CHAPTER V.
KEYS OF THE MYSTERIES OF THE G.o.dHEAD.
Eternal Father, Being without end!
Thy glorious fulness who can comprehend!
Thine own infinitude alone is fraught With attributes to swell a human thought, To grasp thy knowledge, or thy nature scan.
As Father of the endless race of man.
"_This is life eternal: to know the only true and living G.o.d, and Jesus Christ whom he hath sent_."
Since the decline of the science of Theology, a mystery, dark and deep, has shrouded the human mind, in regard to the person and nature of the Eternal Father, and of Jesus Christ, His son.
Councils of the fathers, and wise men of Christendom, have a.s.sembled again and again, in order to solve the mystery of G.o.dliness, and fix some standard or creed upon which all parties might rest and be agreed.
This, however, was not in their power. It is impossible for the world by its wisdom to find out G.o.d. "_Neither knoweth any man the Father save the son, and he to whomsoever the son will reveal him_."
The key to the science of Theology, is the key of divine revelation.
Without this key, no man, no a.s.semblage of men, ever did, or ever will know the Eternal Father, or Jesus Christ.
When the key of revelation was lost to man, the knowledge of G.o.d was lost. And as life eternal depended on the knowledge of G.o.d, of course the key of eternal life was also lost.
Oh the mysteries, the absurdities, the contentions, the quarrels, the bloodshed, the infidelity, the senseless and conflicting theories, which have grown and multiplied among sectaries on this subject!
Among these theories, we will notice one, which is, perhaps, more extensively received by different sects than any other. The language runs thus--"_There is one only living and true G.o.d, without body, parts, or pa.s.sions; consisting of three persons--the Father, Son, and Holy Ghost_."
It is painful to the human mind to be compelled to admit, that such wonderful inconsistencies of language or ideas, have ever found place in any human creed. Yet, so it is.
It is but another way of saying, that there is a G.o.d who does not exist, a G.o.d who is composed of nonent.i.ty, who is the negative of all existence, who occupies no s.p.a.ce, who exists in no time, who is composed of no substance, known or unknown, and who has no powers or properties in common with any thing or being known to exist, or which can possibly be conceived of, as existing either in the heavens or on the earth.
Such a G.o.d could never be seen, heard, or felt, by any being in the universe.
There never has been a visible idol worshipped among men, which was so powerless as this "_G.o.d without body, parts, or pa.s.sions_."
The G.o.d of Egypt, the crocodile, could destroy.
The images of different nations could be felt and seen.
The Peruvian G.o.d, the Sun, could diffuse its genial warmth, light, and influence.
But not so with the G.o.d without "_body, parts, or pa.s.sions_."
That which has no parts, has no whole.
Beings which have no pa.s.sions, have no soul.
Before we can introduce the keys and powers of practical Theology to the understanding of men in this age, we must, of necessity, place within their comprehension some correct ideas of the true G.o.d.
It is written that, "_without faith it is impossible to please Him_."
Those who do not please Him, can never partake of the powers and gifts of the science of Theology, because the keys and powers of this science emanate from Him as a free gift, but they are never given to those with whom He is not well pleased. The individual who would partake of this power, must therefore have faith in Him. But how can he believe in a being of whom he has no correct idea?
So vague, so foreign from the simple, plain truth, are the ideas of the present age, so beclouded is the modern mind with mysticism, spiritual nonent.i.ty, or immateriality in nearly all of its ideas of the person or persons of the Deity, that we are constrained to use the language of an ancient Apostle, as addressed to the learned of Athens--"_Whom therefore ye ignorantly worship. Him declare I unto you_."
Although there are facts in our own existence, which are beyond our present comprehension or capacity, which is true, in a higher sense, in relation to the G.o.dhead, still the limited knowledge we are able to comprehend in relation to ourselves, may at least be rational, and be as clearly conveyed and understood as any other subject. So with our knowledge of Deity. Although there are facts beyond our reach in relation to His existence, attributes, and power, yet that which we may know and comprehend or express of Him, should be divested of all mystery, and should be as clearly conceived, expressed, and conveyed as any other item of truth or of science.
Jesus Christ, a little babe like all the rest of us have been, grew to be a man, was filled with a divine substance or fluid, called the Holy Spirit, by which he comprehended and spake the truth in power and authority; and by which he controlled the elements, and imparted health and life to those who were prepared to partake of the same.
This man died, being put to death by wicked men.
