3dly, 'Tis worthy of Observation, as SER M to the Manner of our conceiving the IV. Eternity of God; that the Scholaftick n Writers have generally described it to be, not a Real Perpetual Duration, but One Point or Inftant comprehending Eternity, and wherein all things are really coexiftent at once. But unintelligible Ways of Speaking, have (I think) never done any Service to Religion. The true Notion of the Divine Eternity, does not confift in making past things to be still present, and things future to be already come; [which is an exprefs contradiction:] But it confifts in This, and in This it infinitely transcends the manner of exiftence of all created Beings, even of those which fhall continue for ever; that whereas Their finite Minds can by no means comprehend all that is past, or understand perfectly the things that are prefent, much lefs know, or have in their power, the things that are to come; but their Thoughts and Knowledge and Power muft of neceffity have degrees and periods, and be fucceffive and tranfient as the Things themselves; The eternal, suVOL.I. preme

G

SER M. preme Cause, on the contrary, has fuch IV. a perfect, independent, and unchangeable comprehenfion of all things; that in every Point or Inftant of his eternal Duration, all things paft, prefent, and to come, muft be, not indeed themselves prefent at once, (for That is a manifeft contradiction;) but they must be as entirely known and reprefented to him in one fingle Thought or View, and all things present and future be as abfolutely under his Power and Direction; as if there was really no Succeffion at all, and as if all things had been, (not that they really are,) actually present at once. A Thoufand years in thy fight, are but as yesterday, Pf. xc. 4. And 2. Pet. iii. 8, One day is with the Lord as a Thousand years, and a Thousand years as one day. Not, a Thoufand years are one day; but are to Him, as if they were only one Day.

HAVING premised these few Obfer vations concerning the Nature, Manner, and Proof of the Eternity of God; it remains in the Third and laft place, (which is the most material,) that we confider of what

what Use this Meditation may be to us in SER M. Practice.

AND I, This Attribute of Eternity abfolute, neceffary, and independent; is one of the principal Characters, by which the True God of the Universe, the One Maker and Governour of all things, the alone Author and Fountain of all Being and Power, is distinguished from false Deities, from falfe Gods, worshipped in oppofition to him, without any Power from him, without any Authority whatsoever either in Nature or Reafon, either inherent in themselves, or communicated from him that has it of himself. Idols, are Gods but of yesterday, and which perifh to morrow: Beings, which have no Authority and Dominion over us; or perhaps, not real Beings at all, but mere Fictions and Imaginations only: Lying Vanities, as the Scripture elegantly ftiles them that is, mere Nothings; having nothing of reality in them; either no Being, or at leaft no Dominion and Authority over But the True God of the Universe thus defcribes himfelf, If. xliii. 10, I am He: Before me there was no God, neiG 2

men.

ther

IV.

SERM.ther fhall there be after me.

He was before IV. all things, and he shall be after all things

Eternal, Immutable, and and Self-fufficient. He is Alpha and Omega, the Beginning The High and the End; which is, and which was and and Lofty One, that which is to come.

inhabitkth Eternity

2dly, THE Confideration of the Eternity of God, is an Argument why his Providence ought not to be cavilled at, nor his Promifes doubted of; even though there be no present appearance of the Performance of his Promifes; and no prefent way of explaining, the Methods of his Providence. All other Beings, having Command only of the prefent Time; if they cannot immediately accomplish what they undertake, 'tis never certain but fome Change in their own ftate, or fome alteration in the Nature and Course of Things, may prevent them from being able to accomplish it at all. But God having in his Hands the Power of all Time alike, can never be involved in any difficulty, nor hindred by any intervening accidents, nor perplexed by any change of things or circumstances, nor influenced by any Length or Periods of Time; fo as

IV.

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either to become unable or unwilling to SER M. perform his remotest Promifes, fo as to find any difficulty in extricating the most perplexed appearances in the Methods of his Providence. Senfelefs therefore is the Objection of thofe Scoffers, who the Apoftle foretells fhould come in the last days, walking after their own lufts, and faying, Where is the Promife of his coming? For fince the Fathers fell asleep, all things continue as they were, from the Beginning. of the creation, 2 Pet. iii. 4. The Apostle returns the true and plain Answer, ver. 8, Beloved, be not ignorant of this one thing, that one day is with the Lord as a Thousand years, and a Thousand years as one day.

3dly, THE Confideration of God's Eternity, is a fure ground of Trust and Confidence, of hope and cheerfulness, to good Men at all times; feeing his protection may be relied on and depended upon for ever. This is the excellency described by the Pfalmift, Pf. xc. 1, Lord thou hast been our Refuge from one generation to another; Before the Mountains were brought forth, or ever the Earth and the World were made, thou art God from e