-The mode of truth is likewise, in reality, two-fold,-necessary and contingent; according to which, a thing, whether it be simple or complex, is called "necessary" or " contingent." The necessity of a simple thing is the necessary existence of the thing itself, whether it obtain the place of a subject or that of an attribute. The necessity of a complex thing is the unavoidable and essential disposition and habitude that subsists between the subject and the attribute.

That necessity which, as we have just stated, is to be considered in simple things, exists in nothing except in God and in those things which, although they agree with him in their nature, are yet distinguished from him by our mode of considering them.-All other things, whatever may be their qualities, are contingent, from the circumstance of their being brought into action by power; neither are they contingent only by reason of their beginning, but also of their continued duration. Thus the existence of God, is a matter of necessity; his life, wisdom, goodness, justice, mercy, will, and power, likewise have a necessary existence. But the existence and preservation of the creatures are not of necessity. Thus also creation, preservation, government, and whatever other acts are attributed to God in respect of his creatures, are not of necessity. The foundation of necessity is the nature of God; the principle of contingency is the free-will of the Deity. The more durable it has pleased God to create any thing, the nearer is its approach to necessity, and the farther it recedes from contingency;-although it never pass beyond the boundaries of contingency, and never reach the inaccessible abode of necessity.

Complex necessity exists not only in God, but also in the things of his creation. It exists in God, partly on account of the foundation of his nature, and partly on account of the principle of his free-will: But its existence in the creatures is only from the free-will of God, who at once resolved that this should be the relation and habitude between two created objects. Thus "God lives, understands, and loves,” is a necessary truth from his very nature as God. "God is the Creator," "Jesus Christ is the Saviour," "An angel is a created spirit endowed with intelligence and will," and, "A man is a rational creature," are all necessary truths from the free-will of God.

From this statement it appears, that degrees may be constituted in the necessity of a complex truth; that the highest may be attributed to that truth which rests upon the nature

of God as its foundation; that the rest, which proceed from the will of God, may be excelled by that which (by means of a greater affection of his will) God has willed to invest with such right of precedence; and that it may be followed by that which God has willed by a less affection of his will.—The motion of the sun is necessary from the very nature of that luminary; but it is more necessary that the children of Israel be preserved and avenged on their enemies; the sun is therefore commanded to stand still in the midst of the heavens. (Joshua x. 13.) It is necessary that the sun be borne along from the East to the West, by the diurnal motion of the heavens: But it is more necessary that Hezekiah receive, by a sure sign, a confirmation of the prolongation of his life; the sun, therefore, when commanded, returns ten degrees backwards; (Isai. xxxviii. 8.) and thus it is proper, that the less necessity should yield to the greater,-and that from the freewill of God which has imposed a law on both of them. As this kind of necessity actually exists in things, the mind, by observing the same degrees, apprehends and knows it,-if such a mode of cognition can truly deserve the name of "knowledge."

But the causes of this CERTAINTY are three. For it is produced on the mind, either by the senses, by reasoning and discourse, or by revelation. The first is called the certainty of experience; the second, that of knowledge; and the last, that of faith. The first is the certainty of particular objects which come within the range and under the observation of the senses; the second is that of general conclusions deduced from known principles; and the last is that of things remote from the cognizance both of the senses and reason.

II. Let these observations now be applied to our present purpose. The object of our Theology is God, and Christ in reference to his being God and Man. God is a true Being, and the only necessary one, on account of the necessity of his nature. Christ is a true Being, existing by the will of God; and he is also a necessary Being, because he will endure to all eternity. The things which are attributed to God in our Theology, partly belong to his nature, and partly agree with it by his own free will. By his nature, life, wisdom, goodness, justice, mercy, will, and power belong to him, by a natural and absolute necessity. By his free-will all his volitions and actions concerning the creatures, agree with his nature, and that immutably; because he willed at the same time, that they

should not be retracted or repealed. All those things which are attributed to Christ, belong to him by the free-will of God, -but on this condition, that "Christ be the same yesterday, and to-day, and for ever," (Heb. xiii. 1.) entirely exempt from any future change, whether it be that of a subject or its attributes, or of the affection which exists between the two. All other things, which are found in the whole superior and inferior nature of things, (whether they be considered simply in themselves, or as they are mutually affected among themselves,) do not extend to any degree of this necessity. The truth and necessity of our Theology, therefore, far exceed the necessity of all other sciences, in as much as both these, [the truth and necessity] are at their own disposal in the things themselves. The certainty of the mind, while it is engaged in the act of apprehending and knowing things, cannot exceed the TRUTH and NECESSITY of the things themselves; on the contrary, it very often may, like a spent arrow, not reach them, [the truth and necessity,] through some defect in its capacity; for the eyes of our mind are in the same condition with respect to the pure truth of things, as are the eyes of owls with respect to the light of the Sun. On this account, therefore, it is of necessity, that the object of no science can be known with greater certainty than that of Theology; but it follows rather, that a knowledge of this object may be obtained with the greatest degree of certainty,― if it be presented in a qualified and proper manner to the inspection of the understanding according to its capacity; but it is not the object of its nature and condition, that it can become an object to the external senses, and that, by their observation and experience, its attributes, properties, affections, actions, and passions can be known, It is also more sublime; and the attributes, properties, affections, actions, and passions, which agree with it, are so high that the mind, even when assisted by reason and discourse, can neither know it, investigate its attributes, nor demonstrate that they agree with the subject, whatever the principles may be which it has applied, and to whatever causes it may have had recourse, whether they be such as arise from the object itself, from its attributes, or from the agreement which subsists between them. The object is known to itself alone; and the whole truth and necessity, are properly

