truth of God, just e.s the unbeliever mabs God a liar (1 John ii. 4). What a gmnd reality is faith! (3) The reason of Christ's words being the very truth of God; for "God giveth not the Spirit by measure." Therefore he iR "full of grace nnd truth," and "iu him itre all the treasures o(. wi8dom and know lodge." 4. Chri,st's filial dignity mid sovereignty. "The Father loveth the Son, and hath given all things into his hand." (1) The love of the Father is the 8ource of all gifts to the Head, and, through the I-lend, to the members. (2) The sovereignty in the handR of Christ enables him to make all things work togethrr for the good of bis people. He has a hand of power, of pit_y, of blessing, always stretched out over his Church. 6. The practical co11.~equence of the Son's supremacy in the twofold issue of life. (1) The issue of eternal life. "He tho.t believetb on the Son bath everlasting life." (a) The nature of faith. (a) It is not a mere belief in the Son's Godhead, or Mediatorship, or 11.bility to give lifo; it is not a mere assent to Divine testimony concerning the Son. (/3) It is an actual trusting in the Son, and therefore an act of the will and the heart as well as of the understanding. (b) The object of faith. '"l'he Son," who is able to save, (a) because he is the Son of God, and therefore Divine; (/3) because lie is the Son of man, and therefore human. Faith derives e.11 its importance from its object. (c) The connection between faith and life. Faith brings the sinner into possession of everlasting life, because it unites him to Christ as his life. "Because I live, ye shall live also." "The life I now live in the flesh I live by the faith of the Son of God" (Gal. ii. 20). (2) The issue of abiding wrath. "But he that disobeyeth the Son shall not see life; but the wrath of God abideth on him." (a) Unbelief is disobedience, as faith is obedience, to the Son of God. Thus it is essentially I\ practical principle controlling conduct. (b) The guilt of disobedience is enhanced by the supreme dignity of him to whom it is due. (c) Disobedience is incapacity to see life. The sinner has (a) no conception of its nature, (/3) and no enjoy- ment of its blessings. (a) The retribution of disobedience is permanent. (a) So long as a sinner obstinately refuses to receive the Son of God, there is nothing to break the connection established by Divine law between disobedience and wrath. "The wrath of God abidetb on him." (/3) There is wralh as well as love in God. ("Y) The last words of this discourse represent the last words of the Old Testament-for the warning voice of the Baptist is no more beard; and they recall the closing sentence of that Testament, "Lest I come and smite the earth with a curse.n
HOMILIES BY VARIOUS AUTHORS. Ver. 3.-0hristianity the kingdom of Goi From this language· ofth·e Lord Jesus, employed thus early in bis ministry, we learn what was his own conception of the religion he came to found amongst men. It is reasonable to believe_ that the Jewish theocracy suggested the form and type of the new and pe1fect religion. 'l'he Divine wisdom had instituted a State which was intended to serve, and which had served, the purpose of introducing into the world ideas of the eternal righteousness. But the Je1vish nation was only a shadow of the Christian Church. We are accustomed usually to ~peak of Jesus as the Saviour, and to picture Christianity under its gentler aspect as a fellowship and a family. But Christ claimed to be a King, and represented his Church as a kingdom. Not that this aspect is exclusive of others. But our Lord stated the plain truth, and his statements should be taken as a rebuke to all merely sentimental and selfish viewR of religion. L THE SPIRITUAL KINGDOM 1s RULED DY A DIVINE SOVEREIGN. Absolute monarchy is among men distrusted on account of the imperfections and weaknesses of human nature. The autocrat is usually a tyrant. But Christ, being the Son of God, and the incarnation of Divine wisdom, justice, and clemency, is fitted to rule; and his sway is acknowledged as deserving of_ implicit submission on the part of all mankind. II. THE SPIRJTUAL KINGDOM IS COMPOSED OF CONSECRATED HUMAN NATURES, The empire of the Creator over the inanimate and the brute creation is perfect. '£he Lord Jesus came to reassert and re-establish the Divine dominion over intelligent and spiritual beinus. That these are in a sense subject to Divine authority is not disputed, But Christ de~ires a voluntary and cheerful obedience, Unwill).ng subjects afford him no satisfaction. To rule over the bodily aud outwai;d life Qf men is an object of humon on. nr. 1-36,J THE GOSPEL ACCORDING TO ST. JOHN. 143