is held out to us in every part of the sacred volume it was revealed to the ancient patriarchs; it was taught by Moses and the prophets, by Christ and his apostles. But, perhaps, it is nowhere more strongly or solemnly insisted upon than in the passage now before us.

A long abode in the idolatrous country of Egypt, had necessarily introduced much confusion into the views of the Hebrew nation on this point. And there is reason to believe, that a considerable portion of ancient Israel were so deeply impressed by what they saw and heard in the days of their memorable bondage, as to imbibe the popular opinion of a plurality of Gods, exercising a sort of limited dominion, some in the air, some on the earth, and others in the mighty deep. It was necessary, therefore, that this fundamental error should be effectually corrected, in order to the descendants of Jacob becoming consistent and spiritual worshippers of the one true God, the Creator of heaven and earth, the Origin of life in all its forms, and the Fountain of blessedness in all its degrees.

All who hear me this day, have had the

advantage of being instructed on this rudimental point from their earliest youth, and are not now to learn, that the Lord our God is one Lord. But while you are troubled with no perplexing doubts on this subject, it is very possible that your conceptions of it may be exceedingly indistinct and obscure; owing to that wonderful variety both in the appearances and proceedings of the incomprehensible God, which every age exhibits. And it is with a view to remedy this confusion in some degree, that I am now led to address you on the Divine Unity-which I shall endeavour to point out, first, as it respects his attributes and perfections; secondly, as it relates to his plans and purposes; and, thirdly, as it regards his dispensations and dealings with the children of men.

First-The Lord our God is ONE, with respect to his attributes and perfections. The attributes of God are so many and so vast, that we can form no just conception either of their number or their magnitude. Many of them, it is probable, have their exercise not in this, but in other worlds; not among

men, but among intelligences of a superior order, and creatures placed in happier circumstances than the fallen race of Adam. With some of the divine attributes, however, we have a partial acquaintance, and can even reason on their nature and exercise with some degree of precision: though we frequently find ourselves at a loss to reconcile their peculiar and varying appearances, not recollecting that, to make up the Unity of God an infinite variety is required. We can, indeed, readily conceive, how his wisdom and power, his truth and righteousness, may sweetly coalesce, and act together in the completest unison. But when we turn our attention to his justice and his mercy, his wrath and his love, his ineffable majesty and his infinite condescension; our thoughts are speedily confounded with their apparent contrarieties, and we feel it difficult to comprehend, how the various exercises of these distinct attributes can be so regulated, as to preserve that entire accordance and harmony, for which we are here arguing. These misconceptions flow from the infirmity of our nature, and admit of no present remedy. After all our deep in

vestigations, we can form but a very superficial acquaintance with these things, which are far above out of our sight, manifesting the vanity of our learned pretensions, and daily reminding us, that all the wisdom of this world is foolishness in the sight of God. Yet, how unable soever we may be to unravel these divine mysteries, it should fully satisfy us to discover, that the great God is everywhere set forth in the volume of revelation, as the Alpha and the Omega, the Beginning and the End, the almighty, allcomprehending Cause of all the changes which take place throughout the whole

universe.

Unity is especially appropriated by St. Paul to the Holy Spirit, and that with the most perfect consistency, since this divine Spirit is no other than the most high God himself, the one, supreme, and everlasting Unity not a barren and inclosed abyss, but an unsealed and overflowing Fountain, sending forth endless streams of light and life, giving birth to all the beauty and loveliness, all the order and harmony, all the grace and glory, that are known either in earth or in heaven.

Secondly-The Unity of God hath relation to his plans and purposes. He worketh all things according to the counsel of his own will. All appearances, all states and conditions, flow from the Divine Will; and that will is absolutely unchangeable. His plans and purposes are from everlasting. They were formed before the foundations of the earth were laid; and they will be receiving their accomplishment when the heavens shall be wrapped together as a scroll.

The grand plan of almighty God, as far as can be gathered from the word of revelation, relates chiefly to the eternal salvation of the human race: though this plan contains within its ample limits many subordinate schemes and under-designs, which have only an obscure and remote tendency to the accomplishment of the main purpose. These give rise to a wonderful variety of circumstances in the divine government, which may occasionally much perplex our thoughts, but which, nevertheless, are secretly ordered and influenced by the manifold wisdom of the great Contriver. As a complex piece of machinery may exhibit an astonishing number of motions, while all