and the happiness of his creatures are, and are to be, wonderfully pro- moted. His judgments are unsearchable. That is, his decisions, pur- poses, or decrees. Ps. 119: 75. In this sense this clause differs from the following. The plans and purposes of God are unsearchable, and his ways, his methods of executing" them, are incomprehensible. Or both clauses may be understood as containing the same general idea, God's dealings are beyond the comprehension of mortals.
(34) For who hath known the mind of the Lord? Who hath been his counsellor? See Isa. 40: 13. Jer. 23: 18. This and the following verse confirm the declaration of the preceding, and assert the entire inde- pendence of God. His judgments and ways are unsearchable, for who has ever entered into his counsel, or known his purposes ] He derives knowledge from none of his creatures, but is in this, as in all things else, independent of them all.
(35) Or who hath Jirst given to him, and it shall be recompensed to him again? This is not to be confined to giving counsel or know- ledge to God, but expresses the general idea that the creature can do nothing to place God under obligation. It will be at once perceived how appropriate is this thought, in reference to the doctrines which Paul had been teaching. Men are justified, not on the ground of their own merit, but of the merit of Christ; they are sanctified, not by the power of their own good purposes, and the strength of their own will, but by the Spirit of God ; they are chosen and called to eternal life, not on the ground of any thing in them, but according to the purpose of him who worketh all things after the counsel of his own will. God, therefore, is the Alpha and the Omega of salvation. The creature has neither merit nor power. His hopes must rest on sovereign mercy alone.
(36) For of him, and through him, and to him, are all things ; to whom be glory for ever. Amen. The reason why man can lay God under no obligation, is that God is himself all and in all ; the source, the means, and the end. By him all things are ; through his power, wisdom, and goodness all things are directed and governed ; and to him, as their last end, all things tend. For the display of his character, every thing exists and is directed, as the highest and noblest of all possible objects. Creatures are as nothing, less than vanity, and nothing, in comparison with God. Human knowledge, power, and virtue are mere glimmering reflections from the brightness of the divine glory. That system of religion, therefore, is best in accordance with the character of God, the nature of man, and the end of the universe, in which all things are of, through, and to God ; and which most effectually leads men to
say, NOT UNTO us, BUT UNTO THY NAME BE ALL THE GLORY ! DOCTRINES.
1. There is to be a general conversion of the Jews, concerning which the apostle teaches us, 1. That it is to be in some way consequent on the conversion of the Gentiles, vs. 11, 31. 2. That it will be attended