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Praife, Homage and Service, from all Creatures; Yea! by Reafon of which he is infinitely exalted, being the Moft High God, even above all. Bleffing and Praife. Thus it is explained to us, Deut. V. 24. Where Mofes informs us, that

the People had said: Behold the Lord our God bath fhewed us bis Glory, and his Greatness. King David gives us the very fame Expofition, faying; Thine, O Lord, is the Greatness, and the Power, and the Glory, and the Victory, and the Majefty, &c. 1. Chron. xxix. 11.

But in Order to make a more full and clear Exhibition of the infinite Greatnefs and moft tremendous Glory of JEHOVAH, we will take Notite of, and humbly attempt to explain a little the following Particulars, viz.

I. First, the Perfections of God in general. II. Secondly, the most facred Names of God, which are fignificant of his immenfe Greatnefs. III. Thirdly, how God has displayed his Greatnefs in the Works of Nature. And then,

IV. In the fourth and laft Place, how God has manifested the infinitude of his moft Divinę Greatnefs in the grand Work of eternal Redemption.

In the Difcuffion of thefe particular Heads, I fhall be extremely ftudious of Brevity.

I. In the very firft Place, then, we are briefly to take Notice of the Perfections of God in general. Not, Auditors, that there is a Plurality, er great Number of Perfections in God, really

diftinct

diftinct from each other. Not at all. The pofitive Infinity of the Divine Nature, cannot poffibly admit of any fuch Thing. The Reafon is extremely obvious: For if the Divine Effence confifted of a Plurality of Perfections, actually distinct from each other, or effentially different; it would inevitably follow, that thefe Perfections would' be either finite or infinite Perfections, or Things. But finite they could not poffibly be; fince finite Things cannot poffibly conftitute an infinite Thing, or Perfection; for this plain Reafon, among others, that they would then give what none of them has, viz. Infinity. Infinite Perfections, or Things effentially diftin&t from one another, they could not poffibly be fuppofed to be: Becaufe, if infinite Perfections, or Things, effentially diftinct or different from one another, were to conftitute the Effence or Nature of the Deity, then God would be more than Infinite, which is infinitely abfurd, and utterly impoffible in the very Reafon and Nature of Things. So that the real and most positive Infinity, or the moft abfolute Infinitude of the Divine Being cannot poffibly admit of a Plurality of Perfections, really and effentially diftinct, and different from one another, nor of any Defect, or Addition. Infomuch that it is an infinitely certain Truth, that the Effence of the Deity is, in the moft rigid, and abfolute Senfe of the Term, Simple. And (which is in Fast one and the fame Thing) that

there

there is but one only infinitely great and moft abfolute Perfection in the uncreated and eternal Effence of the moft Supreme GOD. Now this moft fimple, and infinitely perfect Effence of the Deity, is variouЛly furveyed and nominated, according to the Different Relations he stands in, and bears to various Objects. And hence we attribute a Plurality of Perfections to the One only, undivided, most fingle and moft fimple Being of the Moft High God.

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This Remark premised, we fhall most humbly attempt to explain a little the Perfections of God in General..

And in order to do this in the moft fuitable Manner, we will, in the first Place, give a most brief Definition of God.

God (let our Lips tremble while our Mouth utters the most holy Name) is an uncreated, eternal Spirit of abfolute Perfection, and infinite excellency. Or God is a moft incomprehenfible Being, poffeffed of all effential, or abfolutely real, and infinite Perfections, at once. Or we may define God more briefly, by saying; God is an infinite Spirit. That God is Infinite, or that pofitive Infinity is the most adorable Attribute, or Perfection of GOD, is a most indubitable Verity. For if we suppose that God is not Infinite, or that his Effence is circumfcribed, or limited by any boundary at all, then the Caufe or Reafon of this boundary or Limitation (for nothing can poffibly be, exift, or be done without a fufficient caufe and Rea

for

fon) must be either in, or within God himself, or without himself.

In himself the Caufe and Reafon of any Limitation of his Nature cannot be, whether we confider Him as Self-dependent, or Selfexiftent, and Independent; or finally, whether we contemplate and confider the Nature of the Deity in general: Because the Nature of every one Thing, will as well, as eafily, and equally admit thefe, as other Limits. That is, Things may be more or lefs Perfect. Thus there are, and my be various Degrees of Wisdom, Power, Love, Goodness, and foforth, in a variety of Beings. Hence it is inconteftibly evident, that the Caufe and Reafon, why the Nature of the Deity fhould rather have thefe, than other Limits, cannot poffibly be in God himself. Out, or without the Being of God, the Cause and Reafon why he should be fuppofed to be circumfcribed, or bounded by any Limits cannot be Since he has not. the Caufe and Reafon of any one Thing, that is in him, without himself in any other Being, as has been demonftrated already. Moreover he cannot poffibly have the Cause and Reason of any Limitation of his Nature in any Being without himself, and that by to much the more, as there is nothing coeternal with himself.

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Therefore the Greatness of JEHOVAH is abfolutely Infinite, and every one of his Divine Perfections, boundless.

Let the vast Creation revere, Let the whole

Universe

Univerfe adore this moft abfolute, this moft divine, this moft tremendous Infinitude of the eternal and moft tranfcendently glorious JEHOVAH, for ever and ever. Amen!

But to confider the Divine Attributes more particularly. From the positive Infinity of God, it neceffarily follows that he is Immutable. That the abfolute Immutability of God, neceffarily follows from his pofitive Infinitude, is extremely manifeft: Since only the Limits, or Bounderies of Things are mutable or changeable, as the Learned well know. Hence it is certain, that God, who has no Limits at all, cannot poffibly be obnoxious to any Immutation, or Change whatsoever. Hence the unlimited, the infinite God himself fays; I am the EHOVAH, I change not. Mal. iii. 6. The Apostle alfo gives us the strongest Affurance of this, faying, Every good Gift,and perfect Gift, is from above, and cometh down from the Father of Lights, with whom is no variableness, neither Shadow of turning. See Jam. i. 17.

God is alfo Eternal. That an abfolute Eternity is a Divine Attribute we read Pfal. xc. 1, 2. Lord, thou hast been our Dwelling Place in all Generations. Before the Mountains were brought forth, or ever thou hadst formed the Earth and the World; even from everlafting to everlasting, thou art GOD.

For if God exifts neceffarily, or by Virtue and Reafon of his own Perfections, and is ab

folutely

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