The Wind bloweth where it lifteth, and thou heareft the Sound thereof, but canft not tell whence it cometh, and whither EXOD. XX. I, 2, 3. And God fpake all these words, faying: 1 am the LORD thy God, who have brought thee out of the land of Egypt, out of SER- eft guard and enforcement of moral virtue. It must therefore be a most important question, --what we mean by the true knowledge of God? And the answer to it, in the main, is plain and obvious, and must be stated thus:that we afcribe all perfections to VOL. III. him, B SERM, him, and think, worthily and honourably 1. of his works and government. But this alone is not fufficient: For we may all agree in acknowledging the general attributes and characters of the Deity, and ftill entertain very false and reproachful notions of him, for want of having a just sense of what is included in each of these general characters, and explaining them in a right manner. If, for example, we frame fuch an idea of his goodnefs and justice as is confiftent with tyranny and oppreffion, or reconcile his being no refpecler of persons, with real partiality and arbitrary proceeding, we ufe good words it must be allowed; but our fentiments are corrupted and dangerous. And what ufeful end can it answer, to fpeak of the maker and fupreme governour of the world, in decent aud refpectful terms, if for want of knowing what is implyed, in the propofitions we affent to, and tracing them through. their natural confequences, we maintain other principles that are directly repugnant to them? To what purpose is it, to have learnt a language that we do not rightly underftand, to believe the infinite Being to be |