The Richmond Virginian. (Richmond, Va.) 1910-1920, 1912-11-03

ont knowledge. Three things may
be said. and this is all we can say
First. he will have no end. IL
we carry our views forward. and
add millions Of ages 10 millions OF
wears. till the mind be lost in the
computation. we shall make no prog
ress In the duration of the eternal
God \ week is too long for the
aeauty and fragrance of some dow-
ers There are some insects that are
brought forth, and pass the severai
stases OF their being. and die In
single day. The life OF man is COM
pared to yapor that appeareth Tor
little time, and then TanisAetn
away. But the oak In the forest
survives several generations of pos
SCISSORS and observers. The earth
ronttuues through all the changes OF
its inhabitants The river JORDAN
which the Jews crossed. continues
10 wind its uneven course; and me
mount Ararat. on which Noah step
ned out of the ark. still remains 10
be seen. The heavenly bodies shine
on above the reach of our revoiu-
tjonsrv system Yet this is only
comparatively true; nothing is aoso-
lately durable. They shall perish.
but thou shalt endure; yea, all OF
them shall wax cld like garment;
as a yesture thou shalt change them.
and they shall be changed: but thou
art the same. and thy years snail
have no end
Some creatures will endure for
ever Angels are lmperishable. so
~ do
feet. The soul will view. untouched,
the destruction OF the universe; yea,
the body. though material. viii be
fmmor,alized. But none OF these
will live forever like God He is
the fountain Of life; all other beings
are streams flowing from him, and
sustained by him. They are not i'm
mortal OF themselves, but by his
pleasure and bounty. But he has
fife necessarily and independently
In himself and is unaffected by any
external cause. Therefore ii is said,
He only hath Immortality
Secondly, he never had begin
ming. The space CT time which has
elapsed since the creation seems
long; the globe ts near six thousand
years cid. But through, an immen-
sity of duration, of which we can
form NO idea. God had been living,
equal TO his own happiness, and able
60 do whatsoever he pleased Be-
fore the mountains were brought
forth, or ever thou hadst formed the
earth and the world, even from ever
lasting as we'll as ito everlasting,
thou art God Ii is needless to OBJ
serve that this prerogative is en-
tirely and infinitely peculiar to God.
Thus he is 1.-The first" as we'll as "the
last He inhabiteth eternity, and
indeed constitutes it: for, proper y
speaking, eternity is nothing else bur
the duration of his being and agency.
Thirdly, there lis no change in his
being, no diminution. no increase.
no variableness or shadow of turn
ing. We speak OF the past, the pres
emit, and the future; but Il am" Is
his name, and his memorial in all
generations. Our continuance Is
computed by periods; but his dura-
ton is one permanent now. We ex-
LIST by parcels; we existed partly yes
terday. VIZ exist partly today, and
shall exist partly tomorrow; but he
possesses and enjoys his whole being
AT once We never continue in one
stay; infancy grows into manhood,
and manhood descends into old age.
Eve,1 in the Christian, the outward
man perisheth. aTyi the inward man
Is renewed day by day: and even III
heaven the saints will be changed
from glory into glory: but he says,
Il the Lord change not" He was
never less, and he will never be more
wise and holy and happy than he rs.
He will never be older than he Is,
and he was never younger. One day
with the Lord is as a thousand years,
and thousand years arc as one day.
why, this is an abyss In which
our. thoughts are swallowed up" 1t
Is. And observe the inference we
draw from it, Are we not therefore
chargeahle with the greatest absurd
ity. when we reject a doctrine be-
cause We cannot comprehend II? Is
not this TO make our understanding
the measure of truth? How much
reality is there that does not come
within the reach OF our senses or OF
our reason, We hear of mysteries.
There are such in the Scriptures:
and are there none In nature? There
Is no doctrine We are CaIled 10 De-
liexe in revelation more difficult than
this eternity of God. Every notion
We can form of II involves in Ii a
seeming Inconsistency and reel In
explica bility, yet every Deist admits
IT.; and the man that denied 1t would
render himself universally ridicu-
ious.
Let us therefore adore Being
who cannot. by searching. be found
out unto perfection; and have grace
whereby we may worship him accep,
tably, with reverence and with godly
fear; and, convinced Of the infinite
distance there is between him and US,
let us admire HIS condescension. How
evident Is 1t that he does not stand
In need Of US. and is exalted above
all blessing and praise'" Yet we
and our mean affairs have always
engaged MS attention. what is
man, that tnou shouidst magnify
him; and that thou shouidst set thy
heart upon him: and that thou
shor.ds. visit him every morning.
and try him every moment"
The eternity of God should take
OF our attachment and Independence
from things below. Creatures. how
ever agreeable or powerful. are less
than nothing and vanity" Cease