A body of divinity by Thomas Watson (Available from Amazon or free here) - Read 1. The being of God.
Firstly Watson looks at what is implied in the answer: there is a God. This is shown by:
(i) nature;
(ii) his works;
(iii) our conscience;
(iv) the consent of nations;
(v) his prediction of future things;
(vi) his unlimited power and sovereignty;
(vii) the existence of devils.
Secondly Watson examines the thing expressed: God is a spirit. He does it by answering the following questions:
(i) What do you mean when you say God is a Spirit?;
(ii) Wherein does God differ from other spirits?;
(iii) How does God, being a Spirit, differ from the soul?;
(iv) But is it not said, that we are made partakers of the divine nature?;
(v) How then shall we conceive of God as a Spirit, if we may make no image or resemblance of him?;
(vi) What is it to be spiritual?;
(vii) What is it to worship God in spirit?.
Thirdly Watson teaches us what kind of Spirit God is: an infinite Spirit. This is done by answering the questions:
(i) Does not God say heaven is his throne;
(ii) If God be infinite in all places, he is in impure places, and mingles with impurity?;
(iii) But is it not said Cain went out from the presence of the Lord?.
I appreciated Watson's description how the infiniteness of God applies to us: 'If God be infinite, filling heaven and earth, see what a full portion the saints have; they have him for their portion who is infinite. His fulness is an infinite fulness; and he is infinitely sweet, as well as infinitely full. If a conduit be filled with wine, there is a sweet fulness, but still it is finite; but God is a sweet fulness, and it is infinite. He is infinitely full of beauty and of love. His riches are called unsearchable, because they are infinite. Eph 3:3. Stretch your thoughts as much as you can, there is that in God which exceeds; it is an infinite fulness. He is said to do abundantly for us, above all that we can ask. Eph 3:30. What can an ambitious spirit ask? He can ask crowns and kingdoms, millions of worlds; but God can give more than we can ask, nay, or think, because he is infinite. We can think, what if all the dust were turned to silver, if every flower were a ruby, every sand in the sea a diamond; yet God can give more than we can think, because he is infinite. Oh how rich are they who have the infinite God for their portion! Well might David say, ‘The Lord is the portion of mine inheritance. The lines are fallen unto me in pleasant places, and I have a goodly heritage.’ Psa 16:6, 6. We may go with the bee from flower to flower, but we shall never have full satisfaction till we come to the infinite God. Jacob said: ‘I have enough;’ in the Hebrew, ‘I have all,’ because he had the infinite God for his portion. Gen 33:31. God being an infinite fulness, there is no fear of want for any of the heirs of heaven; though there be millions of saints and angels, which have a share in God’s riches, yet he has enough for them all, because he is infinite. Though a thousand men behold the sun, there is light enough for them all: put never so many buckets into the sea, there is water enough to fill them. Though an innumerable company of saints and angels are to be filled out of God’s fulness, yet God, being infinite, has enough to satisfy them. God has land enough to give to all his heirs. There can be no want in that which is infinite.'
If God is infinite, there is no end to his blessings!
Next week's reading
Read '2. The knowledge of God' & '3. The eternity of God'.
Please post your own notes and thoughts in the comments section below.
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