We shall say, ' Lo, this is the Lord ! ' when we shall see him in heaven. All sight here leadeth to that sight. Faith hath a sight here, but it is in the word and sacrament, and so imperfect ; but the sight in heaven is im- mediate and perfect, and therefore opposed to faith. We Hve by faith, and not by sight. In heaven we shall live by sight ; not that we live not by sight here in some degi-ee, for the lesser sight leadeth to the greater sight. But in comparison of sight in heaven, there is no sight. The Scripture speaketh of sight of God comparatively. Moses ' saw God,' that is, more than any other ; and Jacob ' saw God,' that is, comparatively more than before, but not fully and wholly. We can apprehend him, but not compre- hend him, as they say. We may see something of him, but not wholly.
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But in heaven we shall have another sight of God, and then we shall say, ' Lo, this is the God we have waited for ! ' We shall see Christ face to face.
Beloved, that is the sight indeed. And if ye will ask me whether we shall see God then or no, consider what I said before. This is the God we have waited for in obedience, and fruitfully.
If we shall be ravished with the sight of God, surely if we see him here, we may see him there. AVe see him with the eye of faith, we see him in the ordinance, we have some sight of God that the world hath not. God discovereth himself to his children, more than to the world ; and therefore they say, ' Thou revealest thyself to us, not unto the world,' John xiv. 22. A Christian wonders that God should reveal his love, and mercy, and good- ness to him, more than to others. And therefore, if we belong to God, and shall see him hereafter, we must see him now. As we may see him, we must have some knowledge of him. And if we see God any way, all things in the world will be thought of no request, in comparison of the communion of God in Christ, as, * We have seen the Lord, and what have we to do with idols ? ' Hosea xiv. 8. The soul that hath seen Christ, grows in detestation of sin, and loatheth all things in comparison.
And then, again, if we shall ever see God in glory, in this glorious and triumphing manner, ' This is the Lord,' this sight is a changing sight. There is no sight of God, but it changeth, and alters to the hkeness of God, when he calls to look up to him, and he looks on us in favour and mercy. The best fruit of his favom* is grace, of peace, and joy, for these be beams that issue from him, grace, as beams from the sun. But where- ever God looks with any favour, there is a conformity to Christ, a gracious, humble, pitiful, merciful, obedient disposition, which is an earnest of the Spirit of Christ.
And there is a study of purity, of a refined disposition from the pollutions of the world. ' The pure in heart shall see God,' Mat. v. 8. They that hope to see God for ever in heaven, will study that purity that may dispose and fit them for heaven. And there is such a gracious influence in it, that they that hope for heaven, the veiy hope must needs help to purity them.
As there is grace suitable to waiting, so there is an influence from the things hoped for, to give vigour to all grace. As all the graces of a Chris- tian fit and enable him for heaven, so hope of heaven yields life to all grace. There is a mutual influence into these things. God vouchsafeth discovery of these glorious things, to help us to wait, to be patient, and fruitful, and abmidant in the work of the Lord. And the more we wait fruitfully, and patiently, and silently, the more we see of heaven. So that as in 'nature, the seed bringeth the tree, and the tree the seed ; so in the things of God, one thing breeds another, and that breeds that again. So that waiting and grace fit us for heaven, and the thought of heaven puts life and vigour into all the gi-aces that fit us for heaven. What is our faith to those glorious things we shall see hereafter '? What is patience, but for consideration of that '? "WTiat is hope, but for the excellency of the object of hope ? And what were enduring of troubles, if something were not in heaven to make amends for all ? They help us to come to glory, and the livel}^ hopeful thoughts of those things, animate and enliven aU the gi'aces that fit for heaven. If ever we shall hereafter possess heaven, and say, ' Lo, this is he we have waited for,' we must see him here, so as to rmder- value all things, to see him with a changing sight ; for the object of glory
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cannot be revealed, but it will stir up a disposition suitable to glory. If this be not, never hope for a sight of him in heaven.