which good men have, as their faith confifts in mere fpeculation; which is not the true light. This is fo plain, that a heathen has faid, "The mind deftitute of virtue, cannot fee the beauty of truth*."

..THIS leads to confider the character and perfections of God; or what God is.. This is the most important fubject in the whole compafs of divinity, as right conceptions of God, lay the beft and only foundation for religious knowledge and right fentiments in general: And it is no doubt true, that all who agree in their fentiments respecting the divine character, will alfo agree in the same fyftem of religious truth: And the origin of the difference and oppofition of opinion that have taken place among profeffing chriftians, refpecting the doctrines of christianity, is their different and oppofite notions of the character and perfections of God. Therefore the true knowledge of God is often mentioned in fcripture as the fum of all knowledge, and comprehending all religious knowledge. This affords a good reafon for our attending to this dutiful subject with great care and caution; with folemnity of mind, reverence and devotion, fearching the holy fcriptures, and praying that we may be faved from wrong and difhonourable conceptions of God; and obtain the true knowledge of him.

What are called the natural perfections of God, as diftinguished from his moral perfections, are firft to be confidered. There is a general agreement refpecting these, among those who enjoy divine revelation, as men are not fo prone to prejudice and error on this head, as they are concerning the other. It will therefore be needless to enlarge here.

We are warranted by the fcriptures, and it appears reasonable, to exclude every thing that implies any imperfection, when we confider what God is; and afcribe to himnothing that is not abfolutely perfect in the highest

PART I degree. Therefore we must conceive God to be a pure fpirit, which the scriptures affert : And hence we are certain that nothing corporeal, or that has any shape, figure or limits is to be afcribed to him. Hence it is unreafonable and very dishonourable to God, to attempt to make any image or likeness of him, by any thing that has figure or fhape, or to form or entertain any fuch notion in our minds. Mofes gave a particular caution on this head to the people of Ifrael. The Lord fpake unto you out of the midst of the fire: Ye heard the voice of the words, but faw no fimilitude, only ye heard a voice. Take ye therefore good heed unto yourselves, left ye corrupt yourfelves, and make you a graven image, the fimilitude of any figure; for ye faw no manner of fimilitude on the day that the Lord fpake unto you in Horeb, out of the midst of the fire." And this is expressly prohibited in the fecond command, "Thou fhalt not make unto thee any graven image, or any likeness of any thing that is in heaven above, or that is in the earth beneath, or that is in the water under the earth." Therefore when God is fpoken of in the fcriptures as if he had bodily parts members, hands, eyes,ear, mouth, &c. Thefe expreffionsare to be taken in a figurative fenfe, and mean no more than that God does fee and hear, &c, which we perform by those members and organs; and not that he has eyes of flefh, or fees as man does: Such language being used as better fuited to convey knowledge to our minds, in conformity to man's way of fpeaking and conceiving.

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In the fcriptures God is reprefented as an infinite being, that he is, in every respect without limits or bounds. His exiftence is infinite, or in him is an infinite degree of existence, so that all created exiftence is nothing when compared with him; and indeed is comprehended in him, and is really no addition to exiftence, it being only an emanation from him, the fountain and fum of all ex

istence.

iftence. And all his attributes and perfections are infinite, according to the fciptures. "His understanding is infinite," and confequently every thing that can be attributed to him.

And reafon teaches that God muft be infinite. He who exifts without any cause, that is, without himself, or of and from himself, from the neceffity of his own nature; or, in other words, exifts neceffarily, must be infinite or cannot have any bounds or limits, in any refpect; and that for these two plain reasons,

1. He can be limited or bounded by no thing, because there can be nothing to limit him; no poffible cause or reafon of any kind of limitation; and therefore there can be none.

2. Neceflary existence must be infinite; for as there can be nothing to bound this neceffity, it must take place with respect to every poffible degree of exiftence, and is as much a reason of infinite existence, as of any existence at all. If any existence be neceffary, infinite existence is neceffary; so that it is a plain contradiction to suppose that God exifts of himself, or neceffarily; and yet has but a limited degree of exiftence, or is not infinite.

