already possesses, therefore there is no possibility for him to change his nature in any respect.-It is very different with us, who are finite and improvable beings, and who continue progressively either to advance or degenerate in our intellectual and moral character. Our bodies and minds undergo many variations, during different periods of our lives. We grow from infancy to manhood, both in stature and in wisdom; we entertain opinions at one time, which we disavow at another; and are virtuous or vicious according to the circumstances in which we are placed, or the resolutions which we form. But the Divine Being is without variableness, either in his nature, character, or purposes. He ever was, and ever will be, wonderful in counsel and excellent in working; he conceived from eternity all the possible events which would happen in the universe; "for known unto him are all his works from the beginning of the world," and therefore he cannot become wiser. He was holy, just, and good from the beginning; for there is nothing in his nature that could render him less perfect in these attributes at one time than another: he does not like us acquire habits of these virtues by discipline and improvement, for as he is infinite in all the qualities of his nature, he must therefore have possessed these in every period of his eternal exist

ence.

If the Almighty is incapable of becoming wiser, or holier, or better, by the exercise of his perfections; much less can his nature suffer any deterioration. His will is founded on immutable rectitude, evil cannot dwell with him; and so pure and upright is his nature, so entire his love of holiness, and detestation of sin, that "he chargeth even his angels with folly." Finite beings are apt to be misled from the paths of rectitude, by the prevalence of vicious principles which sometimes gain the ascendancy over their better resolutions; but there is no degree of iniquity in the divine character, for this would be an imperfection of which a being of infinite holiness is not susceptible. The Lord is righteous in all his ways, and holy in all his works. Indeed it is on this attribute of his immutability that all religion is founded. For if he

were not always powerful to save or to destroy us, how could we know whether he could exert his strength for our deliverance, when we implored his aid, or stretch out his arm to punish us when we transgressed his laws? But he always is and ever will be the Lord strong and mighty, the rewarder of his people to all generations; and the avenger of his enemies. If he were not always true and faithful in his promises, how could we trust with security in their accomplishment? but we are assured that "if he hath said, he will also do it; if he hath spoken, he will make it good." If he were not immutably just in rendering to every one according to his works, we would not have reason to stand in awe of his threatenings against our wickedness; but we are assured that if we repent not, "indignation and wrath, tribulation and anguish, shall be upon every soul of man that doeth evil."

The scriptures indeed sometimes represent the Almighty as repenting of the evil which he determined to execute against those who have transgressed his laws; but such an expression does not signify that he altered his purpose, or falsified his word; only that he did not execute that which seemed to us his peremptory resolution; and is pleased to do otherwise than his threatenings seemed openly to express, because of some tacit condition implied in them, with which we are not made acquainted.

In most of the promises and threatenings delivered in the scriptures, there is always a condition expressed or understood. This is well explained in the words of the prophet: "if that nation," or person, "against whom I have pronounced my judgments, turn from their evil ways; I will repent me of the evil which I thought to bring upon them." If then we repent, we thereby avert the execution of the sentence of condemnation, which would have been inflicted if we had continued to render ourselves obnoxious to its punishment. God has declared his immutable determination to punish the sinner, and spare the penitent; if therefore we become penitent and amend our ways, the change of the divine dispensations towards us, proceeds not from any mutability in the counsel of God,

but from the alteration which has taken place in our own conduct.

He still loveth righteousness and hateth iniquity, but his mercy renders it consistent with his decrees to pardon us when we repent, and stay the fierceness of his anger, that we perish not. But if we do not turn from our wickedness, his threatenings will assuredly be executed with all their severity; for thus saith the Lord, "when the righteous turneth from his righteousness, and committeth iniquity; in his trespass that he hath trespassed, and in his sin that he hath sinned, in them shall he die." Thus the way of the Lord is equal; thus he changeth not in his counsels, but "his word standeth fast, it shall accomplish that which he pleaseth, and prosper in the thing whereto he sent it." "His covenant will he not break, nor alter the thing that is gone out of his lips: he is the same yesterday, to-day, and for ever."

Having thus endeavoured to explain some of the incommunicable attributes of God, we proceed to those, of which he hath imparted a small portion to his intelligent creatures. The first of these is, the divine power.

