We cannot see God, because he is INVISIBLE. "God is a Spirit; and they that worship him, must worship him in spirit and in truth."* God sees us at all times, and in all places; no one can hide himself in secret places that God shall not see him; the darkness does not hide us from him-he sees us by night, as well as by day; he always sees us. He is ALL-seeing. "The eyes of the Lord are in every place, beholding the evil and the good."+ "The Lord seeth not as man seeth; for man looketh on the outward appearance, but the Lord searcheth the heart." God is in all places at the same moment -he is every where. He is EVERPRESENT; "he is God in heaven above, and upon the earth beneath."§ "His way is in the sea, his path in the great John, c. iv. verse 24. 1 Samuel. c. xvi. verse 7. + Proverbs, c. xv. verse 3. waters, and his footsteps are not known."* God, who created the world, can do all things; we live, or we die, according to his will; he is strong, powerful, mighty; "there is nothing too hard for him." He is ALMIGHTY. "Great is the Lord, and greatly to be praised, and his greatness is unsearchable." God existed before the world was created; he did not begin to exist-he had no beginning-he was not created; no Being existed before God; he has always existed-he will always exist-he will never die. He had no beginninghe will have no end. He is ETERNal. The years of eternity will never end; the sands on the sea-shore, and the stars of heaven, are very very numerous, but the years of eternity are more numerous than the sands and the stars,—they are Psalm lxxvii. verse 19. Jeremiah, c. xxxii. verse 17. Psalm cxlv. verse 3. innumerable-we cannot even think of their number. The earth and the heavens will perish and be changed, "but thou art the same, and thy years shall have no end."* The things of the earth are always changing; they are never the same; plants and animals change-they live, they grow, and die. Men change; some men become wiser and better as they grow older; and if people do not become better, they become worse. Nothing earthly remains the same; plants change to earth-our bodies change to dust; rivers go into the sea-the water changes to vapour, and the vapour again changes to rain. All earthly things change; but God is always the same-he never changes -he is UNCHANGEABLE" the same yesterday, to-day, and for ever."+ "The heavens shall vanish away like smoke, Psalm cii, verse 27. Hebrews, c. xiii, verse 8, and the earth shall wax old like a garment, and they that dwell therein shall die in like manner; but my salvation shall be for ever, and my righteousness shall not be abolished."* All that are "Your fathers, where born must die. are they? and the prophets, do they live for ever?"+ God never did any wrong; he loves all his creatures, he wishes all people to obey his will, and he has given us a reasoning soul, that we may learn that it is right to do so. He is always doing good to men--he is GOOD he is HOLY. "He is nigh to all them that call upon him in truth; he will fulfil the desire of them that fear him; he also will hear their cry, and will save them." "Oh! that men would praise the Lord Isaiah, c. li. verse 6 1 Zechariah, c. i. verse 5. Psalm cxiv. verses 18, 19. for his goodness, and for his wonderful works to the children of men.' ""* Man is disobedient, revengeful, malicious; God is not like man-he does no one harm-he does not return evil for evil. If the wicked repent of their wickedness, God will have pity upon them; he loves to forgive. He is FORGIVING. "Let the wicked forsake his way, and the unrighteous man his thoughts, and let them return to the Lord, and he will have mercy upon him, and to our God, for he will abundantly pardon."+ "When the wicked man turneth away from his wickedness that he hath committed, and doeth that which is lawful and right, he shall save his soul alive."+ As God will have mercy, and forgive all those who repent and turn from their Psalm cvii. verse 8. Isaiah, c.lv. verse 7. |