Discourses upon the Existence and Attributes of God

1. Without any mixture. I fill Heaven and Earth; not, I am mixed with Heaven and Earth; his Essence is not mixed with the Creatures; it remains entire in its self. The Sponge retains the nature of a Sponge, though encompassed by the Sea, and moving ⟨p. 249⟩in it; and the Sea still retains its own nature. God is most simple; his Essence therefore is not mixed with any thing. The Light of the Sun is present with the air, but not mixed with it, it remains light, and the air remains air; the light of the Sun is diffused through all the Hemisphere, it pierceth all transparent bodies, it seems to mix it self with all things, yet remains unmixed and undivided; the light remains light, and the air remains air; the air is not light though it be enlightened. Or, take this similitude; When many Candles are lighted up in a Room, the light is all together, yet not mixed with one another; every Candle hath a particular light belonging to it, which may be separated in a moment, by removing one Candle from another; but if they were mixed, they could not be separated, at least so easily. God is not formally one with the World, or with any Creature in the World by his Presence in it: Nor can any Creature in the World, no, not the Soul of man, or an Angel, come to be Essentially one with God, though God be Essentially present with it.

1. Without any mixture. I fill Heaven and Earth; not, I am mixed with Heaven aad Earth; his Essence is not mixed with the Creatures; it remains intire in its self. The Spunge retains the nature of a Spunge, though encompass'd by the Sea, and moving ⟨p. 249⟩in it; and the Sea still retains its own nature. God is most simple; his Essence therefore is not mixed with any thing. The Light of the Sun is present with the air, but not mixed with it, it remains light, and the air remains air; the light of the Sun is diffused through all the Hemisphere, it pierceth all transparent bodies, it seems to mix it self with all things, yet remains unmixed and undivided; the light remains light, and the air remains air; the air is not light though it be enlightned. Or, take this similitude; When many Candles are lighted up in a Room, the light is all together, yet not mixed with one another; every Candle hath a particular light belonging to it, which may be separated in a moment, by removing one Candle from another; but if they were mixed, they could not be separated, at least so easily. God is not formally one with the World, or with any Creature in the World by his Presence in it: Nor can any Creature in the World, no, not the Soul of man, or an Angel, come to be Essentially one with God, though God be Essentially present with it.