be exercised, are traced out before us, and the reason of His apparent non-intervention in the affairs of earth is made known.

Outside the limits of revelation we need not travel for weapons with which to contend with these enemies to the truth, or for a shield with which to defend ourselves from their assaults: all has been foreseen and provided for. With such a guide, the living and abiding Word of God, whilst we can track God's steps in the past, and learn the reason of the Lord's continued absence, we await with fullest confidence and certainty God's action in the future; and, where all is dark to the man of the world, there is light for the simple believer.

C.E.S.

No. IV.

LIFE, LIGHT, AND LOVE.

Most students of Scripture who have made themselves acquainted with the characteristic differences of the writers, are aware that John is occupied with "that eternal life which was with the Father, and was manifested to us."

His gospel has this peculiarity, but in a way different either to his epistles, or the Apocalypse; for it marks the life in its essential nature and character as in Himself. "In him was life," though the life was the light of men. Still He who was the life was in the world, and it lighted every man coming into it. "The light shineth in darkness though the darkness comprehended it not ;" but "as many as received him, to them gave he power to become the sons of God, even to them that believe on his name." This is very blessed, as showing life communicated and in an existing relationship with the Father: "born not of the will of man, nor of the will of the flesh, but of God."

It is not my purpose to trace further how this life is bestowed in the narratives of the gospel-whether with the master of Israel or the woman of Samaria, or by the quickening power of the Father and the Son at the pool

of Bethesda; no, nor in its springing up to its own sources and height in communion and joy, any more than in its flowing out from us, as rivers of living water at the feast of Tabernacles. These references will recall to our minds the fact of this life being possessed by others through grace, though originally dwelling only in Christ Himself. Besides this, He took a place in the midst of His disciples as their Teacher, Example, and Guide. "I have given unto them the words which thou gavest me and they have received them, and have known surely that I came out from thee, and they have believed that thou didst send me."

Still, as to all that was external to this life in Christ and His own, and all that surrounded them-the world and men in it had to be tested by this Life, opening itself out in unclouded light and exercised in unwearied love. Life, in the perfectness and grace which had suited itself to the necessities of mankind, and to the moral perceptions of the human heart, shone forth in all its brilliancy on behalf of God, and in its benevolence towards the lost and undone.

This formed a new responsibility for men. Would they be attracted by the love which had come after them, and could they attach themselves to supreme excellency standing in their midst, though in the form of a servant?-His higher glories hidden in the mystery of the incarnation. We know the issue of this trial of man, and how he failed to respond to such love, or even to be attracted to the Person in whom this grace dwelt, and who would not be repelled. The world failed to discern his beauty who was the altogether lovely, and the chiefest among ten thousand-nay, He was to them as a root out of a dry ground, having no form nor comeliness that they should desire Him. Man's heart could not open itself to perfect grace as presented by the Lord, but closed itself up in the wretchedness and enmity which dwelt within. He rejected heaven's one chief treasure, come down too in the fashion of a man, and standing upon the level of the lost and the guilty, eating and drinking with publicans and sinners.

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In the epistles of John, we find, consequent on the

rejection of Christ as the "life, the light, and the love," that their withdrawment from a world of death, darkness, and hatred becomes the new theme of the Apostle. Accordingly," that eternal life which was with the Father, and was manifested unto us passes away into the circle of its own fellowship with the Father, and with His Son Jesus Christ. Alas! for the world, and for men in it.

Life thus surrounding itself with its own similitudes, becomes on its part exclusive of sin and of darkness"the world, the flesh, and the devil." Jesus Christ as the righteous One takes a new place with the Father, and He is now our Advocate. Moreover, as to the maintenance of this fellowship in the light in which God dwells, "the blood of Jesus Christ his Son cleanseth from all sin:" and further, "if we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness." This is the new ground of our intercourse with God, and of the communion to which we are called in the unclouded sphere suited to us-as born of God where no darkness is. Little children, young men, and fathers have equally their place and are alike at home."These things write we unto you that your joy may be full," brightens up every heart as it passes on into its new birthrights. Truly our fellowship is with the Father and the Son gives the character and blessedness of our intercourse.

cast out.

