SER M. fellow-creatures,) yet they really have no V. other foundation than this, that his favour will be manifefted to fuch beings confiftently and uniformly, in carrying on his original kind intentions concerning them: In other words, the truth of God is nothing else but his goodness exercised towards intelligent beings of imperfect understandings, in a way fuitable to their nature and condition. After the fame manner must be understood that other branch of his truth, faithfulness ; which really means no more than the immutability of his goodness, or else it may be confidered as included in juftice. So fidelity is commonly understood as included in the righteoufness of men; and according to either of these views, it is comprehended in the divine attributes already explained.

SER

SERMON VI.

The Divine Perfections incomprehenfible.

Job xi. 17.

Canft thou by fearching find out God? canst thou find out the Almighty to Perfection?

O'

F all objects to which the human SER M. mind can engage its attention, the VI. Deity, his being and attributes, justly claims the first place; there is no other fo excellent, none fo important to the highest purposes of our existence and our happinefs. We cannot avoid obferving, that of things which occur to our thoughts, the idea of fuperior excellence accompanies fome upon a comparison with others. As the external senses distinguish between pleasant and unplea fant in their objects, and the internal sense perceives a difference between the beautiful and deformed, fo the understanding not only separates truth from falfhood, but difcerns a dignity in fome beings and fome qualities be

yond

SERM.yond others. It is not poffible for a man to VI. confider inanimate nature and life, the brutal

and the rational powers, or virtue and vice, with a perfect indifference, or without preferring one before the other in his esteem; and the idea of a difference in the degrees of their perfection as neceffarily arises in his mind, as that of a difference in their being. The objects or properties to which we naturally attribute excellence, have been just now hinted; they are intelligence, active power, and moral rectitude. The being to which these characters belong, is preferred to another fuppofed to be without them; and as they admit of various degrees, our esteem rises in proportion to the measure in which we conceive any being to be indued with them. Now these are characters of the divine nature in the highest perfection. God is not only intelligent, active, holy and good, but he is infinitely fo; and he is the original caufe of all the affections, whereby thefe characters are formed in any degree, or may be attained, in every other being. Besides, we diftinguish the objects of our knowledge and attention, by the relation they have to our selves, and their connexion with our happiness. However entertaining fpeculation may be to fome minds, every one must acknowledge, that those things

are

are the most worthy of our inquiry, and our SER M.
rational powers are the most properly employ- VI.
ed about them, which nearly affect our own
interest; and we cannot be ignorant of or un-
attentive to them without great disadvantage
and danger to our highest enjoyment. But if
the doctrine concerning God and his perfec-
tions be true, if there is such a being, omni-
potent, perfectly wife, our maker, preferver,
and fupreme Lord,-if we have to do with
him in fo many ways, and there arifes fuch a
variety of obligations to him running thro' the
whole compass of our being and its affairs, in
order to attain its true ends and our greatest
happiness, nothing can be more manifeft,
than, that this claims our regard preferably
to all other fubjects which we can turn our
thoughts to; and for these reasons it is most
justly recommended to our most serious and
affectionate meditation.

But there is an objection, or a prejudice,
against the truth of this first and fundamen-
tal principle of religion, (at least against our
allowing it that room which is pleaded for in
our careful inquiry and confideration,) taken
from the difficulty, indeed incomprehensible-
nefs of it. The object, 'tis alleged, is too
big for our faculties; our minds lofe them-
felves in the contemplation of it, and, instead

of

SERM. of having clear ideas and certain knowledge, VI. are involved in the utmost obfcurity and con

fufion. How can we affirm any thing to be true which we do not comprehend, or as fome affect to speak, not at all understand? Human reason is so unequal to the comprehenfion of the Deity, or even forming any right judgment concerning him, that where by ftrong prepoffeffion the belief of his existence has obtained, men's notions of his nature and attributes have been monftrously abfurd, deftructive of all religion and virtue, which is the profeffed practical use and improvement of that belief. This was evidently the cafe of the heathen world; but fome of the more inquifitive utterly denied the principle itself as unintelligible. Is it not wisdom then to employ our intellectual powers in inquiries more level to their capacity, rather than embarrass them in perplexing intricacies, by afpiring to the knowledge of abftrufe points quite out of our depth, and perhaps deceive ourselves into a conceit of knowing what we really do not know, that is, have no distinct ideas of; the confequence of which may be disturbing fears and fcruples, with other unhappy effects of fuperftition? To fet this matter in a clear light, and remove the objection or prejudice which has been mentioned against men's be

lieving