J"egllrd to the gi'('llt ch11ngee of the future, The life of fRith le commensurate In duta- tion with the life of Christ, with which it is inscpnrnbly connected. 'l'hey hnd the C(lmfort of A continuous vision or AD evor-living Saviour, And of their life eternnlly enre in connection with hie. IV. THE OOllrl"ORT OF A FULLER REAT,TZATION OF DIVINE FELLOWBRTl', 1. Thefelloio- ~hip of Ohmt with the Father. "Ye shall know that I am in my Father." This ns yet was bnt imperfectly known-- sou'Nl6 of perplexity to thorn. 2, Thelr fellowsl,ip u,ilh Christ, and Christ with them. "Ye in me," etc. 3. Their fellowship with tlte Father. This i11 Rn inevitable consequence of their fellomhip with Christ. To renlize all this would be to them R source of great comfort and spiritual peace and joy. 'l'hcu they would not consider themselves orrlnms, bnt h~ppy 1md rich children in the warm embrace of an almighty and infinitely kind Father. (1) It is possible to have an interellt in Christ withott,t, fully knowing it at the time. 'l'ho dieciples had much now of which they were not aware. Their spiritual possessions were greater than know- ledge. (2) Faith fUJ.tvmlly pressesfonrord to afmler knowledge of Divine tliings. It craves for it, and ie never disappointed. If we want an increase of knowledn-e, let us ■trive for an increa."6 of faith. Believe, and you shall know. (3) There ai'='e periods when Divine k111JtDkdge i, specially attained and ,·oolized. "In that day ye shall," etc. The morning of Christ's resurrection Wll9 such a day, and Pentecost was another; and in individual and social experience of believers thcr,i are many such days, when faith is rcwarded wi~ knowledge, and culminates in spiritual realization. Then the lRnguage of the soul 1s not" I bc-licvl'," but" I know"-'' I know that my Redeemer," etc.;" I know whom," etc. Then there is in the soul a spring-tide of spiritual comfort and peace. nnd an ecstasy of inspired confidence. V. THE CIOKPOKT or A CLEARER IUNIFESTATI0N OF CnmsT. "I will manifest,'' etc. L Thu i, CJ self-manifestation of Christ. He is the Revealer and the ReveRled. Different mediums and agents arc employed; still he is the Source and Subject of the revelation. Darin~ his personal ministry on earth he chiefly m.·mifested the l•'ather and the Spirit; but after the Ascension he manifests himself through the Spirit and the ministry of his Word. He manifests himself in his humanity and Divinity-in- his human and Divine relationships; in short, in all his past, present, and future agency with regard t.o the great scheme of human redemption. His manifestation in the flesh was comp.-irntively small, and only introductory to the great spiritual manifestation of himself in the soul and in the spirit of hnmanity. 2. This sel.f-manifestation of fJhrisl u in.separab/,y «J'TI/I/BJ,ed with loving o'bediena to him. "He that bath my command- ments," et.c. Love to Christ manifests itself through obedience to his commands, and through this loving obedience Christ manifests himself to the sonl. With every loving act comee a fresh vision of the Saviour. 3. Tltis self-manifestation of Ohrist is inseparably connected 'Ulith a rorrespooding experience ef Divine love. " He -that Jovetb me shall be loved," et.c. Love begets love. Human lo\·e to Christ is repaid with Divine interest. It retums in living streams of love to the experience from the Father and the Bon. And this Divine love is the sweetest and most powerful medium through which Christ manifests himself. It is a manifestation of him in itself. 4. This sel.f- manifadatioo of Christ u gradual. and progressive. It was so in the experience of the disciples. There Wll8 a vast di1ference between the Christ of Pentecost and Jesus of Nazareth. And it is so in the experience of believers ever since, . Jesus once really 11e0n by faith will never be permanently lOllt eight of, but the constancy and clearness of the vision depend upon the degree c,f faith and love in the soul. He will manifest ae we believe and love. 5. Thi.s sdf-manifestation of Christ will be ultimately com- plete. ., I will," etc. It will not reach completion till the last day. To fully see him, Le must fully appear; to fully know him, we mnst be like him ; and to be like him, we must see him as he is. But even then we shall not see all his beauty nor comprehend: all his Being. Were this the case, our happine.ss would cease. Eternity will not exhaust iii:; ~Jory, although fully employed in its exhibition. But at his final coming there will be such a full manifestation of him as will exclude every element of unhappiness• and fill the 10ul with eatil!fact.ion {or ever. We shall be satisfied with each draught of revelation, aod look forward with serene confidence and ecstatic joy to the next and the 11ext. L1:6SO:irs. L Tiu: •vmpathy of .Cliri,t with his people i, most tenderl11 considel'ufo, oa, xiv. 1-31.J THE GOSPEL ACCORDING TO ST. JOHN. 257
It wns so herC', His disciples did not tell him that they were afraid of orphanage an,l desolation, but he knew it; nnd in answer to their inward thoughts and feelings, ho tendo~ly &&id, ',' I will not lenv~ you," etc .. 2. His sympathy with /vis people is e11er practical. It 18 not mere senliment. It 18 not only negative, but over assumes nn affirmative form. He did bot stop with saying, "I will not leave," etc., but proceeded to say," I come," etc. And nil this we.s fulfilled in their experience; and it is ever so, 3, As Ghrist is manife.,ted in tlie soul, we at once realize all we need. When the sun nppenrs in the sky, nil the landscape around is in full view. So, when the Sun of Righteousness arises in the soul, the spiritual universe is all al,laze. We see an ever- livin11: Saviour nnd an ever-loving Father in close.t fellowship, and our life by faith in closest fellowship with both. When Christ rnanitested himself to his disciples, they never thought of orphanage and des,,lation afterwards. 4. Let us take care of the condition of our spiritual comfort and realization. "He that hath my comn,and- ments," etc.-B. T.