TheSaviouroftheWorld

byBenjaminB.Warfield

TABLEOFCONTENTS

CHAPTERI:THEPRODIGALSON(LUKE15:11–32)

CHAPTERII:JESUSONLY(ACTS4:12)

CHAPTERIII:THELAMBOFGOD(JOHN1:29)

CHAPTERIV:GOD'SIMMEASURABLELOVE(JOHN3:16)

CHAPTERV:THEGOSPELOFPAUL(2COR.5:14–15,18–19,21)

CHAPTERVI:THEGLORIFIEDCHRIST(HEB.2:9)

CHAPTERVII:THERISENJESUS(2TIM.2:8)

CHAPTERVIII:THEGOSPELOFTHECOVENANT(JOHN6:38–39)

CHAPTERIX:IMITATINGTHEINCARNATION(PHIL.2:5–8)

THEPRODIGALSON

LUKE15:11–32:—Andhesaid,Acertainmanhadtwosons:andtheyoungerofthemsaidtohisfather,Father,givemetheportionofthysubstance that falleth tome. And he divided unto them his living.Andnotmanydaysaftertheyoungersongatheredalltogether,andtook his journey into a far country; and there he wasted hissubstancewithriotousliving.Andwhenhehadspentall,therearoseamightyfamineinthatcountry;andhebegantobeinwant.Andhewentandjoinedhimselftooneofthecitizensofthatcountry;andhesenthimintohisfieldstofeedswine.Andhewouldfainhavebeenfilledwith thehusks that the swinedideat:andnomangaveuntohim.Butwhenhecametohimselfhesaid,Howmanyhiredservantsofmyfather'shavebreadenoughandtospare,andIperishherewithhunger! I will arise and go to my father, and will say unto him,Father,Ihavesinnedagainstheaven,andinthysight:Iamnomoreworthy tobecalled thy son:makemeasoneof thyhiredservants.Andhearose,andcametohisfather.Butwhilehewasyetafaroff,his father sawhim,andwasmovedwithcompassion,andran,andfellonhisneck,andkissedhim.Andthesonsaiduntohim,Father,Ihavesinnedagainstheaven,andinthysight:Iamnomoreworthytobe called thy son. But the father said to his servants, Bring forthquicklythebestrobe,andputitonhim;andputaringonhishand,andshoesonhisfeet:andbringthefattedcalf,andkillit,andletuseat,andmakemerry:forthismysonwasdead,andisaliveagain;hewas lost, and is found.And theybegan tobemerry.Nowhis eldersonwasinthefield:andashecameanddrewnightothehouse,heheardmusicanddancing.Andhecalledtohimoneoftheservants,andinquiredwhatthesethingsmightbe.Andhesaiduntohim.Thybrotheriscome;andthyfatherhathkilledthefattedcalf,becausehehathreceivedhimsafeandsound.Buthewasangry,andwouldnotgoin:andhisfathercameout,andintreatedhim.Butheansweredand said to his father, Lo, thesemany years do I serve thee, and Inever transgressed a commandment of thine: and yet thou nevergavestmeakid,thatImightmakemerrywithmyfriends:butwhenthisthysoncame,whichhathdevouredthylivingwithharlots,thoukilledstforhimthefattedcalf.Andhesaiduntohim,Son,thouarteverwithme,andallthatismineisthine.Butitwasmeettomakemerryandbeglad:forthisthybrotherwasdead,andisaliveagain;

andwaslost,andisfound.

IWISHtospeaktoyouto-dayoftheparableoftheprodigalson,or,asitisbecomingverycommontocall it,perhapswithgreaterexactness, theparableofthelostson.Ishallnotreadittoyouagain.Ithasalreadybeenreadinthelessonfortheday.Andinanyeventitistoofamiliartorequirethatyoushouldberemindedevenoftheminuterdetailsofthenarrative.Probably no passage of the Scriptures is more widely known or moreuniversallyadmired.Theconversationandliteratureofdevotionarefullof allusions to it.And in the conversationand literatureof theworld ithasfarfromanunhonouredplace.

Itowes thehighappreciation ithaswon,nodoubt, in largepart to theexquisitenessofitsliteraryform.Fromthispointofviewitfullydeservesnot only the measured praise of a Grotius, but the enthusiasticexclamationsofaTrench.Itis"thefinestofChrist'sparables,filledwithtrue feeling, andpainted in themost beautiful colours." It is "thepearland crown of all the parables of Scripture." Nothing could exceed thechasteperfectionofthenarrative,thepicturesquetruthofitsportraiture,thepsychologicaldelicacyof its analysis.Here is a gemof story-telling,whichmustbepronouncednothinglessthanartisticallyperfect,whetherviewedin itsgeneral impression,or intheelaborationof itsdetails.Wemustaddtoitsliterarybeauty,however,thepreciousnessofthelessonitconveysbeforeweaccountfortheplaceithaswonforitselfintheheartsofmen.Inthissettingoffrettedgold,amarveloftheartificer,thereliesapricelessjewel;andthisjewelisdisplayedtosuchadvantagebyitssettingthatmencannotchoosebutseeandadmire.

Indeed, we may even say that the universal admiration the parablecommandshasfinishedbybecominginsomequartersa littleexcessive.Themessagewhichtheparablebringsusiscertainlyagreatone.Tolostsinnerslikeyouandme,assuredlyfewmessagescouldappealwithmoreoverwhelming force.Ourheartsarewrungwithinusaswearemade torealize that ourFather inheavenwill receiveourwandering soulsbackwiththejoywithwhichthisfatherintheparablereceivedbackhiserrantson.ButitisanexaggerationtorepresentthismessageasalltheGospel,orevenasthecoreoftheGospel;andtospeakofthisparabletherefore,as it has become widely common to speak of it, as "the Gospel in the

Gospel,"orevenasthesummationoftheGospel.Itisnotthat.Therearemany truthswhich ithasnopower to teachus thatareessential to theintegrityoftheGospel:nay,theveryheartoftheGospelisnotinit.And,therefore,preciousasthisparableistous,andpricelessasisitsmessage,therearemanyotherpassagesofScripturemoreprecious still, becausetheirmessageentersmoredeeplyintothesubstanceoftheGospel.Takethispassageforexample:"ForGodsolovedtheworld,thatHegaveHisonlybegottenSon, thatwhosoeverbelievethonHimshouldnotperish,buthaveeverlastinglife."Orthispassage:"God,beingrichinmercy,forHisgreatlovewherewithHelovedus,evenwhenweweredeadthroughourtrespasses,quickenedustogetherwithChrist(bygracehaveyebeensaved), and raised us up with Him and made us sit with Him in theheavenlyplaceswithChristJesus."Oreventhisshortpassage:"FortheSonofMancametoseekandtosavethatwhichwaslost."Allthesearemore precious passages than the parable of the lost son, not merelybecause they tell us more fully what is contained in the Gospel, butbecause theyuncover tous, as itdoesnot,what lies at theheartof theGospel.

It is important that we should recognize this. For the exaggeratedestimatewhichhasbeenputupon thisparablehasbornebitter fruit intheworld. Beginningwith an effort to read into it all theGospel, or atleasttheessenceoftheGospel,ithasendedbyreadingoutoftheGospelall that is not in the parable. And thus this parable, the vehicle of apricelessmessage, hasbeen transformed into the instrument of a greatwrong. The worst things are often the corruption of the best: and theattempt tomake theparableof the lostson thenormof theGospelhasresulted,IwillnotsaymerelyinthecurtailmentoftheGospel,—IwillsayratherintheeviscerationoftheGospel.Onthisplatformtheretaketheirstandto-dayagrowingmultitudetheentiretendencyandeffectofallofwhoseeffortsitistoeliminatefromChristianityallthatgivesitvalueintheworld,allthatmakesitthatreligionwhichhassavedtheworld,andtoreduceittothelevelofamerelynaturalreligion."TheChristianityofthe prodigal son is enough for us," they declare: and they declare thiswithgustobecause, toput itbriefly, theydonot like theChristianityoftheBibleortheChristianityofChrist,andarehappynottofindthemintheparableofthelostson.

Now,letusrecognizefranklyattheoutset,thatthereasonwhythesenewteachers of an unchristian Christianity do not find Christianity in theparableofthelostsonis,briefly,becausethisparabledoesnotsetforthChristianity, but only a small fragment of Christian teaching. The turntheyhavegiventoaffairsisthereforemerelythenemesisthattreadsonthe heels of themistaken attempts to read a full Christianity into thisparable.TheparablewasnotgiventoteachusChristianity,initsessenceoritssum.Itwasgiventoteachusonesingletruth:atruthoftheutmostvalue,notonlyfullofemotionalpower,but,whenplacedinitsrelationtoother truths, of the highest doctrinal significance; but not in itselfsufficienttoconstituteChristianity,oreventoembodyitsessence.HowlittlewhatthisparableteachesuscanbeconceivedasofitselfChristianitymay easily be made plain by simply enumerating some of thefundamental elementsofChristianitywhich receivenoexpression in it:andthisnegativetaskseemstobemadeincumbentonusattheoutsetofanystudyoftheparablebythecircumstanceofitsperversiontotheusesofthepropagandaofunbelief.

We observe, then, in the first place, that there is no atonement in thisparable.Andindeeditispreciselybecausethereisnoatonementinthisparablethatithasbeenseizeduponbythemoderntendencytowhichwehave alluded, as the norm of the only Christianity it will profess. FornothingismorecharacteristicofthisnewtypeofChristianitythanthatitknowsandwill knownothingof an atonement.TheoldSocinianswerequicktoperceivethisfeatureoftheparable,andtomakeuseofitintheirassaultuponthedoctrineofChrist'ssatisfactionforsin.See,theycried,thefather intheparableasksnosatisfactionbeforehewillreceivebackhisson:heratherseeshimafaroffandrunstomeethimandgiveshimafree and royal welcome. The response is no doubt just that otherScripturesclearlyteachtheatonementofwhichnohintisgivenhere;andthatwehaveno"righttoexpectthateverypassageinScripture,andleastof all these parables, which exist under necessary limitations in theirpowerofsettingforththetruth,shallcontainthewholecircleofChristiandoctrine."ThisanswerissufficientagainsttheSocinianwhoappealedtoScriptureasawholeandrequiredtoberemindedthatwe"mustconsidernotwhatoneScripturesays,butwhatall."But it scarcelyavailsagainstourmodern enthusiastwho either professedly or practicallywould fain

makethisparabletheembodimentofalltheChristianityhewillprofess.Forhim,Christianitymustdowithoutanatonement,becauseit isquiteobviousthatthereisnoatonementinthisparable.

Noristhatmorethanthebeginningofthematter.ItmustdowithoutaChristaswell.For,wemustobserve,theparablehasaslittleofChristinitasithasofanatonement.TheSociniansneglectedtotakenoteofthis.In their zeal to point out that there is no trace in the parable of asatisfactionofferedtotheFatherbywhichaloneHemightbeenabledtoreceivebackthesinner,theyfailedtonotethatneitheristheretraceinitofanymissionofaSonatall—evenmerely topleadwith thewanderer,makeknowntheFather'scontinuedlovetohim,andwinhimbacktohisright relation to the Father. That much of a mission of Christ theythemselves confessed. But it is as absent from the parable as is theexpiatingChristof theEvangelicals. In truth, there is in theparablenotrace whatsoever of a Christ, in any form of mission. From all thatappearsfromthenarrative,theerrantsonwasleftabsolutelyaloneinhissin,until,whollyofhisownmotion,heconceivedtheideaofreturningtothe Father. If its teaching is to be the one exclusive source of ourChristianity we must content ourselves therefore with a ChristianitywithoutChrist.

Nor is even this by any means all. For, as has no doubt been notedalready,thereisaslittletraceofthesavingworkoftheHolySpiritintheparableasofthatofChrist.TheoldPelagianswereasquicktoseethisasweretheSocinianslatertoobservetheabsenceofanyhintofasacrificialatonement.See, theysaid, theprodigalmoveswhollyofhisownpower:thereisnoefficientgracehere,noeffectualcalling,noregenerationoftheSpirit.And there isnot. If thisparable is to constituteourChristianity,thenourChristianitymustdowithoutthesethings.

