103 
and His acts towards the phenomenal, we can ex- oslfeseef^au 
elude, of course, all the defects which may in us things, 
accompany continuity, but cannot in Him, because 
He is Perfect. It is to believe that the Supreme in His own 
sublime way possesses all things. “ Thou remainest ever ! ” 
(. Heb . i. 11) ; “ Thou continuest holy ” ( Ps . 1. 3). 
It is surely also reasonable to affirm of the Supreme Him- 
self everything good in the finite (whom He has to govern), 
without defects and limitations ; for otherwise we deny Him 
everything we know, lest we should impute to Him our 
“ infirmity,” and thus in such denial we should deny the 
Moral Governor altogether. 
84. Our nature, as men, is such, that we can never be per- 
suaded to accept a philosophical sublimity, indistinguishable 
from a denial of the Supreme, when there lies before us a 
reasonable conclusion from the facts of our responsibility that 
there is a Supreme Governor, Who has continuous existence, 
while in essential relation both with the true-always and with 
the phenomenal; Who has continuity in action, continuity 
without division of energy, — Who continually wills of being aud 
His actions, with no infirmity akin to human de- of acfclon - 
liberation : in a word, Who is “ from everlasting to ever- 
lasting,” “ Who was, and is, and is to come,” lives in the 
past, upholds the present, and rules the future, according to 
the proper nature of each. 
Here, at least, is a sufficient conclusion as to the Continuous 
Being, Knowledge and Action of the Supreme; but we must 
attempt a closer consideration of Continuousness of Goodness. 
XII. 
85. The Goodness of the Nature of the Supreme we saw to 
be necessary Goodness; yet it was voluntary (§ 78). But 
the Supreme acts ; and He wills before and while He acts. 
His Goodness, as Supreme, never began to be. His nature 
being ever in perfect relation with the true- 
always. But His outgoing acts begin to be as He O f<yo2m ity 
directs, in succession, or simultaneously, according 
to His purpose or good pleasure. There is no incongruity in 
speaking of out-going acts of the Supreme, unless we mingle 
with our notions of infinity the physical idea of extension, 
which, if not a contradiction of all we know of conscious 
being is, as yet, quite gratuitous. 
That fitness, or harmony of being, which, whenever known, 
would fill each pure Intelligence with satisfaction, each conscious 
