Christian Theology - Media Sabda Org
Christian Theology - Media Sabda Org Christian Theology - Media Sabda Org
e more present in one place than in another, because he fills the heavens and the earth, though the manifestations of his presence may be more in particular places and especial times. His working shows that he is here and present; though he would be no less present, were there no apparent working. He is not like man, though, in condescension to our weakness, he represents himself often as possessing human members and human affections. When a thing is said to be done by the finger, the hand, or the arm of God,—this only points out degrees of power manifested in performing certain works of mercy, providence, deliverance, &c. And these degrees of power are always in proportion to the work that is to be effected. The finger may indicate a comparatively slight interference, where a miracle is wrought; but not one that is stupendous: the hand, one where great power is necessary, accompanied by evident skill and design: and the arm, one in which the mighty power of God comes forward with sovereign, overwhelming, irresistible effect. When the shoulder is attributed to him, it points out his almighty sustaining power,—maintaining his government of the world, and of his church; supporting whatever he has made;—so his heart represents his concern for his own honour, for the welfare of his followers, and for the afflicted and distressed. This one infinite and eternal Being is a Spirit: that is, he is not compounded, nor made up of parts; for then he would be nothing different from matter, which is totally void of intelligence and power. And hence he must be invisible; for a spirit cannot be seen by the eye of man: nor is there any thing in this principle contradictory to reason or experience. We all know there is such a thing as the air we breathe, as the wind that whistles through the trees, fans and cools our bodies, and sometimes tears up mighty trees from their roots, overturns the strongest buildings, and agitates the vast ocean: but no man has ever seen this air or wind; though every one is sensible of its effects, and knows that it exists. Now, it would be as absurd to deny the existence of God because we cannot see him, as it would be to deny the existence of the air or wind because we cannot see it.
God is a Spirit: he is nothing like man, nothing like matter, nothing like any of the creatures that he has made. For, although he be a Spirit, and he have created innumerable spirits, yet he has nothing in common with them. He is a SPIRIT, an impalpable substance of a widely different kind. As far as his nature transcends all created nature; so far does his spirituality transcend the spirituality of all created spirits. Spirit is defined, "an uncompounded, immaterial substance." Let us not be alarmed at the word substance, which many compound with matter. Substance is subsistence, whether material or immaterial; but spirit is immaterial substance, and consequently uncompounded and indivisible. And from the ineffable spirituality of the divine Nature, we can at once conceive that he has no parts: he is unlimited, infinite, and eternal. He cannot be seen by the eye; but he may be perceived by the mind. He is not palpable to the hand; but he may be felt by the soul. By his mighty working, the most powerful and salutary changes may be wrought in the mind, which it at once perceives to be supernatural, and which, from the holiness of the effects, it knows to be the work of God. ETERNITY.—What is most interesting is the name by which God was pleased to make himself known to Moses and the Israelites, a name by which the supreme Being was afterward known among the wisest inhabitants of the earth; he who IS and who WILL BE what he IS. This is a proper characteristic of the divine Being, who is, properly speaking, the only BEING, because he is independent and eternal; whereas, all other beings, in whatsoever forms they may appear, are derived, finite, changeable, and liable to destruction, decay, and even to annihilation. When God, therefore, announced himself to Moses by this name, he proclaimed his own eternity and immateriality; and the very name itself precluded the possibility of idolatry, because it was impossible for the mind, in considering it, to represent the divine Being in an assignable shape; for who could represent BEING or existence by any limited form? And who can have any idea of a form that is unlimited? Thus, then, we find that the first discovery which God made of himself was intended to show the people the simplicity and spirituality of his nature; that while
- Page 17 and 18: In 1785 Mr. Clarke was appointed to
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God is a Spirit: he is nothing like man, nothing like matter, nothing<br />
like any of the creatures that he has made. For, although he be a Spirit,<br />
and he have created innumerable spirits, yet he has nothing in common<br />
with them. He is a SPIRIT, an impalpable substance of a widely different<br />
kind. As far as his nature transcends all created nature; so far does his<br />
spirituality transcend the spirituality of all created spirits.<br />
Spirit is defined, "an uncompounded, immaterial substance." Let us not<br />
be alarmed at the word substance, which many compound with matter.<br />
Substance is subsistence, whether material or immaterial; but spirit is<br />
immaterial substance, and consequently uncompounded and indivisible.<br />
And from the ineffable spirituality of the divine Nature, we can at once<br />
conceive that he has no parts: he is unlimited, infinite, and eternal. He<br />
cannot be seen by the eye; but he may be perceived by the mind. He is not<br />
palpable to the hand; but he may be felt by the soul. By his mighty<br />
working, the most powerful and salutary changes may be wrought in the<br />
mind, which it at once perceives to be supernatural, and which, from the<br />
holiness of the effects, it knows to be the work of God.<br />
ETERNITY.—What is most interesting is the name by which God was<br />
pleased to make himself known to Moses and the Israelites, a name by<br />
which the supreme Being was afterward known among the wisest<br />
inhabitants of the earth; he who IS and who WILL BE what he IS. This is a<br />
proper characteristic of the divine Being, who is, properly speaking, the<br />
only BEING, because he is independent and eternal; whereas, all other<br />
beings, in whatsoever forms they may appear, are derived, finite,<br />
changeable, and liable to destruction, decay, and even to annihilation.<br />
When God, therefore, announced himself to Moses by this name, he<br />
proclaimed his own eternity and immateriality; and the very name itself<br />
precluded the possibility of idolatry, because it was impossible for the<br />
mind, in considering it, to represent the divine Being in an assignable<br />
shape; for who could represent BEING or existence by any limited form?<br />
And who can have any idea of a form that is unlimited? Thus, then, we<br />
find that the first discovery which God made of himself was intended to<br />
show the people the simplicity and spirituality of his nature; that while
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