And doing without these things, it must do without a Holy Spiritaltogether. For there is not the slightest hint of a Holy Spirit in anyconceivableactivityhemaybe thought toemploy in thewholeparable.Reduce the mode and effect of His operation to the most attenuatedpossible. Allow Him merely to plead with men from without thepenetraliumoftheirpersonality,toexerciseinfluencesuponthemonlyofthenatureofpersuasion, suchasmencanexerciseupononeanother—

still there isnohintof such influenceshere.Fromall that appears, theprodigalsuomotuturnedtotheFatherandowedtonoonesomuchasasuggestion,much less assistance, in his resolve or its execution. If ourChristianity istobederivedfromthisparableonly,weshallhavetogetalongwithoutanyHolySpirit.

And even this is only the beginning. We shall have to get along alsowithoutanyGodtheFather.What!yousay,—thewholeparableconcernsthefather!Butwhatafatheristhis?It iscertainlynottheFatheroftheChristianrevelationandnottheFatheroftheChristianheart.Hepermitshis son to depart from him without apparent emotion; and so far asappearsheendurestheabsenceofhissonwithoutapang,—makingnottheslightestendeavourtoestablishormaintaincommunicationwithhimortorecoverhimeithertogoodortohimself.Ifhemanifestsjoyatthehappyreturnofthesonaftersomanydays,thereisnottheleastevidencethatinalltheinterveningtimehehadexpendeduponhimsomuchasasingle message, much less brought to bear upon him the smallestinducementtoreturn.Inotherwords,whatweknowasthe"seekingloveofGod"isabsolutelyabsentfromthedealingofthefatherwiththesonashere depicted: that is, the love ofGodwhichmost nearly concerns youandmeassinnersisconspicuousonlybyitsabsence.Inthisrespecttheparable stands in its suggestions below the companion parables of thelostsheepandthelostcoin.Whentheshepherdlosthissheep,helefttheninety and nine in the wilderness and went after the lost one until hefound it.When thewoman losthercoin, she litacandleandswept thehouseandsoughtdiligentlyuntil she found it.But in theparableof thelostson,thefatherisnotpicturedasdoinganythingofthesort.Thesonleaveshimandthesonreturnstohim;andmeanwhilethefather,sofarasappears,goesabouthisownaffairsandleavesthesontogoabouthis.So clear is it that this parable was not intended to embody the wholeGospelanddoesnotcontainevenitsessence.ForwhatistheessenceoftheGospelifitisnottheseekingloveofGod?

Thecommentators,of course,havenot left it so.Determined toget theGospeloutoftheparable,theydiligentlygotoworkfirsttoputitin.Thusone, in depicting the father's state of mind, grows eloquent in hisdescriptionofhisyearninglove."Hehasnotforgottenhisson,thoughhe

hasforgottenhim.Hehasbeenthinkingofhimduringthelongperiodofhis absence. Probably he often cast glances along the road to see ifperchance the erring one was returning, thinking he saw him in everystrangerwhomadehis appearance.Hehas continued looking, longing,tillhopedeferredhasmadetheheartsickandwearytodespair."Nownodoubtthefatherfeltallthis.Onlytheparabledoesnottellusso.Anditwouldnothaveomittedtotellusso,ifthisstateofmindonthefather'spart entered into the essence of its teaching. The fact is that thiscommentatorisrewritingtheparable.Heisnotexpoundingtheparablewe have, but composing another parable, a different parable withdifferentlessons.OurLord,withHisexquisitelyniceadjustmentofeverydetailofthisparabletoHispurpose,wemaybesure,hasomittednothingneededforthemostpoignantconveyanceofthemeaningHeintendeditto convey. That the expositor feels it necessary to insert all thismerelyprovesthatheisbentonmakingtheparableteachsomethingforeigntoitasitstands.Whathehasespeciallyinmindtomakeitteachproves,aswereadon,tobetheautonomyofthehumanwill.Thelostthing,inthecaseofthisparable, isaman:andbecauseheisaman,andnolifelessthingnor an unthinking beast, we are told, he cannot, like the coin and thesheep,besought.Hemustbeleftalone,toreturn,ifreturnheeverdoes,wholly of his ownmotion and accord. Therefore, forsooth, the father'ssolicitude can only take the form of a waiting! Seeking love can beexpendedonacoinorasheep,butnot,itseems,onaman.Inthecaseofaman,waitingloveisallthatisinplace,orispossible.IsthistheGospel?IsthistheGospelevenofthesethreeparables?Whenweweretoldoftheshepherdseekinghissheep,ofthewomansearchingforhercoin,wasitofsheepandcoinsthat theMasterwouldhaveHishearers think?DoesGod care for oxen, or was it not altogether for our sakes that theseparablestoowerespoken?

Intosuchself-contradictions,tosaynothingofoppositionstotheverycorcordisoftheGospel,dowefallwhenwerefusetobeledbythetextandbegintotwistitlikeanoseofwaxtotheteachingofourownlessons.Thefactis,theparableteachesusnoneofthesethingsandwemustnotbendor break it in a vain effort tomake it teach them. Even when anothercommentatormoremodestlytellsusthatthetwoearlierparables—thoseof the lost sheepand the lost coin—set forthmainly the seeking loveof

God;whilethethird—thatofthelostson—"describesrathertheriseandgrowth, responsive to that love, of repentance in the heart ofman"; hehas gone far beyondhiswarrant.Why say this parable teaches the riseandgrowthofrepentance"responsivetotheseekingloveofGod"?Thereis no seeking love ofGod in the parable's picture of the relation of thefathertothelostson,asindeedhadjustbeenallowed,intheassignmentoftheteachingastothattotheprecedingparables.Butwhysayeventhatit describes "the rise and growth of repentance"? It does of coursedescribethepathwhichonerepentantsinner'sfeettrodashereturnedtohis father:andso faras thecaseofonemaybe thecaseofall,wemaytherefore be said to have here, so far as the narrative goes, a typicalinstance.But there isnoevidence that thisdescriptionwas intendedasnormative,andcertainlynogroundforfindinginthisthepurposeoftheparable. That purpose the text itself places elsewhere; and ourwisdomcertainlyliesinrefusingtoturntheparableintoallegory,readingintoitallsortsoflessonswhichwefancywemayseelurkinginitslanguagehereandthere.Wearesafestinstrictlyconfiningourselvestoreadingoutofitthe lesson it was designed to teach. This lesson was certainly not "thegrowthandcourseofsin"and"thegrowthandcourseofrepentance";butsimply that"there is joy inheavenoveronesinner thatrepenteth."Theexquisite surety of our Lord's touch as He paints the career of theunhappymanwhosefortunesHeemploystopointHismoralmaytemptustolookuponthevividpictureHedrawsasthenormativeinstanceofsin and repentance: and surely there is no reason why we should notrecognize that the picture thus brought before us corresponds withremarkable closeness to thegreatdramaofhuman sin and repentance.Butonemustbeonhisguardagainstbeingledastrayhere.Afterall,thedescriptions and analyses in theparable aredetermineddirectly by therequirements of the story, not by those of thehistory of the sinful souloveragainstitsGod;andwemustbewareoftreatingtheparableasifitsdetailsbelongedlesstothepicturethantosomethingelsewhichitseemsto us adapted to illustrate. The only safe course is strictly to confineourselvestothelessontheparablewasframedtoteach.

Thisisnottosay,however,thatthislessonissosingleandsimplethatwecanderivenoteachingfromtheparablebeyondwhatiscompressibleintoasingleproposition.Itundoubtedlyhasitsmainlesson;butitcouldnot

well teach that lessonwithout teaching alongwith it certain subsidiaryones, closely connected with it as corollaries and supports, or at leastimplicated in themanner in which it is taught. Only, wemust be verywary that we do not either on the one hand confuse these subsidiarythingswith themain lessonof theparable, or on the other read into itlessonsofourown,fancifullyderivedfromitsmereformsofexpression.Wemayperhapsillustratewhatwemeanandatthesametimegathertheteachingwemaylegitimatelyderivefromtheparablebyaskingourselvesnowseriouslywhatwedoreallylearnfromit.

Andhere,beginningattheextremecircumferenceofwhatwemayreallyaffirmwelearnfromthisparable,Ithinkwemaysaythatwemayderivefromit,inthefirstplace,—initscontext,inthewayitisintroducedandinits relation to the fellow-parables coupled with it—one of those subtleevidencesofthedeityofourLordwhicharestrewnthroughtheSynopticGospels.Althoughitleadsusawayfromourmaincourse,itbehovesustopause and take note of this, in view of the tendency lingering in somequarterstodenytotheSynopticGospelsadoctrineofthedeityofChrist,andespeciallytotheJesusoftheSynopticsanyrealdivineconsciousness.It would seem impossible for the unprejudiced reader to glance overtheseparablesintheirsettingwithoutfeelingthatboththeevangelistandthe Master as reported by him speak here out of an underlyingconsciousnessofHisdivineclaimsandestate.For,notetheoccasionoutofwhich theseparablesaroseand the immediateend towhich theyaredirected. The publicans and sinners were flocking to the graciouspreaching of Jesus, and Jesuswas so far from repelling them, thatHewelcomed them to Him andmixed in intimate intercourse with them.This the Pharisees and Scribesmade the subject of unpleasant remarkamong themselves. And our Lord spoke these parables in defence ofHimselfagainst theirattack.ButnownotehowHedefendsHimself.Byparablesofagoodshepherdseekinghislostsheep;ofadistressedwomanseeking her lost coin; of a deserted father receiving back his waywardchild. We surely do not need to argue that the good shepherd, thedistressedwoman, thedeserted father stands in each instance forGod.JesusHimself tellsus this inHis application: "I sayuntoyou" (andwemustnotmissheretheslightbutmajesticintimationofthedignityofHisperson) "that there shall be joy in heaven"; "Likewise, I say unto you

there is joybefore theangelsofGod."Yet theseparables are spoken tovindicate not God's, but Jesus' reception of sinners. The underlyingassumption that Jesus' action and God's action are one and the samething is unmistakable: and no reader fails tacitly to recognize JesusHimself under the good shepherd and the distressed woman and thedeserted father. In Him and His action men may see how things arelookedupon inheaven.The lost,when they come toHim, are receivedbecausethisisheaven'sway;andsincethisisheaven'sway,howcouldHedootherwise?This isnotamereappeal,assomehavesupposed,tothesympathyofheaven:asifHewouldsaytotheobjector,"Ihavenotyoursympathyinthis,butheavenisonmyside!"Norisitamereappealtoafuturevindication:as ifHewouldsay,"Nowyoucondemn,butyouwillseeitdifferentlyafterawhile."ItisadefenceofHisconductbyreferenceofittoitstruecategory.Thesepublicansandsinners—why,theyareHislostones:anddoesnotineverysphereoflifehewholoseswhathevalueswelcome its recovery with joy? Throughout the whole discussion therethrobsthustheopenimplicationthatHebearsthesamerelationtothesesinners that the shepherd does to the sheep lost from the flock, thewomandoestoacoinlostfromherstore,thefatherdoestoawanderingchild.AndwhatisthisbutanequallyopenimplicationthatHeisinsomemysterious way that Divine Being against whom all sin is committed,awayfromwhosesmileallsinnershaveturned,andbacktowhomtheycome when, repenting of their sin, they are recovered to good and toGod?

In these parables, then, we see Jesus teachingwith authority. AndHisdivine voice is heard in them also rebuking sin. For the next thing,perhaps,whichitbehovesustotakenoticeofistherebukethatsoundsinthem of the sin of spiritual pride and jealousy. This rebuke of courseculminatesintheportraitoftheeldersonandhisunsympatheticattitudetowardstherejoicingoverhisbrother'sreturnhome,whichoccupiesthelatter part of the parable of the lost son. This episode has given theexpositors much trouble; but this has been occasioned solely by theirfailure toapprehendaright thepurposeof theparable. It is in truthanintegral part of the parable, without which the parable would beincomplete.

