st into the metaphorical forms or
the negative symbols in which the New Testament abounds. We may speak
of golden pavements, and thrones, and harps, and the like. We may
say: 'No night there, no sighing, nor weeping, no burdened hearts, no
toil, no pain, for the former things are passed away.' But a future
life which is all described in metaphors, and a future life of which
we know only that it is the negation of the disagreeables and
limitations of the present, is but a poor affair. Here is the positive
truth, 'To him that overcometh will I grant to sit with Me on My
throne.' 'We shall be like Him, for we shall see Him as He is.' And
beyond that nearness to Christ, blessed communion with Christ,
likeness to Christ, royalty derived from Christ, I think we neither
know nor need to know anything about that life.

Not only is He our sole medium of knowledge and Himself the
revelation of our heaven, but it is only by Him that man's thoughts
and desires are drawn to, and find themselves at home in, that
tremendous thought of immortality. I know not how it may be with you,
but I am not ashamed to confess that to me the idea of eternal
continuance of my conscious being is an awful thought, rather
depressing and bewildering than delighting and attractive. I, for my
part, do not believe that men generally do grapple to their hearts,
with any gratitude or joy, that solemn belief of immortal life unless
they feel that it is life with, and in, and like, Jesus Christ. 'To
depart' is dreary, and it is only when we can say 'and to be with
Christ' that it becomes distinctly 'far better.' He is, if I may so
say, at once telescope and star. By Him we see Him; we see, seeing
Him, that the things that are unseen all cluster round Himself and
become blessed.

III. And now, lastly, this look should be habitual with all Christian
people.

Paul takes it for granted that every Christian man is, as the
habitual direction of his thoughts, looking towards those 'things
that are not seen.' The original shows that even more distinctly than
our translation, but our translation shows it plainly enough. He does
not say 'works for us an exceeding weight of glory _for_,' but
_'while'_ we look, as if it were a matter of course. He took it for
granted as to these Corinthians. I wonder if he would be warranted in
taking it for granted about us?

Note what sort of a look it is which produces these blessed effects.
The word which the Apostle employs her