The Three-Fold Basis of Universal Restitution (Paperback)

This historic book may have numerous typos and missing text. Purchasers can download a free scanned copy of the original book (without typos) from the publisher. Not indexed. Not illustrated.1879 Excerpt: ... power. These perfections of God and what they imply in this relation now fall to be considered. I. From the Divine love, as a love absolutely perfect, we may safely infer that God actually desires the perfection of all His moral offspring, and that all will be done that wisdom and power can effect for the accomplishment of the desired end. The moral perfection of all men is the end not only which love demands, but which manifests in the highest degree the moral glory of the God of love. "Herein is my Father glorified that ye bear much fruit." The conduct of the righteous father is ever determined by principles of the highest and purest goodness. Hence, mere self-glorification cannot be the motive of Divine action, since every selfish affection must be infinitely abhorrent to the God of love. Divine love, from its very nature, goes out of self and finds its satisfaction in the well-being of its objects. It is the Divine love which converts the Divine life into a sunny and overflowing fountain of blessedness; and to exhibit this love, and diffuse it through creation, is the end of Divine action. Hence, in nature, God comes forth in an advancing series of self-manifestations, and finally identifies Himself with the creation in the person of Christ, in order to impart all his fulness to the objects of His love. God most effectually advances His own glory as the supreme goodness and the supreme truth, by making all His moral offspring, like himself, living embodiments of goodness and truth. When this is accomplished, and God is everything in every man, then, only, will the Divine love be fully manifested and appreciated. We are, therefore, warranted to infer that the God of love has created man capable of perfection, and that He is able to perfect him accord-ing...