In the former twoparables—those of the lost sheep and the lost coin—Jesus was directly justifying Himself for "receiving sinners and eatingwith them."His justification is, shortly, that it is precisely the lostwhorequireHis attention:He came to seek and to save the lost. But theseparablesrunupintoahigherdeclaration:thedeclarationthatthereisjoyinheavenoveronesinnerthatrepentsratherthanoverninetyandninejustpersonswhoneedno repentance.Thishighnote thenbecomes thedominant note of the discourse: and it is to illustrate it and to give itvividness and force in the consciousness of His hearers that the thirdparable—that of the lost son—is spoken. This third parable has notpreciselythesamedirectapologeticpurpose,therefore,whichdominatestheothertwo.Itbecomesmoredidacticandassuchmoreofamirrortoreflecttheentiresituationandtocarryhometothequestionersthewholeinvolvedtruth.Itsincidentsaredrawnfromahigherplaneofexperienceand the actionbecomesmore complex, bywhich amore variedplay ofemotionisallowedandamorecomplicatedseriesoflessonsissuggested.Itis,therefore,notcontent,liketheformerparables,merelytoillustratethe bare fact that joy accompanies the finding of the lost, with theimplication that as sinners are what is lost to God, it is their recoverywhich causes Him joy. It undertakes to take up this fact, alreadyestablishedbytheprecedingparables,andtofixitintheheartaswellasin themind by summoning to its support the deepest emotions of thehuman soul, relieving at the same time the free play of these emotionsfromallinterferencefromthesideofascrupuloussenseofjustice.

Itisthislatterfunctionwhichtheepisodeoftheelderbrothersubserves;anditappearsthereforenotasanexcrescenceupontheparable,butasanessential element in it. Its object is toholdup themirrorof fact to thePharisaicobjectorsthattheymayseetheirconductandattitudeofmindintheirtruelight.Theirmovingprinciplewasnot,astheyfancied,azealforrighteousnesswhichwouldnothavesincondoned,but justamean-spirited jealousy which was incapable of the natural response of thehumanspiritinthepresenceofagreatblessing.Theyarelikesomecrustyelder brother, says our Lord, who, when the long-lost wanderer comescontritely home, is filled with bitter jealousy of the joyful reception hereceives rather than with the generous delight that moves all humanheartsattherecoveryofthelost.

Theeffect,yousee, is toplace thePharisaicobjectors themselves in thecategoryofsinners,sidebysidewith theoutcasts theyhaddespised; toprobetheirhardheartsuntiltheyrecognizedtheirlostestatealso;andsotobringthemasthemselvesprodigalsbackinrepentancetotheFather'shouse.Thattheycamebacktheparabledoesnotsay.ItleavestheminthemidstofbittercontroversywiththeFatherbecauseHeisgood.Andhereemergesawonderfulthing.That"seekinglove"whichisnotsignalizedinthe parable with reference to the lost—the confessedly lost—son, isbrought before us in all its beautiful appealwith reference to these yetunrepentant elder brothers. For, you will observe, the father does notwaitfortheelderbrothertocomeintothehousetohim;hegoesouttohim.Hespeakssoothingwords tohim inresponse tohisoutpouringofbitternessanddisrespect.When,inoutrageouswords,thissoncelebrateshis own righteousness and accuses the father of hardness and neglect,refusingindeedinhiswrathtorecognizehisrelationshipeitherwithhimorhis:thefatherrespondswithmildentreaties,addressinghimtenderlyas"child,"profferingunbrokenintercoursewithhim,endowinghimwithallhispossessions,—inaword,pleadingwithhimasonlyalovingfathercan. Did the elder son hearken to these soft reproofs and yield to thisendearingappeal?ItwasforthePhariseestoanswerthatquestion.OurLord leaves it there. And the effect of thewhole is to show them that,contrary to their assumption, the Father in heaven has no righteouschildren on earth; thatHis grace is needed for all, andmost of all forthose who dream they have no need of it. By thus skilfully dissecting,under the cover of the sour elder brother, the state of mind of thePharisaic objectors, our Lord breaks down the artificial distinction bywhich theyhadseparated themselves fromtheir sinfulbrethren,and indoingsobreaksdownalsothebarrierswhichheldtheirsympathiesbackandopensthewaytofullappreciationbythemofthejoyHewouldhavethem feel in the recovery of the lost.Was there one among themwithheart yet open to the appeal of the seeking God, surely he smote hisbreastasheheardthesepoignantclosingwordsoftheparableandcried,nolongerinthevoiceofaPharisee,butinthevoiceofthepublican,"Godbemercifultomeasinner!"Surely,likeoneoftheirownnumberonlyafewyearslater,thescalesfellfromhiseyesandheconfessedhimselfnotonlyasinner,buteventhechiefofsinners.

It would not be quite exact perhaps to say that the parable rebukesspiritualprideand jealousyaswell asproclaims the joy inheavenovertherecoveryofthelost.Itslessonisone;anditsonelessonisonlythrownintoaclearerlightbytherevelationofthedreadfulnessofitscontrastinjealousyof thegoodfortuneof thesaved.Whenallare inequalneedofsalvation,whereisthereroomforcensoriouscomplaintofthegoodnessofGod?This levelling effect of the parable raises the questionwhetherthere isnotcontainedin itsomehintof theuniversalismoftheGospel.Surelythroughandthroughitsstructuresoundsthenoteof,"Forthereisnodifference!"Nodifferencebetween thepublicansand sinnerson theoneside,andthePhariseesandtheScribesontheother.ThePhariseesthemselves being judges, thiswere equivalent to no difference betweenJewandGentile.Werenot thepublicansto themasheathenmen?Andwasnot"sinners"justthenamebywhichtheydesignatedtheGentiles?Iftheir scrupulous attention to the law did not raise them above allcommerceorcomparisonwithsinners,whatprofitwas there inbeingaJew? We certainly do not purpose to say with some that Jesus wasteachingauniversalreligionwithoutknowingit:andwecertainlydonotdiscoverherethegermofauniversalreligioninthis—thatJesusmeanttoteachthatnothingliesbetweenthesinnerandhisrecoverytoGodbutanact of the sinner's own will, an act to which every sinner is evercompetent, at all times and in all circumstances. And yet it seems notimpropertoperceiveinthelevellingeffectoftheimpliedinclusionofthePharisees them selves in the one great class of sinners a hint of thatuniversalismwhichJesusgaveHisGospelwhenHeproclaimedHimselftheSaviourofallwhobelieveonHim.

But,howeverthismaybe,weapproachnearertothegreatlessonoftheparablewhenwenotethatthereiscertainlyimbeddedinitsteachingthatgreat and inexpressibly moving truth that there is no depth ofdegradation, return fromwhichwill notbewelcomedbyGod.A sinnermaybetoovileforanyandeverythingelse;buthecannotbetoovileforsalvation.Weobserveatanyrate thatourLorddoesnotholdHishandwhenHecomestopaintthedegradationofsinners,throughHispictureof thedegradation intowhich the lost sonhadsunk.Nodepthsare leftbeneath the depthswhichHehere portrays for us. Thismanhad dealtwith his inheritance with the utmost recklessness. He had wasted the

wholeofituntilhewasleftstrippedbareofallthathehadbroughtfromhisfather'shouse.Norwasthereanythingtotakeitsplace.Thecountryin which he had elected to dwell was smitten, throughout its wholeextent, with a biting famine. In all its length and breadth there wasnothingonwhichamanmight live.Theprodigalwasreduced to"bendandprayandfawn"atthefeetofacertaincitizenofthatdreadland;andwas sent by him out into the barren fields—to feed swine! To a Jew,degradationcouldnotbemorepoignantlydepicted.Yes, it could: therewas one stageworse and that stagewas reached.The lost sonnot onlyherdedtheswine;heherdedwiththem."Hewasfaintofillhisbellyfromthe husks that the swine did eat." Not with the same quality of food,observe,butfromtheswine'sownstore—for"nomangaveuntohim."Inthis terrible description of extreme degradation there may be a sideglance at the actual state of the publicans, our Lord's reception of andassociationwithwhomwassuchanoffencetotheJewishconsciousness.FordidnottheynotmerelyserveagainsttheirownpeoplethoseswinesofGentiles,butactuallyfeedthemselvesattheirtrough?Buthoweverthismaybe,itisclearthatourLordmeanstopaintdegradationinitsdepths.HedoesnotsparethesinnerswithwhomHeconsorted.Hisdefenceforreceiving themdoesnot turnuponany failure to recognizeor feel theirtruequality;anyrepresentationofthemasnotsobadafterall;asiftheyhadbeenpaintedblackerthantheywere,andwereniceenoughpeopletoassociatewithifonlywewerenotsofastidious.Hesaysratherthattheyarebadpast expressionandpastbelief.Hisdefence is that they canbesaved; and that He is here to save them. Lost? Yes, they are lost; andthereisnoreasonwhyweshouldnottakethewordatthetop—orratherat the bottom—of its meaning: this is the parable of the lost son. ButJesusistheSaviourofthelost;andthereisnonesolostthathemaynotbefoundbyHim,and,beingfoundbyHim,bealsofoundinHim.Oh,no!Jesus does not rejoice in sinners: it is not sinHe loves nor sinners assinners.WhatHerejoicesinistherescueofsinnersfromtheirsin.Andthedeeper the sin thegreater the rescueand thegreater the joy. "I sayunto you, there is joy before the angels of God over one sinner thatrepenteth.""Isayuntoyou,thereshallbejoyinheavenoveronesinnerthat repenteth, rather than over ninety and nine just persons, such ashavenoneedofrepentance."

It is in this great declaration that the real purport of the parable isexpressed.Thisparablewasspokentoteachus,toputitbriefly,thatGodinheavenrejoicesovertherepentanceofeverysinnerthatrepents.Itisacommentary therefore on those great passages which tell us that Godwouldhavenomanperish,butalltocometoHimandlive;anditismorethan a commentary on these passages, inasmuch as it throws theemphasisuponthepositivesideandtellsusof the joythatGodfeelsattherepentanceofeverysinnerwhorepents.Tothecarryingofthisgreatmessagehometoourheartsalltheartoftheparableisdirected,anditisourwisdomtoread it simply to thisend.Weneednotpuzzleourselvesoverthesignificance,then,ofthisdetailorthat,as ifwewereboundorindeed permitted to discover, allegorically, some spiritual meaning ineach turn of the story. The most of these find their account in thedemandsofthestoryitselfandenterintoitslessononlyascontributorydetails,addingvividnessandtruthtotheillustration.

Thus,forinstance,ifweaskwhythereareonlytwosonsintheparable,whilethereweretenpiecesofsilverintheprecedingone,andahundredsheep in the first one; the answer is that just two sonswere needed toserve Jesus' purpose of illustrating the contrast between the PhariseesandScribesontheonesideandthepublicansandsinnersontheother;his purpose not being at all to indicate proportion of numbers, butdifferenceinstatusandconduct.Intheformerparablesthesuggestionofcomparative insignificancewas requisite to bring out the full lesson; inthis,thecontrastofcharacterservesHispurpose.Ifagainitisaskedwhyit is the younger son who becomes a prodigal, the answer is that theproprietyofthestorydemandsit.Itwouldbeinconceivablethattheolderson, who according to custom was the co-possessor and heir of thefundamental estate, shouldhaveaskedor receivedan inheritanceapartfromit.Butthethingwasnotunnatural,anddoubtlessnotunusual,inayoungerson,whowastobeportionedoffinanyeventintheend,andwasonly asking that hemight not wait on his father's death, butmight bepermitted to "set up for himself" at once. We cannot therefore withconfidence discover the beginnings of the prodigal's downfall in hisrequestthathisinheritancemightbetoldofftohim,orwonderovermuchwhythefathersoreadilygrantedthisrequest.Itistempting,nodoubt,toseeinthewishofthesonto"setupforhimself"ahintofaheartalready

little at one with the law and custom of the father's house. But suchallegorizing is dangerous, especiallywhen not suggested by any hint inthe language of the narrative or necessarily contained in the situationdepicted.Itiscustomarytospeakoftheyoungersonasayoungman.Itmaybeso.Butthenarrativedoesnotsayso.Hemayhavebeeninmiddlelife;anditmaywellhaveseemedtoallconcernedthatadesireonhisparttobegintobuilduphisownhousewasaltogetherrightandfitting.Theseparation of his goods from his father's at all events appears in theparableonlyastheprecedentconditionofhisspendingthem,notasthebeginningofhisdownfall.

