eyes not her garment, but her loved Bridegroom's face;
I shall not gaze on glory, but on my KING of grace;
Not on the crown He giveth, but on His pierced hand:
The LAMB is all the glory of Immanuel's land.

May the HOLY SPIRIT give us more and more to realize the practical
bearing of all that is thus revealed of the glory of the Person, and the
fulness of the work of our SAVIOUR and KING!

THE BLESSING OF THE SON AND BRIDEGROOM.

JEHOVAH, THE SON, MAKE HIS FACE SHINE UPON THEE, AND BE GRACIOUS
UNTO THEE.

The first clause of the three-fold blessing told of the going out of the
heart of the invisible FATHER; now, when we come to the blessing of the
SON, we read, "The LORD _make his face shine_ upon thee," or, in other
words, make visibly _manifest_ His favour towards thee. The SON of GOD
is the KINSMAN who has the right to redeem, the FRIEND who sticketh
closer than a brother, the ONE who has come, not only to be the LIGHT of
the world, but in an especial sense to be the LIGHT of His own redeemed
ones.

There was no need in Israel of a kinsman-redeemer in times of
prosperity; but when bereavement and poverty afforded opportunity to
the creditors to seize the possession, then a kind and wealthy
kinsman-redeemer was a blessing indeed. We are reminded of the beautiful
history of Ruth: how sweetly the gracious words of Boaz fell on the ear
of the young stranger, and what blessing that kinsman brought into her
heart and life! The FRIEND that sticketh closer than a brother is
precious at all times, but never so valued as in times of adversity; and
the very expression, "THE LIGHT of the world," tells us of the darkness
that sin has brought in--a darkness, alas! not only around, but also
within. The shining of the face of JEHOVAH, the SON, dispels the
darkness and the gloom, manifests the presence of the FRIEND in need,
and shows us the REDEEMER, who not only delivers, but becomes the
BRIDEGROOM of the soul.

"Make His _face_ shine upon thee." The face is perhaps the most
wonderful part of the wonderful human body. Of all the faces that GOD
has made no two are exactly alike, even when quiescent; and though we do
occasionally meet with those that bear a very close resemblance,
intimate friends, who know the play of the countenance, never mistake.
And why is this? Because GOD has so ordered it, that the face shall
_reveal_ the character and feelings of the individual. And it is the
purpose of GOD that the