of shutting bis door against the missionariee; and when some (onl being Gaius) chose to be guided rather by the apostle's letter, he at once vetoed them, and 1 on their non- fill bmission to bis authority, excommunicated them. But this working, meBntime triumphant, would soon, and very simply, be put a stop to, "Knowest thou not this of old, since m,m Wlls placed upon earth, that the ti-iumphing of the wi<,ed is .~hort," Ill. DEMETRIUS. 1. His unlikeness to Diotrephes. "Beloved, imitate not that which is evil, but that which is good. He that doeth good is of God: he that doeth evil hBth not seen God." While there is evil working in Churches, there is also good working. The evil is there for us to avoid; the good is there for us to imitate. We need to learn to "discern between the righteous and the wicked, between him that scrveth God and him that serveth him not." The Johannine principle of discrimination is simple. He that is associated with the working of good has his life derived from God; he that is associated with the working of evil (whatever his profession) is not in the way of receiving first impressions of God in his true nature, or is not placed so as to make a. commencement in the Divine life. 2. Threefold testimony to his excellence. "Demetrius hat.h the witness of all men, and of the truth itself: yea., we also bear witness; and· thou knowc~t thRt our witness is true." Demetrius had the witness of all men. We are to regard the language as hypcrbolical, not limiting the "all" to the Christian circle, nor to the few who in the strictest sense could be witnesses, but the many who spoke well of Demetrius a.re made" a.11," the more to impress us with their number, Demetrius ha.d a witness greater than of numbers : he had the witness of the truth itself. Though there had been not a man to be a. witness to him, the truth (to personify it) could have been produced ae a witness. Though no man had owned him, the truth would have owned him. .A.pa.rt from the personification, the idea is that there was a close corre- spondence between what Demetrius was and what the truth demanded. But to judge of this correspondence requires a. competent witness, with opportunity and also with correct intuitions of the truth; and so, in the third place, John comes forward to vouch for Demetrius-a witness than whom none could be more satisfactory to Gaius. We are not told who this Demetrius was; but it is not a.n improbable conjecture that he was the bearer of the Epistle. If so, then it is to be noted how, by a. happy tum, he supplies him with the necessary recommendation. CoNCLUSlON. 1. Beason for not w1-iting more. "I had many things to write unto thee, but I am unwilling to write them to thee with iuk a.nd pen : but I hope shortly to see thee, and we shall speak face to face." It is intt!resting to note how the writing materials are here, not" paper and ink" (2 John 12), but" ink and pen." He could have put his pen to the writing of many things; for Ga.ius and he had much in common in their sympathies. He ha.d written meantime to counteract, so far as he could by writing, the dangerous influence of Diotrephes. He hoped soon to se~ Gaius. When he saw him, and they spoke face to face, he would have more opportuwty and freedom to disburden himself. 2. Salutations. "Peace be unto thee. The friends salute thee, Salute the friends by name." John was at peace with Ga.ius; he wished the whole world to be at peace with him. They had common friends. Friends with John (whom the bearer would name) sa.luled Ga.ius. Frienda with Gaius, he (the receiver of the Jetter) wa.s first to name singly, a.nd then t.o salute in this form," John sends his ealuta~ tion. to thee. "-R. F. HOMILETICAL INDEX TO
THE THIRD EPISTLE OF JOHN.
TBEMB PA.GE THEHB PAGB An Apostolic Pastoral to a Christian Diotrephes : a. Beacon 10 Man ... 3 Imitating the Good 11 Ideal Prosperity ... 5 Valediction 12 Spiritual Prosperity 6 The Aged Presbyter's Letter to a Hospitality 7 Private Church-Member... 13 Missionary Wo1·kers a.nd Helpers 8