divine nature, as
it rays itself out into all the universe. And, says Paul, the true
hope of the Christian man is nothing less than that of that glory he
shall be, in some true sense, and in an eternally growing degree, the
real possessor. It is a tremendous claim, and one which leads us into
deep places that I dare not venture into now, as to the resemblance
between the human person and the Divine Person, notwithstanding all
the differences which of course exist, and which only a presumptuous
form of religion has ventured to treat as transitory or
insignificant. Let me use a technical word, and say that it is no
pantheistic absorption in an impersonal Light, no Nirvana of union
with a vague whole, which the Apostle holds out here, but it is the
closest possible union, personality being saved and individual
consciousness being intensified. It is the clothing of humanity with
so much of that glory as can be imparted to a finite creature. That
means perfect knowledge, perfect purity, perfect love, and that means
the dropping away of all weaknesses and the access of strange new
powers, and that means the end of the schism between 'will' and
'ought,' and of the other schism between 'will' and 'can.' It means
what this Apostle says: 'Whom He justified them He also glorified,'
and what He says again, 'We all, beholding as in a glass'--or rather,
perhaps, mirroring as a glass does--'the glory, are changed into the
same image.'

The very heart of Christianity is that the Divine Light of which that
Shekinah was but a poor and transitory symbol has 'tabernacled'
amongst men in the Christ, and has from Him been communicated, and is
being communicated in such measure as earthly limitations and
conditions permit, and that these do point on assuredly to perfect
impartation hereafter, when 'we shall be like Him, for we shall see
Him as He is.' The Three could walk in the furnace of fire, because
there was One with them, 'like unto the Son of God.' 'Who among us
shall dwell with the everlasting fire,' the fire of that divine
perfection? They who have had introduction by Christ into the grace,
and who will be led by Him into the glory.

Now, brethren, it seems to me to be of great importance that this,
the loftiest of conceptions of that future life, should be the main
aspect under which we think of it. It is well to speak of rest from
toil; it is well to speak of all the negations of present
unfavourable, afflictive conditions which