& de vir

divinâ Ef

ma eft o

n Propriè of God; but rather that the highest per tute fermo fection even infinite Perfection is the Effence nis loqué- of God; it is every way his Effence, and no do non eft way at all diftinguished from it. Finally, conceden- if by Attributal Perfections you mean the dum quod Conceits or Signs of Perfection, they say in Deo vel thefe Signs do indeed fignifie the Divine fentia fit Effence, but the Signs themselves are so far perfe&tio, from being the Effence of God, that they fed perfe- do not all of them fignifie the Jame Divine Aio fum- Effence after the fame way and manner of mnibus fignifying; for it is clear, that some of the modis di- Attributal Terms are affirmative, fome are vina effen-negative, fome are abfolute, fome connotia ipfa ab tative, and relative. For obferve that, eâ penitus when the Perfection of God is declared &a, Biel 1. per viam negationis, by P negative ExprefSent. dift. fions, as when we fay God is immaterial, 2. quaft 3. incorporeal, invisible, immortal, immutable, o Multi immenfe, and the like,we intend to remove all imperfection from the ffence of God, les Affir- and leave his pure Effence fingle and alone, mativi, because it is one fingle and infinite PerfeNegativiction; we denie that there is any thing in Abfoluti, God which might make him like to the Connota- Creature in imperfection: For what ever lativi ip. there is which betokens matter, change, fam can- privation, or imperfection, we denie that to demque be in God, becaufe God is one entire, infiEffentiam nite Perfection, and therefore we say as

indiftin

termini

Attributa

tivi, & Re

Divinam fimpliffimam fed diverfimode fignificant. p Vide Bafil.lib. 1.

Contr. Eunomium.

Ifidore

Clarius

Orat. $.

creaturis

Ifidore Clarius doth, that in thefe nega- 9 lhdor. tives there doth lay kid, not onely a pofitive but an infinite Perfection, and what is infi tom. I. nite, must needs be fingle; you fee ftill the pag. 21. Perfection is a fingle Perfection. And when the Perfection of God is declared Attribut per viam eminentia, as the Schooles fpeak, ta illa by attributing all Perfection which we fignifica quoad rem find in the Creatures unto God, after we tam inagis have removed all imperfection, we fay the proprie perfection fignified is moft perfectly and Deo quam properly in God; but the manner of figni- attribuun fying of that Perfection by Attributes tur; accitaken from the Creatures, doth fomewhat piendo aurellifh of that imperfection, which is in the tem perCreature; and therefore we fay fuch Attri- fe&iones butes in respect of the imperfect manner of tales pro fignifying do not clearly hold forth that fignis vel fingle and infinite Perfection which is in concepti God; Hence it is that reverend Divines bus perhave laid down fo many rules as Cautions to direct us in this weightie point.

Attribu

fe&ionem fignificat, fed imperfc&to

mo、

do fignificant, & proinde modus fignificandi creaturis proprié convenit, perfettio fignificata Deo convenit, fed fecundum medum Eminentiorem. Vide Th, pug. 1. quæfi, 13, art.2.3.6. Zanch. de Natura Dei, cap. 8. quælt.3.

1. A finite and compounded underftanding cannot apprehend the glorious perfection of a fingle and infinite Effence, but by diftinct proprieties or Attributes.

tes Dei no

2. The Effential Attributes are all of them common to all the three Persons of * Omnes the Godhead,and to them onely. proprieta 3. Thefe Effential Attributes are not dipoffunt ftinguished from the Divine Effence, but are creaturis the very Divine Effence orGodhead it felf. communi 4. All these Effential Attributes are incari,quia finite and eternal, because they are the infic multi finite and eternal Effence of God. plicaretur 5. Thefe Effential Attributes do not

cffentia:

necali

differ from one another, because the Ef que, quia fence of God is fingle,uncompounded, unfic divide- divided,indivifible, and one of these Attri retur. butes doth Effentially prædicate of the s Attribu- other. The power,wifdom, goodneffe of ta Divina God, are fingle, eternal, immutable, infinite.

non di

ftinguun

tur actualiter in reipfa, neque à Dei Effentiâ neque inter se ̧ quia perfectio Divina eft fimpliciter infinita. vide Irenæum 1. 2. contr: barcf. cap.8. Jul. Mart. q. 144. Auguft. de civ. Deil. 12. cap. 2. Hen, quodlibet.l. 5.q.1. Durand. Ocham. in 1. d. 2. q.2.

