Page:Elegant extracts.pdf/5

 is applicable to almost all things in revelation, and indeed even the nature and perfections of God; but this word is commonly applicable to the Trinity, the incarnation of Christ, the reconciliation of an offended God through the atonement of the Saviour, and the resurection and re-union of the same body and soul together; these are great and precious truths, but they are undoubtedly very mysterious, however as they are clearly revealed, it is as much our duty to believe them, as to love God and obey him.

3. Even the gospel, which in many respects is so clear to a believer, is expressly called a mystery in many places in the New Testament, because it is so deep and hidden from the carnal; thus it is called the mystery of God, the mystery of Christ, the mystery of faith, and it is expressly called the mystery of the gospel.

4. The doctrine of the Trinity, though a glorious truth, is deeply mysterious, and indeed is the leading mystery in the Christian religion, and those who arrogantly attempt to accommodate it to the grasp of human reason, have by such an attempt given up the very thing we contend for. Bishop Brown remarks, “We are not required to believe any mystery in the matter, but only in the manner; thus for instance, the mystery in this doctrine does not lie in the matter, or fact, that there are three in one, but in the manner, or how to account for and explain it: we must believe the fact, because it is plainly revealed, but as to the manner, wherein the whole mystery lies, as it is not revealed, we have nothing to do with it.”