LECTURE II. GOD A SPIRIT. reason "God is a Spirit."— JOHN iv. 24. Hiero-The heathen philosopher-His answer God a rock-Why?—God a tower Hebrews want a word— First reason why God is called a spirit— What cannot be seen-Angel-visits-God a spirit— The second reason— -The little dead boy-His deathGod not heard-Third reason—The lightning-The Holy Daniel-China-The absent brother - Fourth Sodom's burning-The angel in EgyptAngel in Palestine-Awful power- God's powerFifth reason -What must die-What cannot dieSixth reason-Angel-students—Ignorance of a child -What Angels do-What God knows-Why God is unlike a spirit-First reason—God had no beginningSecond reason— -Angels have changed-A spirit learns new things-God does not-Third reason—A spirit limited—A spirit not in two places-Not so with God -Fourth reason-Spirits are servants-God not controlled-Four things to be remembered — The first— HIERO .... The heathen philosopher. Pictures supposed-Why we make pictures-No picture like God-Second thing to be remembered— A good man's comfort-Third thing to be remembered— How God sees us-The dirty dress-Fourth thing to be remembered - The noblest thing - No picture of Christ-How Christ seen. CHILDREN, did you ever hear of HIERO, King of Syracuse? He was a heathen; but he one day saw a learned man, and said to him, "Tell me, what is God?" The heathen philosopher desired one day to think about it, before he answered the king. This request was granted, in order to get a clear answer. Being asked the same question the next day, he desired two days more to think about it; and every time he was asked, he wished the time doubled, in which he might think about it. The His answer God called a Rock. king was surprised, and asked why he did so? "Because," says the poor man, "the more I think about God, the less I hope to understand him !" This was a wonderful answer. And we shall find, the more we think about God, the more we shall be lost in wonder. Why is God called a Rock in the Bible? Do you think it is because he is hard, or cold, like a rock? No. But he is like a rock in one thing-he is not moved, or changed. A little boy may climb up a great rock, and play upon it, and then go away and not see it till he is a man; but when he does see it, the rock is just as it used to be,-it is not moved or changed. You might sit Why a rock... God a tower... Hebrews want a word. down behind a great rock, and the strong wind might blow, and you would be safe; it would not move. You might have a cannon fired at you, and you would be safe: the rock would not move. Thus God is a rock, because he does not change, and because he makes his people safe. You now see why God is called a tower, in the Bible. You might be in a strong tower, and the storm might rage around it, or armed men might try to break in and kill you,-but you would be safe. Thus because God keeps his people safe, he is said to be a tower, or like a tower. The Hebrews had no such word as our word like; and so when they wanted to say that one thing is like another, First reason why God is called a spirit.. What cannot be seen. they said it is the thing: thus, we should say, "the Lord is like a tower;" but they say, "the Lord is a tower." We should say, this is like my body, and like my blood, shed for the remission of sins; but as they had no such word as like, they say, "this is my body," and "this is my blood." Just so in my text. God is said to be a spirit: "God is a spirit ;" that is, he is like a spirit, in many things; and in many, he is unlike a spirit. Let me make this plain. 1. God cannot be SEEN, and therefore he is like a spirit. You can see many things, such as a house, a mountain, a rock, a tree, and men. They are not spirit. They are coarse. But the wind which tears up |