his omniscience; hands denote his power; and his face, the manifestation of his favour,-and so of the rest.

All the knowledge which it is possible for us to attain in this world respecting God as a Spirit, may be acquired in the following manner :-1. By removing from him every imperfection which is found in ourselves, we obtain the knowledge of God in those attributes which cannot, in the least degree, be found in created beings, such as, self-existence, independence, infinity, unsuccessive eternity, immutability, &c. 2. By ascribing to him, in the greatest possible measure and degree, whatever excellence is found in the creature, we obtain the knowledge of God in those attributes which are just visible in the creatures, such as, knowledge, wisdom, power, holiness, justice, goodness, and truth.

Obs. 16.—The attributes or perfections of God are commonly distinguished into communicable and incommunicable, or imitable and inimitable.

1. The incommunicable attributes of God are, his infinity, eternity, and unchangeableness; and they are so called, because no trace of them is to be found in the creatures.

2. The communicable attributes of God are, his being, wis dom, power, holiness, justice, goodness, and truth; and they are so called, because some faint but imperfect resemblance of them is to be found among the creatures.

Although we, on account of our weakness and imperfection, must speak and think of the divine attributes or perfections separately, yet we must ever remember, that they are neither distinct from God himself, or the divine essence, nor separable from one another; but that they are altogether the one infinite perfection of the divine nature.

Obs. 17.-God is infinite in his being and perfections.

The infinity of God is that essential perfection of his nature, by which all things in his essence or being are known to be without measure and quantity. And hence his being and perfections are incomprehensible.

God is infinite in respect of his being; for our finite understandings can form no adequate conception of his nature. He is also infinite in respect of all his glorious perfections, -wisdom, power, holiness, justice, goodness, and truth.Rom. xi. 33; Job xxvi. 14, and xlii. 2; Isa. vi. 3; Rev. iv. 18, and xv. 4; Deut. xxxii. 4; Rev. xv. 31; 1 Chron. xvi. 34;

Exod. xxxiv. 6; Psal. cxlv. 9; Numb. xxiii. 19; Deut. vii. 9; Psal. cxix. 89, 90, and cxlvi. 6.

In the infinity of God are included the following things :1. His incomprehensibility; or his infinitely transcending the utmost or most enlarged capacity of angels and of men, with respect to his essence, or being and perfections.-Psal. cxlv. 3; Job. xxxvi. 26. 2. His immensity; or that perfection of his nature, by which he is wherever any space or any creature can be. And hence it includes,-3. His omnipresence; or that perfection of his nature, by which he is most intimately present with all his creatures in every place; and fills all places at once-heaven, and earth, and hell—with his essential presence.-1 Kings viii. 27.

Although God is essentially present every where, yet he manifests his presence in a peculiar manner in heaven. He is also peculiarly present with his Church on earth, in the institutions and ordinances of his appointment.-Matt. xviii. 20. With his saints, by his Spirit dwelling in them, and manifesting to them his gracious favour and support.-Eph. ii. 22. And with the Church invisible above, by the bright, and glorious, and immediate displays of his goodness and excellencies. We may here observe, that he is also present in hell, where he displays his awful and tremendous power and justice on devils and wicked men, whom he preserves in endless existence, that they may endure the effects of his wrath for ever. -Matt. xxv. 46.

Obs. 18.-God is eternal in his being and perfections.

The eternity of God is that perfection of his nature by which he continually exists, without beginning or end, or succession of duration.-Psal. xc. 2, cii. 12-27, and xc. 4; 2 Pet. iii. 8.

God is said in Scripture to be eternal, because he had no beginning, and is the same yesterday, to-day, and for ever; and also, because he is the author of eternal duration to others.

The eternity of God, and that of angels and souls of men, differ in the following respects:-The eternity of angels and souls of men means only, that they shall have no end; but the eternity of God means, that he had no beginning, that he has no succession, and that he shall have no end. The eternity of angels and spirits is neither essential, nor absolute, nor independent; but the eternity of God is both essential,

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and absolute, and independent.-Psal. xc. 2-4, and cii. 27; 2 Pet. iii. 8.

Obs. 19.-God is unchangeable in his being and perfections.

The unchangeableness or immutability of God is that attribute of his nature by which it is impossible for him to undergo the least possible change, but continues always the same.

This perfection of God may be proved both from reason and from Scripture. 1. Reason informs us, that, were God changeable, the change must be either for the better or for the worse. But from each of these suppositions an absurdity arises. If the change were to the better, it would be inconsistent with the perfection of God, who sees the end from the beginning, and all whose works are done in consummate wisdom. If it were to the worse, it would also derogate from his perfection, inasmuch as it would indicate, that he did not know from eternity what would take place in time; to assert which would be the same as to deny his existence. 2. This perfection is proved from Scripture by these and many other passages: Numb. xxiii. 19; 1 Sam. xv. 29; Isa. xlvi. 10; Mal. iii. 6; Heb. vi. 17, 18; James i. 17.