Weneednotgofurther,however,intodetail.Enoughthatthestoryhasasinglepoint.And thatpoint is the joyof the father at the returnof theson,ajoywhichistheexpression,notofthenaturalloveofthefatherfora son, but of the overwhelming emotion of mingled relief andthankfulnessandovermasteringrapturewhichfills theheartofa fatherontherecoveryofalostson.Thepointofthenarrativeisnot,then,thatthisprodigalisason,thoughthatunderliesandgivesitsverisimilitudetothepicture.Thepoint is that thisson isaprodigal. It isbecausehehasbeenlostandisnowfoundthatthejoyofthefatherissogreat.Theeldersonisasontoo;andthefatherloveshimalso.Lethimwhodoubtsitreadagain the exquisitenarrative of the father's tender andpatientdealingswithhim.Thereisnotinallliteratureamorebeautifulpictureofparentalaffectionpleadingwithunfilialpassion.ThisfatherknewperfectlyhowtofulfiltheinjunctionlaterlaiddownbytheapostlePaul:"Andyefathers,provokenotyourchildrentowrath;butnurturetheminthechasteningand admonition of the Lord." From this point of view that soothingadmonition, "Child, thou" (the emphasis on the "thou" must not beneglected) "artalwayswithme;andall that ismine is thine;but itwasmeettomakemerryandbeglad,becausethisthybrotherwasdeadandisalive,andwaslostandisfound"—issimplyperfect.Soclearisitthatthelessonoftheparabledoesnotturnontheprodigal'sbeingason,butonthissonbeingaprodigal.

Inotherwords,itslessonisnotthatGodlovesHischildren,butthatGodloves sinners.And thus this parable is seen rangingwith theprecedingones.Thelostsheep,thelostcoin,thelostson,haveonlythisonethingin

common,thattheyarelost;andthethreeparablesuniteincommendingtheonecommonlessontous,thatasmenrejoiceintherecoveryofwhatis lost, soGod rejoices in the recoveryof sinners—since sinnersare thethingsthattoHimarelost.Wemustnot,then,usethisparabletoprovethat God is a father, or draw inferences from it as if that were itsfundamentalteaching.Itdoesnotteachthat.WhatitteachesisthatGodwillreceivethereturningsinnerwiththesamejoythatthefatherintheparable received thereturningprodigal;becauseas thissonwas to thatfather'sheartaboveallotherthingsthathehadlost,hislostone,andhisreturnwasthereforeaboveallotherthingsthatmighthavebeenreturnedtohimhisrecovery;sosinnersareaboveallelsethatGodhaslostintheworldHislostones,andtheirreturntoHimaboveallotherrestorationsthatmaybemadetoHimHisrecovery.Thevividpictureofthefathernotstaying to receive the returningson,but,movedwithcompassionashespiedhimyetagreatwayoff,runningouttomeethimandfallingonhisneck and kissing him in his ecstasy again and again; cutting short hiswordsofconfessionwiththecommandthatthebestrobebebroughttoclothehim,andshoesforhisblisteredfeet,andaringforhisfinger,andthe order that the fatted calf be killed and the feast be spread, and themusicandthedancebeprepared—because,ashesays,"Thismysonwasdeadandisalive,waslostandisfound"—allthisinthepictureismeantto quicken our hearts to some apprehension of the joy that fills God'sheartatthereturnofsinnerstoHim.

Obrethren,ourmindsaredulledwithmuchrepetition,andrefusetotaketheimpressionourLordwouldmakeonthem.Butevenwe—canwefailto be moved with wonder to-day at this great message, that God inheaven rejoices—exults in joy like this human father receiving back hisson—whensinnersrepentandturntoHim?Onlessassurancethanthatof Jesus ChristHimself the thingwere perhaps incredible. But on thatassurance shall we not take its comfort to our hearts?We are sinners.And our only hope is in onewho loves sinners; and has come into theworld to die for sinners. Marvel, marvel beyond our conception; but,blessedbeGod, as true asmarvellous.AndwhenweknowHimbetter,perhapsitmaymoreandmoreceasetobeamarvel.Atleast,oneofthosewhohaveknownHimbestandservedHimmostrichlyinourgeneration,hastaughtustosingthusofHiswondrousdeathforus:

ThatHeshouldleaveHisplaceonhigh,

Andcomeforsinfulmantodie,

Youcountitstrange?—sodonotI,

SinceIhaveknownmySaviour.

Nay,hadtherebeeninallthiswide

Wideworldnoothersoulbeside

Butonlymine,thenHehaddied

ThatHemightbeitsSaviour;

ThenhadHeleftHisFather'sthrone,

Thejoyuntold,theloveunknown,

AndforthatsoulhadgivenHisown,

ThatHemightbeitsSaviour!

Isthattoohighaflightforus—thatpassionofappropriationbywhichtheloveofJesusforme—myownpersonalsoul—isappreciatedsofullythatitseemsnaturaltousthatHe,movedbythatgreatlovethatwasinHimforme—evenme—should leaveHis throne thatHemight die forme,—justme,—even were there none else beside? At least wemay assent to thedispassionaterecognitionthatinthedepthsofourparableishiddentherevelationofthatfundamentalcharacteristicofJesusChristbyvirtueofwhichHedidbecometheSaviouratleastofsinners.Andseeingthisandknowingourselvestobesinners,wemayacknowledgeHimafreshto-dayas our Saviour, and at least gratefully join in our passionate sinner'sprayer:

Andoh!thatHefulfilledmaysee

ThetravailofHissoulinme,

AndwithHisworkcontentedbe,

AsIamwithmySaviour!

Yea,living,dying,letmebring

Mystrength,mysolacefromthisspring,

ThatHewholivestobemyKing,

OncediedtobemySaviour!

JESUSONLY

ACTS4:12:—Andinnoneotheristheresalvation:forneitheristhereanyothernameunderheaven,thatisgivenamongmen,whereinwemustbesaved.

ANOTABLEmiraclehadbeenwrought.AsPeterandJohnwereenteringthetempleatthehourofafternoonprayer,theyhadencounteredapoorcripplewhowasinthehabitofhavinghimselflaidatthegatewaytobegalms of the passing worshippers. Him they had healed, attracting hisattentionand faithby the greatword, "In thenameof JesusChrist theNazarene,walk! "To the confounded crowd that ran togetherPeterhadimprovedtheopportunitytopreachJesus,whosemightyname,onfaithhaving been awakened in it, had wrought this wonderful cure. TheSadduceanleadersofthepeoplehadbeen,asthenarrativeputsit,greatly"workedup"bytheoccurrence;and,apprehendingPeterandJohn,theyhad cast them into prison overnight and brought them on themorrowbefore the Sanhedrin. The question put to the apostles in their

examinationbeforethisbodywasstudiedlyinsultinginitseveryphrase,andrunsupintoanexplosionofangrycontempt:"Whatsortofpowerisit,andwhatsortofaname is it thatyouhavedonethis thingby—you?"There is here an open relegation of the apostles to that herd of"vagabondJews"who infestedeverycity,workingstrange thingsby thepowerofsomegreatnamewhichtheypronouncedintheirincantations.

"ThenPeter,"saysthenarrative,"filledwiththeHolySpirit,saidtothem:'Rulers of the people, and elders, if it can possibly be we' "—note theemphasis of personal protest in this "we,"—" 'who are to-day called toaccount, for a good deed' "—note this emphatic "good deed"; not themisdeedforwhichitiscustomarytocallmentoaccount—"'toaninfirmman,bywhatitisthathehasbeensaved,—beitknowntoallofyouandtothewholepeopleofIsrael'"—herePeteritwillbeseenisrisingtohisclimax,—" 'that it is by the name of Jesus Christ the Nazarene, whomye' "—an emphatic "ye" locating the persons with clear and strongassertion—"'whomyecrucified,whomGodraisedfromthedead,'"—oh,thetremendouspoignancyofthatcontrast!—"'bythisnameitisthathestandsbeforeyouwhole.This is thestonethatwasdespisedbyyouthebuilders,thatisbecometheheadofthecorner.'"

Assuredly,wewillsay,pungencyofrejoinder,boldnessofproclamation,couldgonofurther.Andtherestoodthehealedmanintheirmidst, thelivingwitness of the truth of thedeclaration.ButPeter does go furtherthaneventhis.Notcontentwithsoringinganassertionofthereversalinthe court of heaven of their earthly verdict on Jesus the despisedNazarene,andofthelivingpresenceamongthemofHimwhomtheyhadfoullyslain,doingwonders,PeternowsuddenlyrisestotheheightofhisgreatargumentandsetsHisMasteron thepinnacleofHisgloryas thesolePrinceandSaviourofalltheearth."This,"hesays,"isthestonethatwassetatnoughtbyyouthebuilders,thathasbeenmadetheheadofthecorner, and innoneother,"headds,—"innoneother is there salvation;forneither is thereanyothernameunderheavengivenamongmen,bywhichwemustbesaved!"

It is too late now to speak of the fine note of defiance, of holy andchastenedchallenge,thatringsinthistrumpet-likespeechofPeter's.Inthese last words it has passed beyond defiance and even beyond

challenge,andtakenonthenoteofsummonsandhighproclamation.InthemPeterstepsforthunabashedbeforetheworld,astheheraldof thePrince of Life, and assertsHis crown prerogatives. Into the face of thesneeringSanhedrinbeforewhomhe stands arraignedhe, anunlearnedandignorantman,flingsthisgreatandsweepingdeclaration:thatJesusChristofNazareth—whom theyhad crucified—wasnotonlyGod'sHolyServant,bywayofeminencetheHolyandRighteousOne,againstwhomtheyhad thereforegrievouslysinnedwhen they laid theirwickedhandsuponHim;butisactually(thoughtheyhaveslainHim)theveryLordandSourceofLife,intowhosesolehandsaregatheredalltheissuesofBeing,whetherinthisworldorintheworldtocome.

Wemust not pause to seek to picture the effectwithwhich this daringpredicationtoJesusoftheuniqueempireoversalvationmusthavestruckupon those Jewish ears thatday.Him theyhad slain, but trulyHehadrisenfromthedeadtotroublethem,andwasshowingforthHismightinday signs andwondersdone inHisname.Herewas this crippledman,savedfromhis infirmity;andwhocouldgainsaythat thecurehadbeenwrought by the name of Jesus? Nay, here are these unlearned andignorantmenthemselves,savedfromtheirspecialinfirmitiesalso;Peter,for example,whohaddeniedhis Lord at themere glance of a serving-woman,nowstandsbefore theSanhedrin itself, carelessof their frownsand his own chains, and boldly proclaims his Lord's risen glory anddominionoverthewholerealmoflife.Whocouldgainsaythatthiscuretoohadbeenwroughtby thenameofJesus?It iseasy to imaginewhatsearchings of heart there were in the Sanhedrin that day; whatmarvellings;whatanxiousinquiriesastowhatcouldbedonetostopthespreadof suchagospel.The two thousandyears thathavepassedhavetaughtushowvainall theireffortswere;and,havingrejected thestonethat the Lord had made the head of the corner, how completely wasfulfilled in themthe furtherpredictionof thissameJesus, that "he thatfalleth on this stone shall be broken to pieces,while onwhomsoever itshallfallitwillscatterhimtodust."

It isofmore importance forus to-day,however, to inquirewhatwe to-day—after these two thousandyearsof enlightenmentduringwhich thegospelofJesushashadfreecourseandbeenglorified—shouldlearnfrom

thisgreatdeclarationofPeter,spoken,wearetoldexplicitly,whenhewasfilled with theHoly Spirit. It assures us too, after so long a time, thatthere is salvation in none other than Jesus, and that there is no othernameunderheavengivenamongmenwherebywemustbesaved.Whatarewetounderstandbythistremendousassertion?

