the goocl of others. Appeal to experience. "Ancl who is he that overcometh the world, but ho that bclievcth that Jesus is the Son of God?" "Survey the wh,,le world, and show me evon one of whom it can be affirmed wiih truth that he overcomes the worlcl, who is not a Christian, and en~owcd wit_h this faith." In the apostle's day there were many who seemed hopelessly mvolved m heathen customs and traditions; but even out of their heathenism they reached forth the band of faith to the incarnate Son of God, and conquered, in giving up their heathen life, and livin" accordina to Christian rule. It is only condescending love, apprehended by faith, that can br~ak the spell of the world. II. 'l'HE DIVINE TESTIMONY TO THE OBJECT OF FAITII, 1. Its nature. "This is he that came by water and blooil, even Jesu8 Christ; not with the water only, but with the water ancl with the blood. .And it is the Spirit that beareth witness, because the Spirit is the truth. For there are three who bear witness, the Spirit, and the water, and the blood: and the three agree in one.'' The Bible is not so plain in every part that he that runneth can read. Peter found in Paul's writings some things bard to be understood. John uses simple words, but it is not always easy to catch his meaning. The present passage has been very perplexing. The historical basis is obvious. There was water at the commencement of our Lord's ministry; there was blood at its close. He came by water as baptized, he came by blood as crucified. Water signifies life in its purity; blood signifies life in all its purity sacrificed, and so made available for us. He came not with the water only; for his pure life by itself could not be available for us. But he came with the water and with the blood; for it was as sacrificed that his •pure life was available for us. The fact that he had a pure life in the midst of sinful humanity testified to his being the Son of God. .And so at his baptism there was the . voice from heaven, "This is my beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased." The fact that by his death a fountain of life was open for men (significantly there g-J.Sbed from his pierced side blood and water-first blood, and then water) also testified to his being the Son of God. .And so there was the Divine attestation following in his resurrection. That is historical testimony belonging to a distant century. But the Spirit is the ever- present Witness, being the Truth. There are thus three present witnesses. There is the Spirit, placed first; because he witnesses through the water and the blood. There is the water, witnessing in the power of a new life in us. There is the blood, witnessing . in redemptive virtue going into us to give us the power of a new life. .And the three agree in one; their testimony converges to one point, viz. to the new life in us being the grand proof that Jesus is the Son of God. 2. Its sufficiency. (1) It is Divine. "If we receive the witness of men, the witness of God is greater: for the witness of God is this, that he hath borne witness concerning his Son." It is implied that we receive the witness of men. If three human witnesses of ordinary intelligence and probity agree, we proceed upon their testimony even in matters affecting life and death. There is an important sense in which the condition of three witnesses is ful- filled with regard to the Divine testimony. .Apart from that there is to be taken into account the infinite superiority of God to man. He is not a man, that he should be deceived; he is not a man, that he should lie; and, therefore, when he gives his testi- mony concerning his Son, he should be believed. (2) It is in consciousness. " He that believeth on the Son of God hath the witness in him : he that believeth not God bath made him a liar; because he hath not believed in the witness that God bath borne concerning his Son." The object of the Divine testimony is that we should believe on the Son of God. He that, accepting the Divine testimony, believes on the Son of God is made independent of it as external. He bath the (Divine) testimony in himself, so that he does not need to go beyond his own consciousness for testimony to the place of Jesus. In the case of him who believes not God who huth testified, this testimony in consciousness is forbidden by tho very nature of his unbelief, which is . making God a liar-believing what men say in ordinary matters, but not believing what God se.ys about his Son. (3) It is in the possession of life in Christ. " .And the witness is this, that God gave unto us eternal life, and this life is in his Son." ,ve have here a better disclosure of the purport of the testimony, showing it to ba fraught with the greatest blessing. It is testimony regarding God's own gift of life, One element in life is the enjoyment of the Divine favour; another element is the quicken• ing of our powers. It is life that, even in what is begun of it here, is eternal in ita 172 THE FIRST :EPISTLE GENERAL OF JOI!:~. (011. f. 1-21.
nnturc. It is life not promised, but. actually given. It is life intended for our appra- 711·ialion by faith. It is life to be found in Christ, by whom, though free in reference to us, it has been meritorion~ly procured, in whom also its nature is exhibited. We who ha'l'e appropriated the Divine gift in the Holder and Dispenser of it can testify to bis hcing more than man, even God incarnate. I'mctical inference. "He tbnt bath the Son bath the life; be that bath not the Son of God bath not the life." The boon, "'•bich is of unspeakable value, comes with the possession of the Son; therefore the all-important thing is to P"ssess the Son. He that bath the Son bath the life gifted, enjoys the favour of God, has l1is spiritual powers quickened. He that hath not the Son of God hath not the life gifted, lies under the Divina disfavour, has his spiritual powers with the torpor of death on them. And the two states are the poles asunder. Let us believe on the Son of God, and we are at tbo pole of eternal sunshine. Let us refuse the Divine testimony, and we are at the opposite pole of eternal cold.-R. F.