apathy, the veil seems to be withdrawn, and they see Him whom they
have been seeking all the time and knew not that He was there beside
them. All, and more than all, that they sought for in the many pearls
is stored for them in the one Pearl of great price. The ancient
covenant stands firm to-day as for ever. 'Seek and ye shall find,
knock and it shall be opened unto you.'

But then there are others, like Paul on the road to Damascus or like
Matthew the publican, sitting at the receipt of custom, on whom there
is laid a sudden hand, to whom there comes a sudden conviction, on
whose eyes, not looking to the East, there dawns the light of Christ's
presence. Such cases occur all through the ages, for He is not to be
confined, bless His name! within the narrow limits of answering
seeking souls, or of showing Himself to people that are brought to Him
by human instrumentality; but far beyond these bounds He goes, and
many a time discloses His beauty and His sweetness to hearts that wist
not of Him, and who can only say, 'Lo! God was in this place, and I
knew it not.' 'Thou wast found of them that sought Thee not.'

As it was in His miracles upon earth, so it has been in the sweet and
gracious works of His grace ever since. Sometimes He healed in
response to the yearning desire that looked out of sick eyes, or that
spoke from parched lips, and no man that ever came to Him and said
'Heal me!' was sent away beggared of His blessing. Sometimes He healed
in response to the beseeching of those who, with loving hearts,
carried their dear ones and laid them at His feet. But sometimes, to
magnify the spontaneity and the completeness of His own love, and to
show us that He is bound and limited by no human co-operation, and
that He is His own motive, He reached out the blessing to a hand that
was not extended to grasp it; and by His question, 'Wilt thou be made