place him in the number of His dear children, and give him everlasting life.
These are golden words indeed ! They have smoothed down many a dying pillow, and calmed many a troubled conscience. Let them sink down deeply into our memo- ries, and abide there continually. A day w^ill come when flesh and heart shall fail, and the world can help us no more. Happy shall we be in that day, if the Spirit wit- nesses with our spirit that we have really come to Christ !
We have, lastly, in these verses, a saying of Christ about the will of Sis Father. Twice over come the solemn words, — "This is the will of him that sent me." Once we are told it is His will, " that every one that seeth the Son may have everlasting life." Once we are told it is His will that, " of all which he hath given to Christ he shall lose nothing."
We are taught by these words that Christ has brought into the world a salvation open and free to every one. Our Lord draws a picture of it, from the story of the brazen serpent, by which bitten Israelites in the wilder-, ness were healed. Every one that chose to " look " at the brazen serpent might live. Just in the same w^ay, every one who desires eternal life may "look" at Christ by faith, and have it freely. There is no barrier, no limit, no restriction. The terms of the Gospel are wide and simple. Every one may " look and live."
We are taught, furthermore, that Christ will never allow any soul that is committed to Him to be lost and cast away. He will keep it safe, from grace to glory, in epite of the world, the flesh, and the devil. Not one bone of His mystical body shall ever be broken. "tsTot one lamb of His flock shall ever be left behind in the wilderness. He will raise to glory, in the last day, the whole flock entrusted to His charge, and not one shall be found missing.
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