The Emi

Divine At

6. These Effential Attributes do differ nent Dis from one another, onely according to our finition of weak apprehenfion; for our finite and tributes. compounded understanding not being able to comprehend what is fingle and infinite, doth frame different conceits of the properties of God, according to the different objects and effects of thefe Attributes. Now because our understanding doth ground all its conceits upon the feveral

Objects

Plures c

conceptus

Objects and Effects of these Attributes, we say, the Difference is not purely Ra- nim funt tional, or a meer fiction of reason, but we objectivi call it a virtual or eminent Diftinction, virtualiter framed by reafon upon the grounds afore- diftinati faid, for the help of our weak understand- qui refpondent ings. For we muft confider, that this Vir pluribus tual Diftin&tion is not a Real Distinction; conceptibecause it doth not import, that the At- bus tormatributes of God are actually many,

t

or real

libus rea

liter di

' varii reali

ly different; but it fignifies, that the infinite ftin&tis. Effence of God doth eminently contain all Concep real Perfections which are many indeed in tus autem the Creatures; but all Perfection in God is objectivi but one fingle and infinite Perfection, non funt which fingle and infinite Perfection in re- ter, actu, gard of its" eminency, and our weaknesse in se, sed cannot be expreffed by one fingle Act, or eminenter by one Formal and adequate Conceit of virtua ours, because we do apprehend things ac- fectibus cording to thole feveral Objects about diftincti. which they are exercised, and those several PerfeEffects which are by their Virtue and Influence really produced. Now no Effect in the world is adequate to the infinite Vir- rum qua

X

liter in ef

&iones

omnes

creatura

tenus funt in Deo nihil aliud funt, quam ipfamet creatrix Effentia Dei. Vide August, lib. 4. Gen. ad lit. cap. 24. lib. 4. de Trinitate Anfelm. Monolog. cap. 34. 35. u Deus folâ & fuâ eminenti virtute omnes creatas perfe&tiones creaturis communicat, & quicquid eft perfectionis in creaturis eminenter continet.

Nullus effe&us eft infinitus, & proinde nullus effectus eft Divinæ Virtuti adæquatus.

tue and eminent Perfection of the Divine Nature, and therefore we cannot apprehend the eminent and infinite Virtue of the Divine Nature, but by confidering of those many Objects and manifold Effects in the world, which do all represent the eminent and infinite Virtue of the Divine Nature; and hence it is that we call it a virtual and

eminent Distinction, whereas indeed it is y Eminens rather an Eminence Y then a Diftinction, be & virtualis caufe the Divine Nature doth eminently diftinétio contain all Perfection in its infinite Perfe inte, non eft dinti ction, and the Divine Virtue doth mani&io fed felt it felf upon diffrent Objects and vaeminentia; rious Effects; and therefore our weak uneft tamen derftanding frames different conceics of it according to those different Objects and cipiendi Effects, and confequently gives so many virtutem different Attributes to God. And God eminen hath fo far condefcended to our weakness

refp. Яu

noftri con

cundum

tem fe. in Scripture, as to declare his fingle Perfediftin&tos ction by feveral names and Attributes, anrefpe&us fwerable to thofe different Objects and ad diverfa Effects, in which the eminent and infinite oby &a & Virtue of God doth gloriously thine throughout the world. I have infifted long upon this virtual and eminent Diftinction, that I might by fo many feveral expreffions beat this grand Myfterie into the heads of the meaneft Chriftians,

effe&us

diftin&tos.

7. When one Attribute of God is abftractly confidered from the reft of the