wicked passions, no phtce could afford him joy. To such a one "heaven itself" would be a place of intolerable misery. Heaven as a state is in the holy soul; but there is also heaven a.a a place in which the holy dwell. We know not where this place is. We kn~w it is not in the visible, stellar heavens; for Christ passed through them (eh. iv. 14) mto heaven itself. But where it is situated we know not. We know not its upects or the character of its eoenery. But we are convinced that it must be 1Bupremely beautiful. There are eoenes of exquisite beauty and glorious grandeur and awful sublimity in this world. And we cannot but believe that in this respect heaven will, at least, be not less beautiful, or grand, or sublime. Rather, does not every consideration encourage the belief that it will present scenes that for beauty and sublimity, grandeur and glory, will immeasurably surpass everything that we know at present? II. THAT BEAVEN ITSELF lll THE BCENB OF THE BUP'REME MANIFESTATION OF Go». "The presence of God" is manifested there. "The face of God" is seen there. Moses said unto Jehovah, "I beseech thee, show me thy glory;" and he wo.s answered, " Thou canst not see my face: for there shall no man see me, and live. . . . Thou shalt see my back parts; but my face shall not be seen" (Exod. xxxiii. 18-23). It must, we conceive, in one sense remain for ever true that no man shall see the unveiled face of God, and live. "Whom no man hath seen, nor can see" (1 Tim. vi. 16). But it is also true that in the future there will be granted unto his people a spiritual vision of God of much greater clearness and fuiness than any which they have in this present state. Their " future life will be spent in God's presence, in a sense which does not apply to our present life." For this the intensely religious soul of David yearned, "As for me, I will behold thy face in righteousness," etc. (Ps. xvii. 15). With ardent desire St. Paul anticipated that he should see him "face to face" (1 Cor. xiii. 12). And St. John was thrilled with the sublime and sanctifying hope that he should" see him as he is" (1 John iii. 2). At present we see him through bis works. Creation is a revelation of his might and majesty, his wisdom and goodness. But a nearer ·and clearer vision of him awaits us in the future. In that future our perceptions will doubt- less be more quick and true, more comprehensive and strong, than they are at present, Here and now some men discern signs of the Divine presence and catch sounds of the Divine voice, where others recognize nothing Divine.
"'Cleon sees no charms in nature-in a daisy, I; CJeon hears no anthem ringing in the sea and sky: Natnre sings to me for ever-earnest listener, I."
But the perceptions of even the spiritual and thoughtful man here are dim to what they will be hereafter. Then we shall see him, not through the veil of fle~h, not through tbo clouds which our doubts and sins interpose between us and him, but with the clarified vision of the pure heart (Matt. v. 8). This vision is promised unto bis servants. •• His servants shall serve him; and they shall see his face " (Rev. xxii. 3, 4 ; see also Rev. vii. 15 ; xxi. 3). This vision of God is: 1. Enrapturing. "In thy presence iR fulness of joy ; at thy ri1?:ht hand there are pleasures for evermore." 2. Transforming. ,vhen Moses came down from Mount Sinai, after forty days' communion with God," the skin of his face shone." He had caught something of the glory of the august and awful Bein" with whom he had been in communication. How much more will the saints in heav~n receive of his glory I For (1) Moses saw only his "back parts," but" they shall see his face." (2) Moses saw him and caught of his glory in his fleshly and mortal bodv but they shall see him in their spiritual and immortal bodies. (3) Moses was with };i~ but for forty days, but they shall be with him for ever. For this vision is: 3. .Abiding. Iu heaven itself the manifestation of God will not be occasional or intermitte1Jt, but regular and constant. "He will dwell with them," etc. (Rev, xxi. 3). Ill. THAT HEAVEN ITSELF IS THE ABODE OF THE CHRIST AND THE SCENE 011' Bl8 PRESENT MINio1'RY. "Chri,t entered into heaven itself, now to appear before the face of Gou for Ul3." He is there in bis mediatorial gl'lry (eh. i. 3; viii. 1). 1. He is there as tl,e BepreBentative of man. The expression," to appear in the presence of God for us," wggeats that he is in heaven as our Representative or Advocate (cf. eh. vii. 25; Rom. viii. ,H). As the A.aron;c Ligh priest, on the great Day of Atontment, went into the OH. IX, 1-28.J THE EPISTLE TO THE HEBREWS. 249
holy of holiee as the representative or the people; RO our Saviour, " when he had ma<le purilication of sine," "entered into heaven itself," etc. 2. He i., there continuowly as the Representative of man. The meaning of the "now" is, "from the point of time ~hen he enter_ed heaven as our High Priest, onward indefinitely." It implies the con- tinuance of hie appearance before the face of God for us. 3. He is thdre as the Fore- runner of man. (Of. eh. vi. 20; John xiv. 2, 3.) CoNOLUBION, Let us seek for heaven in the soul, or we can never be admitted into heaven itself. "Blessed are the pure in heart," etc. (Matt. v. 8). "Follow after holi- ness," etc. (eh. xii. 14).-W. J.