IV. 'l'm: CIRCUMSTANCES UNDER WIIICII THE DENIAL IS MADE. I. In .<pite of the clectrest testimony to the facts and doctrines denied-testimony/ given by blameless mon, in the teeth of their own natural and strongest prepossessions to the contrary. (Let this last clause be duly weighed.) 2. In spite of the tenderest seal. The blood of Obrist, "The blood of the everlasting covenant." 3. In spite of the mo.1t powerful confirmation. '!'he resurrection of Christ. The descent of the Holy Ghost.. 'l'ho eustentalion of II living Church to this day, in spite of every conceivable effort to destroy it. 4. And iu many caaes the denial is made with a defiant recklessness, or a prou,\ supercilioua scorn, ns if by the efforts of their pen men would wish the dearest hopes of millions to be dashed to the ground! V. THE CONSEQUENCES WHICH WOULD FOLLOW THE SUCCESS OF AXTICHRIST's DE:'IIAL, If (as shown under division II.) the denial drags along with it all other Christian doctrines, then the basis and support of the noblest life ceases. Men talk largely about the evolution of the race, forgetting to note : 1. That it is only the portion of the race which is leavened by Christian thought that is thus advancing. 2. That the advance is prompted by men who, because leavened with Christian thought, are inspired by faith, hope, and love I But destroy Christian doctrine, then (1) faith must expire for want «lf an adequate Object; (2) hope must decline from the lack of a specific goal; (3) love must die out throu11h lack of a revealed Object worthy of the perfect love of the soul, and then love to man will die out when the great reason for it and inspiration to it are withdrawn. A'.ld when neither faith, nor hope, nor love have any sustaining food, what will human life be worth? Life is dependent upon environment. Withdraw the environment, and life must decline from waut of sustenta.tion from without. Clearly, then, the lie of antichrist is the master-lie ! VI. APPLICATION AND INFERENCES. 1. If these things be so, then no one need be surprised that some of the controversies respecting Christian doctrine which have been carried on in the Church have been so sharp and bitter. 'l'he many who look tl,ought• Lessly over the history of the divisions of Christendom, and who la.ugh at or pour scorn on the sternness of religious war, would do well to look a little tleeper. If they understood more, they would jeer less. Tolerance may arise from short-sightedness or indifference; intolerance, from the clear foresight of what must follow if such and such an error be permitted to flourish. And the more nrdently a believer loves his Lord, the more angry is he likely to be at aught which would obscure his glory! Of all the apostles John loved most fervently, yet he it is who lashes most severely. 2. Let us, too, be very jealous for the honour of our Lord and Master; and if any, in our hearing, deny him the glory which is his due, let us not be found wanting in the defence. We should at least insist on such points as these: (1) that men have no right to deny, any more than to affirm, save on adequate grounds; (2) that violent prejudice against the admission of the supernatural is but a faulty prepossc,sion, which hinders the reception of evidence; (3) that it is never right to rob men of an inspiring power for virtue, unless the denier has something lcetter to put in its place. 3. The confession of Christ, by contending for the right doctrine conceruing him, should in every case be attended with a Christ-like life. We shall best contend for him non sonando, sea amando.
Ver. 23.-Having the Father. Connecting link: Having shown us of how much the lie of antichrist would deprive us, the apostle declares how rich we are when that lie is rejected, and the truth of Christ abides in us. Topic-The vast wealth of the believer. No \lllCertainty can attach to the expression," he that hath the Son;" for while we are sure it must include abiding in the confession of the Son in all his glory and grace, we are equally sure that the confession must be the submission to, the accept- ance, the embrace of Christ with all the heart, as well as tho avowal of him with the lip ( cf. 1 Cor. xii.). 'l'o "have" Christ is to have received him as a Saviour, to own him as the Revealer of the Father, to honour him as Lord, to follow him as Leader, to grow up to him as the Head. Now, our text contains a remarkable statement about those who thus "have" Christ. They "have" the Father also. In what sense? 1. In the Person of Christ as the incarnate Son they have the exact Image of the Father, so that they see bim through the Son (John xiv. 9). 2. Through the atoning work of Christ-they learn the self-sacrificing love of the Father," -r~v eav~ou "1'",..1Jv" (R.,m. THE FIRST F.PIS'l'LE GENF,TIAL OF JOHN. [en. n. 1-20.