It is wonderful when we first learn to look at everything with God, and discover how all under the heavens has enveloped itself in darkness since the true light has been For example, if we look at the world itself in the light of our epistle, it is to learn that "all that is in the world, the lust of the flesh, the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life, is not of the Father, but is of the world." So again, as to our relation to it, "if any man love the world, the love of the Father is not in him." Observe, that in this fellowship in the light, the Father and what is consistent with Him, is the new test of the world's value, just as the love of the Father becomes our new principle for not loving it. Note also, that as the world, has emptied itself of Christ, and therefore of the Father, it cannot merely retain the measure, or the form of its VOL. II.-New Series.

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previous iniquity; but adds to these later ones, and, thank God, its last. Tested by Christ it is Christless; but worse than this, for religious and ecclesiastical corruptions take His place. "Little children, it is the last time; and as ye have heard that Antichrist shall come, even now are there many antichrists; whereby we know that it is the last time."

Further, this eternal life which was with the Father, and was manifested to us, is likewise in us, exclusive of all that is not consistent with the light in which God dwells, and in which our fellowship is maintained. What God is becomes our rule. "God is light, and in him is no darkness at all;" therefore darkness is excluded, or else we lie, and do not the truth. So again, as to Satan" the word of God abideth in you, and ye have overcome the wicked one;" and as regards the world, "it passeth away and the lust thereof; but he that doeth the will of God abideth for ever."

Empty of the Father and the Son, what has Satan further to accomplish, but to gather around himself all that is false as to God, to Christ, and to truth, and therefore suited to mankind in their state of moral alienation and enmity.

"But ye have an unction from the Holy One, and ye know all things;" and in the power of this anointing we exclude everything that is not of the truth, but is a lie. "If that which ye have heard from the beginning shall remain in you, ye also shall continue in the Father and the Son;" precious assurance! so that when Christ shall appear we may have confidence, "and not be ashamed before him at his coming." Love in this epistle is as exclusive of everything that will not be embraced in the circle of this blessed fellowship with the Father and the Son, as we have seen the life and the light to have been in their respective chapters.

The love of the Father, which has made us sons of God, makes us on that account a race of persons unknown to the world. And why? Because it knew Him not. Wide as the poles asunder-wide as the distance between heaven and hell, we pass into our respective classes. "He that committeth sin is of the devil, for the devil

sinneth from the beginning :" on the other hand," whosoever is born of God doth not commit sin, for his seed remaineth in him, and he cannot sin because he is born of God." So likewise as to righteousness-the classes are in opposition one to the other; "in this the children of God are manifest, and the children of the devil; whosoever doeth not righteousness is not of God, neither he that loveth not his brother." Further, as the Father and the Son are in these respects denied, so lastly, the Holy Ghost who has come down from heaven, is also set at naught, and false spirits are gone out into the world. Hereby know ye the Spirit of God; Every spirit that confesseth not that Jesus Christ is come in the flesh is not of God.' 66 Hereby know we the spirit of truth and the spirit of error."

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Thus we see that in the Gospel of John, life, light, and love were first embodied in Christ personally, though communicated to His disciples who believed on Him; and the world was the place in which it shone out, though as yet in the midst of the darkness and evil where Satan was and wicked men.

But in the epistles we see a fellowship formed under the unction and the anointing of the Holy Ghost, by which those who have this life are called out into separation from all that is antagonistic to God and to Christ. Not only is this separation to be maintained, but communion with the Father and the Son are to be enjoyed, as brought into the light where God dwells in the entire exclusion of whatever is not of the Father, but which maketh a lie and is the work of the devil. Fellowship or communion, in order to be such, must be in the fullest reciprocation of all the capabilities of our new nature as born of God, with the Father, and in perfect enjoyment of His love and whatever distinguishes Him, as the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, and our God and Father through the Son of His love.

It yet remains to examine the characteristic difference of the Apocalypse from the Epistles and the Gospel. This may be described as a book revealing the ways and means by which God finally separates the evil from the good. In righteous judgment He drives Satan into the bottomless