before, and evidently understood by our Lord in the same sense which had always been applied to it'hear, O Israel, the Lord our God is one Lord.' To which answer the scribe assented, v. 32. well, Master, thou hast said the truth; for there is one God, and there is none other but he.' John xvii. 3. this is life eternal, that they might know thee, the only true God.' Rom. iii. 30. seeing it is one God.' 1 Cor. 6 viii. 4. we know....that there is none other God but one.' v. 6. to us there is but one God, the Father, of whom are all things.' Gal. iii. 20. not a mediator of one; but God is one. ' one God and father of all.' 1 Tim. ii. a mediator is Eph. iv 6. 5. there is one God.' So, too, though be plural in the is also used אֱלֹהַ and elsewhere. But ; אֱלֹהִים בַּדִּים* in the singular, Psal. xviii. 31. who is God save Jehovah, or who is a rock save our God? which verse is sufficient to show that the singular and plural of this word both mean the same thing. More will be found on this subject in the fifth chapter. Hitherto those attributes only have been mentioned which describe the nature of God, partly in an affirmative sense, partly negatively, as where they deny the existence of those imperfections in the Deity, which belong to created things,-as, for instance, when we speak of his immensity, his infinity, his incorruptibility. The succeeding attributes are such as show his divine power and excellence under the ideas of vitality, intelligence and will. VOL. I. (qab onby nay, Psalm lxxxvi. 10. ] 5 1. Vitality. Deut. xxxii. 40. 'I live for ever,' whence he is called the living God.' Psal. xlii. 2. and in many other passages. John v. 26. the Father hath life in himself." II. The attribute of omniscience refers to the in telligence of God. Gen. vi. 5. God saw.....every imagination of the thoughts of his heart.' Gen. xviii. 14. is any thing too hard for Jehovah ? 6 1 Chron. xxviii. 9. Jehovah searcheth all hearts.' 2 Chron. vi. 30. thou only knowest the hearts of the children of men.' Psal. xxxiii. 15. he fashioneth their hearts alike; he considereth all their works.' cxxxix. 2. 'thou understandest my thought afar off.' v. 4. 'for there is not a word in my tongue, but lo, O Jehovah, thou knowest it altogether.' cxlvii. 5. his understanding is infinite.' Job xi. 7-9.canst thou by searching find out God?' &c. xxvi. 6. hell is naked before him.' Prov. xv. 11. hell and destruction are before Jehovah; how much more then the hearts of the children of men.' xvi. 2. Jehovah weigheth the spirits.' xvii. 3. Jehovah trieth the hearts.' Isai. xl. 28. there is no searching of his understanding.' Jer. xvii. 10. I Jehovah search the heart, I try the reins,' whence, Acts i. 24. he is called the Lord which knoweth the hearts of all men.' Jer. xxiii. 23, 24. • am I a God at hand, saith Jehovah, and not a God afar off? can any hide himself in secret places that I shall not see him ?' Heb. iv. 13. all things are naked and opened unto the eyes of him,' whence he is called the only wise,' Dan. ii. 10. Rom. xvi. 27. 1 Tim. i. 17. So extensive is the prescience of God, that he knows beforehand the thoughts and actions of free agents as yet unborn, and many ages before those thoughts or actions have their origin. Deut. xxxi. 16. behold, thou shalt sleep with thy fathers; and this people will rise up, and go a whoring after the gods of the strangers of the land,' &c. v. 20, 21. then will they turn unto other gods,' &c. for I know the imagination which they go about even now, before I have brought them into the land which I sware.' 2 Kings viii. 12. I know the evil that thou wilt do unto the children of Israel.' 6 III. With reference to the will, God is, 1st. infinitely pure and holy. Exod. xv. 11. glorious in holiness.' Josh. xxiv. 19. he is an holy God.' 1 Sam. ii. 2. there is none holy as Jehovah.' vi. 20. 