Obj. Bid if God be infinite in all places^ then he is in places impure, and mingles with that impurity ?
A. lliough God be in all places, — in the heart of a sinner by his inspection, — and in hell by his justice, — yet he doth not min- gle wiih tliat impurity, or receive the least tincture of evil. Divina natura non est im- mista rebus cmt sordibus inquinata, Aug. No more than the sun shining on a dung- hill is defiled, or its beauty spotted, or than Christ going among sinners was defiled ; his Godhead was a sufficient antidote a- gainst infection. — Reason why God must needs be infinite in all places at once, not only in regard of the simplicity and purity of his nature, but in regard of his power, which being so glorious, who can set him bounds, or ])rescribe him a circuit to walk in ? it is as if the drop should go to limit the ocean, or the star to set tlie sun its bounds.
Use 1. It condemns the papists, wlio would make more things infinite than the Godhead. They liold that Christ's body is in many ])laces at once, — that it is in lieaven, and in the bread and wine in the sacrament. Thougli Christ, as he is God, is infinite and in all places at once, yet, as man, he is not. Christ when lie was on earth, his manhood was not in lieaven, though liis Godhead was ; and now he is in lieaven, his manhood is not on earth thousrh his Godhead he. Heb. x. 3., it is spoken of Christ, " A body thou hast pre-
GOD IS INFINITE.
39
pared me." Tliis body cannot be in all j fulness is an infinite fulness; and lie is in-
places at once; for then it is no more a body, but a spirit ; Christ's body in heaven, though it be glorified, it is not deified; it is not infinite, for so it must be, if it be both in heaven, and in the bread and wine by transubstantiation.
If God be infinite, present in all places at once, then it is certain he gOAcrns all things in his own person ; he needs no proxies or deputies to help him to carry on his government. He is in all places at an instant, and manageth all affairs both in the earth and heaven. A king cannot be in all ])laces of his kingdom in his own person, therefore he is fain to govern by deputies, and vicegerents, and they often pervert jus- tice ; but Gotl, being infinite, needs no de- puties, ho is present in all places, he sees all with his own eyes, and hears all with his own ears ; he is every where in his own person, therefore is fit to be the judge of the world; he will do every one right.
If God be infinite by his omnipresence, then see the greatness and immenseness of the divine majesty. What a great God do we serve ! 1 Chron. xxix. 1 1., " Thine, O Lord, is the greatness, and the glory, and the majesty, and thou art exalted as head above all." Well may the scripture display the greatness of his glory who is infinite in all places. He tnmscends our weak con- ceptions ; how can our finite understanding comprehend him who is infinite ? He is infinitely above all our praises, Neh. ix. 5., " Blessed be thy glorious name, which is exalted above all blessing and praise." O what a poor nothing is man, when we think of God's infiniteness ! As the stars dis- appear at the rising of the sun, O how doth a man shrink into nothing when Infinite Majesty shines forth in his glory ! Isa. xl. 15., " The nations are as a drop of the bucket, or the small dust of the balance." O what a little of that drop are we ! The heathens thought they had suflieiently prais- ed Jupiter, when they called him Great Jupiter. Of what immense majesty is God, who fills all places at once! " His excel- lent greatness," Ps. cl. 2. If God be in- finite, filling heaven and earth, see what a full portion the saints have; they have him tor their portion who is infinite. His