of no substance or profit.' [54:1]

It is unfortunate for Theologians that the fundamental principle of
their 'science' either cannot be comprehended, or, if comprehended,
cannot be reconciled with any known principle of nature. 'God is,' they
pompously declare; but what He is they are unable to tell us, without
contradicting themselves and each other. Some say God must be material;
some say, nay, He must be no such thing; some will have Him spiritual,
others immaterial, others again neither spiritual nor material, nor
immaterial, nor even conceivable. Some say, if a Spirit, He can only be
known by His place and figure; some not. Some call Him the author of
Sin, some the permitter of sin, while some are sure He could not
consistently, with his own perfections, either authorize sin or grant to
sinners a permit. Some say He made the Devil, others that the Most Low
bedevil'd himself; others that He created Him angelic and upright, but
could not keep him so. Some say He hardens men's hearts, others that
they harden their own hearts; others again, that to harden men's hearts
is the Devil's peculiar and exclusive privilege. Some say He has
prepared a Hell for all wicked people, others that Hell will receive
many good as well as tricked, while others cannot believe either the
just or the unjust, the faithful or the unfaithful, will be consigned to
perdition and made to endure torments unutterable by a God 'whose tender
mercies are over all his works.' Some affirm His omnipotency, some deny
it; some say He is no respecter of persons, some the reverse. Some say
He is Immensity, others that He fills Immensity; others that He don't
fill anything, though 'the Heaven, of Heavens cannot contain Him;'
others again, that He neither contains nor is contained, but 'dwells on
his own thoughts.' Some say He created matter out of nothing; some say
it is quite a mistake--inasmuch as creation meant bringing order out of
chaos. Some say He is not one person, but three persons--the Father, the