is it! a man to call himself a Christian! But he lies, and | must do so upon one account, if he live in the continual violation of the Christian precepts, and upon another, if he understand nothing of the Christian principles. It is a lie; it is to suppose that Christian is a name without a meaning, a name that means nothing. And,

;

and issue. To hate instruction is to hate knowledge; and he is said to love knowledge that loves instruction, Prov. xii. 1. But to be brought in under the notion of a hater of knowledge, divine knowledge, oh! how dreadful a thing is that! "They shall call but I will not answer, they shall seek me early but they shall not find me." Why, 4. We may collect hence, that it is very stupid folly for what is the matter? what is all that resolved into which men to live all their days under this profession, without you read to that purpose in the 1st chapter of Proverbs? ever concerning themselves to understand the principles of Why in the 29th verse it is said, Because they hated knowChristianity. It is very presumptuous rashness to take up ledge and would not choose the fear of the Lord; therefore that profession, when a man will commence Christian all he would be deaf to all their cries and importunities, when of a sudden without ever having understood its principles.destruction was coming upon them as a whirlwind. Why But it is far more stupid folly if a man will, all his days, is God so inexorable towards them? Because they hated live under the Christian profession in continued ignorance knowledge, they would not endeavour to learn. And, of the principles of the Christian religion. How ridiculous 7. Lastly, If there be so absolute a necessity of being doth that man make himself that will all his time go under taught such principles of religion, or such "Oracles of the name of a merchant, and yet never understand any God," there surely ought to be a very peculiar temper and thing of merchandise! or if a man will be called a philo- disposition of spirit in order to learning. And that I would sopher, when every one that knows him, knows that he have you to take an account of in a few heads which I understands not any of the principles of philosophy! But, shall only name. We are all to be learners here in this 5. It is of so great importance to understand well the world, we must learn as long as we live. And if it be of principles of Christian religion, that they need to be taught. so absolute necessity that we learn such things, we should, Is there so great weight laid upon the teaching of them? (1.) Apply ourselves to them with very great reverence, are they hereby represented to us to be matters of absolute for they are "the oracles of God" that we have to do with necessity? then by the importance of the principles judge it is something sacred and divine, that we are conversant of the excellency of the end of the Christian religion. And and taken up about. When any thing of these oracles was so consider, Hath God thus brought it about that we should to be first given in writing, though it was but a little, to a be all of us in one degree or other under the Christian in- peculiar and select people of his, we see what an awful stitution? What is it for? That which hath so very im- business was made of it. God comes down; manifests his portant principles must have a proportionable end. Then glorious presence in the mountain that he had selected for let us see what that is. Religion is a thing that terminates that purpose; the people are there assembled and cast about upon eternity, that runs into another world: they therefore the foot of the mountain; the mountain is enclosed, and that are under the Christian institution (as we all are to be they are forbidden, on pain of death, to approach the borin the church of God while we are here in the world) are ders; "Touch not the borders; for whosoever toucheth to look upon themselves as so many candidates for the them shall die," Exod. xix. 20, 21. In that assembly of blessed eternity. Here in this world we are training up that people, on purpose to hear the divine oracles that were for heaven, for everlasting glory; and hereupon are the to be preached among them, there was a glorious revelaprinciples of religion, of the oracles of God, represented tion that came from heaven. And do we think the Gospel as the most important things, that have their final and de- revelation that we have is less glorious? No, saith the terminate reference to another world, the glories of the apostle, "The glory wherewith the law was given upon heavenly and eternal state. This were a great thought for mount Sinai, was no glory in comparison with this glory us to carry about with us, whensoever we are under Gos- that so much excels." Oh! we should be learners with pel teaching, to think that God hath provided and taken the greatest reverence imaginable, as having from time to care that I should be trained up for heaven and fitted for time the divine oracles to be opened among us. Here is the eternal kingdom, and for an everlasting abode in that the most glorious appearance of God. When there was blessed glorious state. And when you are training up your comparatively an unspeakably less appearance even than child, oh! how great a thing is it to be training it up in the that on mount Sinai, that is, when some of the Divine knowledge of God! for there are some steps that must be glory shone in one bush, it is charged upon Moses (to taken with it, to make it meet for partaking" of the inhe- strike his mind with a due awe) presently to put off his ritance of the saints in light." You know there is great shoes. This was to be significant to us, with what great care taken about the education of great heirs. The very and profound reverence we are to have our souls impresschildren of the church are God's children. He calls themed and possessed upon an appearance of God; and these so, (Ezekiel xvi. 20, 21.) “Is this a small matter that thou hast slain my children ?" speaking of Jewish parents making their children pass through the fire to Moloch. In the degenerate state of that church and people, he calls them his children. Now I say, great care is wont to be taken in the education of great heirs. Those that are the children of God and are really so, if children they are also heirs; and they are begotten to a lively hope, to an inheritance that is incorruptible and undefiled. And they are, by "the sincere milk of the word" which they receive from time to time, to grow up to a fitness and capacity to partake of that inheritance. We should never think of the principles of the Christian religion, but it should put us in mind of the end of it, and what it refers to. And yet again,

