t,-,,th~-t.ruth~ <'<•Prr:·ning mnn and God, concerning this world and the other. Never m:111 spnke as he t-0 reason, to conscience, to the will nnd hMrt. (2) Never man spnlrn \\'ith swh a_uthor,'.ty, _811;8e, naturalness,. transp_nrency, and convic~ion. (3) Never rnnn ~pnkc with mrh Dw,ne effect. To vanous obJecb!-to nature, to diseases, to demons, t.0 death, to mnn in nil conditions, to the ii;uilty, to the penitent, to the wenry and heavy laden, C'tc. 5. The germineness of their f~timony is attested by the fact that they rett1rned witho11t him. His influence over them is patent to nil. The strictness of the command and the fear of the consequences of failure to carry it out would naturally cause them to strain every nerve to take him. But.they failed, and they could assign no other reason for their failure than the superhuman influence of his speech nud doctrine. It is recorded as a proof of the eloquence of Marcus Antonius the orator that when Marius sent soldiers to kill him, he pleaded with such eloquence for his lif; that they could not touch him, and they left him in tears. But hero is an instance of a more captivating eloquence. Christ did not appeal to the pity of his captors, neithe1 did he plead for his life; but he appealed to the conscience and heart, and pleaded fo1 the life of the condemned world with such power as to disarm them. 'l.'hoy returned without him, amazed and spell-bound with his magic eloquence, and could give no account of their failure but in the simple but touching story, "Never mnn," etc. CoNCLUSIONS. 1. We have here a singtilar instance of the wrath of man being made w praise the Lord. Instead of these officers bringing Jesus before the council to be tried and condemned, he sends them back to the council to bear witness to his excellence and preach his glory, even to his bitterest enemies. 2. Servants and dependents are often more open to conviction than their masters and St1,periors. Those who have had but few, if any, privileges are often touched by Divine truths before those who have been highly favoured. Thus the last shall be iirst, and the first shall be last. 3. Jesus has often taken those •who would take him. These officers went to take him, but he took them. Sanl of Tarsus is another instance, and the history of conversions through the ages is full of instances of Christ leading captivity captive. 4. The testimony oj these offir.ers has been the testimony of all who have given Jerus a/air hearing. Scholar- ship and common sense have joined the believer's experience in saying, "Never man,"etc. 5. It is 110t enough to a.dmire Christ a, a Teacher, but we mu,st belie11e and obey him.-B. T.
Ver. 8.-The time of Jesus-when is it to come 1 The course of life in every Jiving thing is, to a great extent, according to a fixed order. Every human being has that in his whole appearance which tells something of the number of years he has been in the world. But in the life of the Lord Jesus there was something beyond the order of mere natural development. There was an order in his life which it depended on his own discernment and obedience to maintain. Hie brethren wanted him to rush at every opportunity that seemed likely to them. But Jesus was not one to pluck fruit before it was ripe. He began quietly, went on gradually, builded things up, and then, when the hour for fulJ revelation carne, the revelation came with it. L THE PAI!TIOULAB BEASON FOR wmcn JEsus WAS WAITING, His brothren wanted him to make the best of the crowd that would be at Jerusalem for the Feast of Taber- nacles. The Feast of Tabernacles, however, was only a secondary occasion compared with the Feast of the Passover. There coul'1. have been nothing to remember at the Feast of Tabernacles unless, first of all, there had been something to remember at the Feast of the P88Sover. All other glorious recollections which Israel had to cherish with gratitude and hope came out of the deliverance from Egypt. Thus, at the Feast of the Passover, the time of Jesus fully ea.me, and the coming was made m:wifest by hie public and triumphal entry. The multitude surrounding him had come up for the Passover, like himself. They shout " Hosannah ! " that is, they utter forth a prayer for salvation. And this prayer we.s soon answered, though not as the multitud~ expected, and not in a way that many of them would profit by. Jesus was just about to be delivered over to men, that men might do their worst to him. Then, when men had done their worst, bis Father in heaven would do his best. Everything we.s done just at the right time. And all this comes forth from that Lord of hosts who is wonderful in counsel and excellent in working. It is just what we should expect, that God's great dealings in grace should have about thelij tb~ order 11nd re~laritf which mar1' bis 48'1· in&s in nature, dll. vn. 1-68.] THE GOSPEL ACCORDING TO ST. JOHN.