LECTURE XXXV.

HAVING in our last Lecture endeavoured to give you as clear an idea as possible of the Power of God, I shall now lay before you some observations on his Wisdom, a perfection of his Nature, from the consideration of which we may draw many practical advantages, and which we may place before us as a pattern for our imitation, as far as the weakness of our faculties will admit.

Though the terms knowledge and wisdom are often used promiscuously, yet in strict propriety of speech there is a difference between them. Dr. Paley says, "Wisdom always supposes action, and action directed by it." To show the necessity of the latter clause, we may observe

that experience and observation teach us to distinguish between acting with design and acting wisely. The former is essential to all rational beings, the latter consists in the proper use or application of knowledge. To constitute a being intelligent it is sufficient that he act with any design at all, or be capable of design, but to constitute a being wise it is necessary that the design which he has in view be good and laudable; and that he pursue it by the use of the best means. Knowledge therefore is, properly speaking, an original power or faculty, and wisdom the right use, or exercise of this faculty. Hence it follows that there may be knowledge without wisdom; but there cannot be wisdom without knowledge. And indeed there may be knowledge without design; but design is essentially included in the idea of wisdom. And though in human characters the qualities of knowledge and wisdom, design and wise design are often separated, yet in the Divine Nature they are always united, and the same argu

ments which prove the one, likewise demonstrate the other. The perfection of wisdom that which belongs to God, and to God alone, consists in knowing always the best ends; in seeing the means which will produce these ends; in knowing how to apply those means, and in having always an inclination or will to act accordingly. From the last part of this description it appears that though wisdom and goodness may be considered as distinct qualities, yet they are inseparably connected, at least that wisdom cannot exist without goodness.

That wisdom, thus defined, is an essential attribute of the Divine Nature, will appear from considering God as omnipresent, independent, and the original Creator of all things. An infinite intelligent Being cannot possibly err in his judgment concerning those ends which are best and most worthy to be accomplished. The original Creator of all things, who has given to every creature

all its powers, and appointed all the circumstances of its existence, must be ac

He gave, and

quainted with all the powers consequently cannot but know what means are adapted to all ends, and how to apply them. And an independent Being, whose Power no force can resist, and whose Inclination nothing can oppose, must always be both able and willing to do what He knows it is best He should do. The Divine Being, therefore, who is the Parent of the Universe, ever present with all the works of his hand, and absolutely independent in his own Nature, is of consequence possessed of infinite or perfect Wisdom,

But further, whatever those circumstances may be, which limit the wisdom of human and other finite beings, certain it is, that they do not affect the Supreme, infinite, and independent Being. We ourselves, who are imperfect and mortal creatures, are not capable of knowing and doing, in all circumstances, what is

best. And what is the reason of this? Namely, because we have such faculties communicated to us, and no higher. The existence and capacities of our minds are dependent upon the will and powers of another. But the first Cause of all things exists independently on all power and will. His capacities, therefore, as they are not bounded by any power or will, must be unlimited. Upon this account, He cannot but always know, and be able to accomplish what is best; and as his Will is not, like ours, influenced sometimes by Caprice or Passion, but by an invariable regard to what is right and fit, He cannot but act, as perfect Rectitude and unerring Wisdom demand.

Thus far then we have proved the Wisdom of God from the other Perfections of his Nature. I add, that it evidently appears in those degrees of Wisdom, which He has imparted to his Creatures. Limited as our understandings are, when compared with those of an