fay in their hearts, there is no God. Therefore we find this afferted in the fcriptures, "The fool, "The fool, (that is, the wicked man whose heart is wholly corrupt, as it is.. there explained) fays in his heart there is no God." Hence it is, that this conviction and profeffion, that there is a God, in multitudes of inftances, has little or no effect on the heart and practice; but while they profess to know there is a God, in their hearts, and in their works they deny him. In this cafe, the heart governs the man, and forms his true moral character, and not his fpeculative convic tion and judgment, which is fo weak and ineffectual that it flies, or vanishes, into nothing, before the ftrong fixed propenfities of the ungodly heart, as a bubble is blown away by the strong blaft of a furious wind.

2. Where the heart is upright and honeft, and men have a proper taste and relish for moral truth, the evidence of the being of God is difcerned in a true light. The being and true character of God, appear to be a pleasing reality; they have a genuine and powerful im preffion on the heart, and its leading affections and exer cifes are answerable to the truth. Therefore the fcriptures reprefent fuch only, as knowing God and believing in him; and others are spoken of as not knowing God and faying in their hearts there is no God, and in thei works denying him. The latter are in darkness, and walk in darkness which blindeth their eyes. The Goc of this world hath blinded their minds, fo that they be lieve not, and the light of the glorious Gofpel of Chrift who is the image of God, doth not shine unto them. Bu the light shines into the hearts of the former, and give them the light of the knowledge of the glory of God, in the face of Jefus Chrift. For where the being of God is truly difcerned, his whole revealed character, or his glory, is in fome good measure seen; and they who have not difcerning and relish of this glory, which is true of all wicked men, have not that belief of the being of God

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 best and only foundation for religious knowledge and right fentiments in general: And it is no doubt true, that all who agree in their, fentiments refpecting the divine character, will alfo agree in the fame 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 chriftianity, 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 fubject 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 diftinguifhed from his moral perfections, are first to be confidered. There is a general agreement respecting 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 degree.

* Hierocles,

PART I. degree. Therefore we must conceive God to be a pure fpirit, which the scriptures affert : And hence we are cer tain that nothing corporeal, or that has any shape, figure or limits is to be afcribed to him. Hence it is unreafonable and very difhonourable 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 yourfelves, 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 midft of the fire." And this is expressly prohibited in the fecond command, "Thou shalt not make unto thee any graven image, or any likeness of any thing that is in heaven above, or that is in the carth 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 and 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 thofe 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 speaking and conceiving.

In the fcriptures God is reprefented as an infinite being, that he is, in every refpect without limits or bounds. His existence 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 existence, it being only an emanation from him, the fountain and fum of all existence.

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 must be infinite. He who exists 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 respect; 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. Necessary exiftence must be infinite; for as there can be nothing to bound this neceffity, it must take place with refpect to every pollible 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; fo that it is a plain contradiction to suppose that God exifts of himself, or neceffarily; and yet has but a limited degree of existence, or is not infinite.

Hence it appears that God exifts without beginning, or end; or is eternal, as he is represented in the scriptures: For he who has no limits, but is infinite, can have neither beginning or end, or must be infinite in dura

tion.

And neceffary existence must be eternal, because this fame neceffity cannot be limited as to time or duraon; but is always the fame. It is a contradiction to ay that felf existence, or which is the fame, neceffary exiftence, does not exift, or can cease to exist.

For the fame reason God is unchangeable in all ref ects; which the holy scriptures abundantly affert. He ho 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 difcovered, 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 fcriptures 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 pof fible, would not be defirable and amiable; but work than nothing, and infinitely dreadful. Therefore they who do not understand the true moral character of God,an difcern the excellence and glory of it, have not the knowl edge of God; his feal amiableness and glory are hi from them. And this being true of all whofe mora character is wholly evil, and who have hearts altogethe oppofed to the moral perfections of God, they are re prefented in the fcriptures as not knowing God. 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.Ӡ,

2. The moral character and perfection of God confists i his HOLINESS. Holinefs comprehends all that belongs t his moral character, and does not consist in any particula attribute, diftin&t from any other moral perfection The holiness of God is his goodness, wisdom, justic

1 John, ii. 4. + Chap, iv. 8,

truth