he hath sent, is eternal life ; "i. e. is the way to it, and the very beginning and earnest of it.
Once more. We may glory in this knowledge of God, because it comprehends and unfolds to our view wisdom, power, and riches that are indeed infinite. The text particularly directs us to consider God as exercising loving-kindness (to his friends), judgment (to his enemies), and righteousness or justice (in the distribution both of his rewards and punishments). Now this is a view of God which we have not any where, but in the Gospel of Christ. In his dealings towards the fallen angels we behold only his judgments ; but in his dealings with man we behold the exercise of mercy and loving-kindness, because he accepted the mediation of his Son on our behalf. The Apostle directs us therefore to look for the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ. The intent of the types and prophecies in the Old Testament, as well as the historical and epistolary writings in the New, is to hold forth Jesus Christ as that illustrious person in whom the Father would be glorified : He therefore, as being " the brightness of his Father's glory, and the express image of his person," is the proper object of our glorying : and so inestimable is the knowledge of Him, that Paul (the most learned and powerful, if not the richest of the Apostles) counted all things as dung and loss in comparison of it. Now the know- ledge of this our incarnate God comprehends, I say, and unfolds to our view, wisdom, might, and riches that are indeed infinite. Infinite wisdom — In the person, work, alid offices of our Lord, are contained mysteries, which, though hid from all eternity in the bosom of the Father, were displayed with the fullest evidence upon the cross. It is true that the doctrine of a crucified Saviour was " to the Jews a stumbling- block, and to the Greeks foolishness ; but," says the Apostle, " to them that are called, it is the wisdom of God ;" or, as he elsewhere terms it, " the wisdom of God in a mystery :" and so indeed it is ; for it recon- ciles things which, to unhumbled, unenlightened per- sons, would appear contradictory and absurd. It