6. We may further learn from hence, that since there is such need that such principles should be taught, men should take heed of neglecting, and much more of opposing, any fit methods wherein they may be taught. And why do they so? Why, they think themselves too wise to learn, they understand too much already to need being taught. But while they account themselves so very wise, see how the Spirit of God counts them, what notion they pass under with him; "Fools despise instruction," Prov. i. 7. And that is certainly a very ill character, that the contempt of instruction brings upon persons: they think themselves wise, and God thinks them fools; and certainly his judgment is the most discerning and true: and as it draws on 3 bad character, so it is very likely to draw on a bad end

are the brightest and most glorious appearances, in the kind, that we know above any besides.

(2.) We should apply ourselves to learn the things of the kingdom of God with very deep humility; with a most humble sense of our own ignorance, and that we know so little. "He that thinks he knows any thing, knows nothing as he ought to know," saith the apostle. And nothing was a more ignominious brand upon a sort of men that did start up early in the Christian church, that affected to be called by the name of gnostic, than that they so much valued themselves upon that knowledge to which they pretended, and but pretended; as that name did signify. Whether they were so soon called by that name, as some imagine, is a matter of doubt, but the genius and spirit of the men undoubtedly appeared early; and many passages in the epistles of the apostles have a direct reference thereunto, as particularly that, (1 Cor. viii. 2.) Knowledge puffeth up, but love edifieth." But (I say) it was the ignominy and reproach of that sort of men, that they did so highly glory in an airy kind of knowledge, that they were never the better for, nay, that made them undoubtedly upon the whole matter much worse men: it doth always so where there is not great humility, which doth accompany and go with knowledge. That is, they who are learners, ought to consider themselves as such, as we must all of us always be while we are here in this world, such as "know but in part." Here we are to have very self-diminishing thoughts of our own knowledge. Surely it is but

little that we know, as we find Agur speaks concerning | but what sort of knowledge was it he aimed at? See what himself; "I am more brutish than any man, and have not it was in what follows, such a knowledge as by which he the understanding of a man." And so the Psalmist speaks might be transformed into his likeness, whereby he might of himself, (Psal. Ixxiii.) "So foolish was I and ignorant; be conformable to his death and to his resurrection, such I was as a beast before thee." Such diminishing thoughts a knowledge as to have the image impressed by it of a it becomes us to have of ourselves, as to look upon our- crucified and glorified Jesus. And no other knowledge selves under such a self-despising notion, (as I may so would serve his turn, "I count all things but loss and dros speak,) that while we are here we are but in a state of and dung in comparison of the knowledge of Jesus Christ learners, and must be so as long as we are in this earthly my Lord," so to "know him" as to "be found in him," as state. But then, to have "the fellowship of his sufferings and the power of his death," and to attain with him the resurrection from the dead.

