confeBB him, lest they ehould be put out of the ayn:igogue." (a) Thie proves nt once the croBhing tyra.nny exercieed by Cbriet's most determined foes, and (b) the reality of the decree a.lready mentioned (oh. ix. 22). (2) The fear of a loss of reputation. "For they loved the pra.iee of men more than the praiee of God," 'l'his fear has ofton been a. powerful obstacle t.othe profeeeion of religion. Yet confession is nec88Bary to salvation (Rom. L 10). Vel'B. «-50.-Tla.e ~ i t i u ati,a.chilng t,o ,Tewi,sh unbelief. The evangelist now taka. 11 retrospective gl11nce at the unbelief of Judaism. What followe is but a summary of our Lord'11 pa.et te11ehing. • I. MARK BY CONT&AST THE POSITION OP THE BELIEVER. " He that believcth on me, believeth not on me, but on him that sent me. And he that eeeth me eeeth him th&t 1JCnt me." 1. The belie'llll'I' recogmza Jesus as t1,- M6Bllin.h sent by the Father, 1\8 the Reveletion of the Father's love and mercy and righteousness. The Jew, therefore, who believed in Christ did not believe in man, but in God. 2. He recognizes the doctrine of Jesus a& the a.ea,,. manifest,aJ,,io,n,' of the !Father's mind. "I am come a Light int.o the world, that whosoever believeth on me should not abide in darkness." Thus the believer becomes a son of light. IL MARK THE POSITION OP THE UNBELIEVER. "And if any man bear my words, and keep them not, I judge him not: for I came not t.o judge the world, but to savt> the world." I. ThefateefthosewhorejectCJhrisfs Word. ltisjudgment. 2. The Judge i~ not Ohrist, though he is to be the final, Judge; but he will then only apply the rule of the Word to each life. The Law, in the nature of things, is the accuser. III. lliBK THE IKPORTA.NOE WRICH JESUS ATTAOHES TO THE WORD OP' JUDGHENT. " For I h11.ve not spoken of myself; but the Father who sent me has himself commanded me what I should say, and how I should say it." 1. His teaching, as to matter, is from the Father. Its essential principle is "life everlasting." (1) It tells of life; (2) it offers life ; (3) it is "spirit and life.n 2. His teaching, as f,o its variety of form, is from the Father. Thus the message of mercy comes to man with every equipment of true wisdom, and hears the very accent of Heaven in its utterance.
HOMILIES BY VARIOUS AUTHORS. Ver. 3.-171.e odO'l'otUl offering. The fact that three of the evangelists have recorded this interesting incident, proves how deep was the impression it made upon the minds of Christ's followers and friends. We recognir.e in Mary's gift- I. " EVIDENCE OF GRATEll'UL LOVE. Mary had ma.ny reasons for regarding Jesus with affectionate thankfulness. To him she was indebted for many precious lessons in spiritual knowledge. Sitting at bis reet, she had imbibed hill incomparable teaching. 'l'o him she was indebted. for a brother restored to life and home. That she appreciated what JesUB had done for her is abundantly apparent from her conduct on this occasion. And her love is a rebuke to the cold-heartedness with which many of our Saviom's professed disciples regard him to whom they owe every privilege in the present, and every prospect for the future. lL Ali DISTANCE OF G!mxsT-LIKE BELP'-BACBIFIOE. Although the circumstances of the .family of Bethany may be pr811umed to have been easy, still the costly gift of perfumed unguent here described was the frnit of self-denial. Mary did not_ offer a common gift, did not give of .her superfiuity, did not part with what cost her little or nothina Our offerings to Christ's cause too seldom in this respept resemble hers, But if we give our heart.I! to JesUB, it will be natural in DB to render to him offerings which shall be meet expreesions of our consecration, to serve him with our best. IIL THE WILLIBGNESB OF JESUS TO .AOOEPT ,:'BE OFFERING OF .4 FBmND, .One of our Lord's disciples looked with cold disapproval upon this act of ardent love, grudging a gift evidently costly but not, in his vi.ew, evidently useful. 'l'o JesUB hi~lf the tribute ww, welcolllf, for it was the J1incere a.nd genuine tribute of affection. Christ had, ancl has, a human heart; and he can understand and sympathize with the disposit~on which is not 1111.tisfied unless tr8881ll'e can be poured out at his feet. He found a meaning in the gift deeper than any of which the giver was conscious. He saw in the perfumed tin. :x.u. 1-60.] THE GOSPEL ACCORDING TO ST. ,JOHN. 155