Weshallbecounselled,ofcourse,attheoutset,torememberthatwehavebefore us here an announcement that belongs to the beginnings of theGospel;thatwearelisteningtowordsofPeter,not,say,ofPaulorJohn;and to words of Peter even, which were spoken before he had beenenlightened by the great vision that visited him on the house-top ofJoppa. We shall even be counselled to remember that a miracle ofphysical healing lay at the root of this announcement, and that in itsprimarymeaning,atleast,itmustbeheldtobearitsnaturalreferencetoit.Itwouldbeapityassuredlytoforgetsuchthingsasthese.ItisonlybybearingthemfullyinmindthatthelargeandrichcomprehensivenessofPeter's great declaration can be apprehended. It is true that the wholesituationturnsonamiracleofhealing;thatPeterisaddressinghimselfinhisentirespeechtoademandforanexplanationofthepowerbywhichthis physical cure had been wrought; that he had just spoken of thehealingasa"salvation,"makinguseofthesamewordthatheemploysinthis great declaration itself. He certainly means to declare, and hecertainly does declare, that in none other than Jesus is such physicalsalvationtobehad;andthatthereisnoothernameunderheavengivenamongmenwherebytheymusteventhusbesaved.Exorciststherewereand healers enough, who pronounced other names over the afflictedchildrenofmen.Noneofthemhadpowertosave.Ifevertheevilsofthislifearetoberelieved,theforcesofdiseaseanddecay,ofinjuryanddeath,tobebroken,itwillbeonlybyJesusthatitwillbedone;onlyHisname,byfaithinHisname,cangivethatperfectsoundnessforwhichwelong.It isdoubtlessly equally true thatPeterhadnot yetwholly sloughedoffthehardcasingofJewishexclusivenessthatenclosedandstraitenedhisheart.We know not what elements of crudeMessianic hopes may nothave still clung to his thought and conditioned his conception ofsalvation.TheJesuswhomheproclaimedwasundoubtedlyinhisviewaking,thefruitofDavid'sloins,andseateduponDavid'sthrone;aprophetaforepromised by Moses and all who came after Moses, now come

primarilytoIsraelthathemightblessthemfirstofall,andothers,onlyinand through Israel. Hemeans to proclaim, and he does proclaim, thatthereisnonationalSaviourbutJesus,thatthereisnoothernameunderheaven, given among men, whereby men must be saved from theoppressions of society and the organized life of states. Many othernational Saviours had offered themselves and were still offeringthemselves tohishearers.Therewas, for example,oneTheudas,whomtheyallremembered,whogavehimselfouttobeasomebody;andtherewas Judas of Galilee who only the other day had presented himself totheir acceptance.What had become of those that followed after them?No;iftheyokeoftheoppressorisevertobebroken,ifsocietyisevertobecomethatpromisedkingdomofrighteousnessforwhichalllong,itwillonlybebyJesusthatitwillbeaccomplished;onlyHisname,byfaithinHisname,canbringinthelong-expectedreignofGod.

But it is beyond all possibility of doubt equally true that salvation inPeter's apprehension of it stretched far beyond these conceptions andfounditsrealsignificanceinthethingsofthespirit."Remissionofsins,"andthegiftoftheHolyGhostasaninwardpowermakingforholiness,—thesearetheideaswhich,atleastfromPentecostonward,dominatedhisthoughts; the "blotting out of sin" that seasons of refreshing from thepresenceof theLordmightcome—here isexpressedtheverycoreofallhis longing.Nodoubt,asregardsthisspiritualsalvationtoo,hehadyetmuchto learn.Nodoubt thewidenessofGod'smercyhadnotyetbeenfullyrevealedinhisthought,andnodoubthestillexpectedtheGentilestobecomeparticipants inthissalvation,notasGentiles,butonlyastheresultofaspiritualconquestofthembyJudaism.Butassuredlynottheless, butmuch themore rather,was it therefore inconceivable to PeterthatGentilescouldbesavedapartfromthatoneSaviourinwhomalonewastheresalvationforeventheJews.Thatchannelsofsalvationcouldbeopentothe"sinnersoftheGentiles"whichareclosedtoJewscouldnotenterhisimagination.AnyremnantsofJewishexclusivismwhichmaybeimaginedtohavestillclungtohisthought,cannotbesupposed,then,torenderitdoubtfulwhetherornotheGentilestooaretobeunderstoodtobe shut up to this one announced means of salvation, but quite thecontrary."SinnersoftheGentiles,"intheverynatureofthecase,restedin his view under a condemnation indefinitely deeper than the chosen

people;andcouldhopeforsalvationonlybyparticipationintheblessingwhichcamefirsttothem.SothatitmustremainbeyondallquestionthatPeter's declaration was intended to assert and does assert in themostunqualifiedand themost exceptionlesswaypossible that innoneotherthanJesusisthisspiritualsalvationtobehad,andthatthereisnoothername under heaven given among men, whereby men in this sphere,aboveall,mustbesaved.

Itwouldseemquiteclear,therefore,thattocatchPeter'smeaninginthisgreatdeclaration,wemust take the conceptionof salvation in themostcomprehensivesensepossibleforittobear,andthatwemustgivetohisrestrictionof this salvation to Jesus andHismightyname, the strictestandmost stringent interpretation.Doing so,we shall not be subjectingPeter'swords to undue pressure, forcing them out of their natural andsimplemeaning. Rather it is only thus that we can protect them fromwrestingandpreservetothemtheirnaturalandsimplemeaning.Norcanweaffectsurprisethatsuchisthecase.InbothmattersPeterishereonlyreflectinginhisownwayandconsonantlywithhisownpersonalstageofgrowthandthecircumstanceswhichweredetermininghislanguage,thecommonBiblicaldoctrine.

We certainly shall never do justice indeed to theBiblical conception ofsalvation taken as a whole, save by giving to that term its widestconceivableconnotation.Itmaybethatwearepronetonarrowandlimitit on this side and that, and then to feel some surprise, perhaps someperplexity,whenweopenthepagesofScriptureandlightuponpassageafterpassagewhichwillnotsquarewithourpoorstarvelingideas.IntheBiblicalconceptionofit,—weshallnotbeabletosayittooemphatically—salvationbroadensitsbeneficentreachtocovereveryevilthatafflictstheafflictedraceofman.Andthatwiththebestofreason.Forinthecentreof its centre, in theheart of its heart, salvation is deliverance from sin,andaccordinglyitisdeliverancefromalltheevilsthatfindtheirrootsinsin: and every evil of every kind that has ever entered the sphere ofhuman life is consequent on sin and but the manifestation of sin'spresence and power in humanity. We open a recent book and findwritten: "God Himself cannot prevent the consequences of sin, thesorrow,disgraceandsufferingwhichare thedirecteffectofevildoing."

Webless theGodandFatherofourLordandSaviourJesusChrist, theLord of heaven and earth, that such is not the teaching of this blessedBible. "They shall hunger nomore,"we read, "neither thirst anymore;neither shall the sun strike upon them, nor any heat,… andGod shallwipe away every tear from their eyes … and death shall be no more,neither shall there bemourning, nor crying, neither shall there be anymore pain." Symbolical this language no doubt is, but it is such,nevertheless, because it expressesmuchmore, not less, than it directlysays:andsofarasfaithfulnesstoBiblicalteachinggoesitcouldbereadwith the literalness of a legal document. The favourite expression forsalvationintheBiblicalrecordis thatgreatwordLife;whichissetoveragainsttheequallygreatwordDeath,asthebestcomprehensivetermtogatherupalltheevilsfromwhichweshallbesaved.WhateverDeathis,andall thatDeath is, andall that leadsup to,accompaniesand followsDeath, in any one of its possible applications, physical and temporal,spiritual and eternal—that is what we shall be saved from in thissalvation.AndwhateverLifeis,andallthatLifeis,andallthatleadsupto, accompanies and expresses, and grows out of and crowns Life—ineverypossibleapplicationofthatgreatconception—thatiswhatweshallbe saved to in this salvation: or rather that, in Biblical language, issalvation."Inthedaythatthoueatestthereof,thoushaltsurelydie"—inthese terms was couched the great prohibition of "the fruit of thatforbidden tree whose mortal taste," as Milton, not a whit toocomprehensively,putsit,"broughtdeathintotheworldandallourwoe."Everything that vexes and troubles human life in every sphere of itsmanifestationisbuttheissueofthisfirstdisobedience.Conceivemanasa physical organism held together by the subtle forces which governmateriallife;allthatbringshimpain,diseaseanddeath,emergesastheunavoidableresultofsinandthereforethenecessaryobjectofsalvation.Conceivehimasasocialbeingboundinfellowshipwithhiscompanionsby thosemutual ties which hold together the fabric of society; all thatbrings him discontent, strife, injustice, oppression, want or neglect,equallytrulyisthefruitageofsinandequallytrulyisthereforetheobjectof salvation.Or conceive him at the height of his nature, as a spiritualbeing standing in relation to that spiritual world above him whichstretchesupwardstothethroneofGoditself;allthatbreaksthefreeplayof thishigh communionand rouses inhim the senseof incompatibility

with his higher environment; all that rises within him as a bar to thatfavourofGodwhichislife,whetherintheformofguiltorcorruption,—this above all is the bitter fruit of sin and therefore above all theimmediate object of salvation.Wemust conceive salvation as reachingoutwith itshealinghandto theutmostconfinesof theeffectsofsin,orelsefail torecognizewiththepoettheRestorerasa"greaterman"thanhim through whom we suffered this grievous loss. The Scripturescertainlywillnotpermitustoentertainfanciessoderogatorytothegloryof theRedeemer. They do not content themselves indeed evenwith anequationofthespheresinwhichtheforcesofdestructionandrestorationwork as if it were enough to say that the gift of life shall supplant thecurseofdeath—followingitintoalltheramificationsofitsbanefuleffectsthat it may work their reversal. Nay, no sooner have they drawn theparallelthantheyatoncecorrectitwithafervid,"butnotasthetrespass,so also is the free gift. For if by the trespass of theone themanydied,muchmoredidthegraceofGodandthegiftbythegraceoftheonemanJesusChristabounduntothemany."Thereisasuperabundanceofgrace,andanextensionofitimmeasurablybeyondtheravageswroughtevenbysin.

Would we do justice to the Scriptural representations, then, we mustconceivenoblyofsalvation.WemustenlargeitsbordersifwewouldgivetoitallthelandwhichtheLordhaspromisedit.ItbelongstothegloryofChrist that His salvation enters into every region of human need andproclaims inall alike completedeliverance.Even the lower creation,byvirtue of the relation in which it stands to man, partakes in hisredemption.Iftheverygroundwascursedforman'ssakethattheplaceof his abodemight sympathetically partake in his punishment, no lessshallitshareinhisrestoration.Man'ssighsarenottheonlyexpressionofthe evil that curses human life in its sinful development. The wholecreationgroansandtravails togetherwithhim.But itsharesalso in thehopeofthecomingdeliverance.Forthereshallbeanewheaven,wearetold,andanewearth.Underthesenewheavens,inthisnewearth,shallgather redeemed humanity, in the perfection of its idea, and in perfectharmony with its perfected environment. In the perfection of physicalvigour: for what is sown in corruption shall have been raised inincorruption,whatissownindishonourshallhavebeenraisedinglory,

whatissowninweaknessshallhavebeenraisedinpower,whatissownin selfishness shall havebeen raised in spirituality. In theperfectionofsocial organization and intercourse: for there shall be none to hurt ordestroy inallGod'sholymountain,andall thepeopleof theLordshallhave learned righteousness. In the perfection of spiritual communionwithGod: for then it is that theLordshallmakeHimselfknown toHispeopleandshalldwellwiththem,andtheyshallneednoTempletowhichmenshouldrequiretorepairinordertomeettheLord,fortheLordGodtheAlmightyandtheLambaretheTemplethereof,andthegraceoftheLord shall flowdown the streets in a riverof thewaterofLifewashingintoeverynookandcorner.SuchisthepicturetheScripturesdrawforusofthesalvationofourGod.Andletusnotfailtonotethatitisapictureofasavedworld.Asnosphereofhumanlifeisleftuntouchedbyit;asonitstouch, every sphere of human life is transformed; so the completenessandtheprofundityofitsrenovationofmanismatchedbythewidenessofitsextensionoverman.Itistherenewedheavensandtherenewedearththatwearebiddentocontemplate;anddwellingintheminendlessblissrenewed humanity. Renewed humanity; not a meagre companywithdrawn from the sin-festering race, but the race itself, cleansed andpurified and gathered home to the Father's arms; not without losssufferedbytheway,itistrue,fortherearesomewhoshallnotenterintothisholycity;butwithalllossesmadegood,allbreaksintheranksfilledup, and all lacks and wants supplied by Him who has redeemed it toHimself and led it to its new estate of perfection in itself and eternalcommunionwithHim.Such is the salvation thathasbeenwroughtoutforusbyChrist.

