༨ be like him. glory will be Thou wilt soon see him as he is, and then thou shalt No tongue can tell how great that not all the tongues in heaven, after the elect shall be perfected, no, not after they have enjoyed it for millions of ages; never, never will they be able to show forth all his praise for making them like himself. Surely then, whilst thou art waiting for this glory which shall be revealed, thou wilt be going on from faith to faith, that thy beloved Saviour may become dear to thee; and that thou mayest have more close and intimate communion with him. Every day's experience should bring thee to love his appearing more. Having tasted how gracious he is, thou shouldst be longing for the marriage-supper of the Lamb with fervent desire. And being now a father in Christ, and strong in faith, thou wilt be often looking up to him, and saying, Make haste, my Beloved, and take me to thyself -let me see thee face to face, and enjoy thee, thou dearest Jesus, whom my soul longeth after. It is good to live upon thee by faith, but to live with thee is best of all. I have found one day in thy courts, conversing sweetly with thee, better than a thousand: but this has only whetted my appetite; the more communion I have with thee, I hunger and thirst still for more. My soul panteth for nearer, stil, nearer communion with thee. When shall I come to appear before the presence of God? O thou Light of my life, thou Joy of my heart, thou knowest how I wish for the end of my faith, when I shall no longer see through a glass darkly, but with open face behold the glory of my Lord. Thou hast so endeared thyself to me, thou precious Emmanuel, by ten thousand thousand kindnesses, that I cannot be entirely satisfied, until I have the full vision and complete enjoyment of thyself. The day of our espousals has been a blessed time. O for the marriage of the Lamb, when I shall be presented as a chaste virgin to my heavenly Bridegroom! How can I but long earnestly for this full enjoyment of thy everlasting love! Come, Lord Jesus, let me see thee as thou art; come, and make me like unto thee. I do love thee, I am now happy in thy love, but not so as I hope to be. I am often interrupted here, and never love thee so much as I desire; but those blessed spirits standing now round thy throne are perfected in love. O that I was once admitted to see, as they do, the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ! Is not that the voice of my Beloved, which I hear answering, "Surely I come quickly?" "Amen," say I, “even so, come, Lord Jesus." "Make haste, my Beloved, and be thou like to a roe, or to a young hart upon the mountains of spices." Are not these, believer, the breathings of thy soul? Since the time for them is short, may they grow warmer and more affectionate every day! Thou wilt wait but a little while before thou shalt see the King in his perfect beauty, and thou shalt be a blessed partaker of his eternal glory. And if he make these few lines any means of bringing thee to see more of his beauty at present, to live more upon his fulness, and to be happier in him, I hope thou and I shall, through his grace, meet him soon, and give him to eternity the glory of this and of all his other mercies. To the Lord I commend thee, on whom thou hast believed. May he strengthen and establish thy faith daily, that it may grow exceedingly, until he bring thee to the end of it, and admit thee into that innumerable company, who are ascribing blessing, and honour, and glory, and power, to Him that was slain, and hath redeemed them unto God by his blood: to whom, with the Father and the eternal Spirit, three Persons in one Jehovah, be equal and everlasting praise! Amen. |