The Chautauquan, Vol. 03, May 1883Chautauqua Literary and Scientific Circle
History
The Chautauquan, Vol. 03, May 1883
Chautauqua Literary and Scientific Circle
Chautauqua Institution -- Periodicals; Chautauqua Literary and Scientific Circle -- Periodicals
The Christian is _an expectant of Christ’s coming_. Jesus said to his
disciples, when he was withdrawing from them, “If I go away, I will
come again and receive you unto myself, that where I am, there ye may
be also.” This spake he; therefore they are described as now looking
for him; “to them that look for him will he appear without sin unto
salvation.” This produces a marvelous difference between him and all
other men. Others are now _at home_—the Christian is now _from_ home.
The Christian views his present possessions and enjoyments, whatever
they may be, as only the accommodation of the passing time; he feels
and acknowledges himself to be a stranger and a pilgrim upon earth; all
his treasure is in heaven; therefore he can not be happy, unless he be
there too. “Where the treasure is, there will the heart be also.” And
Jesus knew this disposition; therefore he said, “Father, I will that
they whom thou hast given me be with me, that they may behold my glory.”
This, in brief, is A CHRISTIAN; a _learner of Christ’s doctrine—a lover
of Christ’s person—a copier of Christ’s example—a dependent on Christ’s
mediation; and an expectant of Christ’s coming_.
[_May 20._]
THE UNITY OF THE DIVINE BEING.[H]
By REV. JOHN WESLEY.
And as there is one God, so there is one religion, and one happiness
for all men. God never intended there should be any more; and it
is not possible there should. Indeed, in another sense, as the
apostle observes, “There are gods many, and lords many.” All the
heathen nations had their gods, and many whole shoals of them. And
generally, the more polished they were, the more gods they heaped up
to themselves; but to us, to all that are favored with the Christian
revelation, “There is but one God;” who declares of himself, “Is there
any God, beside me? There is none; I know not any.”
[Footnote H: “There is one God.”—Mark xii:32.]
But who can search out this God to perfection? None of the creatures
that he has made. Only some of his attributes he hath been pleased
to reveal to us in his Word. Hence we learn that God is an eternal
being. “His goings forth are from everlasting,” and will continue
to everlasting. As he ever was, so he ever will be; as there was
no beginning of his existence, so there will be no end. This is
universally allowed to be contained in his very name, Jehovah; which
the Apostle John accordingly renders, “He that was, and that is, and
that is to come.” Perhaps it would be as proper to say, “He is from
everlasting to everlasting.”
Nearly allied to the eternity of God is his omnipresence. As he exists
through infinite duration, so he can not but exist through infinite
space; according to his own question, equivalent to the strongest
assertion; “Do not I fill heaven and earth? saith the Lord” (heaven
and earth, in the Hebrew idiom, implying the whole universe) which,
therefore, according to his own declaration, is filled with his
presence.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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