---

I. We must observe, THAT IN A DIVINE REVELATION MYSTERIOUS DOCTRINES COULD NOT HAVE BEEN AVOIDED. No man hath seen God at any time- clouds and darkness are round about Him — His judgments are unsearchable; and His ways past finding out.

II. THAT FROM THE LIMITATION OF OUR FACULTIES OUR INFORMATION MUST, OF NECESSITY, HAVE ITS LIMITS. In sciences merely human, one discovery does little else than produce the desire of more. Our utmost attainments are still unsatisfactory and incomplete. Were the mysteries which at present perplex us fully explained, others would be brought within our view. How far soever we might be permitted to advance, we must at last reach the point where our faculties would fail us. HI. These mysteries in religion ARE SUCH ONLY WITH REFERENCE TO OUR UNDERSTANDINGS. To us that is difficult which we cannot perform; that is mysterious which we cannot comprehend. But the difficulty and the mystery depend less upon the objects themselves than upon the narrowness of our capacities. In our future state of existence we shall probably be allowed to acquire much higher degrees of information than we at present possess.

IV. IT WILL TEND STILL FURTHER TO RECONCILE US TO THE MYSTERIOUS DOCTRINES OF OUR FAITH, IF WE SERIOUSLY REFLECT THAT THERE ABE MYSTERIES EQUALLY UNSEARCHABLE IN ALMOST EVERYTHING AROUND US. Not a subject can be named which the human mind can be said fully to understand. Lessons:

1. The difficulty and obscurity inseparable from some of the articles of our faith is an obvious reason that, whenever they are discussed at all, they should be discussed with caution and diffidence.

2. The doctrines, however, which we cannot comprehend, it is still incumbent upon us to believe. We pursue, not what we know, but what we think, will promote our own good. And the same principle prevails in the religion that we profess.

3. Finally, while we admit that the Christian revelation has its mysteries, like every ether work of its Divine Author, and like that Author Himself, we maintain that it teaches plainly all that is necessary for us to know or to practise.

(W. Sparrow, D. D.)

---

---

KJV: And account that the longsuffering of our Lord is salvation; even as our beloved brother Paul also according to the wisdom given unto him hath written unto you;

WEB: Regard the patience of our Lord as salvation; even as our beloved brother Paul also, according to the wisdom given to him, wrote to you;