Encyclopedia of sacred theology - pagina 286

262

ECTYPAL THEOLOGY

§ 60.

The

[Div. Ill

proposition of an unintentional revelation

is

equally

This often happens with us, because the revelation of our person or of our disposition is not always under our control. Not only unintentionally, but sometimes against our intention and in spite of our purpose to the contrary, all sorts of things are constantly heard and seen of us, which it was by no means our desire to reveal. But this again you cannot apply to the Eternal Being, without lapsing into the anthropopathic representation of His Such unintentional discovery of self to others existence. results from a lack of power or insight, and from a conThus the sequent dependence upon many human data. omnipotence and absolute independence of God would be impaired, if in Him you assumed this unconscious, unintenHis revelation tional, and in so far accidental, revelation. postulates both the will and the purpose to reveal Himself, and this is inconceivable, unless there is at the same time a conscious being outside of God, which is able to appropriate untenable.

what

is

revealed,

and

for

which

this revelation is intended.

Though a star is praised for sparkling, which it out knowing it, and a flower for the aroma that its

cup without this cup jDerceiving

we

similar strain,

does withflows from

and though,

it,

in a

praise the native simplicity of a beautiful

character that radiates without effort and conscious aim,

can we approach the Lord nothing that He does not owe to Himself, and in no single particular is He a mystery to Himself. In Him whose is the highest and the most com-

yet with no such conception

our God, for

He

has

plete consciousness, there

is

no room for the conditions of

semi- or total-unconsciousness. gica states in Art. 12,

the

service of

God," applies

man,

that

What

the end that

to

whom

whatever

is

comes the instrument of revelation

man may

is

"for

are

serve

his

man

is

creaturely on earth beof the attributes of

God.

more than

this.

proposition, however, implies

creature

Bel-

Oonfessio

things

also to the realm of revelation, since

the creature, by

Our second The conscious

the

created

all

not only indispensable in order that

revelation can be revelation^ but that which

is

revealed must

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