DISSERTATION VII. 37g three, as represented in scripture, seems to require the greatest distinction that can be conceived in a consistence with the unity of God, who is the infinite and eternal spirit. If there be some distinctions, or differences, in the divine natute, greater than that of relations, modes, or attributes, and less than that of substances, I knownot what name to give it better, than that of divine powers. Let us therefore suppose the great and blessed God to be one infinite Spirit, one conscious being, who possesses real, distinct, or different powers, which in sacred language are called the Word and the Spirit : And though this difference, or distinction, benot so great as to allow of different conseiousnesses, or to make distinct Spirits, yet these two powers may be represented in scripture in a figurative man- ner, under distinct personal characters, as hath been shewn in the foregoing dissertations. SECT. II.-4 general Proposal of the Analogy between God and a Human Soul. That we may go on step by step, and make regular ad- vances towards the design in hand, let us consider, that whatso= ever clear ideas we frame of Godby the light of nature, we de- rive them from an inward reflexion on our own souls, and their various properties and powers of understanding and will, &c. supposing still the transcendent superiority of God above our= selves. Let us consider also, that the clearest and noblest ideas by 'which God reveals himself to us in scripture, are derived from the same notions which we have of our souls asspiritual beings: It is by this way of analogy that we learn and understand what God is, when he tells us he is a Spirit, and when he speaks of his knowledge, his wisdom, his will, &e. Thus divine revela- lation happily agrees 'with human reason, in teaching us who, ór what God is, by a resemblance of his incomprehensible nature and powers to the ideas we have of our own souls and their faculties. I grant, that God has been pleased to condescend so far to the lowest capacities, as to describe his powers to us, sometimes by analogy to the powers and parts of our bodies, such as, eyes; ears, face, hands, breath, voice, word, &c. But these are not theclearest or nearest similitudes, nor the sublimest likenesses he has given us of himself. And therefore when we are endeavour -. ing to form our highest and most spiritual conceptions of God, we look rather upon that analogy to our own souls in which he has been pleased to exhibit himself to us. Since reason and scripture agree to teach us the nature of God, and inform us, who, or what God is, by this analogy, I' think in our enquiries on this sacred subject we ought to follow
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