ing worthily and honourably of him, because this is the Ground of all our Refpect and Reverence, by which we are to fanctify his Name.

Now it is a true Notion of God, that he is a Being infinite in Wisdom, Power and Goodness; and he that thus thinks of God, thinks worthily and honourably of him. But it is very hard for us to conceive what is implied in these Words; our Thoughts lose themselves when we try to comprehend what it is to be infinitely perfect; and therefore God hath reprefented himself to us under other Notions, far more easy to be conceived, more fuitable to the Infirmity of our Minds, and more effectual for the exciting that Reverence and Divine Affection, which the Contemplation of the Divine Nature fhould caufe in us. He hath given us to understand what the Effects of his infinite Perfections are, that by the Effects we may judge of the Caufes, which we are far better able to do, than to judge of Causes themselves. He hath fhewn us what he is in relation to us, which we can more eafily conceive, than what he is in himself; and thus he hath made himself known by the Scriptures. As for Inftance,

1. That He is the Maker of the whole World. To confider the Eternity, the infinite Wisdom, Power and Goodness of God, abstractedly from all other Things, is that

which would foon tire the ableft Underftanding. But our Minds are better able to deal with Things that are not infinite, tho' they are exceeding great, and that ftrike our Senses and Imagination, than with Things invifible, and not fubject to Senfe. When we confider how all Things are framed as we now fee them, what a magnificent Work the Heavens and the Earth are, and with what a Variety of Things, and all of them for Ufe and Ornament, they are furnished, the dullest Mind must be ftricken with Admiration of the Goodness which defigned, of the Wisdom which contrived, and of the Power that perfected all thefe Things; and withal cannot but acknowledge, that he himself always was, who was before them all. A great Part of the Idolatry of the World confifted in worshipping the Sun, Moon, and Stars, the Fruits of the Earth, and the World it felt. As ftupid as they were who committed Idolatry, yet they were right in this, that thofe Things were fit to raise the Admiration of all that confidered them. But they foolishly gave that Honour to the Effects, which was due only to their Cause. They fhould have confidered how much greater and better was HE, that made all Things in this Order, how wife, and mighty, and good He was, that created thofe very Beings, which they in their Folly took

to

to be Gods, fince the invifible Things of him from the Creation of the World are clearly feen, being underflood by the Things that are made, even his eternal Power and Godhead, Rom. 1. 20.

2. We are likewife to conceive of God, that He is the Governour of the whole World, doing what He pleases in Heaven and in Earth; that his Creatures are all fubject to his Power and Providence, within his Jurifdiction, and under his Authority. They that have no mind to live under the Government of their Temporal Lord, may presently change their Seat, and go where the Laws and Customs of their own Country cannot reach them. But if we fhould go to the Ends of the Earth, we are ftill under God's Authority, and bound by his Laws; For the Earth is the Lord's, and the Fulness thereof, i Cor. 10. 26. And his Government is not confined to this Earth neither, but is as wide as the whole Creation; nothing is exempted from his Power and Providence. Now this helpeth us to a yet more lively Notion of the Perfections of God, especially of his infinite Understanding, which can attend to innumerable Things without Diftraction, and difpofe and guide them according to his own good Pleafure, as eafily as any one of them. In the next place, 3dly, It

3dly, It is not hard to conceive of God by this, That, wherever we are, we are still obferved by him, That none of our Actions, no nor our Thoughts, can be hid from him That the Eyes of the Lord are in every Place, bebolding the Evil and the Good, Prov. 15. 3. That he knoweth our down-fitting and our up-rifing, and understandeth our Thoughts afar off. That he compaffeth our Path, and our lying down, and is acquainted with all our Ways. That we cannot go from his Spirit, nor flee from his Prefence. That the Darkness bideth not from him, but the Dark nefs and the Light are both alike to him, Pfal. 139. 2, 3, 7, 12.

Moreover it is easy to apprehend the Mercy and Goodness of the Divine Nature, when we confider that God is the Saviour of the World, that he fent his own Son into the World to make an Atonement for our Sins, to invite us to Repentance by the Promises of Forgiveness and Eternal Life. And it is not hard to conceive of the Purity of the Divine Nature, if we confider those Laws to which he hath obliged us, and to the Obedience of which he hath confined his Promises of Pardon for the Time past, and of a Reward hereafter; for if his Laws be holy, and just, and good, fuch is his Will, and fuch is his Nature.

Finally, To all this we are to add, that God is the Judge of the whole World; that

the

the Wicked shall not go unpunished, nor the Righteous lose their Reward; that his Sentence fhall determine the State of Men and Angels for ever; that he will also judge the World in Righteousness, Acts 17. 31. that he is able to confider all the Circumstances of every Man, to weigh every thing that tends to the Mitigation or the Aggravation of an Offence, and that makes a good Action more or lefs rewardable, and that he will reward and punish without respect of Perfons.

And thus,altho' it be not fo eafy to conceive of God as he is in himself, yet it is obvious enough to conceive of him so as we ought, as he ftands related to us, as he is our Maker, the Creator of the whole World, as he is our Supreme Lord and Governour, and as his Providence extendeth to all the World, as he observes all our Actions, and knows all our Thoughts, as he is the Saviour of the World, as he is a righteous and holy Lawgiver, and as he is the Judge of Men and Angels, and will infallibly reward and punish without refpecting of Persons.

These are the Effects of that infinite Power, and Wisdom, and Goodness of God, which Perfections in themselves are above our Understandings to comprehend; but these Effects we understand, and by them we come eafily to acknowledge their Caufe, which is the infinite Perfection of the Divine Nature. And