Being, and no knowledge, rightly so called, which some | so clearly to be understood, that they are manifestly left way or other depends not upon divine knowledge. He is not only the first being, but the first and primary known, the primum esse and the primum cognoscibile, as he is justly to be reckoned.

(as the close of this verse is) without all excuse who understand them not. And upon that account, in the words presently following, "that which may be known," (so we read it,) the expression is, that which is known of God; but the meaning is, that which may be known of God, as we translate it. Then,

Now this text shows us the true method of arriving to the knowledge of him, the unmade Being, by the things that are made; and not only to the certainty of his exist- Thirdly, We are to consider the evidencing medium in ence, but of the excellency of his nature; both discover-the text, "by the things that are made;" the made things able by the same light, by the same evidencing mediums, that are visible, are clearly demonstrative of their unmade which that you may see, let us view the contents of this Cause, of the excellency of the power and Godhead of that text briefly. We have in it, invisible Being who is the unmade Maker of them. And, Fourthly, You have the constancy and continuedness of this concealment and revelation, "from the creation of the world." It is not ex, out of, but ano, from; and notes the term of time and not casualty, which is expressed in the other phrase of speech we noted to you before, "the things that are made." But all along, ever since the world began, ever since there was a world in being, the invisible things of God, his eternal power and Godhead, they have been concealed and revealed; concealed in one respect, that is, they have been invisible to mortal eyes; and revealed in another respect, that is, have been visible to mortal minds. And then you have,

First, What is revealed concerning God, expressed first of all more indefinitely, "the invisible things of him." This must not be understood distinctively, as if some things of God were visible and some invisible; that is, of things belonging to the Divine nature; but it must be understood adversatively, that is, though they are invisible, and notwithstanding their invisibility, they are yet clearly demonstrable by the things that are made. And then, secondly, they are declared to us more expressly, first, in one great instance of his eternal power, the effects whereof we see (as is here said) in the things that are made. But the cause itself is still invisible. And this is most fitly instanced in reference to the creature and the creation, which is said to be demonstrative thereof. All this vast creation, with that great variety of creatures that do compose and make it up, having lain in that, as in the pregnant womb thereof, from all eternity; out of which it is at length produced by it as its mighty creative cause. And then, secondly, besides this instance of one peculiar excellency of the Divine Being, (his eternal power,) to save a long and a particular enumeration, all the rest of the divine excellencies are summed up in that one expression, “God- | head:" his eternal power and Godhead, comprehending all his other excellencies and perfections besides. This is the first thing we have to note to you from the text-what is revealed concerning God, even the invisible things of him, particularly his eternal power, the immediate cause of all things, and his Godhead, which comprehends all his excellencies together. And,

Fifthly, In the last place, (which will be fit to be considered as the use of all,) the inexcusableness of those that receive not this revelation; so that they are without excuse, that do not acknowledge and adore the invisible Godhead, so demonstrating himself by the things that are made.

As to what we intend, you may take the ground of the whole discourse from this scripture thus.

That the sundry excellencies of the Divine Being, allcomprehending Godhead, are clearly demonstrable by the things that are made. And you may take in (as that which gives the greater lustre to the truth) that which is put adversatively, if you please, notwithstanding their invisibility in themselves."

In speaking to this, these two things are principally to be insisted on:

I. They show you what the Godhead comprehends, as far as is needful or possible unto us, or what are the excellencies that belong to the nature of God. And then, II. To show how these are demonstrable of him by the things that are made.

