Serm.I.,X.XVI. Concerning the Peyfeciion of God. 571 2. As we are to afcribe all imaginable, poflible PerfeElions to God, fo we are to feparate=and remove all manner of Imperfetlion fromhim. We mutt not ob- fcure or blemith the Divine Nature with the leafs fhadow or blot of Imperfetiion. If we once admit of this, to afcribe any thing to Godwhich argues imperfeElion, Notions, e which B the eá Men have of God.eAndthereforewefind the Scripture very careful to remove all kind of natural or moral fmperfe'1ion from God. Gen. i zs. That be far from Thee to do after this manner, to flay the Righteous with the Wicked, andthat the Righteous fhould be as the Wicked, that be far from thee ; fha/l not the Page of all the World do right? Deut. 3%. 4. A God of Truth and without Iniquity: Rom. 9. 54. What (hall we fay then, is there Unrighteoufnefs with God? God forbid, far be it from him. Hence it is that in Scripture Holinefs is fo frequently afcrib'd to God, which lignifies the purity and freedom of the Divine Nature from that which we call Sin ; and God is very follicitous to give us fuch a notion of himfelf, as may remove Sin and Unrighteoufnefs at the greateft diftance from him, becaufe that is the greateft of Imperfeflions' Is it an Imperfeflion to countenance Sin ? the Scripture acquits God of ir. Pfal. f. 4, S. Thou art not a Gad that hath "feature in wickednefs, neither /hall evil dwell withThee. Is it an ImperfeElion to go from ones word, or to change ones mind ? this likewife is remov'd from God. r Sam: r f. 2.9. The flrength of Ifrael will not lie or repent, he is not a Man, that he fhould repent. Is it an Imperfeílion to want any thing, to be liable to any thing, to de- pend upon any thing without ones Pelf for their happinefs ? this alto is to be fet far from him. yob xx. a, 3. Can a Man be profitable t God ? what a doll thou him that thou make thy way perfell ? Job 3 S. 6, 7. If thou f againfl him ? or if thy Tranfgrefions be multiplied, .what doff thou unto him i If thou art righteous, whatgivefl thou him ? or what receiveth he of thine hand ? Thy Wick= ednefs may hurt a Man as thou art, and thy Righteoufnefs may práft the Son of Man. Is it an Imperfelion to tempt, or to be tempted to Sin ? this is to be fepárated from God, He cannot be tempted of evil, neither tempteth he.any Man, faith St. lames. Chap. r: 57. And to mention no more, is it an Imperfellion to be in any refped mutable ? This is denyed of God, With him there is no variablenefs, or fhadowof turning. Thus you fee how we are to'conceive of the Perfellions of God, by afcribing all imaginable and poffible Perfetlion to him, and removing all shadow of Imperfeétion from him. I proceed in the II. Place, to lay down Tome Rules by which we may re&ifie and govern Our Opinions concerning the Attributes and Perfetlions of God : The belt I can think of, are thefe following. Firf , Let us begin with the molt natural, and plain, and eafie Perfellions of God, and lay them for a foundation, and rectify all our otherApprehenfions of God, and Reafonings about him, by thefe; and thefe are his Power, Wifdom, and Goodnefs, to which molt of the left may be reduced. Right Apprehen- fions and a firm Belief of thefe will make it eafily credible to us, that all things were made and are governed by him; for his Goodnefs will difpofe and incline him to communicate Being to other things, and to take care of themwhen they are made. An infinite Power and Wifdom render him able to do all this without any labour or difficulty, and without any difturbance of his eafe or happinefs, as Epicurus would feem vainly to fear ; who in truth did not believe a God, but pretended only to deny his Providence, and that he either made or govern'd the World ;becaufe he was loth to lay fo much trouble upon him. Vain Man ! as if thofe things which are iinpofTible and difficult to our Weaknefs and Folly, might not be infinitely eafie to infinite Power and Wifdom. Particularly the Goodnefs and Juftice of God are not fo difficult to apprehend9 as the Difputes and Controverfies about them have rendered them to inany.When we confider infiniteKnowledge and Power, we may eafily lofe our felves, and go out of our depth, by wading too far into them : There is fomething concerning thefe, that is unimaginable, and unaccountable to our Reafon we may not be able to underftand how Something may be produc'd fromNothing ; becaùfe it Ddddx argues
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