tide of the Church of England truly says, it is a doc- trine '*full of sweet, pleasant, and unspeakable com- fort."
Notes. John xv. 12 — 16.
12. — [This. ..commandment...iove... loved you.] In this verse our Lord returns to the old lesson which He has taught before : the great duty of love towards other Christians. He backs the command by His own example. Nothing less than His match- less love towards sinners should be the measure and standard of love to one another.
The frequent repetition of this command teaches the vast importance of Christian charity, and the great rarity of it. How any one can pretend to Christian hope who is ignorant of Chris- tian love, it is hard to understand. He that supposes he is right in the sight of God, because his doctrinal views are correct, while he is unloving in his temper, and sharp, cross, snappish, and ill-natured in the use of his tongue, exhibits wretched ignorance of the first principles of Christ's Gospel. The cross- ness, spitefulness, jealousy, maliciousness, and general disa- greeableness of many high professors of " sound doctrine," are a positive scandal to Christianity. Where there is little love there can be little grace.
13. — [Greater love.. .for his friends.] In this verse our Lord teaches what should be the measure and degree of the love which Christians should have to one another. It should be a self- sacrificing love, even to death, as His was. He proved the greatness of His love by dying for His friends, and even for His enemies. (Rom. v. 6 — 8.) It would be impossible for love to go further. There is no greater love than willingness to lay down life for those we love. Christ did this, and Christians should be willing to do the same.
Let us note here that our Lord clearly speaks of His own death as a sacrificial and propitiatory death. Even His friends need a substitute to die for them.
14. — [ Ye are my friends...command you.] This verse seems close- ly connected with the preceding one. " You are the friends for whom I lay down my life, if you do whatever things I com- mand you." We are not to dream that we are Christ's friends, if we do not habitually practice His commands. Very striking is it to observe how frequently our Lord returns to this great principle, that obedience is the great test of vital Christianity, and doing the real mark of saving faith. Men v/lio talk of be- ing " the Lord's people," while they live in sin and neglect Christ's plain commands, are in the broad way that leads to destruction.