Secondly, We have to consider here the revelation hereof, these things "are clearly seen," seen, and clearly seen. This indeed looks like a riddle; invisible things seen! and clearly seen! things are seen that are invisible, or that cannot be seen! But the next words solve it, "be- I shall not dispute the reasonableness of that method in ing understood by the things that are made." Seen! How speaking to other subjects, first to inquire about the an sit, are they seen? Not occularly, but intellectually; they are and then about the quod sit, or rather the quid sit; to inseen as being understood. They are seen by the eye of quire first whether such a thing be, and then to inquire the mind, though they cannot be seen by the bodily eye. what it is. There may, indeed, as to some confused knowGod, and every thing belonging to the nature of God, be-ledge of a thing, be an inquiry concerning its existence, ing in that respect by the excellency thereof invisible. But and afterwards a descent made to inquire more particularly it may be said, How are they so seen and clearly seen by into its precise nature. But simply speaking, it would be the minds and understandings of men? when the com- the most absurd thing in the world to inquire first whether plaint is concerning men generally, even in the very con- this or that be, before there is any apprehension at all what text, "their foolish hearts are darkened," and "the light it is; for then we inquire about a shadow; and neither he shineth in darkness, and the darkness comprehendeth it that demonstrates, nor he to whom the demonstration is not:" as it is in the beginning of John's Gospel. How made, can do other than beat the air; the one understands then are they intellectually seen? Why nothing is more not himself, nor can the other understand what he goes usual than to express a matter of right (where that right is about. But it would be much more absurd in this case, most evident) by matter of fact, and by such forms of to follow such a method as that, because, by universal conspeech as signify the fact. "No man liveth to himself;" sent, the Divine nature includes existence in it, which that is, no man should. It is so plain a case that no man some therefore rely upon as sufficient demonstration of the should live to himself, that when the design is to speak existence of God, that is, that his very idea doth include the reason of the thing, this is the expression of it, "no existence, so that it is impossible to conceive of the Divine man liveth to himself," that is, is allowed to do so; and Being, but we must conceive of it as existing, inasmuch as indeed in common language it is usual to express the pas- the very idea and notion of it is inclusive of all perfections, sive future by the present or the preterit, as we say, vir whereof existence cannot be but one, and a very fundaspectatus, for vir spectabilis, or spectandus; one that is very mental one, too, to all the rest. And therefore it must be much regarded, for one that ought to be or deserves to be so. a manifest contradiction, so much as but to suppose, that And a thing that we say is indubitate fidei, of undoubted the most perfect Being must not exist, because a possibility faith and certainty; we mean by it indubitante, that ought of not existing is a very great and manifest imperfection. not to be doubted, or that there is no reason why it should be doubted. So " clearly seen" here, is clearly to be seen and understood, that is, such as might be understood, that ought to be understood, and there is no reason why they are not understood, but because men will not understand; shut their eyes and are willingly blind and ignorant, "not liking" (as it is afterwards expressed in the context) "to retain God in their knowledge." Or, there are here things

it

But that is not the method of demonstration which I

choose, but that which the text lays before us, that is, to demonstrate by that which is made, both the certainty of God's existence, and the excellency of his nature. But the latter we must have some understanding of first, otherwise neither do I nor you know what we are doing, if we have no apprehension among us, who or what a one he is, whose existence we speak of.

I. This therefore comes to be considered and inquired into, what excellencies we must suppose the Godhead or Divine nature (which is all one) doth comprehend. And here it must be acknowledged, we enter into a vast and most profound abyss; and you and I have all of us great reason to apprehend our need of much forgiveness, that after so great opportunity as we have had to learn better, we understand and know little yet of what we are to speak and hear of; and we have great need to supplicate and look up, that we may be enabled to speak and hear worthily concerning the blessed and eternal God, and to speak things of him fit to be spoken, and to hear them as it is fit to hear such things.

Why, in general it is certain the name of God doth import a being absolutely perfect, a Being comprehensive of all perfections.

And now here it may be said, This throws us into a sort of despair; for certainly a Being comprehensive of all perfections, must be to us altogether incomprehensible; we can never comprehend what doth itself comprehend all things.