* I am not acquainted with any other mode in which this metaphysical clause can be translated. I quote it here as it stands in every edition which I have consulted,—quatenus quidem utraque in rebus ipsis est sua.

and immediately known to HIM to whom they belong ;-to God in the first place and in an adequate degree; to Christ, in the second place, through the communication of God: To itself, in an adequate manner, in reference to the knowledge which it has of itself; in an inferior degree to God, in reference to his knowledge of him [Christ].+ Revelation is therefore necessary by which God may exhibit himself and his Christ as an object of sight and knowledge to our understanding; and this exhibition to be made in such a manner as to unfold at once all their attributes, properties, affections, actions, and passions, as far as it is permitted for them to be known, concerning God and his Christ, to our salvation and to their glory; and that God may thus disclose all and every portion of those theorems in which both the subjects themselves and all their attending attributes are comprehended. Revelation is necessary, if it be true that God and his Christ ought to be known, and both of them be worthy to receive Divine honours and worship. But both of them ought to be known and worshipped; the revelation, therefore, of both of them is necessary; and because it is thus necessary, it has been made by God. For if nature, as a partaker and communicator of a good that is only partial, is not deficient in the things that are necessary; how much less ought we even to suspect such a deficiency in God, the Author and Artificer of nature, who is also the Chief Good?

But to inspect this subject a little more deeply and particularly, will amply repay our trouble; for it is similar to the foundation on which must rest the weight of the structure,the other doctrines which follow. For unless it should appear certain and evident, that a revelation has been made, it will be in vain to enquire and dispute about the word in which that revelation has been made and is contained. In the first place, then, the very nature of God most clearly evinces that a revelation has been made of himself and Christ. His nature is good, beneficent, and communicative of his blessedness, whether it be that which proceeds from it by creation, or that which is God himself. But there is no communication made of Divine good, unless God be made known to the understanding, and be desired by the affections and the will. But he

+The whole of this sentence stands thus: "Soli sibi notum est objectum; totaque veritas et necessitas proprie et immediate cognita est illi cui competit: Deo primo et adæquatè, Christo secundariò per communicationem Dei: Sibi adæquatè, quâ se cognoscit, inferius Deo, quâ cognoscit illum." This last clause is capable of being construed in a different manner, but with as much appearance of scholastic lore as it has in the present translation.

cannot become an object of knowledge except by revelation. A revelation therefore is made, as a necessary administrator of

communication.

2. The necessity of this revelation may in various ways be inferred and taught from the nature and condition of man.— First, By nature, man possesses a mind and understanding. But it is just that the mind and understanding should be turned towards their Creator; this, however, cannot be done without a knowledge of the Creator, and such knowledge cannot be obtained except by revelation; a revelation has therefore been made.-Secondly. God himself formed the nature of man capable of Divine Good: But in vain would it have had such a capacity, if it might not at some time partake of this Divine Good; but of this the nature of man cannot be made a partaker except by the knowledge of it; the knowledge of this Divine Good has therefore been manifested.-Thirdly. It is not possible, that the desire which God has implanted within man should be vain and fruitless. That desire is for the enjoy ment of an Infinite Good, which is God; but that Infinite Good cannot be enjoyed, except it be known; a revelation therefore has been made, by which it may be known.

3. Let that relation be brought forward which subsists between God and man, and the revelation that has been made will immediately become manifest. God, the Creator of man, has deserved it as his due, to receive worship and honour from the workmanship of his hands, on account of the benefit which he conferred by the act of creation. Religion and piety are due to God, from man his creature; and this obligation is co-eval with the very birth of man,-as the bond which contains this requisition was given on the very day in which he was created. But religion could not be a human invention. For it is the will of God to receive worship according to the rule and appointment of his own will. A revelation was therefore made, which exacts from man the religion due to God, and prescribes that worship which is in accordance with his pleasnre and his

honour.

4. If we turn our attention towards Christ, it is amazing how great the necessity of a manifestation appears, and how many arguments immediately present themselves in behalf of a revelation being communicated. Wisdom wishes to be acknowledged as the deviser of the wonderful attempering and qualifying of justice and mercy. Goodness and gracious mercy, as the administrators of such an immense benefit, ought