Eternity Of God
Charles Buck Theological Dictionary [1]
Is the perpetual continuance of his being, without beginning, end, or succession. that he is without beginning, says Dr. Gill, may be proved from,
1. His necessary self-existence, Exodus 3:14 .
2. From his attributes, several of which are said to be eternal, Romans 1:20 . Acts 15:18 . Psalms 103:17 . Jeremiah 31:3 .
3. From his purposes, which are also said to be from eternity, Isaiah 25:1 . Ephesians 3:11 . Romans 9:11 . Ephesians 1:1-23
4. From the covenant of grace, which is eternal, 2 Samuel 3:5 . Mac 5: 2. That he is without end, may be proven from,
1. His spiritually and simplicity, Romans 1:23 .
2. From his independency, Romans 9:5 .
3. From his immutability, 2Pe 1: 24, 25. Malachi 3:6 . Psa 3: 26, 27.
4. From his dominion and government, said never to end, Jeremiah 10:10 . Psalms 10:16 . Daniel 4:3 . That he is without succession, or any distinctions of time succeeding one to another, as moments, minutes, &c. may be proved from,
1. He existence before such were in being, Isaiah 43:13 .
2. The distinctions and differences of time are together ascribed to him, and not as succeeding one another: he is the same yesterday, to-day, and for ever, Hebrews 13:8 . Revelation 1:4 .
3. If his duration were successive, or proceeded by moments, days, and years, then there must have been some first moment, day, and year, when he began to exist, which is incompatible with the idea of his eternity; and, besides, one day would be but one day with him, and not a thousand, contrary to the express language of Scripture, 2 Peter 3:8 .
4. He would not be immense, immutable, and perfect, if this were the case; for he would be older one minute than he was before, which cannot be said of him.
5. His knowledge proves him without successive duration, for he knows all things past, present, and to come: "he sees the present without a medium, the past without recollection, and the future without foresight. To him all truths are but one idea, all places are but one oint, and all times but one moment." Gill's Body of Divinity; Paley's Nat. Theol. p. 480; Charnock on the Divine Perfections; Clarke on ditto; Watts's Ontology, chap. 4:
