Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1873-07-31
&eading fur the Sabbath.
CONDUCTED BY
REV. ROBERT LATHAM.
lOriginal.l
GODS SOVEREIGNTY.

thought, is so admirably calculated to inspire
the mind with reverence and godly fear, as
that of Gods sovereignty. When this sub
ject is reflected upon as it is taught in the
Scriptures, and demonstrated in the providence
of God, a feeling of awe fills the mind. BY
Gods sovereignty, we understand his absolute
dominion over all his creatures. That God
is sovereign, is manifest from the nature OF
his being. The Scriptures constantly ascribe
to God perfection Of all his attributes. In
his being he is infinite. He is equally pres.
ent everywhere filling with his presence hea'
ven, earth and hell. "Whither shall l 60
from thy spirit; or whittier shall l 60 from
thy presence? If ascend up into heaven,
thou art there; if make my bed in hell,
behold thou art there If take the wings
of the morning, and dwell in the uttermost
parts of the sea; even there shall thy hand
lead me, and thy right hand shall hold me- y
Psalm 139: I'll. God is not only every.
where present, but he is everywhere supreme
"Of him and for him are all things" 1 Cor.
8:6. God is infinite in wisdom and almighty
in power. From the very nature Of his be-
ing he is capable of acting in the capacity OF
an independent sovereign. Every creature
in the universe originally derived its being
from him, and for the perpetuation of its ex-
istence, every creature is constantly depend
ent upod God.
AS matter Of fact we may inquire whether
God does assert his just prerogative and ex,
ercise absolute dominion over his creatures
or not. This inquiry can only be satisfacto'
rily answered by an appeal to facts. The
conclusion, whether affirmative or negative, is
of too much Importance to be sought simply
by reasoning. Our appeal for evidence is to
the Bible, and the works Of creation and
providence.
The first evidence of the sovereignty Of
God is in the creation of the world. No be.
ing assisted God in creating the universe
neither did any being direct him how or in
what manner the work should be conducted.
God is the sole architect of the universe. All
things were made by him and in accordance
with the decisions of his own omnicient mind.
With strict propriety Of speech may it be
said, that God acted as an independent and
absolute sovereign in the creation. Not only
the simple existence of the universe, but the
manner of existence which is manifest in the
different parts of it, is due to the uncontrolled
will of God. Life is creation Of almighty
power; so is the different modes in which it
manifests itself.
The next place in which we are to look for
evidence of sovereignty, is in the providence
of God. Without any effort at nice distinc'
tions, we may define providence to mean gov
ernment. The question may be asked: Is
this world subject to any government, and if
so, who is the governor? When there is no
government there is anarchy and confusion
In the world there is harmony and order
No confusion, no clashing exist. We may
safely conclude that the world is under sys.
tenn of government, complete and perfect in
all its arrangements. The universe is com.
posed of inanimate matter-living creatures
not endowed with intelligence, and living
creatures capable of thinking. Each and all
of these are the subjects of government. The
Bible plainly and most positively asserts
that God exercises absolute dominion over
the inanimate portion of the universe. The
winds and the clouds are, according to.the
teachings of the Scriptures, under the direct
control of God. At his command the foun-
tains of the deep are broken up; the windows
Of heaven are opened and he holds the winds
in his fist. When God saw fit, he brought a
flood upon the earth and drowned all the in.
habitants of the earth, except Noah and his
family he made passage for the Israelites
through the sea; he rained fire and birthstone
upon the cities of Sodom and Gomorrah
These, together with vast multitude of other
cases that could be mentioned. are instances
in which the sovereignty of God over the
elements were clearly visible. A little re-
Election will convince any one that God exer,
cises continual sovereignty over the ele'
ments, fire, air, earth and water The winds
blow as God directs them, and the clouds
float away on the bosom of the air in strict
obedience to the command of God. We also
find that the Scriptures teach that insects,
creeping things and all the animal creation
are under the immediate control Of God
Locusts, frogs and lice we're marshalled into
armies and overrun and conquered Egypt
Serpents and venomous reptiles took posses.
sion of Babylon. God commanded the ra.
vens to feed Elijah and they did it; he or
dered the lions to spare Daniel, and their
passion for blood was dormant. From many
similar instances it could be shown that Gods
sovereignty over the beasts of the field and
fowls of the air is complete. Gods sover,
eighty over man is as absolute as it is over
any other creature. Evidently, however, man
was in his creation, endowed with the power
of rebelling against the sovereignty Of his
Maker The proof of this is the lamentable
fact itself. Man did rebel and continues to
rebel; but not with impunity. In spite Of
mans desperate efforts to release himself
from the dominion of his Maker, he is still
subject, suffering the sad consequences of
his rebellion God holds him under restraint
and terrifes him with his righteous indigna'
ton. The source of all misery is in rebellion
and the fountain from which all happiness
flows is obedience. Rebellion against the
providence of God brings upon us infamy
shame and misery in this world, and rebellion
against the grace of God, will, ultimately, drive
us to that place where God has forgotten tc