When we inquire, What doth the idea or notion of God include? what are we to conceive of the nature of God, as he is the object of our religion? we must have such a representation of him as this in our minds; that he is an eternal, self-subsisting Being, himself unmade, and the intelligent and free Author and Original of every thing that is made. Conceive him so, and you have before you the object of your worship, the object of religion, one that claims by a natural right that you fall down and adore him. This is some answer to the former of these inquiries,-What we are to conceive by that name of God as represented and held forth to us under that name, or what is it that the Godhead doth comprehend, so far as is answerable to our purpose, that is, of stating before you an object of religion. II. And now the second thing we have to do, is to demonstrate all this concerning God, by the things that are made: which is that method of demonstration that the text furnishes us with, and directs us unto. If such a Being as this doth exist in reality, have actual existence in such a being, or he doth exist such and as such, then we can be in no further doubt, whether we have an object I answer, Very true indeed: and yet there is a know- of worship, an object of religion, yea or no. But now ledge of this incomprehensible and all-comprehending the demonstration of the existence of such a Being, by Being, which is necessary as our first step, not only in things that are made, must be done by parts, according as what we are now about, but in reference to whatsoever else there are parts that this representation of the object of rewe have to go about to do, or to enjoy in all time, or in all | ligion is made up of; and so we shall proceed gradually eternity. But to relieve our thoughts here a little, you part by part. As, must know that we are not to treat of this incomprehensible 1. We have this to demonstrate to you, that there is exand all-comprehending Being, in the way of metaphysicians isting an ETERNAL BEING, that was of itself, depending upon and philosophers, who must have notions of things, ideas nothing for its being or existence; and this we have to of them, (it is that which they profess and pretend to,) ad- demonstrate to you by the things that are made; that is equate to the things themselves whereof they treat; but thus: though that eternal Being is invisible; you see him our business is to speak of this ever-blessed Being as per- not with your eyes; it is a being of too high an excelsons professing religion; not as philosophers, but as reli- lency ever to be seen of mortal eyes, or by the eyes of the gionists; and so we are to consider him as the object of our flesh, or by external sense; yet there are things in being religion, the first thing to be considered in all religion; and that are visible, and of the existence whereof you can be so the name of our inquiry comes to this, Have we an ob- sure. You are sure that yourselves are, and that you are ject for our religion, yea or no? And if we cannot reach some of the things that are made; for you very well to comprehend (as it is impossible we should) all that doth know, that you began to be, that you have not been albelong to the Godhead, if yet we can reach to apprehend ways, and that you have been but a little while then, I so much as will represent and recommend him to us, as a say, from that which you may be sure of, that it is a being, worthy, deserving object of our religion, our business is you may be likewise sure, there is an eternal Being that done that is what we design, and we may know so much was from everlasting of itself. And I would not have concerning him as to know him to be a fit object, or worthy you herein to debase your own minds and understandings, of religion, without knowing all of him, which is impos- as if they could not be at a certainty about such a thing sible; and if it were possible it would undeify him. He as this, though the matter falls not under the sight of the could not be God if we could comprehend him. He could eye. As to what is to be inferred, to be collected and not be a Deity if a finite mind were comprehensive of him. concluded, it would be too great a debasement of human And that you may a little understand the reasonable- nature, and the mind and spirit of a man, to suppose or ness of what I now say, do but consider what knowledge imagine that this mind and spirit cannot be as certain of of man it is necessary for you to have in order to your its object, as external sense can be of its object. You conversing with men. Is it not possible for one man to think you are very sure of what you see with your eyes, converse with another, without having a full and entire and you have reason to think you are so and you are knowledge of the full and entire guidity (as I may so speak) so. But I would have you to apprehend too, that you of human nature? must a man know all the properties and may be as sure of something that you only know with attributes of human nature, or he cannot converse with your mind as you can be of any thing that you see with men? I hope there are many men converse one with an- your eyes and you wrong your own understandings if other besides philosophers. And so, I say, it is equally you will not think the one sort of things to be as certain possible for you to converse with God, without knowing as the other sort. You think (for instance) we are all every thing belonging to his nature. It is enough in order very sure that we see one another, and are here present hereunto, and that so you may be in a possibility of con- together at this time: you see me and I see you. No man versing with him by religion, as the great object of your but will think this a very absolute certainty of what falls religion the only object of your religion, that you know under sight. But let me appeal to you now, whether you him to be more perfect than any thing else, or all things cannot be certain of something that only falls under the else, though you do not fully know how excellent or per- view of your mind, and not under your sight at all. Are fect he is, or ever can. But this our conception of him in you not as sure that two and two make four, as you are the general, that he is a Being absolutely perfect, or uni- that you and I see one another? the one as an object of versally perfect, must comprehend all that can be thought, the mind only, the other as an object of sense. And pray and all that can be said, concerning him. Yet, in the is not the one of these as certain as the other? Am I not mean time, this is too general to denote to us the object of as certain that two and two make four, as that we see one our religion. We must have more particular and more another? Have you not as much satisfaction of the truth distinct thoughts of him whom we are to worship, to whom of the one as of the truth of the other? Well, that being we are to pay all duty, and from whom we are to expect now laid, I doubt not but if you will use your understandall felicity, than only this one general notion doth furnishings, you will see and confess that you are as certain, that us with. That is, that he is one that is universally or absolutely perfect; we must necessarily descend and come down to particulars; and think what particulars are necessary to constitute and make up for us the object of our worship and religion. And so you may take this more particular (though yet short) account.