He arose from the dead the third day, and appeared to his disciples.
These disciples, on seeing him, supposed him to be a spirit only.
They may have possessed some of the vague ideas of men in more modern times, in regard to an immaterial existence beyond the grave: an existence unconnected with any real or tangible matter, or substance.
But their risen Lord adopted the most simple means of dispersing their _mysticism_, their _spiritual vagaries_ or _immateriality_. He called upon them to handle him and see, "_For_" said he, "_a spirit hath not flesh and bones, as ye see me have_."
They accordingly handled him, examined the prints of the nails in his hands and feet, and the mark of the spear in his side. But, as if this was not enough in order to familiarize them still more with the facts of a material or tangible immortality, he ate and drank with them--partaking of a broiled fish and an honey-comb.
In short, he was with them for forty days, in which he walked, talked, ate, drank, taught, prophesied, commanded, commissioned, reasoned with and blessed them, thus familiarizing to them that immortality and eternal life which he wished them to teach in all the world.
He then ascended up in their presence, toward that planet where dwelt his Father and their Father, his G.o.d and their G.o.d.
While he was yet in sight in the open firmament, and they stood gazing upward, behold! two men stood by them in white raiment, and said--
"_Ye men of Galilee why stand ye gazing up into heaven? This same Jesus which is taken up from you into heaven shall so come in like manner as ye have seen him go into heaven_."
Here, then, we have a sample of an immortal G.o.d--a G.o.d who is often declared in the Scriptures to be like his father, "_being the brightness of his glory, and the express image of his person_," and possessing the same attributes as his Father, in all their fulness; a G.o.d not only possessing body and parts, but flesh and bones, and sinews, and all the attributes, organs, senses, and affections of a perfect man.
He differs in nothing from his Father, except in age and authority, the Father having the seniority, and, consequently, the right, according to the Patriarchal laws of eternal Priesthood, to preside over him, and over all his dominions, for ever and ever.
While on the one hand, this G.o.d claims affinity and equality, as it were, with his Father, he claims, on the other hand, affinity and equality with his brethren, on the earth, with this difference, however, that his person is a specimen of Divine, eternal Humanity, immortalized, and with attributes perfected; while his brethren who dwell in mortal flesh, although children of the same royal Parent in the heavens, are not yet immortalized, as it regards their fleshly tabernacles, and are not perfected in their attributes; and although joint heirs, are younger, he being the first born among many brethren in the spiritual world. They are therefore subject to him.
But every man who is eventually made perfect--raised from the dead, and filled, or quickened, with a fulness of celestial glory, will become like them in every respect, physically, and in intellect, attributes or powers.
The very germs of these G.o.dlike attributes, being engendered in man, the offspring of Deity, only need cultivating, improving, developing, and advancing by means of a series of progressive changes, in order to arrive at the fountain "_Head_," the standard, the climax of Divine Humanity.
The difference between Jesus Christ and his Father is this--one is subordinate to the other, does nothing of himself, independently of the Father, but does all things in the name and by the authority of the Father, being of the same mind in all things. The difference between Jesus Christ and another immortal and celestial man is this--the man is subordinate to Jesus Christ, does nothing in and of himself, but does all things in the name of Christ, and by his authority, being of the same mind, and ascribing all the glory to him and his Father.
On account of the double relationship of Jesus Christ--with G.o.d the Father on one hand, and with man on the other, many have adopted the creed, that "_Two whole and perfect natures_" were blended in the person of Jesus Christ; that he was every way a G.o.d, and every way a man; as if G.o.d and man were two distinct species. This error came by reason of not knowing ourselves. For just in proportion as we comprehend ourselves in our true light, and our relationships and affinities with the past, present and future, with time and eternity, with G.o.ds, angels, spirits and men, who have gone before us, and who will come after us, so, in proportion, we may be able to benefit by the keys of the mysteries of the G.o.dhead, or, in other words, to know and comprehend Jesus Christ and his Father.
G.o.ds, angels and men, are all of one species, one race, one great family widely diffused among the planetary systems, as colonies, kingdoms, nations, &c.
The great distinguishing difference between one portion of this race and another, consists in the varied grades of intelligence and purity, and also in the variety of spheres occupied by each, in the series of progressive being.
An immortal man, possessing a perfect organization of spirit, flesh, and bones, and perfected in his attributes, in all the fulness of celestial glory, is called _a G.o.d_.