Now the point to which the words of Peter, which are particularlyengaging our thought to-day, energetically direct our attention is thatneitherthissalvationasawhole,noranyleastpartoforelementinit,canpossiblybeattainedsaveinJesusChrist."Andinnoneother,"hedeclareswith tremendous emphasis, "in none other is there this salvation," thiswell-known salvationwhich fills all ourhopes and longings:—" innoneother is there this salvation: forneither is thereanyothername,underheaven,givenamongmen,whereinwemustbe saved."Peter's interest,wewillobserve,isabsorbed,notinthegreatnessofthesalvation,butinthe greatness of Jesus Christ the Nazarene, who is the Lord and sole

disposerofthisgreatsalvation.Heassumesthattheideaofthissalvationand its indescribable greatness, and an insistent craving for it, are allpresent, persistent, controlling in theminds andhearts of his auditors.WhatheisconcernedwithistocarryhometotheirmindsandheartstheautocracyofJesusChristtheNazareneoverit.Hencethenegativeformgiventohisdeclaration.Hedoesnotsay,youobserve,"Youaskbywhatpowerorbywhatnamethiscurehasbeenwrought.IreplybythepowerandnameofJesusChristofNazareth,inwhosemightyhandsrestspowerto heal all the ills of men." No, he gives quite a different tone to hisdeclaration when he turns forward its negative edge and declares withenormous energy of expression: "You ask by what sort of power or bywhat sortofnamewehavedone this thing. I reply it isby thenameofJesusChristtheNazarene,andthereisnotinanyotherthissalvation;forneitheristhereanothername,underheaven,givenamongmenbywhichwe must be saved." Observe the accumulation of emphatic phrases toenhancethestresslaidontheexclusivenessofJesus'powertosave.Firstofall,thereistheredoubledassertion:"innoneotheristheresalvation,"and then again thatnonemightmiss it, "there isnoothernameunderheaven,givenamongmen,wherebywemustbesaved."Thenthereistheheaping up of clauses, in almost superfluous reiteration of theabsolutenessof theexclusionofallbutJesus fromthepowerof saving:there is "noneother," there is "noothername," "underheaven," "givenamong men"—as if it should be said, "Seek you wherever men can befound, search to the utmost limits of the encanopying sky,—nowhereamongmen,nowhereunderthestretchofheaven'sroof,willyoufindawhisperofanothernameinwhichsalvationcanbefound."Andthen,atlast,thereisthecuriousturngiventothephrase:"inwhichwemustbesaved."Weweaken it vastly in our careless current reproductions of it,saying,"neitheristhereanyothernameunderheavengivenamongmenwhereinwemaybesaved,—whereinwecanbesaved."Peterdoesnotsophraseit.Hesays,"whereinwemustbesaved."Theaccentofnecessityisin it. It isnotmerely thatwemaybesavedbyJesus,or thatwecanbesavedbyJesus;but, ifwebesavedatall, itmustbeinHimthatwearesaved. There is no possibility otherwise or elsewhere. And with theemergence of this vigorous must at the end of the sentence the lasthammerfalls,thelastrivetisclinched,andthelastbandofsteelisfixedaround this tremendous assertion of the exclusiveness of salvation in

JesusChristalone.

The note of Peter's declaration here, you will observe, is, "Jesusonly!""Jesusonly!"There isanoteofseverity in themode inwhichhedeclares it, for the occasion of its declaration was such as to call forassertion,—assertion in the faceofhardunbelief,ofpersistentdenialofthe crown-rights of theKing. But through all the severity there soundsalsoanoteofexuberance.This is theaccount tobegiven indeedof thealmost unexampled piling up of phrases to which we have adverted,addinglittletooneanotherastheydoexceptanever-growingemphasisfor themain declaration; expressive in a word only of the overflowingemotion that was flooding the speaker's heart. The name of Jesus wasinexpressiblyprecioustoPeter,anditwasthusinexpressiblyprecioustohim because it was the saving name, nay, we will not express itadequatelyuntilwesayitoutright—becauseitwastheonlysavingnameinall theuniverse. Itwasmuch tohim,nodoubt, thathehad come toperceive that there had been given to that broken and suffering manwhomhehad seenbut yesterdayhangingon the cruel cross, theNamethat is above every name, that in the name of Jesus every knee shouldbow,ofthingsinheavenandthingsonearthandthingsundertheearth,and that every tongue should confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to thegloryofGodtheFather.ThissupremeexaltationofhisMasteralonemusthavefilledhissoulwithswellingdelight.Buttherewassomethingbeyondthis supreme exaltation itself that was suffusing his whole being withunutterable joy. Itwas the exuberant sense of the uniqueness of Jesus'officeofSaviour thatpressed forutteranceand found ithaltingly in anaccumulationofphrasesthatmustappearextravaganttoallwhodonotwithhimrisetotheheightofthegreatvision.Jesusexaltedtothethroneof the universe,—that is a great vision; but Jesus the sole Lord ofsalvation,holdinginHishandsthekeysoflife,anddividingtoeachasHewill,—JesustheonlyNameunderheavengivenamongmenwherebymanmustbesaved—tosin-strickenanddespairingmen,surelythisisamuchgreatervision.ItwasthisgreatervisionthathadcaughtPeter'supliftedeyes.

Not,of course,as if itwere tohiseyesalone that itwasgiven to see it.ThereisnothingthatPetertellsusherethatisnottoldusoverandover

againbyeverywriterofthisNewTestament.Itbelongsindeedtotheveryheart of the Gospel that these writers preached, which centred notprecisely intheproclamationofsalvation,but inthepreachingofJesusasSaviour.TothemindeedJesusistheGospel;andwhereJesusisnot,there there is no gospel at all. It is of the very essence of the Gospel,therefore, thatsalvationcanbeobtainedthroughJesusalone.Andso itwaspreachedfromthebeginning."Iamtheway,thetruth,andthelife,"saidJesusHimself asplainlyasmajestically: "nomancomethunto theFather, but byMe." And equally plainly again, in that equallymajesticassertionreportedtousbyMatthewandLukeonwhichHefoundsoneofthemosttouchingofHisinvitations:"AllthingshavebeendelivereduntoMebyMyFather;andnooneknoweththeSon,savetheFather;neitherdothanyknowtheFather,savetheSon,andhetowhomtheSonwillethtorevealHim."ThatasthereisoneGod,sothereisonly"onemediatorbetweenGodandmen,themanChristJesus,"afterwhoseonceofferingof Himself "there remaineth no more sacrifice for sins," becameaccordingly the centre of the Gospel proclamation by His accreditedmessengers.And therefore theydidnothesitate toproclaimboldly thatonlytheywhobelieveinJesusChristshallbesaved:andthatthosewhoarewithoutChristhavenohopeandarewithoutGodintheworld.Thelife that God has given us, explains John in his searching way, isdepositedforus"intheSon,"andtherefore,"hethathaththeSonhaththelife;hethathathnottheSonofGodhathnotthelife."

It was, in fact, this arrogant exclusiveness of the Gospel in which itsoffenceinlargepartconsisted.EventheJewmighthavebeenpersuadedtoacceptJesusasaRabbi,teachingawaytoGod;andtheGentilesinthatsyncretistic agewould havewelcomedwith acclamation such a teacheramong themultitude of their othermasters. But neither Jesus norHisfollowerswouldacceptsuchanassignment.HeandtheyalikeclaimedforHimthesoleempireoversalvationandwouldbrooknofellowbyhisside.When we contemplate the wide liberality of the Roman world, andconsider the ease with which the most varied cults found room forthemselves side by side in that spacious toleration, we are sometimestempted towonderwhy, among all this crowd of religions, Christianityalonewassingledout forviolentand indeedrelentlesspersecution.ThesolutionisofcoursethatChristianitywasnot,andwouldnotconsentto

beconsidered,oneofthesemultiformreligions.Itwasanditproclaimeditselftobetheoneonlyvalidreligion;and,thuspittingitselfagainstthemall,itdrewthehatredandtheassaultofallagainstitself.Arecentwriter,seekingtodrawforusapictureoftheexclusiveattitudeofChristianityinthoseolddaysofthebeginningoftheGospel,commenceswithastringofquotations from the great representative writers of the time,—Irenæusand Tatian and Commodian and Tertullian and Cyprian himself, thatman ofmoderate, onemight say even politic, spirit, fromwhommoresmooth speechmight have been expected: but wearying of his task hebreaks off suddenly with the remark that to present the whole case itwouldbenecessarytocitethewholebodyofChristianauthors,andwell-nighthewholelistofActsofMartyrswiththem—sincethereis,hesays,nooneof themwhodoesnotassert theexclusivenessofChristianity. Itbrought them ridicule; it brings us ridicule yet. It brought thempersecutionofunexampledferocity,asitbringsusthescornofmanyet.Butinthatsigntheyconquered.Heathenism,throwingitselfuponthemwithfury,didnotbreakthem: itbroke itselfuponthem.Andtheyhavehandedon thebanner tous still bearing theunsullied legendof "Jesusonly,"—Jesusthesoleauthorofsalvation.

Now,itisnotapopularthingto-dayanymorethanitwastwothousandyearsagotoassert theexclusivenessofChristianity.Mennolongercastus to the lionswhenweproclaimJesus theonlySaviour theworld canknow;Hisnametheonlynameunderheavengivenamongmenwhereintheymustbe saved.But theworldof to-dayendureswithnomore realpatiencethanthatolderworldtwothousandyearsagothearroganceofsuchloftyclaims.Thisisaboveallothersthathaveprecededitthedayofeagerandappreciativestudyofotherfaiths;andequallywiththeothersthathaveprecededit,thedayofindifference,ifnothostility,tothehighclaims of Jesus. You will be pressed on every side to give somerecognition to the large element of truth and good that is found in thehistorical religionsof theearth; to thehighconceptionsofGodthatareenshrinedinsomeofthem,thenobleethicalteachingthatistheessenceof others, the poignant pity for suffering humanity that throbs throughothers. You will be pressed on every side to accord an appreciativehearingtothevoiceofthereligiousspiritspeakingintheheartsofmen,who,nevertheless,havenotlearnedtoexpresstheirreligiousemotionsin

theformulaswithwhichyouhavebeenmadefamiliar.What,youwillbeasked,willyourefuseyourwelcometotheaspirationsofthesoulthatisnaturallyChristian;willyounotgiveheartyrecognitiontotheservicethatisrenderedtothe"essentialChrist"bythousandswhohaveneverheardHisearthlyname,orwho,havingheardit,havefailedrightlytoestimateHisuniquecharacter?WillyouforgetthatthemanChristJesuswastheWordofGodbeforeHebecame flesh,andremains throughall theagesthatLightthatlightseverymanthatcomesintotheworld?WillyoudaretodenytoHissovereigngracetherighttoquickenwhomHewill,underwhateverskyandcallingonGodbywhateverhumanname;orrefusetorecognizethemovingsofHisinspirationintheheartsofmen—because,forsooth, they speaknot yourwordsand swearnot in your symbols? Itwill behard for you to resist the speciouspleaswithwhich youwill bepliedandtopreserveinyourheart—Iwillnotsaynowonyourlips—theechoesofPeter'sgreatdeclarationthatinnoneotherthanJesusistheresalvation,thatthereisnoneothernameunderheaven,givenamongmen,wherebywemustbesaved.

Ibegyou,whenthetemptationtoadmitothersaviourstoaplacebyHisside, to acknowledge other names as equally potent with this uniquenameofJesus,isstronguponyoutorememberthreethings.Rememberthegreatcommission:remembertheperilofyourownsouls:rememberthehonourofJesusChristyourSaviour.

