Directory_and_Chronicle_1850 — Page 399

1850.

Defense of an Essay &c.

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duty, that we might content ourselves with this answer until Dr. Leg- ge furnishes us with his proofs; but, as the object, which we all have in view, is to develope fully the facts of this case, and to have it correctly and speedily decided,—to contend for truth, not “ victory —I shall gather the best definitions of God from the books within my reach, and theu from these definitions and the cosmogony of the Chi- nese, exhibit the reasons why I dissent from Dr. Legge's proposition, 'The Shangtí of the Chinese people is God over all, blessed for ever."

1. “I shall inquire what kind of idea, or notion, scripture and Christian antiquity give us of one that is really, and truly God. If we trace this matter through the Old Testainent, we shall find that the scripture notion of a person that is truly God, and should be received as such, includes in it power and might irresistible; perfect knowledge and consummate wisdom, eternity, im- mutability, and omnipresence; creative powers; supremacy, independence, and necessary existence. These are the distinguishing characteristics, under which God was pleased to make himself known, and it is upon these accounts that he, in opposition to all other gods, claims to be received and honored as God. These therefore are what make up the scripture idea of a person who is truly, really, and strictly God." Waterland's works, Vol. 2 թ. 37.

2. Knapp says, " But the best definition of God.-the one in which all the others are comprehended, is the following; God is the most perfect being, and is the cause of all other being." Knapp's Theol., Vol. I. p. 156.

3. Cudworth says, "The true and genuine idea of God in general is this. A perfect, conscious, understanding being (or mind) existing of itself from eternity and the cause of all other things." See Intel. System, Vol. I.

p. 297.

If Dr. Legge will take Waterland's representation "of one that is really and truly God," he must prove that the Shangti of the Chinese people has "

power and might irresistible; perfect knowledge and consummate wisdom, eternity, immutability and omnipresence; cre- ative powers; supremacy, independence and necessary existence." Or if he likes Knapp's short definition better, prove that he is a per- fect being" i. e. a being possessed of all physical and moral perfec- tions, and that he is "the cause of all other beings," the creator of the world i. e. of every thing extrinsic to himself.

But to this it might be replied, these are definitions of God given by Christian men, who had in view all the perfections of Jehovah, the revealed God, and it is not necessary to prove that every thing we know of him is predicated in the Chinese books of Shingts, in order that we should admit that he is the same Being as he whom we call God. As was said above, the being might be the same, the difference only arises from the clearness with which he is known. It may be maintained by some that the monadic Thros of the Greek philosophers, is entitled to be regarded as truly and properly God, notwithstanding all of them conceived of matter as eternal. The consequences that follow, from allowing a being, who is not the absolute creator of all

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