according to the st:mdpoint of tlie individual. The worldling will hnte the dcmnnde for a life consecrated to Christ 'l'he formalist will hate what ho calls "Puritanism." The easy-going man will hate the call to strive to enter in at the strait gate. Tho rntionalist, will hate the doctrine of the atonement. 'l'hc man of" broad thought" will hate the exclusi,e claims of the Saviour. The scientist will hate the suggestion that an Infinite Will rules all. The philosopher will scorn the doctrine of the Incarnation. The positivist will refuse to rise to the hyper-phenomenal. The agnostic will prefer his ignorance, because he hates to receive the kingdom of God as a little child. The free-thinker will hate to subject his thinking to the supreme laws of righteousness. In all the~e ways men "hate the doctrine of the cross." 5. Nevertheless, though the hatred ordinarily is more towards systems than men, yet, let any man move out of the common methods of easy-going Christianity, and set forth on a crusade for some Chris- tian doctrine or against some antichristian heresy ;-let him expose and condemn men'II favourite sins,-and no one among men will be hated more intensely than be I Illus- trations are ready to hand in abundance. Revivalists: dead Churches and dead minist.ers intensely hate living ones. Temperance reformers, etc. Those who expose· the crying sins of covetousness, landlordism, land monopoly, etc. In a word, let but a man aim at bringing gospel doctrine to bear on needed 8ocial reform in every direction, the old-world greed will assert itself, and Faithful will have all the showmen in Vanity Fair wishing he were dead I 6. So that, practically, the whole matter may be summed up thus: The world, even if more refined in manner (as it most certainly is) than it' was in John's time, yet is as self-willed, as selfish, a.s indisposed _to the yoke of Christ as ever. If we are faithful in bearing testimony for God, we shall meet with our share of hatred. If we we're more faithful, we should have the more hatred to endure. 'l'rue; we have a large number of Christ's followers to speed us on, ·and so may present a· larger front to the enemy; consequently, the hatred will be less felt by the individual-· so many will share it with him. And it follows that, unless we make the world wince and writhe under our rebuke of its faithlessness towards God and its wrongs towards' man, we are not truly representing liim whose we are and whom we are pledged to serve. ' I
Vers. 16-18.-Love others,for God hath loved thee I Connecting "link: The great' contrast has been presented between the love abiding in those who _have passed from death unto life and the enmity abiding in the world. That hatred 'has been illustrated by a reference to Cain, and believers are told they m11St not be surprised if the murderous spirit still survives. The apostle then reverts to his favourite theme-:-love. He seems to say, ".As for us, we have learnt a different 1esson. We have come· to know ( i-yvrI.tt"')' 'the love' [the words 'of God' are not in the Greek nor the Revised Version] the supreme love in the universe. The lesson it has taught us _is that we ought to love as' God loves. He [emphatic] laid down bis life for us: we ought to lay down our lives for the brethren." Divine love has not merely been taught us merely in a book, or by teachers, but in the most stupendous act of self-sacrifice that was possible either in heaven or on earth. If, after thill, any one can close up his heart against a needy brother, it is wo clear that no love, either of God, or like to God's, dwells in him. Be it ours to snow, as God has shown, that with us, love is not merely in word, but also in power. 'l'opic-The supreme love : its act and its lessons. '. . . . ,, L LET us STUDY LOVE'S GREATEST· AOT. "He ( l«eivos) laid down his hfe for us. We have already had one study in God's love (homily on ver. 2). But the theme is exhaustless. The precise point here is that by what God has done for us we have come to learn the supreme love; such a love as outshines all else-a love which is not only unique as a mudel, but also as a creative power ! Nine features thereof may here be suggested. 1. Love in its highest origin. God (cf. eh. iv. 10). 2. Love's manifestation. 'fbrouuh the Son. 3. Love's channel. The inciarnate Son. 4. Love's method. "Laid down°his life." 5. Love's meaning in its method. "A propiliation "· (eh. ii. 1, 2; iv. 10); "A demonstration of righteousness 11 (Rom. iii. 20, 21); "An offering for sin" (Heb. ix. 26-28). 6. Love under strangest circum·stances. "'_Vhen we were yet sinners" (Rom. v. 8); "Ye who sometime were alienated," etc. (Col.1. 21 ; cf. Rom. v. 6). 7. Love's extent. "A propitiation for . . . the sins of the whole world" (eh. ii. 2); "He died for all" (2 Cor. v. 15). 8. Love's intent. 'l'o save from sill. To purify. Tf, remove for ever the one stumbling-block and bar to human on. u1. 1-24.] TIIE FIRST EPIS'fLE GENERAL OF JOHN. 83