The Pulpit Commentary — John — Volume 1 — Section 287

people, and to the race for whom he died; because he "received gifts for men." Himeolf participating in unlimited supply in the graces of the Holy Spirit, he became the glorious agent through whom copious blessings were conferred upon the Church and upon the world. He received, not for himself merely, but for us also. The gifts were unto him, but they were/or us.-T. Ver. 16.-The greatness of God'a l01Je t-0 the world. This will be eeen if we consider- !. 'l'HE OBJECT OF ms LOVE. "The world "-the fallen human family. 1. There was nothing in the world to attract and deserve his love. For he loved the worlJ, not as he made it, but as it made itself by sin. God loves all holy beings. This is natural, as natural as it is for a virtuous father to love a dutiful son. But God loved the world in its disobedience and sin. It was the magnitude and gravitation of his love, and not the attraction of the world. 2. There was much in the world to repel his love. No: only it was not attractive, but it was most repelling. Its fall was deliberate and wilful, and it was indifferent, and even rebellious in its fallen state. The magnitude of any force is measured by the opposing forces it conquers. Jn this light, how great must be the love of God to the world! He conquered the mightiest oppositions-the sin, the disobedience, the bitterest enmity, and the cruelest antagonism of the world. He loved the world in spite of itself. 3. Tlie world deserved punishment-perdition. This punishment was hanging over it. Justice called and demanded vengeance, but mercy triumphed over judgment, took justice into its confidence, made a treaty with it, and became responsible for all its heavy claims. What must be the greatness of the love that did this! 4. He loved the whole world. Not a part of it, or a few of its inhabitants, but all alike, and altogether. He might have made a selection, but the selection of Divine love was the whole world. This reveals it as a boundless and fathomless ocean, inexhaustible in its riches, and infinite in its kind impulses. The arms of his love are so everlasting that they took hold of the fallen world and fondled it in their safe and warm embrace. II. 'fHE GIFT OF ms LOVE. Love is measured by the gifts it presents and the sacrifice it makes. In this light, how great is God's love to the world! 1. He gave his Son. Think of him as a mere Son-good, dutiful, and holy. How great is the gift! To give a holy being, such as an angel, would be a great 11,ift and a manifestation of great love; but he gave his Son. 2. He gave his only begotten Son. To give one son out of many would be a manifestation of great love; but he gave his only Son, and his only begotten Son-his equal-who was one with him in essence, mind, and heart; the Son of his love, who was ever with him and ever his delight. Such a gift he never gave before, and can never give again. 'l'he gift is royal and matchless, the sacrifice is Divine and unique-an index of love too high, too broad, too deep, too Divine for mortals to comprehend. 3. He gave his only begotten Son as a sacrifice. To send his Son would be a manifestation of great love, but to give him is a manifestation of a far greater; for he sent his Son to the world as a Messenger of peace, but he gave him as a Sacrifice for the world's sin. Divine love in the Incarnation appears like a brilliant star, like that Btar the " wise men" saw in the east ; but in the Crucifixion, with ill its indignities and agonies, it appears like a sun all ablaze, and filling the uniYerse with its matchless radiance. On Calvary God's love is on :fire, and the flames envelop the world, and even the throne of glory; so that in view of this, how natural is the exclamation of the evangelist elsewhere. "God is love" I When we gaze upon it in sacrifice, we are completely dazzled, so that we can see nothing but love Divine and infinite. IIL THE PURPOSE OF ms LOVE. This is twofold. 1. To save the human race from tiie greatest calamity. "Should not perish." (1) Their perdition was inevitabl~ without God's interference. If the Law were left to take its course, its transgressors would be summarily punished; they were already in the hands of justice, and the verdict was "perdition." (2) God was under no obligation to interfere. He fully performed his part of the covenant, and surrounded man with all the possibilities and ~vantages of an obedient and consequently a happy life; but man wilfully_ neglecte?- h1s own part, and transgressed the Law of his Creator, and brought upon himself his awful but righteous doom; and there was no stipulation as to mercy, so there was nu obligation on the part of God to intercede. (3) God was under no necessity to inte,fere. 150 THE GOSPEL ACCORDING 'l'O ST. JOHN. (oa. m. l-36.