The Mosaic History of the Creation of the World: Illustrated by Discoveries and Experiments Derived from the Present Enlightened State of Science; With Reflections, Intended to Promote Vital and Practical ReligionWood, Thomas
Religion
The Mosaic History of the Creation of the World: Illustrated by Discoveries and Experiments Derived from the Present Enlightened State of Science; With Reflections, Intended to Promote Vital and Practical Religion
Wood, Thomas
Bible and science; Cosmology; Creation; Religion and science
It is ascribed also to the SON of God. The evangelist John asserts
in very express terms the Divinity of Jesus Christ, of the truth
of which he designed his whole Gospel should be a proof. “In the
beginning was the Λογος Word.” By the εν αρχη _beginning_, here, we
are to understand the beginning of the creation, not the beginning
of the gospel state, as the Socinians say. We have the authority of
Grotius, that εν αρχη is taken from בראשית _Bereshith_, Gen. i, 1,
translated by the Septuagint εν αρχη, and consequently must signify,
from _the beginning of the creation of God_. It is not said, that
_he_ was _made_ in the beginning, but that he _was_ in the beginning,
did exist when the world began, which is of the same import as if he
said, he was from eternity; for he that did exist in the beginning,
never did himself begin to be. The personal Wisdom of God says, “The
Lord possessed me in the beginning of his way, before his works of
old.”--“And the Logos,” or “Word, was with God.” He could be with no
creature, because there was no creature in being; and therefore it
is very properly said, that he “was with God,” the Father; and his
being with him shows, that he is a distinct person or subsistence
from the Father.--“And the Logos,” or “Word was God.” Though he is a
person distinct from that of the Father, yet he is of the very same
essence with him. He that was with God, was God; and if he was God in
the beginning, that is from eternity, he is the same still, he cannot
cease to be what he was. Here then the evangelist asserts the eternal
existence of Christ, his personal co-existence with the Father, and
that he is of the very same undivided nature and essence with him.
Though he is a person distinct from the Father, yet he is of the same
substance, equal with him in all divine perfections; not a _secondary_
God, inferior to the Father, as the Arians assert. “All things were
made by him.” All things, from the highest angel to the meanest worm,
were made by him, not as a subordinate instrument, but as a co-ordinate
agent, as a joint efficient cause, co-operating with the Father in this
work. ‘To say that Christ made all things by a delegated power from
God, is _absurd_; because the thing is impossible. Creation means,
causing that to exist that had no previous being: this is evidently
a work which can be effected only by _omnipotence_. Now God cannot
delegate his _omnipotence_ to another: were this possible, he _to_ whom
this omnipotence was delegated, would, in consequence, become God; and
he _from_ whom it was delegated, would _cease to be such_: for it is
impossible that there should be _two_ omnipotent beings.’ “And without
him was not any thing made that was made.” This is added for the more
certainty, it being usual with the Hebrews, when they would affirm that
a thing is so indeed, to confirm by a particular negative what they
had before affirmed. Our Lord said to the Jews, “My Father worketh
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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