To arrive at the absolute involves abstractions beyond the finite mind of man. However, effort of this kind amply repays the searcher after truth if he will only delve in the mountain of truth with the pick and shovel of Scripture, actuated by a spirit of love and reverence for Him who is the Truth. These are prerequisites, and without them the fields of divine truth will be barren indeed.

There is a remarkable passage (i Tim. 2:4) where God, having become the Saviour of men, the Saviour-God, "desires that all men should be saved and come to the knowledge of the truth."

If we could be in the presence of God apart from any connection with the universe, we would be conscious of truth only. Error cannot possibly exist in His presence. It does not exist there because it has been discovered and eliminated, or, being there was purged out, but because it never could exist there.

If now we could bring in the universe as it was at the time of Adam's innocency, we would still be conscious of nothing but truth. This must be so because God pronounced everything "very good," and therefore without error. This is the very nature of truth, it is always consistent with itself, which is the nature of Him who is the Truth. There cannot be any truth at all apart from God. If He were to cease to exist would truth remain? Certainly not. But allow His existence and the thought of His character immediately follows, which is, He is Truth. Do you want the truth as to love? God is love. Do you want the truth as to light? God is light. And so on.

Now no doubt Adam in his unfallen estate apprehended God in this way and rejoiced in His presence. But something has occurred that prevents man from knowing God direct. More than that, something has occurred that makes man by nature an enemy of God. He has lost all possession* of truth, and must therefore approach God through Another. * έπγvωσις, "full knowledge," which acknowledges the truth of a thing; but I have said "knowledge," not "full" or " certain knowledge," as more just in English . ' If I said, in English, "acquainted with the truth," it would! imply not possessed; but knowledge is έπγvωσις If we say " full," it is contrasted with "partial;" "certain" with "doubtful" To know the truth suggests possession of it." (J. N. D.)* We have, then, the unspeakably precious truth that God may be perfectly seen through the Lord Jesus Christ, we see God in Christ.

However, as the passage quoted indicates, men 'must be saved. God's righteousness demands that the matter of sin must be settled to His glory, then it is the untold privilege to again know God, and that in Jesus Christ who is the 'Truth. Therefore if we desire to know God as to righteousness, it is to behold Jesus; as to holiness it is to behold Jesus; as to light it is to behold Jesus; as to love it is to behold Jesus-and so on. Surely we can now say "in Him dwells all the fulness of the Godhead bodily."

I do not think the passage quoted from first Timothy looks at man with reference to this terrible moral condition, but rather at the fact that he has lost completely all possession of the truth, which of course is the direct result of sin. What an unspeakable privilege to know God, and that too in Christ the Truth. F. H. J.