Remember the great commission! "All authority is given unto me inheavenandearth,"declaredourSaviourwhenHewasabouttoascendtoHisthrone."Goye,therefore,"HecommandedHisdisciples,"andmakedisciplesofallthenations."Wasthisgreatcommissionthegreatmistakeofhistory?IthasrequiredalltheheroismtheChurchcouldcommandtomakeeventhetentativeeffortsshehasbeenabletomaketofulfilit;andeverystepofthewayhasbeenwateredbyfloodsofherbestblood.Havewenowcomeatlasttoseeitinaclearerlightandtounderstandtheerrorofjudgment,orrathertheprofoundlydeflectedpointofview,onwhichitwas all founded? From our higher standpoint, shallwe say that all thenationsarealreadyintherightpath,andneednoinstructionfromustofind theway: that the essential truth is already in their grasp and theymaybetrustedtoitsguidance:thathavingthustheleadingoftheLogos

theycannotfailofthelife?SuchclearlywasnotourSaviour'sview,whomwerecognizeas theLogos, to theguidanceofwhomwewouldtrust theworld,andwhoproclaimedHimselftheTruthindeed,orHewouldneverhave sent His Church upon this—in that case—useless if not noxiousmission.Andifsuchbeourview,wewillnevergouponthisgreatmissioninwhich consists,nevertheless, the very reason for the existenceof theChurchonearth.Onlyifwecatchtheapostles,view-point'andcansaytoour soulswith the clearness of convictionwhich they felt, that there issalvationinJesusalone,willwebeinspiredwiththezealthatfilledthem,to evangelize the world. The nerve of the missionary spirit after all isembalmed for ever in Paul's great sorites.Only they that call upon thename of the Lord shall be saved. "How then shall they call on him inwhomtheyhavenotbelieved?andhowshall theybelieve inhimwhomtheyhavenotheard? andhow shall theyhearwithout a preacher? andhow shall they preach except they be sent?"The salvation of theworldhangs, thus, in our humanmode of speaking, on the clearness and thestrength of our conviction that there is salvation in none other thanJesus, that there is none other name under heaven, given amongmen,wherein they must be saved. O the cruelty of that indifferentism,miscalledbroadnessofmind,thatwouldwithholdfromaperishingworldtheonlyhealingdraught,onthepretence,forsooth,thatitisnotneeded.O remember that thewholeworld lies in iniquity—ill todeathwith thedreadfuldiseaseofsin,—andthatyouhaveinyourhandstheonecurativepotion, the only water of life which can purge away sin and restore tospiritualhealthandbeauty.Rememberthegreatcommission!

And remember theperil of yourown souls! JesusChristhas come intotheworld tosavesinners.AndHecallsyou toHim,youwhoarewearyand heavy laden with the burden of your sins. He points you to Hiswounded hands and feet and to His riven side. He points you to Hisoutpoured blood. He points you to His finished sacrifice and to theFather'sgreat, It isenough!InHimheproclaimstoyoutherehasbeenopenedup at last access to the Father, and to the Father's forgiveness,and to the Father's loveHe is able to save unto the uttermost all thatcome untoGod throughHim.He pleadswith you to come.He pressesuponyouthegreatnessoftheopportunity,thegreatnessoftheperil.Heurges youwith the great promise:He that believeth shall be saved.He

importunes youwith the sharpwarning:He that believeth not shall belost. Will you neglect so great salvation, which has at the first beenspokenbytheLord,andhasbeenconfirmeduntousbythosethatheardHim,God alsobearingwitness by thewonders ofHis gracewithoutusandwithin?Andallbecause,forsooth,wecannotbelievethereisnootherway?Othermasters enoughwilldemandyourattention;other teachersessay your guidance. The wisdom of the world will laugh at yournarrownessandpointyoutootherwaysofapproachtoGod.Ichargeyou,by the welfare of your own souls—and what should a man give inexchange for his soul?—to bear steadily in mind that the world by itswisdom has never yet attained to the knowledge of God.Where is thewise?Whereisthescribe?Whereisthedisputerofthisworld?HasnotGodmade foolish the wisdom of this world? Let those who are set onperishingdespisethewordofthecrossasfoolishness.Youwhoaresetonsalvation—bearitwellinmindthatitisthepowerofGoduntosalvation,apartfromwhichthereisnosalvation.Ontheperilofyoursouls,Ichargeyou to remember that Jesus Christ is the onlyway, the only truth, theonly life; thatnomancomesorcancome to theFatherexceptbyHim,thatallthelifethatisintheworldisinHim,andheonlythathathHimhaththe life,whilehethathathnotHimhathnotthe life.Listentothesolemn words of the apostle of love: "Whosoever denieth the Son, thesamehathnot theFather:he thatconfesseth theSon,"he,andheonly,"haththeFatheralso."Letusnoteitclearlyandnoteitwhole:thereisnoaccesstoGodforsinnerssaveinthebloodofJesusChrist.

Ah,Iknowwhatisrisinguponyourlipstosay!YouareofthesewhohavebelievedinJesus;yourheartsarefullofjoybecauseyoufindyourselvesinHim, and,being inHim, in the enjoymentofHis salvation. I chargeyou,then,brethren,companionsoftheblessedlife,rememberthecrownrightsofyourLordandSaviour!LetHishonourbepreciousinyoursight!Ihave charged you in thewordsofPaul to letnoman rob youof yourcrown: I chargeyounow inyetmore insistent tones, to letnomanrobyourSaviourofHiscrown. InHimand inHimalone is redemption. InHishandsHeholds,assovereignLordofsalvation,alltheissuesoflife.BeingattherighthandofGodexalted,andhavingreceivedoftheFatherthepromisedHolySpirit,itisHeandHealonethatshedsdownonearthallthecurrentsofinfluencethatmakeforsalvation.Sayinyourheartand

shoutabroadwithyourlips,thatallmenmayknowitassuredly,thatGodhasmade this Jesus bothLord andChrist, andbesideHim there is noother.SeetoitthatyoueverhonourHiminyourheartsandceaselesslyproclaimHimwithyourvoiceastheoneonlySaviourtheworldcaneverhave; since in none other is there any salvation; and there is no othernameunderheavengivenamongmen,whereinwemustbesaved.OnlysowillyourendertoHimtheglorythatisHisdue.Forwhentherewasnoone in theheavensor on the earthorunder the earthwhowas able toopen the book of salvation or to break the seals thereof, thismanwascountedworthy;worthytoendurethepangsofdeathfortheoffencesofmen, worthy to rise from the dead for their justification, worthy to beexalted to the throne ofGod and to receive the power, and riches, andwisdom, andmight, andhonour, and glory, andblessing.Hebywhosehand has been wrought salvation, He is and remains the only Lord ofSalvation, and besideHim is no fellow. Let this good confession, I begyou,echothroughoutallthecorridorsofyourlifeandfillwithitsvoicealltherecessesofyoursouls.Aboveeventhegreatcommission,aboveeventhe peril of your own souls, remember—remember as those shouldrememberwhoowetheiralltoHim,rememberthehonourduetoJesusChrist,theSaviour,thesoleSaviour,ofthislostworld.

THELAMBOFGOD

JOHN1:29:—BeholdtheLambofGod,whichtakethawaythesinoftheworld.

JOHN the Apostle was the pupil of John the Baptist. Alone of theevangelists, he had not merely heard the preaching of this last andgreatest of the prophets, but had formed one of the inner circle of hisdisciples, closely attached tohis person and intimately acquaintedwithhis entire thought. And he had brought to this teaching the samereceptive and brooding heart, attuned to the higher truth, which heafterwardsbrought to the teachingofChrist.The resultwas verymuchthesame.TherearescatteredhereandtherethroughthesayingsofJesusrecordedbytheotherevangelists,deepsayingsenoughtoassureusthat,evenastheywouldsetitforth,therewasthiselementintheteachingoftheMaster; but John's record of our Lord's discourses is compacted ofthese deep sayings. So there are hints enough in the record of theBaptist's preaching givenby the other evangelists, tomake it clear thatthere was such a side to it as John records; but it is John alone whothrowsthisaspectof it intotheforeground.Inbothalike, theBaptist ispurelytheforerunneroftheLord,whosewholeworkconsistedinmakingreadyfortheLord'scoming.Buttheattentionoftheotherevangelistsisdirected to the pathway prepared for the feet of the Lord; John's isfocuseduponthefigureadvancingovertheroad.Theytellus,therefore,ofthetrumpet-calltorepentancewhichtheBaptistsentringingthroughthe land, of his searching inquisition into the hearts of men, of hisunsparingrebukeofevilwhetherinhighplacesorinlow,ofhisflamingproclamation of judgment; John tells us rather of the testimony of theBaptist to Christ. From them we learn accordingly what the Baptistthoughtofman;fromJohn,whathethoughtofJesus.

AndwhenwelearnfromJohnwhattheBaptistthoughtofJesus,wearestartled by the clearness and fulness of his prophetic vision. We havealreadyremindedourselves thatJohnwasapupilof theBaptist.Letusnowgiveitsfullvaliditytothisfact.Atleastthismuchheobviouslywouldhimselfhaveussay,—thatallheevercametoknowofJesushesaw,when

helookedbackupontheteachingofhisfirstmaster,tohavebeenalreadycontainedingerminhispropheticinstruction.Itisthereforethathelayssuch stress on the testimony of the Baptist to Jesus. Even from thereports of theBaptist's teaching given in the other evangelists,wemayperceive that he saw in Jesus a person, and expected of Him a work,whichmarkedHimoutasthedivineSaviouroftheworld.Whatisthusimplicitintheirreport,however,ismadeexplicitinJohn's.WeneednotsupposethatJohnfullyunderstoodfromthebeginningallheheardfromtheBaptist's lips.But, likeMary, he belonged to that class of profoundreligiousnatureswhoareaccustomedtohidethedeepdeclarationsoftheprophetsintheirhearts,thattheymayripenundertheinfluenceswhichtheexperiencesoflaterlifebring.Andthus,afterJohnhadlainonJesus'bosomashehadsatattheBaptist'sfeet,andhaddrunkfromthatfullerandricherfountain,hewasinapositiontotellusthattherewasincludedin the Baptist's declaration a true knowledge of Jesus, a knowledge ofwho and what He was and what He came into the world to do, aknowledge of Him, in the fulness of the meaning of that greatdesignation, as the "SonofGod," and, in the fulness of themeaningofthatgreatdeclaration,as"theLambofGod,thattakesawaythesinoftheworld."

It is easy to say that such fulness of apprehension is incredible in theBaptist. That, standing as he did, in the grey dawn of the newdispensation,itisincongruoustobathehiminthefulllightofnoonday,anoonday which did not shine upon Christ's own disciples until longafterwards—which, indeed, never shone upon themuntil theirMaster'sworkhadbeen accomplished andwas bearing its ownwitness to itself,until He had not only died for our sins, but risen again for ourjustificationandhadsentHisSpirittoteachtheirlaggardunderstandingsthings which earlier they had been unable to bear. Nay, are we notattributing to theBaptist, it is asked, a knowledge towhich even JesusHimself attained only slowly, as He learned by the things which Hesuffered;fordidnotHeHimselfbeginHisministryanimatedbythehopeofestablishingtheKingdomHecametoerectthroughthemereforceofHiswinningproclamation, andonly gradually learn, as the cross threwmoreandmoredeeply itsbaleful shadowoverHispathway, that itwasonly through suffering that He could attain His glory? How shall we

believethattotheBaptisttherelayopenfromthebeginningallthattheLordHimselfandallHisdiscipleslearnedonlyattheend;andeven,thattheBaptisttaughtitall,onhispropheticauthority,bothtoJesusandtoJesus' disciples, who were his pupils,—although certainly with so littleeffectthattheyforthwithforgotitandrequiredpainfullytorecoveritinthehard schoolof experience? If indeedwemustnot even say that theBaptistforgotithimself;forhowelsecanwesupposethathecouldsendtoJesusthatperplexedinquiry,"ArtThouHethatshouldcome,ordowelookforanother?"

