God, rather than what is in him.

Great is the

Lord, and greatly to be praised; and his Greatness is unfearchable, Pfal. cxlv. 3.

THIS Attribute of God obligeth us to practise thefe three Duties.

Firft, THE Infiniteness of God should deter us from prefuming to know more of him, than he hath been pleased to reveal in his Word. The Nature of God is too wonderful for our Knowledge, we cannot comprehend it. And whofo endeavoureth too curiously to behold his Face, befides the Offence, fhall be confounded with his Glory: So that 'tis the best Wisdom to be wife unto Sobriety, and to be fatisfied with fuch a Knowledge of God, as may fit us to serve him, and glorifie his Name.

Secondly, THE Greatnefs of God fhould make us rejoyce that we have an Interest in him. If we think our felves greatly graced when we are efteemed by great Men, Then what an Honour is it to be loved and refpected by God, who is greater than all? And when we are in Favour with God, and enjoy the Light of his Countenance, we are more glorious and Happy than the World can make us. And if we understood our own Greatnefs by being Sons of God, this would raise us above the World, and make us efteem nothing great but God, and to glory in nothing but in him.

Thirdly, THE Greatness of God fhould work in us an humble Fear and Reverence towards him. There is an infinite Distance between us and the Great God of Heaven; and 'tis fit that we should come before him with due Apprehenfions of his Majesty and Glory, and not behave our felves towards him, as if he were our Equal.

And

And if our Hearts were truly poffeffed with the Senfe of God's Majefty and our own Meanness, we should not carry our felves rudely in his Prefence, but adore and worship him with all Humility and Reverence.

T

T

Of the UNITY of GOD.

HE fixth Abfolute Property of God is his Unity; which is an Attribute whereby he is fo One, that he cannot be more. The very Nature of God is fuch, that it cannot be divided, nor admit of a Partner. For the Lord, he is God, and there is none else befides him, Deut. iv. 35. I am the Lord, and there is none else, there is no God befides me, Ifa. xlv. 5. An Idol is nothing in the World, and there is none other God but one, 1 Cor. viii. 4.

THE Unity alfo of the Godhead may be proved by Reafon. For he that is God must be an infinite Being, having all poffible Perfections. And impoffible it is that there fhould be two fuch Beings; for either they must have equal, or different Perfections. If they have equal Perfections, then neither of them can be God, becaufe neither have infinite Perfections. If they have different Perfections, and one hath greater than the other, then both cannot be infinitely perfect. For he that hath lefs Perfection, is limited both

in his Nature, Power, and Excellencies; and therefore he cannot be infinite. And he that hath the greatest Perfections, is either fufficient of himself unto all things, or not. If he be fufficient of himself alone unto all Things, then the other is unneceffary: But if he need the Affistance of the other on any Account, then himself is not infinite in all Perfections. And moft abfurd it is to fuppofe a God to be either unneceffary, or imperfect. And therefore there can be but one true God, who is Infinite, All-fufficient, and most perfect.

THOUGH there be many that are improperly called Gods, either for their Dignity, Exceliency, or Office, which they derive from God, as Angels and Magiftrates; or because they are idolatrously fet up by wicked Men in the Place of God, as Satan and Idols: Tet to us there is but one God the Father, of whom are all Things, and we in him; and one Lord Jefus Chrift, by whom are all Things, and we by him, 1 Cor. viii. 5, 6.

THE Unity of the Godhead requires us to have no other Gods befides the true God. As God is one by his Nature, fo he will admit of , no Co-rival in his Worship. But we must worship the Lord our God, and him only must we ferve, Matth. iv. 10. And if we adore and honour any Creature with Divine Worthip, we make that Creature another God, and reject the Lord. Though there cannot be really more Gods than one; yet if we render Divine Worship to any Creature, and love, fear, or trust in it, more than in God, we fet it up in the Room of God. And 'tis a great Indignity and Provocation to the true God, when we give his Glory to another.

CHAP

CHAP. XV.

Of the OMNIPRESENCE of GOD.

T

HE feventh Abfolute Property of God is his Omniprefence or Immenfity; which is an Attribute, whereby he is without Dimenfion and Circumfcription of Place, wholly every where prefent, containing all Things, and being contain'd of nothing: For God above is all, and through all, and in all, Eph. iv. 6. Behold the Heaven, and the Heaven of Heavens cannot contain him, 1 King. viii. 27. But he is unmeafurable, within all Things, and without all Things, included in nothing, nor excluded from any thing. For am I a God at hand, faith the Lord, and not a far off? Can any hide himself in fecret Places, that I shall not fee him, faith the Lord? Do not I fill Heaven and Earth? Jer. xxiii. 23, 24. Whither fhall I go from thy Spirit? (faith the Pfalmift) Or whither fhall I flee from thy Presence? If I afcend up into Heaven, thou art there: If I make my Bed in Hell, behold thou art there: If I take the Wings of the Morning, and dwell in the uttermoft Parts of the Sea, even there thy Hand fhall lead me, and thy right Hand fhall hold me, Pfal. cxxxix. 7, 8, 9, 10.

AND 'tis neceffary to be believed, that God is every where prefent, both in refpect of his Knowledge, whereby he fees and takes Notice of every Thing; and alfo in refpect of his Power and ProD 4 vidence,

vidence, whereby he doth uphold and govern all Things. For it cannot well be conceived how God fhould fee and obferve, fuftain and govern all Things, if he were not actually prefent in all Places.

BUT though God be every where prefent ; yet he is not measured, as Bodies are, by the Dimenfions of Place, as if he had one Part in this Place, and another in that; but he is whole in every Place, and whole in every Part of Place. For the Effence of God is infinite without Members and Divifion; and therefore he hath not one Part without another.

THIS Attribute of God fhould excite us to perform these two Duties.

First, THE Confideration that God is every where present should make us diligent in well doing, and afraid to do evil. Whatfoever we do, we are in God's Sight and Presence; and he obferves our Secret as well as open Actions. And if we discerned with the Eye of Faith, that God is near us, and walks with us in all our Ways, we fhould be more careful to walk before him with a perfect Heart. For doubtlefs we should be more fincere and upright in Religion, if we thought that God fees and obferves the Intents of our Hearts, as well as our outward Actions. And who would commit Iniquity without Fear, if he were fully convinced that God always ftands by him as a Witnefs and a Judge? For if we believed and confidered that God is ever with us, and takes Notice of our Deeds, we fhould be more watchful over our Ways, and take more Heed what we do before fo great a Majefty.

Secondly,