INFINITY (In-fIn'f-t57), (Heb.
Infinity is taken in two senses entirely differ ent, i. e., .in a positive and a negative one. Posi tive infintty is a quality being perfect in itself, or capable of receiving no addition. Negative is the quality of being boundless, unlimited, or end less. That God is infinite is evident.
If he be limited, it must either be by himself or by another ; but no wise being would abridge him self, and there could be no other being to Ihnit God.
Infinity follows from self-existence; for a necessity that is not universal must depend on some external cause, which a self-existent being does not.
Creation is so great an act of power that we can imagine nothing impossible to that Being who has performed it, but must therefore ascribe to him infinite power.
It is more honorable to the Divine Being to conceive of him as infinite than finite.
The Scriptures represent all his attributes as infinite, His understanding is infinite (Ps.
cxlvii :5). His knowledge and wisdom (Rom. xi :33). His power (Rom. i ; Heb. xi :3). His goodness (Ps. xvi :2). His purity, holiness, and justice (Job iv :r7, 18 ; Is. vi :2, 3).
His omnipotence and eternity prove his in finity ; for were he not infinite, he would be, bounded by space and by time, which he is not.
We must bc careful not to conceive of the infinity of God in a material sense, nor hold that it excludes other and finite existences. The in finity of God is that of Spirit. Extension and impenetrability do not apply to spirit as to matter. Literature. Sir William Hamilton, DiSCUSSiOnS 011 Philosophy; Manse], Limits of Religious Thought; Pope, Compend of Christ. Theol., vol. i, R93, sq.; Hodge, Sys. Theol., vol. i, 380, sq.