1. The transcendent glory of Gods nature, the brightness of which is such, that the eyes of our minds are not able to look upon it, much less can any senses of our bodies attain him, Gen. 32. 29. Judges 13. 18. God is invisible, we cannot see him: he is ineffable, no words can tell us what he is: we may reckon a thousand things and yet none of them 1is God, whether we look about the earth, seas, air, or heavens, God is that thing which no opinion can reach: He is more then words can tell, or thoughts can think. God is such a thing, as when we name him, he cannot be named; 2when we go about to estimate him, he cannot be estimated; when we go about to compare him, he cannot be ⟨p. 45⟩compared, when we would define him he increaseth bigger then any definition. He is greater then all words, then 3all senses, it is peculiar to God to exceed knowledge: we may admire by silence, but cannot express him by words: 4and the Reason is, that which is finite can hold no proportion with that which is infinite. And therefore he that would define God had need to have Gods Logic, for no mans Logic can reach to it: for though nothing be more present every where then God yet nothing is more incomprehensible. God is immense, and therefore who can tell (as one saith) the length of his Eternity, or the breadth 5of his Love, or the height of his Majesty, or the depth of his Wisdom. And though it be true, that there are divers names given to God, yet those names do not explicate what God is, but only so much of him, as of us can be conceived; for that which is said of God is not God, because he is 6ineffable: The Heathen man could say, that it is a hard labour to find out the Father of the world, but having found him, it was impossible to describe him with fit words, especially to make the vulgar sort to conceive of him. And therefore he is fitly styled, a light inaccessible.
1. The transcendent glory of Gods nature, the brightnesse of which is such, that the eyes of our mindes are not able to look vpon it, much lesse can any senses of our bodies attaine him, Gen. 32. 29. Iudges 13. 18. God is inuisible, wee cannot see him: he is ineffable, no words can tell vs what hee is: we may reckon a thousand things and yet none of them 1is God, whether we looke about the earth, seas, ayre, or heauens, God is that thing which no opinion can reach: Hee is more then words can tell, or thoughts can thinke. God is such a thing, as when we name him, hee cannot bee named; 2when we goe about to estimate him, he cannot bee estimated; when we goe about to compare him, hee cannot bee ⟨p. 45⟩compared, when we would define him hee increaseth bigger then any definition. He is greater then all words, then 3all senses, it is peculiar to God to exceede knowledge: wee may admire by silence, but cannot expresse him by words: 4and the Reason is, that which is finite can hold no proportion with that which is infinite. And therefore hee that would define God had neede to haue Gods Logick, for no mans Logick can reach to it: for though nothing be more present euery where then God yet nothing is more incomprehensible. God is immense, and therefore who can tell (as one saith) the length of his Eternity, or the breadth 5of his Loue, or the height of his Maiesty, or the depth of his Wisedom. And though it bee true, that there are diuers names giuen to God, yet those names do not explicate what God is, but onely so much of him, as of vs can bee conceiued; for that which is said of God is not God, because hee is 6ineffable: The Heathen man could say, that it is a hard labour to finde out the Father of the world, but hauing found him, it was impossible to describe him with fit words, especially to make the vulgar sort to conceiue of him. And therfore he is fitly styled, a light inaccessible.
- 1August.
- 2Hillary.Hillarie.
- 3Tert.
- 4Nissen.
- 5Bern.
- 6Plato. He is Ubique presens sed latens, ubique totus sed immensus.Plato. He is Vbique presens sed latens, vbique totus sed immensus.
