Sunbury American. [volume] (Sunbury, Pa.) 1848-1879, 1857-11-21
G9cologiltal.
LOOKING FOR GOD
A SERMON,
Delivered By Rev. C. Wadsworth, D. D.,
AT THE
ARCH STREET PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH
ON SUNDAY, OCTUBEK IsTsi

81 WILL LOOK FOR HIH"-Islihh viii, II.
In commuG languase, the phrase to look
JoT' 10 expressive Oi two distinct exerclses-
either search Or expectation. 1t expresses
search when actively We look for some thing
mlel"!d or lost. 1t expresses expectation
when psssl'ely We await something coming.
In the TEXT, both these meanings are involved
III lho language. The inspired prnnan both
!ought earnestly, and expected eagerly, the
onJect ol his contemplation. md when You
know .ha. this p-nman was lsaiah--yuu are
not lell one moment IN doubt, that the su-
pren!e object oi his search and his eSpecta-
ton was the infDite Jehovah, tho everlasting
God. Everywhere aud always he was look
ing for God.
1t is imbled here that God may aud does
hide htus..g from his creatures. Allke IN hIs
Osln2 and works, God l., AND mast forever he
great mystery 10 bis creatures. An iufinilu
spirit aust necessarily remain incogu!zable
10 III. Enile. We Con never behold the in.
mcnsily OF the Divine essen:e uutIl We he.
come omnipresent aud SO BECOME God. And
throughout s.egn!'y, whether TO man or to
arch angel. svsry lheophany, or manifesto
ton Of H0d, can bs only Sbechina, j. e.,
Unite 6yrIbol Of tho Infinite Presence. And
az o! his eessnce, 30 of his attributes and one.
gelc, We may IL the effort still will III. same
question return to the ba1led intellect. "lVho
By searching cun 'ind out G0d ',rho can fnd
out'ths Atnighty unto perfection"
But beside this necessary hiding Of Deity.
there is much OF Himself which he hides from
hls creatures with an evident purpose of good
toward them, that they may search for and
Ind IT.. Man on earth is IN an economy Of
pupllnge, and as We have attempted recently
10 show, the obscurty which attends the
| partial manifestation Of His will, aud the
! slow aud gradual development of His purpn-
ses, ia exactly adapted to our probationary
condition. And while to search lur God, 'in
the expectation OF finding him out TO perlec.
| tiun, is blasphemy nevertheless it is the
part Of true plety never to rest satisfied with
out God, ana the cry of .the true Christian is
ever III the very words Of the inspired prophet
~ giH look for Him,"-"I wiN look for
Him"
lie looks for God in Grafton To the eye
Of Faith. every phenomenon Of nature is Il
IheophaDy, Shechina---lt sees God in
everything. The cloud seems Ills garment,
tho lightning His glance, the tempest His
chariot; the sound Of His marching is upon
wind aud wave; the smile Ur Ills goodness
IN starbeams and Sunshine. TO the pious
nolneua merely, but yeritable revelations
streams, Howers, fountains, the glories OF
MONDAY, tha srandeurs OF midnight. the Sigh
Of zephyrs the roar Of temI csts :--these, all
these srs 10 the believing heart, only the
actualized thoughts Of God, outwrilten on ihe
tablets Of Hature, outspUken in the voices o.
the universe. Aud with his eye thus ever
upon the very footprints of the Creator, III,
watchward ol His life Is, Il wiH i0ok Ior htlU, :
II ell took jon hiIa" And here begins ths
grand Giherence between the renewed ant
the unrenewed mau. "lhe wicIt0," proUer
6iatiy, "giH not seek after God" UnSnncli
fed science scratches as its ultimate objects
only for second causes. 1t mines in The earth
or soars to tho Heavens, looking amid III,
stars aud the strata, not for tine power, bu,
only for the process. 1t dissects the flower
aud nnaiomizes the insect, to find out the
mechanism OF their make, and not tho marvel
Gus manifestations OF their Maker. And il
all tLis 1t manlfrsts the folly Of Atheism
mistaking or euorng the .fnat cause Of erea
'ion US a RspsiGiion Of God
suppose Moses lad acted thus 10 regar,
Of ibs rhsophaDy 10 ilo.sb, There fashcc