'before this holy God Jehovah.' Job xv. 15, the heavens are not clean in his sight.' Isai. vi. 2, 3. 'he covered his face.....and said, Holy, holy, holy, is the Lord of Hosts.' xl. 25. saith the Holy One.' xli. 20. the Holy One of Israel.' Habak. i. 13. 'thou art of purer eyes than to behold evil.' 6 6 6 2. He is most gracious. Exod. xxxiv. 6. 'merciful and gracious, long-suffering, and abundant in goodness and truth. See also Psal. lxxxvi. 15. and ciii. 8. v. 4. neither shall evil dwell with thee.' xxv. 6. thy lovingkindnesses.....have been ever of old.' ciii. 11. 'great is his mercy toward them that fear him.' v. 17. the mercy of Jehovah is from everlasting to everlasting.' cxix. 68. thou art good, and doest good.' Lam. iii. 22. it is of the mercies of Jehovah that we are not consumed.' Matt. xix. 17. 'there is none good but one, that is, God.' Luke vi. 36.be ye merciful, as your Father also is merciful.' 2 Cor. i. 3. the Father of mercies.' Eph. ii. 4. 'rich in mercy.' 1 John iv. 8. God is love.' And thus again God may be proved to be immutable, from the consideration of his infinite wisdom and goodness; since a being of infinite wisdom and goodness would neither wish to change an infinitely good state for another, nor would he be able to change it without contradicting his own attributes. 3. As God is true by nature, so is he also true and faithful in respect of his will. Psal. xix. 7. the testimony of Jehovah is sure.' John vii. 28. he that sent me is true.' Rom. iii. 4. let God be true, but every man a liar.' 2 Tim. ii. 13. if we believe not, yet he abideth faithful.' 1 Cor. i. 9. and x. 13. 'God is faithful.' Rev. vi. 10. O Lord, holy and true.' 4. He is also just. Deut. xxxii. 4. all his ways are judgement, a God of truth and without iniquity, just and right is he.' Psal. xxxvi. 6. 'thy righteousness is like the great mountains.' cxix. 137. 'rightcous art thou, O Jehovah, and upright are thy judgements.' Isai. v. 16. God....shall be sanctified in righteousness. It is not requisite to discuss at large in this place what is consistent or inconsistent with the justice of God, since if it be necessary to say any thing on so clear a subject, occasions will arise for introducing such observations as may be required in other parts of this work. Severity also is attributed to God. Rom. xi. 22. on them which fell, severity.' From all these attributes springs that infinite excellence of God which constitutes his true perfection, and causes him to abound in glory, and to be most deservedly and justly the supreme Lord of all things, according to the qualities so frequently ascribed to him. Psal. xvi. 11. in thy presence is fulness of joy.' civ. 1. 'thou art clothed with honour and majesty.' Dan. vii. 10. thousand thousands ministered unto him.' Matt. v. 48. as your Father which is in heaven is perfect.' 1 Tim. i. 11. 'the blessed God.' vi. 15. who is the blessed. . . . po' tentate.' Some description of this divine glory has been revealed, so far as it falls within the scope of human comprehension. Exod. xix. 18, &c. mount Sinai was altogether on a smoke-.' xxiv. 10, &c. they saw the God of Israel, and there was under his feet as it were a paved work of a sapphire stone, and as it were the body of heaven in his clearness.' xxxiii. 9, 10. the cloudy pillar descended, &c. &c.-' and v. 18, &c. 1 Kings xix. 11. behold, Jehovah passed by.' viii. 10, 11. 'the cloud filled the house of Jehovah.' xxii. 19. I saw Jehovah sitting on his throne.' Psal. xviii. 8, &c. and civ. Micah i. 3, &c. Nahum i. 3, &c. Isai. vi. Ezek. i. and viii. 1-3. and x. 1, &c. and xliii. 2, 3. Habak. iii. 3, &c. Dan. vii. 9. Rev. iv. It follows, finally, that God must be styled by us wonderful, and incomprehensible. Judges xiii. 18. 'why askest thou thus after my name, seeing it is secret?' Psal. cxlv. 3. his greatness is unsearchable.' Isai. xl. 28. there is no searching of his understanding. |