766 The Incomprehenfiblenefr of God. Vol. L Índeed, there is nothing more obvious thanGod ; for he is not far from every one of us, in him we live, andmove, and have our Being ; there needs no great fearch to find out that there is a God ; Aneternal Power and Deity are clearlyfrets in the things which are made, as the Apoftle tells us ; but the manner of the Being, and Properties, and Perfections of this God; thefe cannot be comprehended by a fi. pite Underftanding. I fitall prove the Doárine, and then apply ir. Firfl, For the proof of it. I will attempt it thefe three ways. I. By way of inftance, or induction of particulars. II. By way of conviction. III. By giving the clear reafon of it. a. By way of inftançe. And I fhall give you inftances bothon the part of the Objetl, and of the Subjetl ; ór the Perfons who ire capable of knowing God in any degree.. r. On the part of the Objetl. The Nature of God, the Excellency and Per- fection of God, the Works and Ways of God are above our thoughts and appre- henfións. The Nature of God ; it is vaft and infinite, 5d 36. z6. Godisgreat, andwe know him not, Job 37. 2.3. Touching the Almighty we cannot find him out. Pfal. r45. 3. His greatnefs is unfearchable. The Excellencies and Perfe&ions of God ; his Immenfity, z Chron. z. 6. The heaven of heavens cannot contain him The Eternity of his duration, from everla- flirg to everlafling he is God. We cannot imagine any limits of his prefence, nor bounds of his duration : The infinitenefs of his knowledge, Pfal. 147. 5. his un dgr/landing is infinite. When we think of the Wifdom and Knowledge of God, our bell way is to fall into admiration, Rom. xi. 33. 0the depth of the riches both of thewifdom and knowledge of God ! Whereas the Scripture fpeaks of thofe Perfections of God, which the Creatures do in fome meafure, and degree partake of, as his Goodnefs, and Power, and Wifdom, and Holinefs, and Immortality, it attributes them in fuch a peculiar and divine manner to God, as doth exclude and Phut out the Creature from any claim or íhare or title to them, Matt. 19. 16, x7. Why callefl thou megoad ì there's none good but one, that is God. r Tim. 6. 15, 16. Who is the bleffed-and only Po- tentate, who only bath immortality. 1 Tim. I. 17. The only wife God. Rev. 15.4. For thou only art holy. In fo inconceivable a manner doth God pofiefs thefe Per- fections which he communicates, and we can only underfiand them as he corn- municates them, and not as he poffeffes them ; fo that when we confider any of. thefe Divine Perfeáions, we muff not frame Notions of them contrary to what they are in the Creature, nor mutt we limit them by what they are in the Crea- ture ; but fay, the Goodnefs and the Wifdom of God are all this which is in the Creature, and much more which I am not able to comprehend ; thetranfcendent degree, and the fingularity of thefe Divine Perfections, which are communica- ble, is beyond what we are able to conceive. The Works of God, they are likewife unfearchable ; the Works of Creation and of Redemption, Job 5. 9. Which Both great things, andunfearchable, marvel- lous things, pail finding out : And then he inftanceth in the Works of God, Job 26. 54. Lo, theft arepart of his ways : But how little a portion is heard of him? and the thunder of his voice who can underfland? So that he tells us exprefly, we cannot find out the Works of God, we do but know part of them. The Que- flion which he puts, yob 37. 16. Doff thou know the wondrous works of him that is perfetï in knowledge? can only be anfwered by the words of the Pfalmift, Pfal. 104. 24. 0 Lord; howwonderful are thy works l in wifdom hail thou made them all. The Work of Redemption : In this there thins forth fuch Wifdom, Mercy, and Love, as our Underftandings cannot reach ; this Work is call'd the Wifdom of God in a myf try, hidden Wifdom,Cgqvlx ^. axpuF.t4:r, 1 Cor. z. 7. The Mercy, and Grace, and Love of it is called, The riches ofGod's mercy, the exceeding riches of hisgrace, Eph. z. 4, 7. Now Riches is when you cannot tell the utmoft of them, pauperis eft numerare, Eph. 3. i 8, 19. That ye may be able to comprehend with all Saints, what is the breadth, and length, and depth, and height, and to know the love of Chrifl which pafeth knowledge. When we have the largeft appreh ions of this
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