This attribute comprehends the capacity of performing every thing possible, which does not imply a contradiction. The power of God has displayed itself in the most stupendous manner by the creation, preservation, and government of the universe, and all that it contains. "For the invisible things of God are clearly seen, by the things which are made, even his eternal power and Godhead." Every thing which our eyes behold, or our imaginations conceive, exhibits a proof of the omnipotence of the Deity. The matter and form of which the world and all the heavenly orbs consist, were produced by the operation of his Almighty hand. He created them, or brought them from nothing into that beautiful arrangement which they now exhibit, and still preserves them by his unceasing energy. "He spake and it was done, he commanded and all things stood fast." What power less than infinite could have formed such vast bodies as the sun, moon, and stars; what Almighty strength must have been exerted to heave into their spheres the plane

tary worlds which are of such stupendous magnitude as to overwhelm our calculations! what powerful energy must be constantly exerted in sustaining the pillars of nature, and preserving the order, regularity, and symmetry of the universe! We cannot conceive a power greater than that which God has manifestéd in creating and upholding all things; it is a power which has been employed in producing the most astonishing effects; it is a power adequate to accomplish every thing within the compass of possibility; a power which can make every thing subject to its controul, which nothing can resist, to which every one must yield; for "none can stay his hand from working, or say unto him, what dost thou ?"

God still continues to exert his power by governing the worlds and beings he has created. Every vicissitude which happens, whether in heaven above or in earth beneath, is under the management of his providence. He calls his creatures into the land of the living, suffers them to remain as long as seemeth good in his sight, and when the purposes for which they were sent into the world are accomplished," he taketh away their breath from them and they die; none can resist his might, or rescue himself out of his hands." "If he break up, or cast down, or gather together, who can hinder him." He possesses even the power of annihilating or reducing to nothing the most magnificent works of nature. At the time appointed, he will destroy this globe in which we live; for at his command "the heavens and the earth shall pass away with a great noise, and the elements shall melt with fervent heat; the earth also and the things that are therein shall be burnt up." What power but that of omnipotence can effect such a mighty catastrophe, and blot out from the universe such vast bodies, which seem fitted for an interminable duration? But "before the face of the Almighty, the heavens and the earth flee away, and are moved out of their places; he removeth the mountains in his anger; he shaketh the earth out of her place, and the pillars thereof tremble; he commandeth the sun, and it shineth not; he sealeth up the stars; for in the Lord Jehovah is everlasting strength."

Indeed, as all things derive their existence from God, and are dependent on him for their continuance, they must be subject to his controul; and whenever he is pleased to create, alter, or annihilate any of his works: "he will work, and who shall let it; if he hath purposed, who shall disannul it; if his hand is stretched out, who shall turn it back?" There is no other being in the universe capable of making any resistance to the operations of his hands; " he doeth according to his will in the armies of heaven, and among the inhabitants of the earth." As all beings and things, however exalted their nature, or magnificent in their structure, or large in their extent, are upheld, preserved, and governed by the power of God; therefore it is evident, this attribute of his nature is unlimited and irresistible, and that to him all things are possible.

Not only in the works of nature and providence does he display his might, but also in his gracious purposes to his chosen people."He makes his grace sufficient for them, and perfects strength in their weakness." He brings them from the service of sin to the love of righteousness, imparts to them a disposition to live godly, righteously, and soberly in the world, and enables them to persevere in the paths of holiness to the end of life. "Thus saints are kept by the power of God, through faith unto salvation."

The power of God will be still more abundantly manifested in the extraordinary events which shall befal the church in future ages, when all the kingdoms of the world will be constrained to renounce idolatry and false religion, and become the kingdoms of our Lord and of his Christ.-At last, when the consummation of all things ensues, the power of God shall raise from the sleep of death myriads of human beings, bring forth from the mansions of darkness the angels who kept not their first estate, and after sentence has been passed upon them according to their works, shall receive the righteous into regions of bliss, and consign the wicked to abodes of misery. Then all beings, both spiritual and human, whether thrones or dominions, principalities or powers, shall acknowledge the infinite power of God, and submit