Serm. LXXVI. Concerning the Perfeéion ofGod., 569 I. Confider how we are to conceive of the Divine Ferfetion. It. I !hall lay down fome Rules whereby we may govern and redifie our 0- P inions concerning the Attributes and Perfetlions ofGod. III. How far we are to imitate the Perfetlions of God, and particularly what thofe Divine Qualities are, which our Saviour doth here more efpecially pro - pound to our imitation. IV. I !hall endeavour to clear the true meaning of this Precept, and to fhew that the Duty here intended by our Saviour is not impoffible to us ; andthen conclude this Difcourfe with fome ufeful Inferences from the whole. I. I (hall confider how we are to conceive of the DivinePerfeifions. Thefe two ways. I. By afcribing all /imaginableand poffiblePerfedion to God. z. By feparating and removing all manner of Imperfedion from him. I. By afcribing all imaginable, and poflible Perfetlion to God ; abfofute and univerfal Perfetlion, not limited to a certain kind, or to certain particulars; but whatever we can conceiveand imagine to be a Perfetion, is to be afcribed to him ; yea and beyond this, whatever poffible Perfetlion there is, or poflible de- gree of any Perfection, which our fhort Underftandings cannot conceive or com- prehend, is to be afcribed to him. For we are not to confine the Perfection of God to our imagination, as ifwe could findout the Almighty to Perfec`cion : But on the contrary, to believe the Perfetlion of the Divine Nature to he boundlefs and unlimited, and infinitely to exceed our higheft-thoughts and apprehenus- ens. More particularly, all kinds and all degrees of Perfetlion are to be afcribed to God, which either do not imply a plain Contradicton, or do not argue fomeIm- perfetlion, or are not evidently incontinent with fome other and greater Per- fetlion. Some things may feem to be Perfetlions, which in truth are not ; becaíife they are plainly impoffible, and involve a Contradiction : as that what has once been, fhould by any Power be made not to have been; or that any thing, which by its Nature is limited and confin'd to one place, thould at the fame timebe in another. Thefe things in Reafon are iinpoflìble, and therefore not to be fuppofed to fallun- der any Power how unlimited foever. Forif we once afcribe Contradi&ions to God, we deftroy his Being; becaufe then to be, and not to be, Power, and no Power would be all one. And then there are fome Perfetlions, which do argue and fappofe Imperfecti- ons in them ; as Motion, the .quicknefs and fwiftnefs thereof in Creatures is a Perfetlion, but then it fuppofeth a finite and limited Nature : for a boundlefs and iminenfe Being, that is every where prefent at once, bath no need to move from one place toanother ; and therefore thoughMotion be a Perfetlion in Creatures, there is no Reafon to afcribe it.to God,becaufe it fuppofeth a greater Imperfellion. And there are alfo fome imaginable degrees of Perfetlion, which becaufe they are incontinent with other Perfetlions, are not to be admitted in the Divine Na- ture. For inflame,. fuck degrees of Goodnefs and Mercy may be imagin'd, as would quite exclude and Phut out Juflice; and on the other hand fuch a ftrï.étnefs and a rigor of Juflice, as would leave no room at all for Patience and Mercy; and therefore filch degrees are not really to be efteemed Perfettions. For this is a certain truth, that nothing is a Divine Perfetlion, which evidently clafheth with any other neceffary and effential Perfectionof the Divine Nature. We muft fo confider the Perfellions of God; that they may accord and confift to. gether; and therefore it cannot be a Perfetlion ofGod to be fogood and gra- cious, as to encourage Sin, and tooverthrow the Reverence of his own Laws and Government. 'Tis not Goodnefs, but Eafinefs and Weaknefs, to be con- tented to be perpetually injur'd and affronted.' 'Tis not Patience, to . be willing to be everlaningly trampled upon. So likewife on the other hand, 'Tis not a Perfection to be fo Severe and rigorous, as to finite a Sinner in the inftant that he offends, not to be able to refrain from Punifhment, and togive time for repentance. Dddd But
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