SERM.fidence. In this case favour continued or ofV. fered, is grace; for that supposes the object to be both finful and miferable to fuch a degree as greatly to magnify the compaffion which interposes for its relief. And the patience of God, is the lenity of his government manifested in his suspending the execution of judgment, that finners may have the opportunity of repentance, thereby to prevent their destruction. But in all this variety of operation, the principle is the same, divine benevolence; which shines the more glorioufly (because it appears most pure and difinterested) in the miseries and distresses, the guilt and obstinacy, of the creatures towards whom it is exercised, In like manner the truth of God in the moral fenfe, (comprehending veracity or fincerity in his communication with other intelligent beings so as not to deceive them, and fidelity in fulfilling his promises,) this does not appear strictly speaking to be a distinct attribute. Indeed as veracity is to the human mind a beautiful moral object, (we cannot but approve it, and disapprove the contrary as odious and deformed,) it is very natural to afcribe it to the Deity as a branch of his perfect moral character; which is not to be understood in this sense, that in all the knowledge ledge we derive from him, (and it is all the SERM. knowledge we have,) things are still reprefent- V. ed as they really are in themselves, and as he fees them. The contrary is evident. The ideas we have by our external senses, (of which God is the original author,) are not complete representations of the nature of material objects; nor do our faculties seem to be fitted for comprehending the essences of any beings; and consequently, the knowledge which God communicates does not reach fo far. But it is obvious, that fincerity does not require any person to make known to others all the truth which he himself knows; (it were impoffible that an infinitely intelligent being should do it;) but only to discover the truth which they have a right to know in pursuance of their mutual relation, or to prevent their falling into errors which may be hurtful to them. Now God can be under no previous obligation to his creatures. All the good they possess, and the farther good they hope for, proceeds folely from his bounty; and therefore their reasonable expectations that he will not mislead them to their hurt, or so as to frustrate the design of his own beneficence, however just these expectations be, (and indeed they are more just and certain than those which are founded on the demands of strictest right from their fellow SERM.fellow-creatures,) yet they really have no V. other foundation than this, that his favour will be manifefted to such 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 justice. So fidelity is commonly understood as included in the righteousness of men; and according to either of these views, it is comprehended in the dis vine attributes already explained. SER SERMON VI. The Divine Perfections incomprehensible. Job xi. 17. Canst thou by Searching find out God? canst thou find out the Almighty to Perfection ? Fall objects to which the humanSERM. mind can engage its attention, the VI. Deity, his being and attributes, justly claims the first place; there is no other so excellent, none so important to the highest purposes of our existence and our happiness. We cannot avoid observing, that of things which occur to our thoughts, the idea of fuperior excellence accompanies some upon a comparison with others. As the external senses diftinguish between pleasant and unpleasant in their objects, and the internal sense perceives a difference between the beautiful and deformed, so the understanding not only separates truth from falshood, but difcerns a dignity in some beings and some qualities beyond 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 necessarily 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 supposed 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 so; and he is the original cause of all the affections, whereby these characters are formed in any degree, or may be attained, in every other being. Besides, we distinguish the objects of our knowledge and attention, by the relation they have to our selves, and their connexion with our happiness. However entertaining speculation may be to some minds, every one must acknowledge, that those things are |