of these things. Knowledge and not ignorance, is the mother of their devotion. This will appear, if we consider,

1. That if Christians should love God, for what is not true concerning him and what they do not know to be true concerning him, they would love a false charac... ter of God, which would not be true, but false love. It would be the same, as loving a false god, which is the essence of idolatry. The heathens love and worship false gods, whom they know not and cannot know; because they do not exist, but are only imaginary objects. And according to their imaginary ideas of them, are very odious and detestable objects; so that their supreme homage is the grossest idolatry. It is indeed idolatry to love any created being supremely, however virtuous and amiable he may be; but it is gross idolatry to love any sinful creature supremely. There have been and are now, as gross idolaters among those, who call themselves Christians, as among heathens. For those, who call themselves Christians, often have as false ideas of the true God, as heathens have of their false gods; and they love the true God for the same reasons, that heathens love their idols. They are, therefore, guilty of as real idolatry, as the heathens are. The true love, therefore, which Christians exercise towards the true God, is not founded in the ignorance, but in the knowledge of his true character. If their love to God were founded in ignorance and falsehood, it would be false and criminal love. For it is criminal to love any moral character, which is not morally excellent and amiable. The Philippians knew the difference between the true God and the false gods they had worshipped.

2. It is the knowledge, which Christians have of the real and supreme excellency and glory of God, that lays them under moral obligation to love him supremely. If he were not supremely excellent, they would not be under moral obligation to love him supremely; or if they did not know, that he is supremely excellent, they would not be under moral obligation to love him

supremely. But he is supremely excellent and Christians know, by his works and word, that he is supremely excellent and of course, feel themselves under moral and indispensable obligations to abound in their love to him, in knowledge and in all judgment. The more they know of God, the more they feel themselves. bound to love him with all their heart. The true knowledge of God is the only medium, through which Christians increase and abound in love to him. Hence Christ prayed to the Father for them, "Sanctify them through thy truth: thy word is truth." Hence he appointed ministers to teach them divine knowledge.... "And he gave some, apostles; some, prophets; some, evangelists; and some, pastors and teachers; for the perfecting of the saints, for the work of the ministry; for the edifying of the body of Christ till we all come in the unity of the faith and of the knowledge of the Son of God, unto a perfect man, unto the measure of the stature of the fulness of Christ." And the apostle Peter exhorts Christians, "to grow in grace and in the knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ." The true love, therefore, which Christians exercise, towards God, is founded in their true knowledge of his glorious and amiable character.

IMPROVEMENT.

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1. If Christians derive some true knowledge of God from his works and word, they may have some true knowledge of every doctrine, which God has revealed in his word. It is generally believed and acknowledged, that there are many truths and doctrines revealed in the Bible, which all Christians may understand. They are revealed so plainly, that every per son may understand them, or have some true and real knowledge of them. But it is almost as generally supposed, that there are some doctrines revealed in the Bible, that no men, in this world, can really and truly understand, though they may approximate a little towards a real knowledge of them. Some make a larger and some a smaller catalogue of dark, difficult,

unintelligible and mysterious doctrines, which they allow are revealed in the Bible and which they insist, that no man can really and truly understand. But is it not a plain absurdity to suppose, that God has revealed any thing to us in his word, concerning himself, or concerning any of his creatures, which cannot be really known by us, in our present, imperfect state? If we cannot understand God, speaking to us, in our own language, why should he speak to us at all? If we allow, then, that God does speak to us in his word, we must suppose, that we are capable of understand. ing what he says, whether he says more, or less upon any subject whatever. None suppose, that God has revealed all that he might have revealed upon plain subjects; and much less that he has revealed all that he might have revealed upon more difficult, deep and abstruse subjects. But we must suppose, that what The has revealed upon the darkest and deepest subjects, is as easy to understand, as what he has revealed upon the plainest subjects. I will illustrate this point, as clearly as I can. God has told us, that he existed before the foundation of the world; that is, before any creature, or object, existed besides himself; which means his existing from eternity. This is a plain and important truth, though he has not told us, how he existed from eternity. God has told us, that he created the world and all that is in it, which is a plain and important truth, though he has not told us how he created all things, or brought them out of nothing into existence. God has told us, that he hath hung the earth upon nothing; which is a plain and important truth; though he has not told us how he upholds, or supports it every moment. God has told us, that he governs all things; which is a plain and important truth, though he has not told us how he governs all things. God has told us, that he constantly fills heaven and earth and all places with his presence; which is a plain and important truth, though he has not told us how he fills the universe with his presence. God has told us, that he has decreed all things, which is a plain and

