Even in our experience these attributes of our moral nature are found not to be inconsistent in principle, though our want both of wisdom and knowledge, a sense of our own unworthiness, and a mere physical sympathy, often sadly distract our judgments as well as our hearts in adjusting these principles to the individual cases of life.
god's infinite tkuth.
60. What is truth considered as a divine attribute ?
The truth of God in its widest sense is a perfection which
126 THE ATTRIBUTES OF GOD.
qualifies all his intellectual and moral attributes. His knowledge is infinitely true in relation to its objects, and bis wisdom un- biassed either by prejudice or passion. His justice and his good- ness in all their exercises are infinitely true to the perfect standard of his own nature. In all outward manifestations of his perfec- tions to his creatures, God is always true to his nature — always self-consistently divine. This attribute in its more special sense qualifies all God's intercourse with his rational creatures. He is true to us as well as to himself ; and thus is laid the foundation of all faith, and therefore of all knowledge. It is the foundation of all confidence, first, in our senses ; second, in our intellect and conscience ; third, in any authenticated, supernatural reve- lation.
The two forms in which this perfection is exercised in relation to us are, first, his entire truth in all his communications; second, his perfect sincerity in undertaking and faithfulness in discharg- ing all his engagements.
61. How can the truth of God he reconciled with the apparent non-performance of some of his threatenings ?
The promises and threatenings of God are sometimes absolute, when they are always infallibly fulfilled in the precise sense in which he intended them. They are often also conditional, made to depend upon the obedience or repentance of the creature. — Jonah iii., 4, 10 ; Jer. xviii., 7, 8. This condition may be either expressed or implied, because the individual case is understood to be, of course, governed by the general principle that genuine repentance and faith delivers from every threatening and secures every promise.
62. How can the invitations and exhortations of the Scrip- tures, addressed to those whom God does not propose to save, be reconciled with his sincerity ?
See above, (question 42,) the distinction between God's pre- ceptive and his decretive will. His invitations and exhortations are addressed to all men in good faith : first, because it is every man's duty to repent and believe, and God's preceptive will that that every man should ; second, because nothing ever prevents the obedience of any sinner, except his own unwillingness; third,
INFINITE SOVEREIGNTY. 127
because in every case in which the condition is fulfilled the pro- mise implied will be performed ; fourth, God never has promised to enable every man to believe ; fifth, these invitations and ex- hortations are not addressed to the reprobate as such, but to all sinners as such, with the avowed purpose of saving thereby the elect.
THE INFINITE SOVEREIGNTY OF GOD.
63. What is meant by the sovereignty of God ?
His absolute right to govern and dispose of all his creatures, simply according to his own good pleasure.
64. Prove that this right is asserted in Scripture.
Dan. iv., 25, 35 ; Kev. iv., 11 ; 1 Tim. vi., 15 ; Rom. ix., 15-23.
65. On ivhat does the absolute sovereignty of God rest ?
1st. His infinite superiority in being and in all his perfections to any and to all his creatures.
2d. As creatures they were created out of nothing, and are now sustained in being by his power, for his own glory and ac- cording to his own good pleasure. — Rom. xi., 36.
3d. His infinite benefits to us, and our dependence upon and blessedness in him, are reasons why we should not only recognize, but rejoice, in this glorious truth. The Lord reigneth, let the earth rejoice.
66. Is there any sense in which there are limits to the sov- ereignty of God ?
The sovereignty of God, viewed abstractly as one attribute among many, must of course be conceived of as qualified by all the rest. It can not be otherwise than an infinitely wise, right- eous, and merciful sovereignty.
But God, viewed concretely as an infinite sovereign, is abso- lutely unlimited by any thing without himself. " He doeth according to his will in the army of heaven, and among the in- habitants of the earth." — Dan. iv, 35.
THE INFINITE HOLINESS OF GOD.
67. What is meant by the holiness of God ?
The holiness of God is not to be conceived of as one attribute
12 S THE ATTEEBrTES OP GOD.
among others ; it is rather a ,f::::' term representing tine bob- ception of his consummate perfection and total glory. It :; hie infinite moral perfection crowning his infinite intelligence and : There ie :. glory :: eax& attribut _~ ry ;: the whole together ~~-t intellectual nature it essential basic of the moral Infinite moral y::: the crown