Ps. xvii. 15. As for me, I will behold thy face in righteousness : I shall he satisfied, when I awake, with thy likeness.
IN respect of outward appearance, there is but little difference between " the man of God/' and " the
men of this world" But, in their inward
principle, they are as far asunder as light from dark- ness. The Psalmist here contrasts them, L In their desires —
The men of this world affect only the things of time and sense —
[" They have their portion in this life." Pleasure, riches, honour, are the great objects on which their affections are set, and in the attainment of which they suppose happiness to con- sist. For these they labour with incessant care : and if they may but transmit this portion in rich abundance to their children, they bless themselves, as having well discharged the offices of life ]
The man of God has his affection set rather upon things invisible and eternal —
[There is a remarkable decision manifest in that expres- sion, " As for me," I will do so and so. It resembles the de- termination of Joshua ; who, if aU Israel shoidd forsake the Lord, declared this to be his fixed resolution, " As for me, and my house, we will serve the Lord."
In that other expression, too, " I will behold thy face in righteousness," there is, I think, a peculiar delicacy and beauty.
It is not merely " I will seek thy favour," or, " I will follow after righteousness ; " but I will seek thy favour in the only way in which it can ever be obtained, namely, in an entire com- pliance with thy holy will, as revealed in thy blessed word. In this view it imports, " I will seek thy favour in the way of penitential sorroio ; for how shall an impenitent sinner ever find
acceptance with thee ? "I will seek it in a way of
believing confidence:" for thou art never more pleased than when a perfect reliance is placed on thy dear Son, and in " thy
promises, which in him are yea, and in him Amen"
*' I will seek it in a way of incessant loatchfulness : " for if I practise iniquity in my life, or " regard it in my heart," thou
canst never receive me to mercy — " I will seek it also
in a way of universal holiness : " for it is the obedient soul alone on which thou canst ever look with complacency and
delight
We mean not to say that " the man of God is perfect ;" for there is yet much imperfection cleaving to him : but we do say, that, in the habitual desires and purposes of his soul, he accords with the description here given.]
Nor do the two characters differ less,
II. In their prospects —
" The men of this world" can hope for nothing but disappoifit??ient —
[Admitting that they attain the summit of their ambition, they only grasp a shadow. Possess what they may, they feel an aching void, a secret something unpossessed: " In the midst of their sufficiency they are in straits." As for an eternal state, they do not even like to think of it: their happiness depends on banishing it from their thoughts ; and if at any time it obtrude itself upon their minds, it brings a cloud over their brightest prospects, and casts a damp over their richest erijoyments ]
Not so " the man of God : " his pursuits are pro- ductive of the most solid satisfaction —
[Even in this life he has a portion which he accounts better than ten thousand worlds : so that in him is fulfilled what our blessed Lord has spoken, " He that cometh to me, shall never hunger ; and he that believeth in me, shall never thirst." He has gained a superiority to earthly things, which
no other man, whatever he may boast, is able to attain
But when, at the resurrection of the just, he shall " awake" to a new and heavenly state, how rich will be his satisfaction then/ Then will he " behold God face to face:" then, too, will he have attained God's perfect image in his soul : and then