Of the Church

Of the Church consisting of men and Angels, in the day of their Creation.

WHatsoeuer commeth within the compasse of mans conceit and apprehension, is either the vniversall perfection of being it selfe, wherein there is nothing intermingled of not being, nothing of possibilitie to bee that which already it is not, which is the nature of God, whose name is [Exod. 3. 14. and 6. 3.] Iehoua, [Reve. 1. 8.] Which is, which was, and is to come: or else it is finite limited and restrained to a certaine degree, measure; and kind of being, which is the condition of all things vnder God. So that as wee cannot thinke aright of God, but with resolued and vndoubted assurance that he is, (For what can be, if being it selfe be not?) that he is infinite, and hath noe limitation of his perfections, (for within what bounds or limits shall we compasse that, wherein the fulnesseof being is found?) that hee is from everlasting to everlasting, and knoweth neither beginning nor end of his continuance: (For how should that haue either beginning or end, wherein there is nothing intermingled of not being, and so no time nor moment can be imagined wherein it was not, or shall cease to bee?) so wee cannot thinke of any thing else but as finite and limitted, hauing certaine bounds set vnto it, within the compasse whereof, all the perfection it possesseth and enioyeth is contained, as hauing being after not being, and so receiuing it from another, as limited in continuance aswell as in measure and kinde of perfections, hauing set and certaine termes before which it was not, and a necessitie of ceasing to be, if the hand that vpholdeth it withdraw it selfe but for a moment. Hence it followeth that such is the nature and condition of all things vnder God, that they are mixed and compounded of being and not being, perfection and imperfection, fullnesse and want. For howsoeuer they want nothing, which to the perfecting of their owne kinde is required, yet they faile, and come infinitely short of that perfection, which is found in God the fountaine of all being; yea, much is denied to euery of p. 2them, which is bestowed on others, and euen in respect of themselues, they are oftentimes that in possibility, which actually they haue not attained vnto. Seeing therefore the imperfection of each thing, presupposeth perfection before it, out of which it is taken, whereunto it tendeth and endeauoureth to attaine, and whereof it faileth; all things vnder God hauing imperfection found in them, and hauing some part of his Diuine perfections committed vnto them, but not in sort answerable to that whence they are taken, and wherein they are origanally found, looke backe and hasten to returne to that beginning, whence they came foorth, and with fixed eyes, bowed knees, and hands lifted vp, present themselues before him that liueth for ever, which is, which was; and which is to come, with great ioy and exultation powring foorth and returning thankefull praises to him, [Revel. 5. 1 •… . & 4. 11.] for whose sake they were created; desiring continuance of that they are, supplie of that they want, and thinking it their greatest happinesse, to haue but the least resemblance of his Diuine perfections.

p. 2[Gasper Contarenus lib. 7. primae Philosophiae.] The proceeding of each thing from the first, is like to a straight line drawne out in length which of all other is the weakest; neither can it bee strengthened, but by being redoubled & bowed backe again, whereby it draweth nigh to the nature of a circular line, which of all other is the strōgest, as wherein each part yeeldeth stay and support to other. All things therefore after they are come forth from the presence of God, taking view of themselues, and finding their owne imperfect and defectiue nature, fearing to remoue too farre, flie backe vnto him that made them, for support, comfort and stay, and like a reflected line returne towards the presence of him, for whose sake they are, and haue beene created: yet is there nothing found in degree of nature inferiour vnto man, that returneth so farre, and approcheth so neere, as to know, see and delight in God, as he is in himselfe, but all rest contented and seeke to discerne, know and enjoy no more of his Divine perfections, than in themselues they possesse and partake of him. So that they expresse not the nature of a perfect circle, in which the lines, drawne forth in length, are in such sort reflected and bowed backe againe that in their returne they stay not, till they come to the very same poynt whence they beganne. This is peculier to men and Angels, which are carried backe with restlesse motiōs of vnsatisfied desires, & stay not till they come to the open view, cleare vision and happie fruition of GOD their Creator. [Quis fecisti nos •… d te, & inquietum est cor nostrum donec requiescat in te. Aug. lib. 1. Confess. in •… tio.] O Lord, saith Augustine, thou madest vs for thy selfe, and our hearts are restlesse and vnquiet, till they rest in thee.

The reason of this so different condition of men and Angells, from other things, who so taketh a view of the diuerse degrees and sorts of things in the world, cannot but with exceeding great sweetnesse of delight obserue and discerne.

p. 2There is nothing which, in sense of want and imperfection, doth not endeavour to returne towards God, from whome all good and happie supplie of defect and want proceedeth: neither is there any thing found in the world, (all things being full of defect,) which is not carried with some inclination of desire, either seeking that it hath not, or desiring the continuance of that it hath already receiued from him, in whom the fullnesse of all happie good is found. …