which existeth neceffarily from

ever

lafting, cannot reasonably be fuppofed to be liable to Alteration or Change, fince it can neither be supposed to have any Weaknefs or Principle of Change in itself, nor to be obnoxious to the Power of any external Caufe; it must also be poffeffed of infinite Perfection, without any Limitation or Defect. Derivative dependent Beings must be limited in one Refpect or another; and the Reason is plain, because they owe their Existence and their Perfections, their Nature and Properties, to the Power and Will of a fuperior Caufe. But that Being which exifteth neceffarily of itself cannot be limited; for it hath nothing to restrain. or limit it from without, fince there is no fuperior Caufe, on whom it dependeth ; nor hath it any Restriction or Limitation arising from within, fince its existing neceffarily could be only owing to the peculiar and tranfcendent Excellency of its own Nature; which is fuch, that it hath an abfolute Fulness of Being and Perfection independently in itself. For no imaginable Reason can be given why the self-originate, neceffarily exiftent Being, which hath nothing to fet Bounds to it, fhould have fome Perfections, and not all.

And now it appeareth what an eminent and glorious Prerogative, this of eternal and

and neceffary Existence is; and that there must needs be an infinite and unconceivable Distance between a Being to which this Privilege belongeth, and a Being which hath nothing of itself, but deriveth all that it is and hath from the Will and Power of another. We fhould therefore in the inward Estimation of our Minds, put an immenfe Difference between the eternal and neceffarily existent Jehovah, and all created Beings whatsoever; acknowledging his unequalled Majefty, that he is, and that there is none other befides him. He is the Tò cv, as one of the most eminent of the ancient Philofophers called him, the Being, by way of Eminency; or that which is, or exifteth, viz. neceffarily and of himself; whereas other Things have only a precarious contingent Exiftence, and therefore in comparison of God can hardly be said to be at all. What the Prophet faith concerning all the Nations of the Earth, may be faid concerning all the Orders of created Beings; that in the Sight of God and as compared with him, they are as Nothing, yea even less than Nothing, and Vanity, Ifa. xl. 17. How justly therefore is he the Object of our profoundest Reverence! How fhould we fink into the very Dust before him, with the moft awful and proftrate Adoration! God's Eternity and Self-ex[VOL. I. ] istence

H

iftence lieth at the Foundation of all his other Attributes, and giveth them infinite Force. Hence the Apostle speaketh of his eternal Power and Godhead. Rom. i. 20. His Power, his Wifdom, his Goodness, all his Perfections, in a Word his Godhead is eternal: And on this account we fhould pay him our him our religious Homage

with the humbleft Devotion.

This leads me to another Obfervation

which naturally ariseth upon this Subject; and that is, How amazing is the Condefcenfion of this eternal God in taking favourable Notice of fuch Creatures as we are! It is evident that he cannot ftand in need of us, or of our Services. He exifted from everlasting before any Part of this vaft Frame of Nature was made, or any of the Beings contained in it. Throughout that infinite Duration, when as yet neither Angels nor Men had a Being, he was perfectly happy in the Enjoyment of himself. It was not therefore from any Indigence in himself that he formed any of his Creatures; for he could have continued happy to Eternity without them, as well as he was infinitely happy before they existed. Wherein can fuch temporary finite Beings be profitable to the eternal, felf-fufficient Jehovah? What Advantage can he reap from their Praifes and Services? Should

not

not we therefore be even as nothing in our own Eyes, adoring his marvellous Grace, and condefcending Goodness, in taking fuch particular Notice of us of the human Race, Creatures of Yesterday, that dwell in Houfes of Clay, whofe Foundation is in the Duft, which are crushed before the Moth? What Reason have we to cry out, Lord, what is Man that thou art mindful of him, or the Son of Man that thou vifiteft him! How astonishing is it, that the high and lofty One which inhabiteth Eternity, should concern himself in fo extraordinary a Manner for precarious dependent Beings, that are but just started up into Existence, and cannot fubfift a Moment of ourselves! that he should make our Salvation the Subject of his eternal Councils, and take fuch wonderful Methods to accomplish it! that he should send his only begotten and eternal Son, to take upon him our frail and mortal Flesh, that he might fave and redeem us! and should through him vouchfafe to communicate his Holy Spirit to affist, guide, sanctify, and comfort us, and to dwell in our Hearts, as in his living Temples! that he should stoop fo low as to enter into a gracious Covenant with us, and oblige himself by the most sacred Promises and Engagements, to confer upon us the most ineftimable Benefits! Is it poffible

H 2

poffible seriously to confider this, and not be filled with a devout Astonishment? Surely fuch marvellous Goodness, fo far beyond all Parallel and all Comprehenfion, ought to make deep Impreffions upon our Hearts; and how inexcufable fhall we be if we do not with the greatest Thankfulness lay hold of his offered Grace and Favour!

Thirdly, Another Reflection which offereth itself on this Occafion, is this, That fince God is from everlasting to everlasting, this fheweth what a proper Object he is for our Confidence and Truft. It would be Folly to place an abfolute Dependence on the Power or Friendship of any Men upon Earth; fince, let their Power seem at prefent never fo great, or their Friendship to us never fo firm and conftant, yet they themselves are frail Creatures, whofe Breath is in their Noftrils; their Life is precari-. ous, and may not perhaps be of a Day's Continuance. Put not your Trust in Princes, faith the Pfalmift, nor in the Son of Man, in whom there is no Help: For his Breath goeth forth, he returneth to his Earth; in that very Day his Thoughts perish. Pfal. cxlvi. 3. 4. But the Lord fhall reign for ever, even thy God, O Zion, unto all Generations. Ibid. Verfe 10. Or, as it is expreffed Pfalm xciii. 2. Thy Throne, O Lord, is eftablished of old, thou art from everlasting.