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course is one eternal round, the same today as yesterday and forever. "*

"God is not a man that he should lie, neither the son of man that he should repent." "Into thy hand I commit my spirit; thou hast redeemed me, O Lord God of Truth." "He is the rock, his work is perfect; for all his ways are judgment; a God of truth and without iniquity, just and right is he. "§

Of a truth I perceive that God is no respecter of persons, but in every nation he that feareth God and worketh righteousness is accepted with him."||

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'He that loveth not, knoweth not God; for God is love: * * * and he that dwelleth in love dwelleth in God, and God in him."¶ "For God so loved the world that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth on him should not perish but have everlasting life. "**

I can think of no greater evidence of God's love than that exhibited in the act of permitting his Son, Jesus Christ, to come to the earth and suffer as he did for the sins of the world, that they might not suffer if they would but conform to his laws and thus accept the terms of salvation. It would seem, too, that the same attribute of love exists in the breast of the Son, for the sacrifice he made for the redemption of the

*Doc. and Cov., sec. xxxv: 1. † Numbers xxiii: 19 xxxi: 5. Deut. xxxii; 4. **John iii: 16.

Psalms

Acts x: 34, 35. I. John iv: 8-16.

world was a voluntary act. He was not compelled to make the atonement, but of his own free will he volunteered to become our ransom.*

He himself testified: "Therefore doth my Father love me, because I lay down my life, that I might take it again. No man taketh it from me, but I lay it down of myself. I have power to lay it down, and I have power to take it again. This commandment have I received of my

Father."+

Thus, the atonement of Jesus, for the children of men, was a voluntary act; and his death and suffering for the world, was the strongest expression of his love it is possible to conceive— "Greater love hath no man than this, that a man lay down his life for his friends."

From the foregoing testimonies we learn the following things respecting the character of God.

"First, that he is merciful and gracious, slow to anger, abundant in goodness, and that he was so from everlasting, and will be so to everlasting.

"Secondly, that he changes not, neither is there variableness with him; but that he is the same from everlasting to everlasting, being the same yesterday, today, and forever, and that his course is one eternal round, without variation.

lie.

"Thirdly, that he is a God of truth and cannot

"Fourthly, that he is no respecter of persons,

*Pearl of Great Price, p. 41. † John x 17, 18.

but in every nation he who fears God and works righteousness is accepted of him.

"Fifthly, that he is love."*

I conclude this chapter with the remarks made upon these attributes of Deity, to be found in one of the lectures on faith in the Doctrine and Covenants:

"An acquaintance with these attributes in the divine character, is essentially necessary, in order that the faith of any rational being can center in him for life and salvation. For unless he was merciful and gracious, slow to anger, long suffering and full of goodness, such is the weakness of human nature, and so great the frailties and imperfections of men, that unless they believed that these excellencies existed in the divine character, the faith necessary to salvation could not exist; for doubt would take the place of faith, and those who know their weakness and liability to sin, would be in constant doubt of salvation, if it were not for the idea which they have of the excellency of the character of God, that he is slow to anger and long suffering, and of a forgiving disposition, and does forgive iniquity, transgression and sin. An idea of these facts does. away doubt, and makes faith exceedingly strong.

"But it is equally as necessary that men should have the idea that he is a God who changes not,

*I quote the above paragraphs from the III. Lecture on Faith, Doc. and Cov.

in order to have faith in him, as it is to have the idea that he is gracious and long suffering; for without the idea of unchangeableness in the character of the Deity, doubt would take the place of faith. But with the idea that he changes not, faith lays hold upon the excellencies in his character with unshaken confidence, believing he is the same yesterday, today and forever, and that his course is one eternal round.

“And again, the idea that he is a God of truth and cannot lie, is equally as necessary to the exercise of faith in him as the idea of his unchangeableness. For without the idea that he was a God of truth and could not lie, the confidence necessary to be placed in his word, in order to the exercise of faith in him could not exist. But having the idea that he is not man, that he cannot lie, it gives power to the minds of men to exercise faith in him.

"But it is also necessary that men should have an idea that he is no respecter of persons, for Iwith the idea of all the other excellencies in his character, and this one wanting, men could not exercise faith in him; because if he were a respecter of persons, they could not tell what their privileges were, nor how far they were authorized to exercise faith in him, or whether they were authorized to do it at all, but all must be confusion; but no sooner are the minds of men made acquainted with the truth on this point, that he is no respecter of persons, than they see that they

have authority by faith to lay hold on eternal life, the richest boon of heaven, because God is no respecter of persons, and that every man in every nation has an equal privilege.

"And lastly, but not less important to the exercise of faith in God, is the idea that he is love; for with all the other excellencies in his character, without this one to influence them, they could not have such powerful dominion over the minds of men; but when the idea is planted in the mind that he is love, who cannot see the just ground that men of every nation, kindred, and tongue, have to exercise faith in God so as to obtain eternal life!

"From the above description of the character of the Deity, which is given him in the revelations to men, there is a sure foundation for the exercise of faith in him among every people, nation, and kindred, from age to age, and from generation to generation."*

CHAPTER XVI.

FAITH.--COURSE OF LIFE.

HAVE now considered two elements which enter

into the principle of faith, and which are essential to its existence; viz., a belief in the being of God; and, secondly, the nature of his

* Doc and Cov., Lectures on Faith, No. III.

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