Sivut kuvina
PDF
ePub

ing honour to God; as the earthern vessel, in the potter's hand is important to answer his occasions. Our place and rank in the universe should teach us to appropriate nothing to ourselves, and to study nothing with so much zeal as to glorify God with our body. and spirit which are God's.

SERMON III.

Infinite knowledge an attribute of Deity.

PSALM cxlvii. 5. last clause.

His understanding is infinite.

ALTH

LTHOUGH the mystery of the Godhead is absolutely unfathomable to a finite mind; yet it is easy to see with what kind of attributes the Deity must be clothed, in order to his holding and exercising his own peculiar prerogatives. By some it is. often alledged, that mysteries should never be meddled with, nor touched upon, because their depth is beyond the soundings of the short lines of our limited intellect. We must not dwell upon any thing which is too great for our comprehension. If this be a true doctrine, or a judicious maxim, in divinity, it must be confessed, that we are now venturing upon forbidden ground, in undertaking a discourse upon the infinite knowledge of

Infinite knowledge an attribute of Deity. 59

God, as a divine attribute. That infinity is perfectly incomprehensible to a created mind, is what no one disbelieves. And that God is infinite in knowledge, or understanding, as well as other perfections, is not only as serted in the text, and in various other parts of the scriptures; but is admitted by all who seriously believe in the eternal existence of one God. Now, if it be unlawful for us to indulge a freedom of thought, or of expres sion, upon any subject, in which mystery is concerned, we lie under an absolute prohibition, either to advance a single idea respecting that knowledge of God, which is essential to his character, and which is so often brought into view in his word, or to speak in relation to any other branch of his divinity; for the whole is a mystery. "Canst thou by searching find out God? canst thou find out the Almighty unto per-fection? It is as high as heaven, what canst thou do? deeper than hell, what canst thou know? The measure thereof is longer than the earth, and broader than the sea."

Is

any one prepared to say, that if our minds are not capacious enough to take in all the objects of God's knowledge, or to measure the vast extent of his understanding, because it is immense; then we can derive no advantage from knowing that his understanding. is infinitely superior to ours? The benefit arising from an acquaintance with divine. mysteries, is not that we may be able so to develope and explore the mysterious truth,

E e

[ocr errors]

that it shall cease to be a mystery, and appear to us in the same familiar and comprehensible point of light, that it does to the infinite God; but that we may perceive how great is the difference between the supreme Being and ourselves; what is the character of the eternal Sovereign, in distinction from all other beings. And though we can have no adequate idea of a being infinite in understanding, and infinite in all his other attributes, as that which has no bounds, surpasses all the powers of the created mind; yet this does not imply, that God's being thus highly exalted above us must be, to us, a useless truth. There are many reasons, why we should entertain such views of God, as accord with truth, with the actual extent of his attributes. One is, the necessity of it to. our exercising confidence in him. Though we are unable, even in imagination, to run an infinite line, as the geometrician marks out the territory, which is given him to. measure; and though we cannot possibly survey, in thought, an object of infinite magnitude, nor see, in any direction, how far infinity extends; yet, without any labour, we both see and feel, that a being, who is less than infinite, cannot be equal to the vast concerns of universal government; cannot share our confidence, as supreme ruler, and disposer of all things. We have before seen,, that the Judge of all the earth, to merit the confidence of intelligences, must do right.. The next inquiry is what are the requisites

to his thus doing? Undoubtedly they are many; but that, which we are now to consider, is his knowledge, or understanding, as expressed in the text. No one can be perfect in practice, whose mind is not duly fur.. nished with wisdom to direct him. A knowledge of what is right, is certainly prerequi-. site to the practice of it. Casual actions, or those that are performed unwittingly, how.. ever well they may operate, are never imputed to the doers of them, as virtues. We must know we ought to act, and regulate our conduct accordingly, in order to our deserv.. ing the repute of doing right. On the other hand, however fair and upright our inten tions may be, yet, if they are associated with ignorance, they cannot afford a reasonable ground of confidence to the persons to be affected by them. If God is surrounded with an immense host of intelligent subjects, whose welfare depends on the proper arrangements,, and faithful execution of his providence, is it not most important to them, that he should be wise as well as good? that he should know how to regulate his own kingdom in the most perfect manner? If he is judged at all deficient, in this respect, however they may admire and applaud his good intentions, they cannot cheerfully confide their interests to his hands. As the well-being of the universe rests upon the perfection of God's govern ment, upon his doing what is right; so, as it has been heretofore suggested, right, in. God, is his promoting his own glory in the

« EdellinenJatka »