in. horticulture. So we have to apply the maxims of past experi~nce and Divine wisdom to o~r conduct from momont to moment. We are to see to their having their proper 11lace m regard to the development of our life. (1) Issue of disobedience. "He that snith, I know him, and keepeth not bis commandments, is a liar, and the truth is not in him." There is not here a classing with others, but a singling out. The person singled out is bold in his assertion," I know him;" but he belies it by his conduct, Ho does not see to the Divine pleasure being carried out in his life, but makes his own pleasure his rule. And, as his assert.ion is bold, so is his characterization bold. He is described, bot-h positively and neiaLively, as to his permanent state. He is a liar, i.e. lives in an atmosphere of lies; and the truth is not in him, i.e. does not rule his thoul!:hts and actions. (2) Issue ef the activity of obedience. "But whoso keepeth his word, in him verily hath the love of God been perfected." Instead of singling out, there is now throwing wide the door. Let every one be included in this class who fulfils the con- eit.ions. Instead of bis commandments we have bis Word, by which we are led to think of the commandments iu their unit.y, and especially in their vitality. The Word is the Divine revelation, ever instinct with Divine power, which, entering as a vital principle into us, ever comes forth in new manifestations in our life. This \Vord we are to tend, so as to bring it forward to all beautiful forms. w·hat, from the Divine side, is the issue of our tending the ,vord? It is not said, as the contrast would have led us to expect, that the truth of God is in us; but the truth is carried forward into the per- sonal relation. "In him verily hath the love of God been perfected." As love to God is included in what we are to cultivate, this must be God's love to us. According as we cultivate the ,vord does the love of God toward us reach its end. ,vhec. our obedience is no mere outward form, but is active, then it can be said that God's iove is having its way. Let us, then, in the activity of our obedience, allow freedom for the· carrying out of the Divine thought and desire re.£!;arding us. 2. The sign of union, "Hereby know we that we are in him: he that saith he abideth in him ought himself also to walk even as he walked." There is here, first, classing with others, and then singling out. The sign of 011f union to God is here declared to be the imitation of Christ. The assertion which cad. of us makes is that we abide in God, i.e. are in God, and mean to continue in God. This assertion brings with it no little obligation. What is the" ought" by which we are bonud as making the assertion? It is to walk, even as that Person walked. That is the literal translation, and there is only One to whom it can rdcr. It is he in whom God sees all his thought and desire regarding men. It is he who perfectly kept the commandments, perfectly kept the Word, was the living realization on earth of all that God demands from us. While we go for comfort to his heavenly life of advocacy, we are to go for direction to hie heavenly life. He has left us in great detail a pattern of purity, of unselfishness, especially of ce?-tral obedience. Let us look upon this pattern and then upon our blurred, blotched lives; and, if there is thereby produced in us a. deep sense of our own deficiency, let us take encouragement from the thought that he who asks us to copy into our life such a picture of holiness wiU also supply the needful grace.-R. F.
Vers. 7-11.-Tlie commandment of brotherly love. 1. Trrn COMMANDMENT OLD. "Bclo,·ed, no new commandment write I unto you, but an old commandment which ye had from the beginning: the old commandment is the Word which yo heard." The commandment indicated in the previous verse, viz. to walk as Christ walked, is in this paragraph identified with the commandme~,t of brotherly l_ove._ H_is heart warming to ~is readers, he addresse8 them as " beloved.· What he bas 1D bis mmd to lay upon them by bis letter was no ne,.- commandment. It was an old commandment, older than bis conntcti(,n with them. From the beginning, i.e. from their first contact with Christianity down to his connection with them, it had been presented to them. It was no sub- sidiary matter, sucb as the form uf Church government, which could be held back for a time, but was tbe very e,seuce of the message which had beeu delivered to them. IL 'l'HE cOMMAKDMENT NEW. "Again, a new commandment write I unto you, which thing is true in him and in you; because the darkness is passing a.way, and the true ligbt already shineth." Changing his point of view, he calls it a new comman~ment, Its being new is contemplated as inhering both in Christ and in them. It 1s new, uecause the darkness is passing away and the true light already shineth. What was ou. 11. 1-20.J 'l'IIE I<'lll3T EPIS'fLE GENERAL 01<' JOHN.