an eternal Being is, which you see not, as you are that
any being is, that you do see.

Why! how can we be as certain? you will say.
Why, plainly and shortly thus, from this consequence,
If any thing is, something hath always been. Do but con-
sider and weigh in your own minds the clearness of this

consequence. If you can be sure that something now is, you may be as sure that something hath ever been, been from eternity, or (which is all one) that there is an eternal Being. Well, but how will this consequence be made out ? Why, plainly, by taking the reverse of it. Do but suppose with yourselves nothing more is; then the manifest consequence will be, that to eternity nothing can ever be, and of this (if you will think) you may be as sure, as you can of this, that two and two make four. That is, do but lay down this, and suppose it: there is nothing now in being no where, or any where; whatsoever there was, there is now nothing of one sort or another in being; you then may be sure, that to all eternity nothing can ever happen to be for nothing can spring or start up out of nothing into being of itself. Can you be surer of any thing than of this, that if you could suppose the whole universe of being not to be, or that from eternity it was not, to all eternity it would never be, it could never be. Then how plain a consequence is this, if something now is, something hath always been; if there be any being, there is an eternal Being. For if there had been any time, or any moment, in all conceivable eternity, wherein there was nothing in being, nothing had ever come into being, or could possibly have done so. This then is the first step, there is an ETERNAL BEING, and nothing can be plainer. But now,

LECTURE IV.*

where, to wit, by a word's speaking. He spake and they were made. He commanded and they stood forth. That there are made things is a proof to us that he was their Maker. A made thing and a maker are relatives one to another, and there can be no maker of that which was of itself. Whence should that which was made not of itself come, but from that being that was of itself?

