ID1SSiïRTATION V. 313 power of its own to put the least atom in motion. A spirit can neither touch non be touched. The strongest and wisest man upon earth cannot move a grain of sand or feather, by a mere net of his will ; yet he can move the whole animal body to which he is particularly united, by an act of his will. The true mean- ing of it is this, that God has appointed that whensoever the human soul puts forth a volition, the limbs and muscles of that particular animal body shall be effectually moved. This Motion is really and originally owing to the divine original volition, and his universal efficient power. Ev al.$1cu yaf) ¢a, xai myet$eOa, xa Acts xvii. 28. "In or byhim we live, and are moved, and haveour being." Thus all the motion that is found in our material world is the propereffect of the prime divine volition and executive power, which continues through all ages, and pervades all worlds : which acts according to its own supreme appointed laws, and is the real but universal cause of all the motions of every atom hi the universe: And though the particular motions are attributed sometimes to bodies, by way of attractionor impulsion, andSortie- times to minds, or spirits, as the effects of their volition, yet it is really owing to the infinite and all-pervading efficiency of the great God that formed at first, and still preserves and actuates the whole material system of beings, in one, uniform and un- changing manner of operation. What a glorious and magnifi- cent idea does this give us of the blessed Spirit, the executive power of God: Well may it be said; 'Gen. i. 2. "' The Spirit Of God moved upon the face of the waters," or the watery chaos; that is, put the parts of it into their several proper motions, to- wards the formation of a beautiful world. ' And when creatures die, " God sends forth his Spirit, and they are created again," and the face of the animal and vegetable world is renewed by the agency of this spirit ; Ps. civ. 30. And how happily does this schemecorrespond with the doe'- trine of miracles, which when they were wrought by our blessed Saviour, or by his apostles, are still attributed to the Spirit of God. As it is he who manages all nature by settled rules of his own, or of the divine Logos, or wisdom, so it is he who uusottles the course of nature, and changes it, vvhen he pleases. It is he interposes with his immediate and miraculous influence; to act upon the various parts of matter, and give them motions, or ap- pearances contrary to his own established rules. He can;bid the.. sun stand still, the shadow go backward, and command the waters of Jordan to run towards their spring. He causes the blind to see, he unstops the ear of the deaf, and puts vital mo- tion into the dead. When the divine Logos, or Word, performs a miracle, it is by the efficient force of this divine power, the Spirit Of Ocd,
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