The Knowledge of God, Extracts
THE CHOICEST SENTENCES TAKEN out of this preſent treatiſe of the knowledge of GOD.
In the collection onelyonly whereof I have followed the Copy of Mounſieur Derelincourt Miniſter of the Hague, which if they be thought either too tedious or impertinent, it ſhall be ſome protection to me, that I had ſo reverend an Example.
TRVTH is ſo affected to the Mind as Light unto the Eye. Sect. 3.
The true knowledge of God is the moſt abſolute perfection of the mind. Sect. 4.
That in all Men is inherent an apprehenſion of a God, it is manifeſt by experience and the teſtimony of all Ages, amongſt whom there is none ſo wild or barbarous that hath not received ſome forme of Religion, and that eſtabliſhed under moſt grievous penalties, for this is no written but a natiue Law, to which we are not taught, but made, not inſtructed by precepts but by the principles of Nature. Sect. 7.
From nothing to ſomething is an infinite diſproportion. Sect. 24.
As the beames of Light diſperſed over all the World, doe flow from one beginning, namely the Sunne, and as numbers proceed all from Vnity, and in the Body of Man, as all the Arteries and Vitall Faculties proceed from one heart, ſo every Being doth depend and is ſuſtayned by one chief and Soveraigne Being. Sect. 24. God is not onelyonly the efficient Cauſe of all things but the finall alſo, as the Apoſtle witneſſeth to the Hebrewes, ſaying, That God is for whom and by whom all things are. Sect. 25.
The End is alwayes the formoſt in the Intention, and the Efficient Cauſe is moved by it. ibid.
Moſt true is that of Ariſtotle in his ſecond booke de Gen. cap. 10. that the perpetuall durance and continuance of things ought to bee imputed to the Simple and daily Motion of the Sunne from the Eaſt into the Weſt; but that Generation and Corruption doth ariſe from the oblique courſe of the Sunne and planets through the Zodiack, whiles according to their ſituation they change their Aſpects, and by their acceſſe neerer to us, or receſſe farther from us, the Affections, and the Qualities of the things doe differ. Sect. 28
As the Eſſence of God cannot be expreſt by words, ſo it cannot be conceived by the Vnderſtanding, for a thing infinite cannot be comprehended by a thing finite, and the inacceſſible light of God doth dazle the underſtanding. Sect. 39.
From the diminution of the knowledge of God would ariſe a diminution of his louelove, and by the ſame contempt whereby the knowledge of the divine Nature is neglected, the knowledge alſo of the divine Will would bee deſpiſed. Sect. 42.
The life of a Wiſe man is nothing elſe but a Returne to God, and the way to God is by the ſtudy of Piety and Iuſtice. Sect. 43.
The Maker of time is before time, and above it, neither is his duration meaſured by it; for as the infiniteneſſe of God doth not onelyonly conſiſt in this, that hee is not circumſcrib'd by limites, but moſt eſpecially in this, that hee is all in every place; ſo his eternity likewiſe conſiſts not in this onelyonly that he is without beginning and without end, but rather in this, that his life is not a motionary courſe, but a perpetuall reſt, and in which there is no ſucceſſion of parts. Sect. 56.
As to a man ſitting on the banke of a Riuer, only that water is preſent which is obſerved by him in that inſtant moment, and poynt of time, but that part of the River is not preſented to his eyes which is not yet come to him, or but now gone from him; yet the ſame man, were he exalted into the upper region of the aire, might behold the whole River, and at one aſpect obſerve both the fountaine and the coruſes of it; ſo by the eye of God, who is obove time, together, and in one moment is obſerved the whole flux of tranſitory things, neither in him is there addition or ſubtraction, becauſe all things are preſent with him. Se. 56.
Thoſe perfections which are diverſe and ſcattered in the creatures, in God are one and the ſame perfection. Se. 57.
God making the body of man of earth, did conforme his mind to humility, and a religious lowlineſſe, by remembring him of his deſcent and ignoble parentage. Se. 67.
The happineſſe of men is not to be eſteemed by the preſent condition of things, but by the Counſaeile of God, and laſt event of all things. Sect. 71.
It is neceſſary in the buſineſſe of ſalvation to have God our leader, and to make his word our rule. Sect. 74.
Becauſe that man did fall by believing the words of the Devill, it was fitting that man ſhould be rayſed from his fall by believing the Words of God: for it was requiſite that contrary Evills ſhould bee cured by contrary Remedies. Sect. 79.
The Scripture teacheth that Man being firſt creaeted to the image of God, indued with holineſſe and righteouſneſſe, revolted from God by his owne conſent, and the ſuggeſtion of the Devill, whereupon ſinne came into the world, and by ſinne death and malediction, notwithſtanding the image of God is not ſo deformed in man, that there remains not certaine traces of it, to wit, a certaine apprehenſion of Divinity, and ſome graines of Honeſty and civill Iuſtice. Sect. 95.
Though God inhabits light which cannot be attained to, yet in ſome manner he hath made himſelfe viſible in his Son, who is the image of the inviſible God, and God with us, whoſoever ſhall endeavour to come to God by any other way, he ſhall find him a Iudge and not a Father, and the more he haſts, the more he erres, and headlong falls into a certaine ruine. Sect. 99.
Phyſicians doe rather ſuſpect then ſee the inward affections of the Bodies, and the cauſes of Diſeaſes, and hereupon it often comes to paſſe, that in pretence of curing the diſeaſed, officiouſly they kill ihem. Sect. 105.
As there are may be gathered many and excellent fruits from the knowledge of God; ſo this is above all the moſt principall, that we cannot bridle in our vices, or ſtop our deſires in their careere with a ſtronger rein, then with the knowledge of God; for he that knowes God, knowes him to bee a ſearcher into the ſecrets of the heart, whoſe eyes cannot be curtaind with the flattering clouds of lying or hypocriſy, to whom accounts are to be given of every idle word. Sect. 111.
To complaine of Gods providence, as it is unrighteous, ſo to oppoſe againſt is raſh and dangerous. Sect. 112.
Without the knowledge of God it is impoſſible for us to know our ſelves; for then the bubbles of our pride ſinke downe, and our plumes doe fall when we looke on God. Sect. 114.
Then only in the knowledge of God ſhall we obſerve a meane betwixt an affected negligence and a ſawcy curioſity, when we ſhall referre all our knowledge and meditation to piety, and manners, and to the love of God.
The End.
End of the text · Peter du Moulin Jr, The Knowledge of God (1634)