4. We must conceive and may clearly prove from what is made, the vast power of the Eternal Being. The things that are made prove that he is a Being of the greatest conceivable power, the greatest that we can conceive, and indeed unspeakably greater than we can conceive. This appears in that, first, he hath made all things out of nothing: as nothing can of itself arise out of nothing, so it is the greatest power that is conceivable to bring any thing out of nothing: if all the contrivances and all the power of this world were put together to bring the least thing out of nothing, you would easily apprehend it impossible to all. If all the force that is in the whole earth, and even in the whole creation, should be exerted together to bring a grain of sand out of nothing, you would easily apprehend it would never be, and therefore how vast is that power of this Eternal Being! he to whom the eternal Godhead belongs, (as the text speaks,) to bring things into being that were not; that were nothing immediately before. But then, secondly, consider also the vastness of the creation. To bring the least thing out of nothing must require the greatest power, but to bring so great a creation as this out of nothing, is that which doth render the power of the Creator both perspicuous and admirable at once. To have such a frame of things as we behold with our eyes from day to day made to rise up out of nothing, and only by a 2. WE come in the next place to prove to you the self-word speaking, how perspicuous and admirable doth it eviexistence of such a Being. There is such a Being first, and dence his infinite power! But, now secondly, that eternal Being must be of itself, could 5. We are to apprehend and may prove, the admirable no other way be, but of and from itself. Now here you beneficence of him that made them. If we cast our eye must conjoin these two things in your own thoughts, that through the universe, and consider, that the first order of so (as you will see in the sequel) every thing that is thus creatures that have life are made capable of pleasure; some proved, may be found to be proved of one and the same kind of satisfaction to themselves, that is, that are capable being. Now then it is evident, that this eternal Being is of the meaner life, the sensitive life; and that the creatures the first of all beings, there can be nothing before it, and beneath them are made to afford the matter of that pleatherefore it cannot have its existence from another, there sure; when it was very easily possible for a Being of vast, being nothing before it, from whence it could have its ex- immense power to have made creatures only for self-toristence, and therefore it must have its existence from itself; ment; upon this account it appears that the whole earth, not by once beginning to exist, for we have shown already, the whole creation, is full of his goodness. So that rising it is impossible, that if there were nothing in being, any thing a little from the meanest sort and order of creatures, you should of itself rise up out of nothing into being. And immediately ascend to such a sort and order of creatures therefore this is such a Being, as must be understood by as hath, every one, its suitable delectation. That all the the excellency of its own nature, to have been always in repasts of that life that are given to the several orders of being without beginning, and so it will appear to be an creatures, are mingled and sweetened with so much deeternal Being and to be a self-existing Being both at once; light, speaks all to be full of his goodness. Whatsoever is or (which is all one) a necessary Being, a Being that doth necessary for the support of it, is generally taken in with not depend upon will and pleasure, as all made things do. delight and complacency. If this Being who is the Author All made things depend upon will and pleasure; "for and Spring of all other beings, were not a being of admithy pleasure they are, and were created. But the un-rable goodness and beneficence, it had been as easy a thing made Being must needs be self-existent, no way depend- to him, that what should have been necessary for the suping upon the pleasure of another, there being nothing be- port of inferior beings should always have been accompafore it, and so (which is the same thing) itself necessarily nied with torture as well as pleasure. That whereas we existing, as that excellency, that peculiar excellency of and the creatures beneath us find it needful in order to the its own nature, to which it was simply repugnant not to support of life to eat and drink, he might have ordered it exist. And so for the same reason, if there have been an so that there never should have been eating and drinking eternal self-subsisting Being, there must be still an eternal without torment: now we find it is with continued pleaself-subsisting Being, for it is upon these terms, and for sure, for the greater part, with all sorts of creatures whose that reason, for which it was impossible to it ever not to case doth require it. And again, be. And so that nature which he is pleased to assume to himself is most admirably expressive of this peculiarity of his nature, "I AM THAT I AM," or simply "I AM," Exod. iii. 14. All beings besides being but (as it were) shadows of being in comparison of this. And

3. We are further to conceive and to prove concerning this Being, its causation of all things else: this is an attribute of the Divine Being, as it is itself without cause, so to be the Cause of every thing. Itself unmade, but the Maker of all things that are made. A thing the blessed God doth justly and often glory in, in sundry parts of Scripture: The Maker of heaven and earth." The first as well as the last. He of whom and from whom all things are; and we are told again and again how, in the beginning of Genesis and the beginning of the Gospel of John, and elsePreached Dec. 12th, 1690.

6. We must understand from the things that are made, this Eternal Being to have been their intelligent and designing Maker. We are to prove this intellectuality from the things that are made; that he is an intellectual Being, that he did not give rise to this creation by an effort of vast and resistless power alone; but by a power that was guided and governed by wisdom, so as to know and design all his work throughout. And (as I have told you) it being our business in speaking to this head, to evince and make out to you an object of religion, to give you a plain and satisfactory answer to this first question, Have we an object of religion, yea or no? this is most absolutely necessary to the resolution of it. We have not an object of religion without this, that is, without the supposition of an intellectual designing Maker of all things. If we should suppose