all things that can be known; though they do not know the ground of his knowing all things. They know that he is omnipresent, or that he fills the whole circle of creation with his constant presence; though they do not know the ground of his constant and universal presence. They know that he is perfectly benevolent, or has no mixture of malevolence in his heart; though they do not know the ground of his unmixed goodness. They know that he is perfectly just, and has no mixture of injustice in his heart; though they do not know the ground of his unmixed justice. They know that he is perfectly merciful, or as merciful as any being can be; though they do not know the ground of his infinite mercy. The knowledge which christians have of these things that are true concerning God, is as real and true knowledge of God, as if they knew all things concerning God, or could completely comprehend his being and perfections.

Again, christians know something about the mode of God's existence. They know that he exists a Trinity in Unity; though they cannot comprehend the ground of this mode of existence. They know that there is a personal distinction in his nature, which lays a foundation for his being called Father, Son, and Holy Ghost. They know that the Father has the personal properties of understanding, willing, and acting; that the Son has the personal properties of understanding, willing, and acting; and that the Holy Ghost has the personal properties of understanding, willing, and acting. They know these things which are true concerning God's mode of existence; and their knowledge of these things which are true concerning his mode of existence, is as real and true knowledge, as if they could completely comprehend every thing about the mysterious doctrine of the Trinity. A partial knowledge of any object is as real knowledge, as the perfect knowledge of it. The partial knowledge of the magnitude of the largest mountain is as real knowledge as the perfect knowledge of the magnitude of a mole hill. A partial knowledge of the sun, moon and stars, is as real knowledge, as a full and comprehensive knowledge of all those great and distant objects. No man knows every thing about any thing that exists. No man knows every thing about himself, nor every thing about his fellow creatures, nor every thing about the world in which he lives, nor about Him who made the world. But every man knows something about himself, and something about his fellow creatures, and something about the world in which he lives, and something about Him who made the world. And this something which he knows about all these objects, is as real knowledge, as if he knew every thing about them. Now it is easy to see what we are to

understand by christians' having the true knowledge of God. We are to understand nothing more nor less by it, than their knowing some things which are true concerning God; though they cannot comprehend the ground of his self existence, nor the ground of his natural and moral perfections, nor the ground of his existing a Trinity in Unity. I now proceed to show,

II. How christians gain this true, though partial knowledge of God. Here then I would observe,

1. That they gain some true knowledge of God by the light of nature. The apostle points out this as one source of the true knowledge of God. He represents the heathen as deriving some true knowledge of God from the works of creation. "For the invisible things of him from the creation of the world are clearly seen, being understood by the things that are made, even his eternal power and Godhead; so that they are without excuse." David also represents the light of nature as teaching the true knowledge of God. He says, "The heavens declare the glory of God; and the firmament showeth his handy work. Day unto day uttereth speech, and night unto night showeth knowledge. There is no speech, nor language, where their voice is not heard." All christians derive some true knowledge of the being and perfections of God from the works of creation, which exhibit clear and incontestible evidence of his existence, of his omnipotence, of his omniscience, of his omnipresence, and of his pure and universal goodness. Christians cannot seriously and attentively contemplate upon themselves, and the objects around them, without gaining some true knowledge of the being and perfections of their Creator. Nor can they seriously and attentively contemplate the works of providence, without gaining more true knowledge of the Creator, Preserver, and Benefactor of the world. God displays himself more clearly by his works of providence, than by his works of creation. It must be allowed, however, that there are many important things concerning God, of which christians cannot gain the knowledge by the works of creation and providence, or what is called the light of nature. And this leads me to ob

serve,

2. That christians gain their knowledge of God, principally, from divine revelation which is contained in the sacred scriptures. These were given by divine inspiration, and teach the deep things of God, which cannot be discovered by the light of nature. Peter tells us, "the prophecy came not in old time by the will of man; but holy men of God spake as they were moved by the Holy Ghost." And Paul tells us, "All scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine,

for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness; that the man of God may be perfect, thoroughly furnished unto all good works." These holy scriptures teach all things which are necessary to make men wise unto salvation. They teach what men ought to believe concerning God, and what duty he requires of men. They teach the knowledge of the character, perfections, designs, and government of God. They teach the knowledge of the mysterious mode of the divine existence in three persons. They teach the knowledge of the personal properties of these three divine persons. They teach the knowledge of the covenant of redemption, in which each person in the Godhead engaged to perform a distinct part in carrying that design into execution. They teach the knowledge of the incarnation of Christ, by which he took human nature into a mysterious and personal union with the divine. They teach the knowledge of Christ's sufferings and death on the cross, to make atonement for the sins of the world. They teach the knowledge of the terms of salvation, and of the duty of sinners to comply with the terms of the gospel. They teach the knowledge of the danger of rejecting the condescending terms of pardoning mercy. They teach the knowledge of a future. state beyond the grave, in which the souls of men will be happy or miserable for ever. Now all christians gain more or less true knowledge of these great and deep things of God from his word, where they are taught in a plain and intelligible language, which they can and do understand as well as the language of any other book they read. They can understand God speaking in their own language, as well as they can understand one another, speaking in their own language. Though God cannot tell them, in any language, all things about himself, yet he can tell them some things about himself, in their own language which they can understand. And when they look into his word, they find that he has actually told them, in their own language, something about his existing from eternity; something about his existing in three persons; something about his own person; something about the person of his Son; something about the person of the Holy Ghost; something about their distinct personal properties, excellences, and perfections; something about their united and ultimate design, in creation, providence, and redemption; something about the means of carrying this design into execution; and something about his own perfect blessedness as one God in three persons. Though God has told them something about real mysteries in his word, but not every thing, yet they can understand whatever he has told them about real mysteries, as well as whatever he has told them about themselves, or any other creature or object in nature.

Thus it appears that christians may and do gain the knowledge of some things that are true concerning God, both by his works and by his word; and this is as true and real knowledge of God, as if he had revealed, and they understood, every thing about his existence, perfections, purposes and works. It now only remains to show,

III. That their true love to God is founded in their true

knowledge of God. The apostle plainly supposes that the Philippian christians had actually exercised true love to God, and that their true love was founded in their true knowledge of him. "And this I pray, that your love may abound yet more and more in knowledge and in all judgment." Their love had abounded, and abounded in knowledge, and in all judgment. They had loved God for those supreme excellences which he had exhibited in his works and word. And what was true of the Philippians, is true of all real christians. They do not love nor worship an unknown God. They know and love the only true God, and Jesus Christ whom he hath sent. They love God for what they know concerning him, and not for what they do not know concerning him. Their love to God springs from a true knowledge of his being, perfections, designs, and government; and not from their ignorance 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 character 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 heathen 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 su premely excellent, they would not be under moral obligation to love him supremely; or if they did not know that he is su premely 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 Saviour Jesus Christ." The true love, therefore, which christians exercise towards God, is founded in their true knowledge of his glorious and amiable character.

IMPROVEMENT.

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 person 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, unintelli