UNITY OF GOD. 13. The province and use of the science of Natural Theology? 13 14. What remark may be made concerning the proofs of the divine existence? 15. The absurdity and folly of Atheism? 16. First argument produced for the divine existence? 17. The atheist, being compelled to concede that something has existed from eternity, what false supposition does he adopt? 18. Is it consonant to reason to regard the universe as an eternal exist ence? 19. What do the atheists mean when they affirm that the universe proceeds from chance? 20. On what is the second argument for the existence of Deity founded? 21. Refuge of the atheist when pressed with this argument? 22. If any one should deny that there are marks of design in the works of God, what would it be just to say in reply? 23. What are a few of the numberless objects that indicate design, contrivance, skill, and wisdom in their author? 24. Marks of design in the bodies of the inferior animals? 25. Examples of comprehensive wisdom? 26. What may be said of the variety amid uniformity? 27. Is it not true that there are in the universe many marks of irregularity and want of design, as well as of regularity and wisdom; and does not this prove that the being who made all things is not perfectly, or at all times wise and good? 28. What other view is to be taken of apparent irregularities and defects in the works of creation? CHAPTER II. OF THE DIVINE ATTRIBUTES. 29. WHEN we ascribe to God every good quality that we can conceive, and consider Him as possessed of them all in infinite perfection, and as free from every imperfection, we form the best idea of Him that we can; but it must fall infinitely short of the truth. 30. The attributes of Deity have been distributed into three classes, the Natural, the Intellectual, and the Moral. The Natural attributes are, Unity, Self-existence, Spirituality, Omnipotence, Immutability, Eternity: The Intellectual are, Knowledge and Wisdom: 31. That God exists, has been proved already. That there are more gods than one, we have no evidence, and therefore cannot rationally believe. Nay, even from the light of nature, we have evidence that there is one only. (1.) It is reckoned a fundamental rule in philosophy, not to suppose more causes than are necessary to produce the effect. This principle conducts us to the unity o Deity; for the necessity of finding an adequate efficient cause does not compel us to have recourse to a plurality of gods. The power that was equal to the creation of a part was equal to the creation of the whole. (2.) The uniformity of plan that pervades the system indicates unity of counsel, at least, in its formation. We can trace unity of plan in the great fabric of the universe, so far as we are capable of observing it. The law or gravitation prevails throughout the solar system. All the bodies in that system seem to revolve on their own axes all the planets move in the same direction in the zodiac. The light of the fixed stars affects the eye in the same way as that of the sun, and it travels at the same rate, as we learn from the delicate discovery of their aberration. On descending to our earth we find a similar uniformity prevailing, and can easily trace the harmonious combination of many great parts in one magnificent whole. See Fergus on Nature and Revelation. Book III. The different parts of nature are admirably adjusted to each other. The relations between the different parts of the system; between the sun, the earth, the air, and the ocean; between the animate and inanimate parts of creation, direct us to one powerful Creator. From this unity of plan we may fairly infer the unity of Deity. 32. The wisest men in the heathen world, though they worshiped inferior deities (or rather names which they substituted for deities), did yet seem to acknowledge one supreme God, the greatest and best of beings, the father of gods and men. It is probable that belief in one God was the original belief of mankind with respect to Deity; but partly from their narrow views, which made them think that one being could not, without subordinate agents, superintend all things; partly from their flattery to living great men, and gratitude to the dead, disposing them to pay divine honors to human creatures; partly from fanciful analogies between the divine providence and earthly governments; and partly from the figures of poetry, by which they saw the attributes of the Deity personified, they soon corrupted the original belief, and fell into Polytheism and idolatry. And no ancient people ever retained GOD, SPIRITUAL AND ALMIGHTY. 15 long their belief in the one true God, except the Jews, who were enlightened by revelation; and even they were frequently inclined to adopt the superstitions of their neighbors. We see then that in order to ascertain, and fix men's notions of the divine unity, revelation seems to be necessary. Self-existence and Independence of Deity. 