November 13

Great is the Mystery of Godliness,—God manifest in the flesh.—1 Timothy 3:16.

THE Works of an infinitely wise being, must of necessity to a great extent, be mysterious to finite, and short-sighted creatures. Such are the works of Deity to us, heaven and earth are full of mysteries, wherever we look, whatever we contemplate, we are compelled to exclaim, O the depths of the riches, both of the wisdom and knowledge of God? How great and manifold are thy works, O Lord of Hosts! if these remarks apply to the works of nature and equally to the administrations of providence, need we wonder, that they must necessarily include the designs of his mercy and grace. The whole scheme of redemption is full of mystery. The objects of redeeming grace, men, not angels, vile, self ruined, worthless men. The source of the redeeming plan, the love of God, love so deep so unparalleled, so utterly unfathomable! And not less mysterious, the person of the redeemer.—“Immanuel God with us.” God in human form, dwelling in our flesh, united to our nature. The Lord of Angels, and the eternal Jehovah, yet by the assumption of humanity, the child born, and the son given, the babe of Bethlehem, and afterwards the servant of servants, the man of sorrows, and acquainted with grief. Angels, those exalted spirits of intellectual greatness, are lost in wonder and reverent awe. They pass by sun, moon and stars, and gathering around Bethlehem, Calvary, and Olivet, desire to look into the person, and sufferings of Christ and the glory that shall follow. Well might the apostle therefore exclaim, “Great, is the mystery of Godliness, God manifest in the flesh.” The facts of this mystery are revealed, and it is our happy privilege to possess that revelation; by believing these facts, our souls will be made the partakers of all those precious benefits, which Jesus by his sufferings and death hath obtained for us.