It is not the necessary inadequacy of the finite mind to conceive of
the Infinite that most tragically hides God from us. That inadequacy is
compatible with true and sufficient knowledge of Him. Nor is it 'the
veils of flesh and sense,' as we often hear it said, that hide Him. But
it is our sinful moral nature that darkens His face and dulls our eyes.
'Knowledge' of God, being knowledge of a Person, is not merely an
intellectual process. It is much more truly acquaintance than
comprehension; and as such, requires, as all acquaintance does, some
foundation of sympathy and appreciation.
Every sin darkens the witness to God in ourselves, In a pure nature,
conscience would perfectly reveal God; but we all know too sadly and
intimately how it is gradually silenced, and fails to discriminate
between what pleases and what displeases God. In a pure nature, the
obedient Will would perfectly reveal God and the man's dependence on
Him. We all know how sin weakens that.
Every sin diminishes our power of seeing Him in His external
Revelation. Every sin ruffles the surface of the soul, which is a
mirror reflecting the light that streams from Creation, from
Providence, from History. A mass of black rock flung into a still lake
shatters the images of the girdling woods and the overarching sky.
Every sin bribes us to forget God. It becomes our interest, as we
fancy, to shut Him out of our thoughts. Adam's impulse is to carry his
guilty secret with him into hiding among the trees of the garden. We
cannot shake off His presence, but we can--and when we have sinned, we
have but too good reason to exercise the power--we can dismiss the
thought of Him. 'They did not _like_ to retain God in their knowledge.'
Individual sins may seem of small moment, but an opaque veil can be
woven out of very fine thread.