deep, partially developed capacities for happiness and bleRsedness,-then it ia not in this world that sntisfaction is possibla. Earth might be bankrupt, and yet leave your soul, your inner immortal self, starving (Matt. xvi. 26). I. TrrE SATISFACTION DESIRED AND EXPECTED-ardently desired e.nd confidentl:9 expected (the ~ebrew_imI?lies both; in the margin of the Revised Version, 11 Let me"), To behold Gods face in righteousness; to awake from the dream of life, from the sleep of death, to the reality of his presence, the sight of his unveiled glory. We are met here by one of those apparent contradictions in Scripture, which are always rich in deep meaning and instruction. On one hand, it is declared that to see God is impossible. He is" the King immortal, invisible" (1 'fim. i. 17; vi. 16). "God is a Spirit," the Infinite Spirit; and how can spirit become visible to sense? On the other hand, our Saviour promises that "the pure in heart shall see God." Of Moses it was said," The similitude [or' form,'' image,'-the same word as in the text] of the Lord shall he behold" (Numb. xii. 8). Isaiah tells us how, in vision, he beheld the Lord on bis throne (Isa. vi.). Ezekiel, Daniel, and St. John had similar visions. Visions, it is true; but visions that stood for that infinitely glorious reality of which the Lord said to Moses, "There shall be no man see me, and live" (Exod. xxxili. 20). The explanation of this seeming contradiction is found in John i. 18. All those glorious manifestations, as well as the occasions on which a Divine angel appeared, as to Abraham, Jacob, Joshua, etc., who is identified with the Lord, we understand to have been manifestations of the Son of God, the everlasting Word, crowned and completed by the Incarnation (John i. 14). He is "the Image of the invisible God" (Col. i. 15; Heb. i. 3). Thus this desire aud expectation have for us as Christians a clearness and force they could not have for the holiest of the ancient believers. Even in the days of his flesh, the Lord could say, "He that bath seen me hath seen the Father." How much more in his glory! The Lord God and the Lamb are the light of the heavenly city. This does not exclude other manifestations of God as Spirit to our spirits; like that of which Christ speaks (John xiv. 23). Some have thought there is a dead faculty in our nature, by which we should have direct intuition of God; be naturally conscious of bis presence, as we are of space and time. If so, this dead or sleeping sense, partially quickened by faith, shall awake; we shall know, consciously, what now we believe, that "in him we live, and move, and have our being." Meantime, this is enough for faith to lay hold on, to rest in-we shall see Jesus our Lord in his glory. "To depart," is, for the Christian," to be with Christ;"" Absent from the body, at home with the Lord." We shall II see him as be is;" "the Fulness of the Godhead bodily" dwellina in the immortal temple of glorified humanity. And in him we shall sec the 0 Father, and come to the Father. Our fellowship will be" with the Father, and with his Son Jesus Christ." Ambition cannot rise higher than this. Thought cannot soar beyond this. Faith, hope, love, cannot desire more than this. "Then shall I see and hear and know All I desired or wish'd below." Divines have been wont to call this "the beatific vision," q.d. the happy-making siaht of God. But note that whatever be the forms of inconceivable glory in which G~d reveals himself to his children, the true satisfaction is in the knowledge ef God himself (1 Cor. xiii. 12). As we look into the face and eyes of a friend to read his sonl-thouo-ht, feeling, inner self-so the knowledge of God of which Christ says, "This is life eternal" (John xvii. 3), is of his character, holiness, truth, wisdom, infinite love to us. II. TnE GLORIOUS FULNESS AND PERFECTION OF THIS SATISFACTION, 1. The end of the ronflict between faith and doubt. How many a soul has echoed Job's cry (Job xxiii. 3, 8-10) I The life of faith is a wholesome discipline (John xx. 29; 1 Pet. i. 8). But who could bear to think that it would last for ever? 2. The consciousness c,f perfect r«onciliation to God. No sh~ow of /ea~°?. any more _th_an of do~bt. 3. The experience of complete likenesa to our Saviour (Col. m. 10). This 1s the point ofl John iii. 2. 4. The perj«t rest of the soul. Hope is compared to the "anchor of the so~l" (Heb. vi. 19). But the ship is still tossed on the surges (Heb. iv._ 9). 6. '!'he elevation of our being and life to the highest pitch ef love, knowledge, and Joy. . Co1<:cr.u810~. Turn this expectation and desire into a question, a heart-tr,¥1og test- PB, XVII. 1-15.] THE BOOK OF PSALMS. 109
Shall I be thus satisfied 1 le my keenest desire tnned to this note? Will this satisfy me ?-this and nothing clso? 'J.'he presence of Christ, perfect likeness to him, and eternal fellowship with him; to behold, without a veil, the glory of God in the face of Jesus; to know God? BelieV•3 it, no other heaven is promised or pos8ible. If you~ life bo not tending this way, you are misdirecting, misspending it.