final, result of the restoration of Israel. While the people are eagerly craving a return to their farms and villages, with temporal prosperity, the prophet teaches them that, though these advantages are to be received in the good time coming, a better blessing will be the restored visio~ ~f God enjoyed by_means of the pouri~~ out of his Spirit upon the house of Israel. ThlS 1s the best, the highest, the most spmtual, result of Christ's redemption of the world. I. Tm: BEATIFIC VISION OF GoD. God will no more hide his face. 1. The restora- tion of Goa's favoM. The averted countenance signifies disapproval. God hides his countenance when he refuses to hold communion with those of his creatures with whom he is angry. Therefore we are here reminded that sin leads to an action on God's part-to his veiling his bright countenance. There 1s then a need, not only for man to be reconciled to God, but for God to change his grieved and wrathful attitude towards man. This is an essential element in the atonement, which is suggested by the word "propitiation" (Rom. iii. 25; 1 John ii. 2). When God ceases t-0 hide his countenance he looks favourably on his people. 2. The en;"oyment of God's presence. The favour of a king secures many privileges, and the favour of God the best privileges; but no gift of God can equal in value the enjoyment of his own presence To behold his countenance is to have the greatest of blessings. (1) God is our Father; to see him is to be at home. (2) He is the centre of all light and truth; the vision of God is the highest knowledge. (3) He is supreme brightness and beauty; to behold God is to gaze on the " beatific vision." Heaven consists in the undimmed vision of God. 3. An eternal blessedness. God will not hide his face any more. The hiding was an abnormal thing. The words before us suggest the idea that it is natural for God to reveal hi::nself, and that the hiding was something temporally superinduced by man's sin. Not to know God is a monstrously defective experience. When the black cloud has been dispelled the sun will shine out in unwaning splendour. There is no fading of the glory of heaven. The blessedness of God's restored people is eternal. IL THE INSPmATION THAT BESTOBES THE VISION OF Gon. This vision has been lost, and God now promises a restoration of it, indicating the means by which the happy result will be brought to pass. It is because God has poured out his Spirit upon the house of Israel. Revelation is a result of inspiration. '.l'his is the process in pro- phecy. God reveals his will through prophets, i.e. by means of inspired men. Here we see that the spiritual revelation of the saint, who may learn no new truth, but who is brought into the enjoyment of the favour of God and into communion with him, is al.so a result of inspiration. 1. (Jhrisfs redemption leads to a bestowal of the Spirit of God. John the Baptist promised that he who came after him would baptize with the Holy Ghost (Matt. iii. 11). Christ promised the Spirit as "the Comforter" (John xiv. 16, 17). Pentecost followed the crucifixion and resurrection of Christ. Christ has ascended up on high to give gifts unto men; and the best of his gifts, the gift that includes all others, is that of the Holy Spirit. 2. The bestowal of the Spirit of God unveils the countenance of God. (1) It purges men's hearts of the thick film of doubt and earthly-mindedness that hides the vision of God. (2) It puts men into right relations with God, BO that he can manifest his grace to them. (3) It directly opens the eyes of the soul to see the truth of God. (4) It is itself a communing Spirit com- municating God to us.
HOMILIES BY VARIOUS AUTHORS. Ver. 7.-The Lord's care/or his own Name. In several passages of his prophecies, Ezekiel lays stress upon the honour shown to the Name of Jehovah. He does this especially in connection with the predictions of Israel's deliverance, and of the defeat and humiliation of the foes of Israel and of God. The idiom is a Hebrew one, and deserves attention; while the broad moral lessons conveyed are o( a nature to strengthen our faitb in the providential government of God, I. WHA.T rs GoD's NAME? An examination of the passages in Old Testament Scripture in which the expression occurs will convince the student that by the Name we are to understand the attributes and the character of God. It is generally held tLat the name Jelwvah signifies the self-existing Being; and it might be argued that on. xx:ux. 1-29.J THE BOOK OF THE PROPHET EZEKIEL. 811