As God is a single, indivisible, independent, and eternal UNIT, we cannot ascribe _different_ perfections, or attributes to him, so as to suppose one attribute _separate from, and independent of_ another, capable of acting _per se_, or participating _conjunctively_ with other attributes _as an integer_. Nor can we suppose this eternal, and independent Unit to act by being _operated upon_ in any degree, by other agents, nor can he operate on himself. All his actions, therefore, spring from himself, and are performed _without excitement, effort, means, or previous ratiocination_. It will follow from the preceding reasoning, that every action of the Divine Being, in regard to himself, is precisely the same in _nature_: so that we cannot say of one act it is an effort of his _power_ to the _exclusion_ of his wisdom: nor of his wisdom to the exclusion of his goodness: nor of his goodness to the exclusion of his holiness: and so of the rest. Strictly speaking we cannot say the power _of_ God; the wisdom _of_ God; the goodness _of_ God, &c.; because the power of God _is_ God; the wisdom of God _is_ God; the goodness of God _is_ God. In contemplating this awful subject _abstractly_, we should say there are no such things as _attributes_ in the Divine Being, _as they are commonly understood_. What we call his attributes, are only different modes of the operations of the same eternal, undivided, and independent Unit. Indeed, God is one entire perfection which exerts itself in different ways and actions. But as we cannot comprehend this single entire perfection; nor understand _how_ it exerts the whole of itself, as a single indivisible agent, _in each particular act_, as it really does, mankind have always been in the habit of assisting their contemplations by regarding the _nature_ of the acts of this single, indivisible, and eternal agent, and thus _infering_ the nature of the Divine Being. And as these acts appear to differ in _quality_, we infer a quality in the agent, corresponding with the quality of the actions which we see: we call this quality by a _name_, and _thus derive the doctrine of attributes_. For example: When we see this single, indivisible agent manifesting himself in such a manner as to give us the idea of _unlimited power_, we ascribe _omnipotence_ to him, as an attribute. When we see a manifestation indicating _infinite wisdom_, we ascribe _omniscience_ to him as an attribute. In the same manner in reference to the manifestations which indicate justice, goodness, mercy, truth, holiness, faithfulness, righteousness, kindness, &c, all of which we ascribe to him upon such indications.