Directory_and_Chronicle_1850 — Page 675

1850,

Defense of an Essny, &c.

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minds of an eternal, uncaused, independent, necessary Bring, that hath active power, life, wisdom, goodness, and whatsoever other supposable excellency in highest perfection originally in and of itself. Such a being we would with coin- mon consent express by the name God."

Here we see Howe too, in this definition, takes no notice of the various relationships which Jehovah sustains to his creatures, and which the word God, being the absoluto appellative name of Him is used in the sacred Scriptures to designate sometimes the one, and sometimes another. He makes no mention of these relations, because he justly regards them as not necessary to a proper definition of this word, it being the name of the eternal, uncaused, independent, necessary Being, who was God before any of these relations subsisted. These relations may or may not be mentioned in a definition of the word God, but I have never seen a definition of the word, in which the nature of the Being designated was not mentioned; and doubt if such a one can be quoted from any good writer.

Voltaire, in giving Newton's view as quoted by Dr. L. in his Letters, p. 27, is careful to state these essential attributes, and that before he makes mention of any of these relations; his words are, "Newton was deeply persuaded of the existence of a God, and he understood by that word not only a Being, Infinite, Almighty, Eternal, and the Creator, but a Master, who has established relations between Himself and his creatures;” (observe, not was constituted God by this relationship, but being God, himself established this relation ;) “ for,” adds Newton, "without this relation, the knowledge of a Gol is nothing but a barren idea.” Here I would again observe that Newton does not say that this in- finite, eternal Being, without this relation would not be God, but rather clearly implies the contrary, stating only that a knowledge of this relation is necessary to our welfare.

According to the common consent of mankind, the word God, whether understood propriè or impropriè, is an absolute term, and not the mere expo- nent of a relationship as Dr. Legge contends it is. St. Paul speaks of those who were "by nature no gods." Cicero wrote "De NATURA Deorum;" would he have used the word "natura," if writing De-Imperatorum? In every Christian work on theology we take up, we shall find something said "of the nature and attributes of God." Hesiod has given us a Theogony, or generation of the gods; and it is just as plain that he regards the gods throughout this poem, as a genus-a race of beings, as that he regards men in this light. He constantly couples the names of the two races together. Love is "Sire of gods and men." "They (the Fates) of men and gods the crimes pursue.”

They are expressly spoken of as a race.

"The Muses (he says) bade me praise

The blessed race of ever living gods."

"They send forth

Their undecaying voice, and in their songs, Proclaim before all themes the race of gods,

From the beginning."

VOL. XIX. NO. XII,

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