nefs in the human conftitution, and therefore SER M. difficultly reconcil'd to the wisdom and good. III. nefs of its Author; the confideration of it in that view, does not belong to this place, where we are only infifting on the evidence of the principle itself. And yet, not to pass it by altogether unregarded, I obferve that the true meaning of the objection really amounts to no more than this, that it is hardly confiftent with the wisdom and goodness of God to make rational creatures fo imperfect as we are, or wanting a certain perfection which we imagine would have been very proper for them; particularly without an intuitive knowledge of His existence, such as they have of their own being. Now how is it poffible for that fuch a constitution was any man to prove wrong; that in a world which contains fo great a variety of creatures with fo many different kinds and degrees of perfection, Wifdom and Goodnefs did not allow that there should be an order of intelligent beings, who should not indeed have the knowledge of their Maker, (upon which their duty and their greatest happiness depends,) forced upon them, fo that they could not poffibly refift it, yet with fufficient evidence of the truth, and faculties enabling them to difcern it; at the fame time under obligations, which must ap

SERM. pear if they reflect on their own conftitution, III. to use their faculties for that purpose?

How wisdom and goodness may require that Atheists should be dealt with, is quite another question. What unhappiness they may bring upon themselves by their own perversenefs, leading them into their fatal error, or what allowances are to be made for particular infelicities in the condition of any, which may give some occafion to it, God knows best, and the Judge of the whole world will furely do right. But for us, our proper business is, without murmuring at any appointed imperfections in our make, to improve all the advantages of it in the best manner we can, that we may attain to the affectionate practical knowledge of our Creator, and thereby to all that perfection and happiness to which it tends to raise our nature. And to conclude with a particular application of the argument I have been infifting on. Since we have fo full proof of ruling intelligence in the formation and government of the world, fince all the works of nature proclaim it, and especially our own constitution, (for who but the author of our being hath put wisdom in the inward parts, and given understanding to the heart*?) this is the character of the Deity which claims our highest věneration. It is a very elegant de* Job xxxviii. 36. scription

It cannot

fcription which Job* gives us of the excel-SER M. lence of wisdom, and which every atttentive III. mind must afsent to, Man knoweth not the price thereof, it cannot be gotten for gold, neither fhall filver be weighed for it. be valued with gold of Ophir, with the precious onyx, or the Saphir. The gold and the chryftal cannot equal it, and the exchange of it shall not be for jewels of fine gold. No mention Shall be made of coral or of pearl, for the price of wisdom is above rubies. The topaz of Ethiopia fhall not equal it. But where shall wifdom be found, and where is the place of underftanding? The depth, and the fea, and deftruction, and death, fay it is not in them. The effects of it are scatter'd over all the works of nature, and the whole economy of providence, in a beautiful variety; and the lively image of it is ftampt on rational creatures, whom God has taught what is their true wifdom namely, to fear him, and to depart from evil, and to whom he has communicated fuch an understanding as we cannot but account the high diftinguishing privilege of their nature. But how much more to be admir'd, and worthy of our moft peculiar veneration and esteem, is the eternal fountain of intellectual light, who is himself only perfect in knowledge,

* Chap. xxviii.

SER

SERM.

. IV.

SERMON IV.

The Spirituality of the Divine Nature explain'd and afferted.

I

John iv. 24.

God is a Spirit.

HAVE endeavour'd in the foregoing difcourses to prove that firft fundamental principle of religion, the existence of the Deity, or of an active intelligent Being, who is the original Caufe of all the great appearances in the corporeal system of the universe, and of those self-moving, fenfitive, and intellectual powers, with which many particular beings are endu'd. But intending to establish this great truth on fuch a foundation as should comprehend all believers in God, however otherwife differing in their opinions, at the fame time the moft evident, and the least liable to difficulties, I abftracted from the confideration of those properties, perfections or attributes, which belong to the Divine nature, not infifting even on its fpirituality. Nevertheless,

theless, it will fet the whole fubject still in aSER M. clearer light, and add great force to the ar- IV. guments which have been already adduc'd, if we can advance one ftep farther, and prove that the supreme active and intelligent Cause of all things, is fpiritual, or immaterial. And this I fhall endeavour to do in the following method; First, I will fhew, from the frame and appearances of the material world itself, that there is fuch a thing as fpirit, effentially different from matter. Secondly, That the beings which are endued with life, fenfe and understanding, in a limited degree of perfection, are spiritual; from whence it will evidently follow, that the original Caufe is himfelf a pure Spirit.

First, To fhow from the frame and appearances of the material world itfelf, that there is fuch a thing as fpirit, effentially different from matter. This alone is fufficient to overthrow the fundamental grounds of Atheism: For however different its forms be, they all agree in excluding spirit from any share in the origin and constitution of things, and in the effects we fee produc'd; afcribing them all, even sense and self-motion which we perceive in animals, nay, and understanding which we are conscious of in ourselves,-afcribing all I fay, to fenfeless matter and its cafual or necef

fary