The soul’s knowledge, however, will not be complete so long as it lives in this mortal body.  It does not while here come to the fundamental distinctions and causes of the substances, because it is obliged to know the inner side of things through their externals.  Therefore man is able only imperfectly to know an incorporeal substance; how much less can he know the uncreated infinite being of God?  But if he can not know the being of God, he will not be able to know many other infinite things which are in Him.  We ought therefore not to be surprized that there is much in God which we can not understand, and that very many truths of the faith we can not yet prove since we do not yet know everything.  The great God in His rich mercy saw our poor knowledge and came into our flesh and assumed it that He might work for us, die, and rise again from the dead; until after a life full of love He raised Himself above the world of sense into His eternity.  But so long as our Redeemer lived with His apostles they loved too much that which they saw of Him, because they were bound down to their senses, and were therefore unable to rise to the knowledge of His Spirit.  It was necessary that He should disappear in the heavens that He might lift their souls far above the world of sense up to Himself.  Their natural powers could not do this; therefore He gave to His elect a light from above.  Ascending on high He led captivity captive, for ascending into the heavens He took with Him the prey which the devil had made of the soul of men ever since the fall of our parents.  The Lord has given gifts unto men (Eph. iv. 8), inasmuch as He has imparted to them the seven gifts of the Holy Ghost.  Now they leave everything of this world, and rise above by following Christ, who gives to them for a light the light of faith.  Let us speak this morning of this faith which leads to the Savior.

“Awake thou that sleepest and Christ shall give thee light.”  Be not held captive by flesh and sense, which hold thee fast in sleep; rise to Christ, He will give thee light.  See, His flesh is above.  What do ye say to that, ye wise men of this world?  Everything that has weight tends downward, but His flesh is of thy heart.  Thou hast refused the service of the Lord, who has ascended to prepare for thee the highest glory.

I call upon all men and women, all whose lives are ruined in sorrows and troubles.  What do ye fear?  He who believes that Christ is above no longer fears anything.  Come then all ye into His service.  Jesus reproved the unbelief and the hard-heartedness of His disciples, because they did not believe those who had seen Him after He had risen.  Without faith it is impossible to please God.  No doubt the apostles said:  How can we believe these women?  But these women were of pure heart before God, and therefore the Savior reproved His disciples.  Ye deserve still sharper reprimands.  To the disciples a few women announced the news that He had risen.