SERM.out any refiftance; the counfels of God are VIII. fulfilled only by his determining them to be

done. By the word of the Lord were the beavens made, and all the hosts of them by the breath of his mouth*; and when he fendeth forth his commandment upon earth, his word runneth very swiftly, giving fnow, boar-froft and ice : Again, be fends his powerful word and melteth them, and causeth the waters to flow†. From this imperfect account it appears, that we cannot think too highly of the power of God, which is abfolute, and properly called Almighty, fince to it the whole world and all things therein owe their being and perfection: For no reason can be affign'd why any thing within the bounds of poffibility, fhould not be if God pleases, seeing it requires no more power to produce it, than has been actually manifested in the production of that which does exist. I come in the

2d place, to confider in what sense, and with what limitations, the doctrine of Divine Omnipotence is to be understood. And the first and most obvious limitation has been juft now infinuated, namely, that when it is faid the power of God is infinite, the meaning is, not that it reaches beyond poffibility, or extends to the doing of what is in itself impoffible, that is, implies a contradiction. The

I

*Pfal. xxxiii. 6,

measure

+ Pfal. cxlvii.

measure of poffibility to us is conceivableness; SER M. that of which we can have no idea, but that VIII. reflecting on it, appears to be nothing, we pronounce impoffible, and not to be effected by any power. I do not intend by this that we should call things impoffible, or pretend to judge that the Power of God cannot produce them, merely because we cannot comprehend, or have any idea at all of the manner of operation; but where there is an apparent inconfiftency in the idea of the effect, fo that one part of it neceffarily destroys another; for that is really the idea of nothing, which is not the object of power. To say that by the Power of God, a thing may be and not be at the fame time, that a whole may be no greater than one of its parts, that number or magnitude may be at once equal and unequal, that bodies, contrary to their nature, may be without folidity, and be in different places at the fame time;-to say that these and such like abfurdities may be effected by the Power of God, is only to fet his power in a ridiculous light, and to destroy all the foundations of our knowledge. And it is abfurd to imagine, that the Being of God himself, and his attributes, effentially unchangeable, are subject to any power whatever. And therefore,

SERM. 2dly, We ought not to afcribe to the Power VIII. of God any thing which is unworthy of his

other perfections, any thing which is inconfiftent with the wifdom, or the moral rectitude and goodness of his nature; for that is abfurdly to fet the attributes of the Deity at variance with each other, and to difhonour his true character under the pretence of magnifying his power. Men may foolishly imagine, that what they call arbitrary power, is a moft exalted and glorious condition; judging not by any real perfection in the thing itself, but only by the diftinction and fuperiority which it gives them above others. If by arbitrary power be meant that which is independent and liable to no controul from without, in that sense it does belong to Almighty God: But if it fignifies a power of acting according to mere will and pleature, without any regard to right and reafon;-this is fo far from being in itfelf an excellency, however it may be defir'd by weak ambitious mortals, that nothing can appear more deform'd, and odious to the unbiass'd human mind. Can any man, calmly confidering, and not under the influence of paffion, think brutal force amiable, that is, force feparated from reafon, equity and goodnefs? Rather does it not fill the mind with horror? If we compare human governments

of

of these directly oppofite characters; the one SER M. limited by law and justice, where the rights VIII. of fubjects are fecured on the fame equitable foundation with the prerogative of the prince, and equally fafe from violent invafion; the other wholly defpotic, where the lives, liberties and eftates of men, are abfolutely fubject to the caprice of a paffionate mortal, accuftomed to tyrannical cruelty, and flatter'd into an opinion that it is the highest glory, which the human nature is capable of being raised to ;-upon such a comparison, it will be eafy to determine whether arbitrary power, in the fenfe already explain'd, be a real perfection in the esteem of intelligent beings. Far be it from us to entertain any fuch notions of the Divine dominion, which, tho' it be abfolutely uncontroulable, that is, it cannot be refifted by any opposite strength, (for who can Stay God's hand, or fay unto him, what doft thou?) yet is always exercis'd with perfect wisdom and moral rectitude. It is therefore alike impoffible to alter the nature of things which he has made, that is, make them to be what at the fame time he has made them not to be, (that were to deftroy the power by which they are produc'd and do fubfift) and for him. to act against that invariable reafon which must always appear to his perfect understand

SERM.ing, and against his moral perfections which VIII. are, equally with power, infeparable from his

effence. And for this reafon the Scripture justly afferts moral evil to be impoffible for God, or any thing which fuppofes him to have done amifs; as when it fays, that it is impoffible for him to lie, and to repent; which impoffibility, tho' in some respects different from what is meant by contradiction in the nature of things, yet ftands upon as fure a foundation; for the attributes of God which are called moral, do as really and immutably belong to his nature, as his natural perfections, and are as necessary a part of his character. Thus Elihu excellently speaks concerning the government of Providence *, Far be it from Gnd that he should do wickednefs, and from the Almighty, that he should commit iniquity. For the work of a man fhall be render unto him, and caufe every man to find according to his ways. Yea, furely God will not do wickedly, neither will the Almighty pervert judgment. And this, instead of shewing any defect of power, arifes from the plenitude of it; for, as Elihu adds in the 13th verfe, Who hath given him a charge over the earth? or who hath disposed the whole world? Men are therefore tyrannical, because they are impotent; a fecret consciousness of dependent,

* Job xxxiv. 10, 11, 12.