And it was his existence that was so determinately denied by the heretics whom the Apostle wished to silence. He, too, not only had lived in closest intimacy with his disciples before his crucifixion, but, after his death and resurrection, had appeared to them for forty days; and, when they doubted whether it were he, or whether it were not a spirit whom they saw, he said to them, " Handle me. and see; for a spirit hath not flesh and bones, as ye see me have"." Now, if we consider the Apostle as speaking personally of him, we can account for the vast variety of expressions tending to confirm the testimony which he bore respecting him : whereas, if we apply the expressions to the Gospel, the terms are multiplied far beyond what the occasion called for, and the metaphors are stronger than he could with propriety use. Besides, if we understand him as speaking of Christ personally, there is a remarkable coincidence between the beginning of this epistle of St. John, and the beginning of his Gospel. " In the beginning was the Word: and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. The same was in the beginning with God." " In him was life ; and the life was the light of men." And " the Word was made flesh, and dwelt amongst us; and we behold his glory, the glory as of the only-begotten of the Father0."
But, whether we understand the expressions as relating to the Gospel of Christ, or to his person,]
It must of necessity be understood as declaring, that in Christ Jesus there is life, even eternal life —
[The Apostle testified of Christ, as he says in a subsequent chapter of this epistle: " We have seen and do testify, that the Father sent the Son to be the Saviour of the world"." If we inquire more particularly what the substance of his testimony was, he informs us: " This is the witness of God which he hath testified of his Son." " And this is the record, that God hath given to us eternal life ; and this life is in his Son : he that hath the Son hath life ; and he that hath not the Son of God hath not life"-."
Thus we see, in fact, that, whether we understand the pas- sage as speaking of the Gospel, or of Christ himself, it comes to the same point. If the Gospel be spoken of, it is as reveal- ing Christ : if Christ be spoken of, it is as revealed in the Gospel ; or, in other words, as being " the way, the truth, and the life1."
Bear in mind then, that all that is spoken of Christ in the holy Gospels is true : the Apostles were ear-witnesses, and eve-witnesses, of it, even of all that they relate. " They did
n Luke xxiv. 39. ° John i. 1—4, 11. Pi John iv. 14.
°. 1 John v. 9, 11, 12. f j0hn xiVi (j.