As God is infinite in his being, and in all the affections and modes thereof, it is manifestly impossible for any creature to con- ceive of him as he is in himself, or as he apprehends his own infi- nite being in his infinite knowledge. Yet he has mercifully con- descended to reveal himself to us under the form of certain finite conceptions, which are possible to us only after the analogy of our own spiritual constitution, and because of the revealed fact that man was created in the image of God. They are imperfect, because finite conceptions ; they are true, because revealed by God himself to man created in his own image. The word attribute
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signifies that which in human thought, on the authority of divine revelation, is to be truly attributed to or predicated of God. They are not, however, to be conceived of as properties dis- tinct from his essence, but as modes of conceiving of his essence. His knowledge is his essence knowing, as his love is his essence loving.
Concerning the nature and operations of God, we can know only what he has vouchsafed to reveal to us, and with every con- ception, either of his being or his acts, there must always attend an element of incomprehensibility, which is inseparable from in- finitude. His knowledge and power are as truly beyond all under- standing as his eternity or immensity. — Job. xi., 7-9 ; xxvi., 14 ; Ps. cxxxix., 5, 6; Isa. xl., 28. The moral elements of his glorious nature are the norm or original law of our moral faculties : thus we are made capable of comprehending the ultimate principles of truth and justice upon which he acts. Yet his action upon those principles is often a trial of our faith, and an occasion of our adoring wonder. — Eom. xi., 33-36 ; Isa. lv., 8, 9.
3. How are we to understand those passages of Scripture which attribute to God bodily parts and the infirmities of human passion ?
The passages referred to are such as speak of the face of God, Ex. xxxiii., 11, 20 ; his eyes, 2 Chron., xvi., 9 ; his nostrils, 2 Sam. xxii., 9, 16; his arms and feet, Isa. lii., 10, and Ps. xviii., 9; and such as speak of his repenting and grieving, Gen. vi., 6, 7 ; Jer. xv., 6 ; Ps. xcv., 10 ; of his being jealous, Deut. xxix., 20, etc. These are to be understood only as metaphors. They rep- resent the truth with respect to God only analogically, and as seen from our point of view.
When he is said to repent, or to be grieved, or to be jealous, it is only meant that he acts towards us as a man would when agitated by such passions. These metaphors occur princi- pally in the Old Testament, and in highly rhetorical passages of the poetical and prophetical books.
4. Hoiv may the divine attributes be classified 1
From the vastness of the subject and the incommensurateness of our faculties, it is evident that no classification of the divine
104 THE ATTKIBUTES OF GOD.
attributes we can form can be anything more than approximately accurate and complete. The most common classifications rest upon the following principles : —
1st. The attributes of God, distinguished as communicable and incommunicable. The communicable are those to which the attributes of the human spirit bear the nearest analogy, e. g., his power, knowledge, will, goodness, and righteousness. The incom- municable are those to which there is in the creature nothing an- alogous, as eternity, immensity, etc. This distinction, however, must not be pressed too far. God is infinite in his relation to space and time ; we are finite in our relation to both. But he is no less infinite as to his knowledge, will, goodness, and righteous- ness in all their modes, and we are finite in all these respects. All God's attributes known to us, or conceivable by us, are com- municable, in as much as they have their analogy in us, but they are all alike incommunicable, in as much as they are all infinite.
2d. The attributes of God, distinguished as natural and moral. The natural are all those which pertain to his existence as an in- finite, rational Spirit, e. g., eternity, immensity, intelligence, will, power. The moral are those additional attributes which belong to him as an infinite, righteous Spirit, e. g., justice, mercy, truth.
I would diffidently propose the folio wing four-fo]d clasification:
(1.) Those attributes which equally qualify all the rest — In- finitude, that which has no bounds ; absoluteness, that which is determined either in its being or modes of being or action by nothing whatsoever without itself. This includes immutability.
(2.) Natural attributes. God is an infinite Spirit, self-exist- ent, eternal, immense, simple, free of will, intelligent, powerful.
(3). Moral attributes. God is a Spirit infinitely righteous, good, true, and faithful.
(4.) The consummate glory of all the divine perfections in union. The beauty of holiness.
THE UNITY OF GOD.
5. In what sense is God one ?
1st. There is only one God, to the exclusion of all others.