33. If God depended on anything, that thing would be superior and prior to him, which is absurd; because he is himself the supreme and the first cause: therefore his existence does not depend on anything whatever. Spirituality of God. 34. (1.) He is a living being, but matter is not. Life is the peculiar attribute of spirit. (2.) He is an intelligent being, as we collect from the appearances of design in his works: but knowledge is an attribute of mind or spirit. There is nothing in the properties of matter which is allied to thought or feeling. It is not the eye which sees, nor the ear which hears, but the soul. Matter being incapable of intelligence, all the proofs of wisdom in the universe are at the same time proofs that the divine essence is spiritual. (3.) God is an active being. He is the first cause of all things which exist. We are conscious of the activity of our own spirits; and we observe that matter is essentially inactive. It moves, or stops moving, only by impulse, or influence of a foreign agent or body. Power belongs to God, as we know from its effects; and it belongs to him because he is a spirit. Omnipotence of Deity. 35. In order to be satisfied that God is omnipotent, we need only to look around upon the wonders of creation. To produce such astonishing effects as we see in the universe, and experience in our own frame; and to produce them out of nothing, and sustain them in the most perfect regularity, must certainly be the effect of power which is able to do all things, and which, therefore, nothing can resist. The omnipotence of God is displayed in the preservation of all things, which has been called a continual crea 16 EXERTIONS OF DIVINE POWER. tion; for as their existence is dependent, it is prolonged from moment to moment by the same power which created them at first. Some seem to speak, as if having been once made, they had the ground or reason of their being in themselves, continued without the immediate interference of their Creator, and could only cease to be by a positive ac of his will. They insinuate that it would imply imperfection if they needed his constant care, and remind us o the works of man, which do not fall to pieces when the hand of the artist is withdrawn. But between the two cases there is no analogy. The works of man are not dependent on him for their existence, but for their form: the materials of which they are composed subsist, and even the order in which they are arranged is maintained by the laws of nature. A creature can no more preserve, than it can make itself. When we reflect upon the movements which are going on among the immense celestial bodies, how stupendous seems the power by which they are conducted! Our earth, almost eight thousand miles in diameter, travels about fifteen hundred thousand miles in a day; and at the same time it is spinning on its own axis, and turning up successively the vegetables and animals which it nurses on its bosom, to the genial influence of the solar rays. And, with this inconceivable rapidity, how unceasing, steady, and uniform are its motions. The same holds in the other planets, some of them vastly larger than our globe. Each of them regularly and steadily performs its revolutions. We say that matter is inert; that if at rest it will continue at rest, and if in motion it will continue in motion. But in stating this fact we have not accounted for it by calling it a law of nature. Why does a body continue in motion? It is not owing to its own activity, but to the energy of the Creator's will. This gave the first impulse, and this holds on its course for ages. But the divine power cannot extend to what is either impossible in itself, or unsuitable to the perfection of his nature. To make the same thing to be and not to be at the same time is impossible; and to act inconsistently with justice, goodness, and wisdom, must be equally impossible to a being of infinite purity. ETERNITY, WISDOM, AND GOODNESS OF GOD. 17 Eternity and Immutability of God. 36. That God is from everlasting to everlasting, is evident from his being self-existent and almighty. That he was from all eternity, has been proved already; and it can admit of no doubt, that what is independent and omnipotent must continue to all eternity; for it is incapable of being changed by anything else; and that which is infinitely wise and good can never be supposed to make any change in itself. Moreover, that which exists by necessity of nature, by the same necessity exists as it is, and cannot be otherwise. Knowledge and Wisdom of Deity. 37. As God is the maker and preserver of all things, and is everywhere present (for to suppose him to be in some places only, and not in all, would be to suppose him a limited and imperfect being), his knowledge must be infinite, and comprehend at all times, whatever is, or was, or shall be. Were his knowledge progressive, like ours, it would be imperfect; for they who become more wise must formerly have been less so. Wisdom is the right exercise of knowledge: and that he is infinitely wise is proved incontestably by the same arguments that prove his existence. The celebrated Linnæus always testified in his conversation, writings, and actions, the greatest sense of God's omniscience and so strongly impressed was he with the idea of it, that he wrote over the door of his library, "Innocui vivite, numen adest,' -"Live innocent, God is at hand." Goodness of Deity. 38. The goodness of God is clearly deducible from the act of creation. We can conceive no other reason for the exertion of his power in giving life to so many orders of creatures, and fitting up the earth to be a convenient habitation for them. This argument consists of two parts: the formation of sensitive beings capable of happiness, and the adaptation of the circumstances in which they are placed to promote it. Dr. Paley rests the proof of the divine goodness on the two following propositions : |