeed if we look upon God as capable of Injury, and Suffering, and Offence from the Contagion of any thing here below, as we are, then indeed, there were fume ftrength in this Objection: But he is a bleffed and pure Being; Mens fegregata ab ornai concretione mortali. A Mind free from all mortal Compofition or Mixture. Tully; Juaä vl ,tu8rìzw ou¡.é xoI Óov, difentangledfrom everythingpa/41e, as Plut. Thofe things that are naufeous to our fenfes, do not affect him : Dark- nefs is uncomfortable to us, but the Darknefs and the Light are all one to him. Wickednefs may hurt a man, or thefon of man; but if we multiply our tranfgrefons, we do nothing to God, as Elihufpeaks, Sob 3 ç. 6. Nothing can difquiet or dilcom- pofe his happy and bleffed Nature, but heconverfeth herein this dark and trod- bled World with lefs Danger or Difturbance, or any impure Contagion, than the Sun -beams. a.. Objetl. Does not the Scripture tell us, that Godjts in theHeavens, and dwells on high, that Heaven is' histhrone, and that it is the City ofthe great God ? Doth not the Lord's Prayer teach us to fay, Our Father which art in heaven? Is he not faid to look down from heaven and to hear in heaven his dwelling place? Is it not Paid thathe doth not dwell in templesmade with hands? And does not Solomon, a 1 ings 8. 27. put it as a ftrange queíftion, will God indeeddwell on the earth ? Is he not laid to comedown and draw near to us, and to be afaroffromus? Nowhow does this agree with his Imrnenfty and Omniprefence? For
RkJQdWJsaXNoZXIy OTcyMjk=