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CHAPTER XXIV.

OF THE NATURAL ATTRIBUTES OF THE

DEITY.

Ir is an immenfe conclufion, that there is a God; a perceiving, intelligent, defigning Being; at the head of creation, and from whose will it proceeded. The attributes of fuch a Being, fuppofe his reality to be proved, muft be adequate to the magnitude, extent, and multiplicity of his operations: which are not only vaft beyond comparison with those performed by any other power, but, fo far as refpects our conceptions of them, infinite, because they are unlimited on all fides.

Yet the contemplation of a nature fo exalted, however furely we arrive at the proof of its existence, overwhelms our faculties. The mind feels its power fink under the fubject. One confequence of which is, that from painful abftraction the thoughts feek relief in fenfible images. From whence may be deduced the ancient, and almoft univerfal, propensity

to

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fources of a labouring imagination. Falfe religions ufually fall in with the natural propenfity: true religions, or fuch as have derived themselves from the true, refift it.

It is one of the advantages of the revelations which we acknowledge, that, whilst they reject idolatry with its many pernicious accompaniments, they introduce the Deity to human apprehenfion, under an idea more perfonal, more determinate, more within its compass, than the theology of nature can do. And this they do by representing him exclufively under the relation in which he ftands to ourselves; and, for the most part, under fome precife character, refulting from that relation, or from the history of his providences. Which method fuits the span of our intellects much better, than the univerfality which enters into the idea of God, as deduced from the views of nature. When, therefore, thefe reprefentations are well founded in point of authority, (for all depends upon that,) they afford a condefcenfion to the ftate of our faculties, of which, those, who have reflected most upon the subject, will be the first to acknowledge the want and the value.

Nevertheless,

Nevertheless, if we be careful to imitate the documents of our religion, by confining our explanations to what concerns ourfelves, and do not affect more precision in our ideas than the fubject allows of, the several terms, which are employed to denote the attributes of the Deity, may be made, even in natural religion, to bear a fenfe, confiftent with truth and reason, and not furpaffing our comprehenfion.

Thefe terms are, omnipotence, omniscience, omniprefence, eternity, felf-existence, neceffary existence, fpirituality.

"Omnipotence," "omnifcience;" infinite power, infinite knowledge, are fuperlatives; expreffing our conception of these attributes in the strongest, and most elevated, terms, which language fupplies, We ascribe power to the Deity under the name of “omnipotence," the strict and correct conclufion being, that a power, which could create fuch a world as this is, muft be, beyond all comparison, greater, than any which we experience in ourfelves, than any which we obferve in other visible agents; greater, alfo, than any which we can want, for our individual protection and prefervation, in the Being upon whom we depend. It is a power likewife, to which we

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are not authorised by our obfervation or knowledge, to affign any limits of fpace or dura

tion.

Very much of the fame fort of remark is applicable to the term "omnifcience," infinite knowledge, or infinite wifdom. In ftrictnefs of language, there is a difference between knowledge and wisdom; wifdom always fuppofing action, and action directed by it. With refpect to the first, viz. knowledge, the Creator must know, intimately, the conftitution and properties of the things which he created; which feems alfo to imply a foreknowledge of their action upon one another, and of their changes; at least, fo far as the fame refult from trains of phyfical and neceffary causes. His omnifcience also, as far as refpects things prefent, is deducible from his nature, as an intelligent being, joined with the extent, or rather the univerfality, of his operations. Where he acts, he is; and, where he is, he perceives. The wisdom of the Deity, as teftified in the works of creation, furpaffes all idea we have of wisdom, drawn from the highest intellectual operations of the highest clafs of intelligent Beings with whom we are acquainted; and, which is of the chief importance to us, whatever be its compass or extent,

which it is evidently impoffible that we should be able to determine, it must be adequate to the conduct of that order of things under which we live. And this is enough. It is of very inferior confequence, by what terms we express our notion, or rather our admiration, of this attribute. The terms, which the piety and the ufage of language have rendered habitual to us, may be as proper as any other. We can trace this attribute much beyond what is neceffary for any conclufion to which we have occafion to apply it. The degree of knowledge and power, requifite for the formation of created nature, cannot, with respect to us, be diftinguished from infinite.

The divine " omniprefence" ftands, in natural theology, upon this foundation. In every part and place of the univerfe, with which we are acquainted, we perceive the exertion of a power, which we believe, mediately or immediately, to proceed from the Deity. For inftance; In what part or point of space, that has ever been explored, do we not difcover attraction? In what regions, do we not find light? In what acceffible portion of our globe, do not we meet with gravity, magnetifm, electricity; together with the proper

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