He cannot

God is unchangeable,-1. In his existence. cease to be.-1 Tim. i. 17, and vi. 16. 2. In his nature or essence. He cannot cease to be what he is in every perfection. 3. In his purposes.-Isa. xlvi. 10, and xiv. 24. 4. In his promises to his people; in his threatenings against the wicked; and in all his predictions.-Numb. xxiii. 19. 5. In his duration.-Psal. cii. 27.

Although angels and glorified spirits are unchangeable, as well as God; yet their unchangeableness differs from his in this respect, that they receive it from him, and have it not in their own nature.

It is said, indeed, in several passages of Scripture (such as Gen. vi. 6; Jonah iii. 10; and 1 Sam. xv. 11) that God repents; but by repentance in these and similar passages, we are to understand only an alteration of the outward dispensations of his providence, according to his knowledge of all things in every relation and circumstance respecting them. We are by no means to attribute to him any change of mind; for in this respect it is impossible for God to change.-Job xxiii. 13. Every change which the Scriptures attribute to him, is in reality a change only in the creatures.

Obs. 20.-God alone is infinite, eternal, and unchangeable in his

being.

The being or essence of God is his nature, by which he is what he is self, and comprehended by none cannot comprehend infinitude.

glorious and transcendent infinitely blessed in himbut himself; for finitude

The highest perfection of being is that which can neither be increased nor diminished, and which is independent of any other being whatever.-Job. xxxv. 6-8.

Being, in this proper and strict sense of the word, can be ascribed to none but to God alone; for although the heavens and the earth, and angels and men, have a being, yet there is no infinite, eternal, and unchangeable being but God. He alone can say, "I am that I am."-Exod. iii. 14.

Obs. 21.-God is infinitely wise.

The wisdom of God is that attribute or perfection of his nature, by which he perfectly knows himself, and all things which have been, which are, and which shall be, or can possibly be, together with the reasons of them.

In the wisdom of God are included,-1. His knowledge or omniscience, or that perfection of his nature by which he discovers objects, or by which he knows all things.-Prov. xv. 3; Gen. vi. 5. 2. His wisdom, properly so called, or that perfection of his nature by which he directs all things to the best ends, and to the very ends for which he gave them existence.-Acts xv. 18.

We may here observe, that God knows things, not as man knows them, by succession of ideas, but by one single intuitive glance, distinctly, comprehensively, in every circumstance respecting them, and infallibly.

The wisdom of God appears,-1. In the works of creation: in the beautiful order and variety of all things.-Psal. civ. 24, and cxxxvi. 5; Prov. iii. 19. 2. In the works of providence in upholding all things in being; and in so ordering them as to fulfil all his pleasure. 3. In the work of redemption; both in its contrivance, its accomplishment, and its application.

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Obs. 22. God is infinitely powerful.

The power of God is that perfection of his nature by which he is able to effect all things, or do whatever he willeth or

can will; or by which he can do what seemeth good unto him, in heaven, on earth, in hell, in the seas, and in all deep places.-Psal. cxxxv. 6; Dan. iv. 35.

In Scripture, the power is expressed,-1. Positively.-Psal. lxii. 11; Gen. xvii. 1; Job xlii. 2, ix. 4, xxxvii. 23; Psal. Xxxxv. 10. 2. Negatively; or by removing from him all imperfection in power, or all weakness.-Gen. xviii. 14; Jer. xxxii. 17; Luke i. 37. 3. Metaphorically; by his arm,-Psal. xcviii. 1; right hand,—Psal. lxiii. 8; stretched-out arm,-Exod. vi. 6; arm of strength,-Isa. lxii. 8; and glorious arm,—Isa. lxiii. 12, &c.

The power of God is displayed,-1. In the creation of the world, and of all things in it.-Rom. i. 20; Psal. xxxiii. 9. 2. In providence.-Col. i. 17; Heb. i. 3; Psal. lxxvi. 10. And here we may observe, that God's power has been displayed in erecting a Church in the world, and in preserving it, notwithstanding all the persecutions and sufferings to which it has been subjected. 3. In the work of redemption by Jesus Christ; in his incarnation; in the miraculous union of his two natures in one person; in the numerous miracles which he performed; in supporting his human nature under that load of wrath which was due to us for our transgressions; and in raising him from the dead. 4. In the conviction and conversion of sinners,-for it requires the same power to raise a sinner, dead in sins, to spiritual life, that it required to raise Christ from the dead; and in preserving the graces of his people amidst all the afflictions and temptations to which they are exposed.-1 Pet. i. 5.

We may here also observe, that, although there are some things which God can neither will nor do, yet this implies no imperfection in his power. He cannot do such things as are contrary to his nature; as to cease to exist, or to destroy himself. He can neither will nor do such things as imply weakness or imperfection; as to lie, or to deny himself.— Tit. i. 12; 2 Tim. ii. 13. He cannot do such things as imply a contradiction.

Obs. 23.-God is infinitely holy.

The holiness of God is that essential perfection of his nature by which he contemplates the untainted purity of his essence, and delights in it; loves righteousness, and hates evil, as that exceeding sinful thing which his soul abhorreth. This perfection of Deity is largely exhibited in Scripture;