The World's Great Sermons, Volume 04: L. Beecher to Bushnell
Religion
The World's Great Sermons, Volume 04: L. Beecher to Bushnell
Sermons
The best way of disposing of men and their concerns is that which
will effectually illustrate the glory of God. The glory of God is
His benevolence, and His natural attributes for the manifestation
of it, and sun of the moral universe, the light and life of His
kingdom. All the blessedness of the intelligent creation arises,
and ever will arise, from the manifestation and apprehension of the
glory of God. It was to manifest this glory that the worlds were
created. It was that there might be creatures to behold and enjoy
God, that His dominions were peopled with intelligent beings. And
it is that His holy subjects may see and enjoy Him, that He upholds
and governs the universe. The entire importance of our world,
therefore, and of men and their concerns, is relative, and is great
or small only as we are made to illustrate the glory of God. How
this important end shall be most effectually accomplished none but
Himself is able to determine. He, only, knows how so to order things
as that the existence of every being, and every event, shall answer
the purpose of its creation, and from the rolling of a world to the
fall of a sparrow shall conspire to increase the exhibitions of the
divine character, and expand the joy of the holy universe.
An inferior intelligence at the helm of government might conceive
very desirable purposes of benevolence, and still be at a loss
as to the means most fit and effectual to accomplish them. But,
with God, there is no such deficiency. In Him, the knowledge which
discovered the end discovers also, with unerring wisdom, the most
appropriate means to bring it to pass. He is wise in heart; He hath
established the world by His wisdom and stretched out the heavens by
His discretion. And is He not wise enough to be intrusted with the
government of the world? Who, then, shall be His counsellor? Who
shall supply the deficiencies of His skill? Oh, the presumption of
vain man! and, oh! the depths both of the wisdom and knowledge of
God!
2. It is desirable that God should govern the world according to His
own pleasure, because He is entirely able to execute His purposes.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
Reviews
Reviews
No reviews yet
Be the first to share your thoughts on this work.
Join the Discussion
Join the discussion
Sign in to leave a comment or review.
Sign InorCreate an account