The Pulpit Commentary — John — Volume 2 — Section 324

cast him on the shores of the pacific ocean of endlesR life and love. Every word of Ohrist, especially his last word~, is a pipe through which the oil of peace flows to the believing heart, and a golden pitcher with which to dra.w water from the wells of salvation. 2. What he did as a SourrAJ of comfort. "I have overcome the world." '£his is a source of something more than yeace. It is a source of joy. "Be of good cheer," eto. What good cheer is this? (1) 'l'he good cheer of a complete victory over the greatese foe. '!'he wicked world is the greatest foe of God and man. Christ over- came it completely in all its corrupt elements and forces, temptations and destructive- ness, includ;ng its prince. He gained a complete victory over the great empire of evil. The world wo.s the champion before Christ appeared, but he is the Champion now. His followers have only a conquered foe to fight. (2) The good cheer of a complete 'llictory over the world/or us. H certainly would be some source of comfort in fighting the wicked world to know that it had been conquered at all, but this comfort rises into a cheer when we know that it has been conquered for us. 'l'his Christ did: (a) As owr Substitute. He fought and conquered for us. This is self-evident. He was infinitely above the world, and would be eternally happy apart from our destiny; but in his love he took up our ea.use. (b) As 01J,r Example. In our nature and in our circumstances, tempted in all things a.s we are, but without sin, he has shown us in his own life that there is something in us that is superior to the world, superior to suffering and death; that we can live a spiritual life independent of this, and can conquer every element opposing our progress. He cong uered the world to show us the way to conquer it ourselves. ( c) As our Inspiration. All he said, and especially what he did, cheers us in the battle. (3) The good cheer of a certain victory in and through him. "I have overcome the world," and it is unquestionably understood, "you will also overcome in me." Those who figb.t the world in him, his presence is theirs, his substitution is theirs, his example is theirs, his good cheer is theirs, and bis conquest will be theirs. He throws all he said, and did, and does, and will do into the balance on their side, and the result will be certain victory over the world. LESSONS. 1. The great difficulty of a Christian life is to live in the world and in Ohrist at the same time. It would be easy to live in the world in complete agreement with it, and it would be easy to live in heaven as a perfect saint; but to live in the world and in Christ means a conflict with the former, and it is the difficulty to triumph. 2. This is alone poss{ble by vital union with him. In him alone there is peace, and through him alone there is victory. 3. Then the certainty of 111:ctory depends entirely upon 01J,r union with him. There is a great danger of misappropriating the greatest truths. "I have overcome the world." This may be developed into a delusive con- fidence; still it is highly intended to cheer the weakest but honest faith. Let the pra.ctica.l side of his substitution inspire us to make an honest effort in our spiritual confilct with the world; and let its meritorious, vicarious, and gracious side keep us from despair, even in our failures, but even down under the foe's feet let us cling and look to Christ, ever remembering the infinite possibilities of his complete victory for us, and, if we fa.ii, we will fail in faith in him, and not in victory over the world in him.-B. T Ver.14.-The Ohristglorifledby the Spirit. "He shall glorify me: for he shall receive of mine, and shall show it unto you." Thus our Lord sums up the work of the Holy Spirit within the Church. He had just said that the Comforter is not to come as it were on an isolated and independent mission. "He shall not speak of himself." For, though he is another Comforter, he is not a second Mediator between God and man. He is not a second Redeemer, Prophet, Priest, and King. No; there is but one Name under heaven given among men whereby we must be saved. The office of the Holy Spirit is to reveal to us that Name. He is to limit himself, if we may so speak, to bearing witnes11 concerning Christ. This may be said with perfect reverence. Doubt- less to the in.finite Spirit of the Eternal all secrets of creation and providence, and all the most hidden things of the Divine counsels, lie open; they are all his own. But mark I it is not to reveal these that he comes as the Church's Comforter, the one economy of grace that is the sphere of his mission, the one mystery of godliness that he has taken upon hunself to disclose. He is to continue Christ's own instructions. He is to guide the disciples, step by step, "into all the truth," the whole truth as it is ill Jesus.  334 THE GOSPEL ACCORDING 10 ST. JOHN, [oH. XVI. 1-88,