Hence it appears that God exifts without beginning, or end; or is eternal, as he is reprefented in the fcriptures: For he who has no limits, but is infinite, can have neither beginning or end, or must be infinite in duration. And neceffary existence must be eternal, because this fame neceffity cannot be limited as to time or duration; but is always the fame. It is a contradiction to fay that felf existence, or which is the fame, necessary exiftence, does not exift, or can cease to exift.

For the fame reason God is unchangeable in all ref. pects; which the holy scriptures abundantly affert. He who exifts neceffarily, and is infinite, must exist unchangeably in the most perfect manner and degree.

The moral perfections of God, are next to be confidered; or what the fcriptures fay of his moral character. As this is of the greatest importance to be known, we may be fure it is very clearly discovered, and precifely ftated in divine revelation, whatever mistakes men may make about it, and however they may differ in their fentiments concerning thofe divine attributes. We have therefore the greatest reason and encouragement to fearch the scriptures with attention and care, and upright and honeft hearts, that we may find the knowledge of God, in this part of his character.

The following general obfervations may be made concerning the moral perfections of God, before they are confidered more particularly.

1. The infinite excellence, beauty and glory of God, confift wholly in his moral perfections and character. Infinite greatness, understanding and power, without any rectitude, wisdom and goodness of heart, if this were poffible, would not be defirable and amiable; but worse than nothing, and infinitely dreadful. Therefore they who do not understand the true moral character of God,and difcern the excellence and glory of it, have not the knowl edge of God; his real amiablenefs and glory are hid from them. And this being true of all whofe moral character is wholly evil, and who have hearts altogether oppofed to the moral perfections of God, they are re prefented in the fcriptures as not knowing God. "H that faith, I know him, and keepeth not his command ments, is a liar, and the truth is not in him."* · "He tha loveth not, knoweth not God; for God is love."†

2. The moral character and perfection of God confifts in his HOLINESS. Holinefs comprehends all that belongst his moral character, and does not confift in any particula attribute, diftin&t from any other moral perfection The holiness of God is his goodness, wisdom, juftic

1 John, ii. 4. † Chap. iv. 8.

truth

truth and faithfulness, &c. It confifts in thefe, and cannot be distinguished from them. Therefore they who have confidered holiness as a diftinct attribute of God, and have attempted to defcribe it as diftinguifhed from goodness, wisdom, &c. do not appear to have any diftinct, clear ideas, and to be able to give any fatisfactory or intelligible definition of it. It does not appear that the fcriptures warrant any fuch diftinction; but there the holiness of God means the goodness of his moral character in general. And we find that when it is applied to men, it denotes a virtuous moral character and conduct, and comprehends every thing morally good, even, every branch of moral excellence. And fhould any one, attempt to define the holiness of a man, as diftinct from goodness, his love, to God and his neighbour, his humility, righteoufnefs and temperance, he not only would have no fcripture warrant for it; but muft run himself into the dark, and be altogether unintelligble to himself and others.

3. The whole of true holiness, or the moral excellence and perfection of God, is comprehended in Love,or goodnefs, by whatever names it may be called. Where there is no love or goodnefs of heart, there is nothing morally good; and where this love or goodness is, there is every moral virtue and excellence, as neceffarily involved and implied in it. Therefore infinite goodnefs, is infinite moral perfection, and forms an abfolutely perfect and infinitely excellent moral character. By this love and goodness is meant good will, with every affection neceffaily implied in it; that univerfal benevolence, which confits in a difpofition to feek, and promote the greatest poffible general good and happiness, and all those affections and exercifes, and that conduct in which this is expreffed and acted out. What abfolutely perfect and infinite benevolence and goodness implies, and contains in the ature of it; and that nothing can be added to it to form an infinitely excellent moral character, will be more particularly

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