important truth, though he has not told us what and how many things he has decreed. God has told us, that he is absolutely immutable, which is a plain and important truth; though he has not told us what is the ground of his immutability. God has told us, that he works in men both to will and do, which is a plain and important truth, though he has not told us how he constantly produces all their free and voluntary exercises. God has told us, that he is one God, but exists in three distinct persons, each of whom has the properties of understanding, willing and acting, which is a plain and important truth, though he has not told us, what there is in his nature, that lays a foundation for this personal distinction.

Now, just so much as God has told us in his word, concerning his existing from eternity; his creating the world; his upholding the world; his governing the world; his filling the world with his presence; his decreeing all things; his perfect immutability; his operating upon the hearts of men; and his existing a Trinity in Unity, is as easy to be understood and certainly known, as any thing he has revealed concerning less obscure and profound subjects. Whatever he has revealed in the Bible, he has revealed in the plain and intelligible language of men, who are capable of understanding the true meaning of every word, which he has used upon every subject, about which he has revealed any thing. It is reasonable to suppose, that God has not revealed any thing in his word, which we cannot understand; but it is absurd to suppose, that he has revealed any thing in his word, which we cannot understand. It is certain to a demonstration, that if we cannot understand what he reveals upon the most profound subjects, we cannot understand what he reveals upon the plainest subjects. It is a contradiction in terms to say, that he reveals any thing in our language which we cannot understand, nor express properly in our own language. For on this supposition, he does not reveal any thing. Nothing can be revealed to us, which no human language can express. The

supposition, that we cannot understand all that God has actually revealed concerning the doctrine of the Trinity, casts a mist, a cloud and complete darkness over all the doctrines of the Bible. It is absurd for any man, to undertake to defend the doctrine of the Trinity and at the same time tell us, that neither he, nor any body else, can understand what God has actually revealed upon that mysterious subject. God has told us, that he created men; that his Son died to redeem men; and that the Holy Ghost sanctifies the hearts of men. This implies, that he is a person, or agent; and that his Son is a person, or agent; and that the Holy Ghost is a person, or agent. And it is as absurd to deny, that the Father is a person, or that the Son is a person, or that the Holy Ghost is a person, because they are not called persons in the Bible; as to deny that God is a moral agent, because he does not call himself a moral agent; or as to deny, that mankind are moral agents, because God calls them men and not moral agents. These observations will apply to every doctrine, which God has revealed in the Bible, in human language; for they can all be understood and explained, by different words in the same language, in which they are revealed.

2. If Christians can understand whatever God has revealed in his word, concerning himself or any of his creatures; then there is a propriety in preaching upon any truth, or doctrine, that God has revealed in the Bible. We often hear it said, that there are some doctrines revealed in the Bible, that ought never to be preached; such as the doctrine of the Trinity; the doctrine of the divine and human nature in the person of Christ; the doctrine of decrees; the doctrine of election; the doctrine of divine agency in the production of moral exercises in the hearts of men; and the doctrine of the future and eternal punishment of the finally impenitent; and many other doctrines. It is said, that such doctrines as these, though revealed in the Bible, are too dark, profound, or mysterious, to be explained, proved and defended, by the fallible preach