Plausible, however, as such doubts and hesitations may be made toappear,theanswertothemiseasyanddecisive.Theyareutterlywithouthistorical foundation. They are purely the fruit of an attempt toreconstruct the historical sequences of the evangelical narrative in theinterests of an a priori theory,—of an a priori theory, moreover, theprinciple ofwhich is rejection of the supernatural factor in thehistory,thoughthissupernaturalfactorisnolessthenerveofthewholehistoricaldevelopment than the very heart of the Christian religion. If we are tocredit the evangelical narrative (and what other source of informationhave we?) it is not true that our Lord began His ministry with theexpectationofaccomplishingHismissionthroughtheinstrumentalityofsuccessfulpreachingalone.Everyoneof theevangelistsrepresentsHimas undertaking His work with a clear perception of precisely what laybeforeHim;ascomingintotheworld,inaword,notthatHemightliveandbuildupaKingdom,but thatHemightdie and throughHisdeathpurchaseapeopletoHimself;asenteringfromthebeginning,that istosay, upon the conscious fulfilment of theprogrammewhich theBaptistmarked out for HimwhenHe calledHim the Lamb of God that takesaway the sinof theworld. It is true thedisciples are representedas, intheirpreoccupationwithanotherMessianicideal,slowofhearttobelievethatitshouldbethusandnototherwisewiththeirMaster,thatitshouldbe through the sufferings and death of the cross that He shouldaccomplishHis work and enter intoHis glory. But the significance forthisoftheBaptist'spreannouncementfallsintothebackgroundinviewofthe repeated declarations of the Lord Himself, running up at last intocareful and precise instruction, which only their dullness of spirit wasable toresist;and, indeed, inviewof thebroadpreadumbrationsof the

Old Testament itself, which the evangelists would have us understandlaiddownbeforehand theentireplanofourLord's life.When the risenChristturnedtoHisdespondentdiscipleswiththesorrowfulrebuke,"Ofoolish men and slow of heart to believe all that the prophets havespoken,oughtnottheChristtosufferthesethingsandtoenterintoHisglory?"HebutputintodirectwordsonceagainbeforeHewastakenuptheteachingofHiswhole life,whichhasbecometheteachingofallHisbiographersaswell.

FromthepointofsightofourLordHimselfandofthesenarrativeswhichembalmHismemoryforus,therewasreallynothingnewintheBaptist'sproclamationandnothingexceptionalinit,beyonditsdesignationofthemanJesusastheexpectedMessiah.Itwasbutthesummarypresentationof the essential teaching of theOld Testament, and particularly of thatgreatprophetofwhomastrulyasofElijahtheBaptistwasarevival,andinwhoseprophecieshistestimony,asrecordedbyJohn,issteeped.LittlemarvelthatthosewhocouldforgetIsaiah,couldforgetalsotheBaptist'scrispsummaryofIsaiah'steaching.Littlemarvelthat,inthehourofhisown trial, even he himself should sink into a certain measure ofdespondencyandneedtoreassurehimselfthatHeonwhoseheadhehadseentheSpiritdescendandrest,wasreallyHethatshouldcome,andheneednot lookforanother.Intheprogressalikeof the individualandofthe Kingdom of God upwards towards those heights of knowledge andprivilegewhichatthestart,perchance,standoutclearlyinviewtouchedwiththeglowofsunrise, itoftenhappensthat theyaretemporarily lostfromsightasthelowervalleysandshadedpathsaretraversed,bywhichtheyareapproached.Theveryprocessofattainingthe fullerpossessionof them involves the hiding of them for a time from view. There isnothing psychologically unnatural, therefore, either in the clearperceptionoftheBaptist,fromthevantage-groundoftheopeningofthenewdispensation,ofthetruecharacteroftheMessiahandtherealnatureofHiswork;or intheevangelist'srecallingthe fulnessof thispropheticteachingafter the eventhad justified it andhehadhimself throughhisinspiration attained a firm grasp of its elements.What John, in effect,invitesus todo, is to comebackwithhim to thedawnof theChristianproclamation,andtoobservewithhimhowthislonelypeakwas"firedbytheredglowoftherushingmorn.""Listen,"sayshetous,"listen,tothese

marvellouswordswhichfellfromthegreatprophet'slipsintherichflowofhisinspiration.WhenIheardthem,then,theykindledaflameinmyheartwhichhasnotyetdieddown;intheirimpulseIturnedandfollowedJesus.When I recall themnowI see in themnothing less thanadirectwitnessfromGodtowhatJesuswasanddid.Hearkentothemasavoicefromheaven,declaringwhatintruthisthecentralfactoftheGospel."

SoweseemtoheartheevangelistspeakingtousoutoftherecordsofhisGospel thismorning, andwewouldnot be disobedient to theheavenlymessage.Letus,then,askwhatitisthattheBaptist,thusreportedtous,bidsusbeholdinHimwhomhedeclarestobetheLambofGodthattakesawaythesinoftheworld.

We remark, then, in the first place, that he bids us see in Jesus thesufferingservantofGod.

In thepreparation for the comingof redemptionwhich forms themainburden of the Old Testament revelation the promised redeemer ispresentedinagreatvarietyofaspects,correspondingtothemultifariousfunctionswhichhewastoperformastheSaviourofHispeople.Amongthese, none fell in so completely with the popular temper, or appealedwithsuchforcetothepopularimagination,asthatwhichforetoldHimastheSonofDavid,thegreatwarrior-kingwhoshouldsubduetheworldtotheGodofIsraelandforeverruleoverthewholeraceofman.Firedwithhopes kindledby this great prediction, the prevailing conception of theMessiah very naturally came to be that of amonarch,whose dominionwas inevitably transmuted intoamoreor lesscarnalkingdomofpowerover the enemies of Israel. Meanwhile the other lines of propheticdescriptionwereneglected;andamongthemmostofallthatculminatinginthefifty-thirdchapterofIsaiah,inwhichtheMessiahisdepictedastherighteous servant of Jehovah, preserving his integrity amid thecontradictionsofsinners,andbyhispatientenduranceofthesufferingsinflicteduponHimnotmerelyearningthefavourofGod,butpurchasingblessings for thepeople.What itconcernsus toobservenowis that theBaptist,indesignatingJesustheLambofGodthattakesawaythesinoftheworld,recallshishearers fromtheoneMessianic ideal to theother.HispropheticannouncementistheauthoritativedesignationofJesusasthe long-expectedMessiah, theHopeof Israel; but alongwith that, the

authoritativedefinitionof theMessianic ideal tobefulfilled inJesus,asveryespeciallythatsetforthinthefigureoftheservantofJehovah.ItisthepropheticproclamationofthegreatdoctrineofthesufferingMessiah,intermsandtoneswhichimperativelyclaimedahearingandadmittednomisunderstanding.

Inthis,indeed,consiststheoffenceoftheBaptist'sannouncement.Itwasitsoffenceatthetime.HadtheBaptistcomeproclaimingtheadventofawarrior-king,whoshould,withtherodofHisanger,breakinpiecestheoppressorsofIsrael,Herodmightstillhaveslainhim,butthePhariseeswould have believed in Him, and no Jew would ever have questionedwhether his mission were from heaven. It remains his offence to thepresent day. This doctrine of a sufferingMessiah, we are asked,—whatunheard-ofdoctrineisthis?NoJeweverdreamedofit,wearetold,untilhe had been taught it by the Christians; and the Christians invented itonly to reconcile the catastrophe which had befallen their Christ withtheir hope that it would have been He who should redeem Israel. Itconcerns us little when the Jews, in their engrossment with theexpectationofaMessianicKingof theearthratherthanofheaven, firstbegantolendtardyeartotheIsaianproclamationofasufferingMessiah;it is a historical question of some obscurity whose solution has littlebearingonourpracticallife.ButitisobviousthatthecontentionthatthedoctrineofasufferingMessiahwasfirst introducedbytheChristianstosavethesituationwhentheirMessiahsuccumbedtothemachinationsofHis foes and poured out His blood at Calvary, involves the completerewriting of the New Testament in the interests of an a priori theory.Here stands written in the forefront of the Gospel narrative, a crispproclamationofthedoctrineofthesufferingMessiahfromthemouthofJohn the Baptist; and over and over again from the very outset of thenarrativeofHislifeitisrepresentedasunderlyingtheannouncementsofJesusHimself,asitislatermadetheprimetopicofHisinstructiontoHisdisciplesandthestapleofthepreachingofallHisfollowers.Inverytruth,if we conceive the great religious movement inaugurated by John theBaptist,andcarriedthroughbyJesusandHisfollowers,fromthepointofviewof thedevelopmentof theMessianic conception, its significance isprecisely that of a sustained effort to revolutionize the dominantMessianicideal,—tosubstitutefortheconceptionofMessiahthekingof

Israel, that ofMessiah the suffering servantof Jehovah.This iswrittenlarge over the whole face of the New Testament. Every one of theevangelistsasheseekstopresentavitalpictureofhowJesuscomportedHimselfonearth,makeshisappealtothefifty-thirdchapterofIsaiah,aslaying down the programme on which His life was ordered (Matthew8:17,Mark15:28,Luke22:37,John12:35;alsoMatthew11:5,12:18,21:5,Luke 4:18, etc.). In the didactic portions of the New Testament thisconception is simply carried forward and developed into its doctrinalimplications (Rom. 10:16, 1 Peter 2:22, Acts 8:28, Rev. 5:6, 13:8). ThedoctrineofthesufferingMessiahmaythusbetrulysaidtobethenerveofthe whole New Testament presentation. There is nothing peculiar,therefore, in theBaptist's proclamation except its initial position at theheadofadevelopmentwhichhasrevolutionized,nottheMessianicidealmerely,buttheworlditself.Historicallyspeakingitsentiresignificanceisthatitannouncesinaclear,sharp,startlinglywordedproclamationattheveryoutsetofthenewdispensation,itswholeprogramme.PreciselywhatcharacterizestheNewTestamentmostprofoundlyasthedocumentationof a movement issuing from the bosom of Judaism is its ideal of theMessiahasthesufferingservantofJehovah.PreciselywhatdifferentiatesChristianitymost sharply from the Judaism fromwhich it issued is itsproclamation of this Messianic ideal. Precisely the distinction of theBaptistishisinitialannouncementofthisalteredhope.

"Behold,"criestheBaptist,pointingtoJesus,—"beholdtheLambofGod,which takethaway the sinof theworld." In thatmeekand lowly figurepassing yonder, inbearing so simple andunassuming amidHis fellow-men,seetheHopeofIsrael,theChosenofGod.Layasideyournationalpassions, your fierce chafing under the foreign yoke;man suffers fromsomethingworse than political bondage or alien oppression; there is ahigherdeliverancethanthatfromthedominionofthestranger.Itisnotakingyouneedsomuchasaredeemer;andtheGodofourfathersknowsit. Behold, there is the Lamb of God which takes away the sin of theworld.Tohisfirsthearers,thatissubstantiallywhattheproclamationoftheBaptistmeant.Tous,to-day,itmeans,thatifwewouldknowJesus,we must dismiss from our minds all preconceived notions of what itbehovedtheLordofalltheearthtobe,andhowitbehovedHimtobearHimself in theworld,and,under theBaptist'sdirection,go to the fifty-

thirdchapterofIsaiahandreadinthatpropheticpicturewhatJehovah'srighteousservantwasandhowHelivedintheearth.Andcertainlyitisnoattractiveportrait,asmencountattractiveness,thattheprophetdrawsofHim."Hisvisage,"hewrites,"wassomarred,morethananyman,andhisformmorethanthesonsofman.""Hehathnoformnorcomeliness;andwhenweseeHim,thereisnobeautythatweshoulddesireHim.""Hewasdespised and rejected of men," we are told, "a man of sorrows andacquaintedwithgrief;andasonefromwhommenhidetheirfaceHewasdespisedandweesteemedHimnot.""Hewasstricken,smittenofmen,andafflicted"—wounded,bruised, chastised,oppressed, led likea lambtotheslaughter,puttogrief.Epithetispileduponepithetalmostbeyondmeasure, to convey tous a senseof thedepthofHishumiliation.This,says theprophet tous,—this isourRedeemer. IfwewouldseeJesusasHewas,lookingbeneaththeappearancetotheactualrealityandfaultlesstruth, theBaptist tells us to look atHim in this portrait,—subjected, toput it shortlyandsharply, to themost fathomlesshumiliation thateverbefellorwilleveragainbefallasentient, feeling,palpitatingbeinginallGod's universe. There never has been, there never will be, another tostoopasHe stooped.YouknowhowPaulput it, seeking to suggest thedepthof thehumiliationby the interval between thatwhichHewasbynature and that which He became by His condescension. God on Histhrone—abrokenslaveonthecross;thesearetheendterms.AsGod,HewastheLordofalltheearth;whenHebecameman,Hebecameservanttothewholeworld;andnotcontentwiththat,beingfoundinfashionasaman,HehumbledHimself still further even unto death itself, and thatthedeathofthecross.Enough:wordscannotpaintthishumiliation.Wereadthepropheticportrayal inthefifty-thirdchapterofIsaiah;wereadthehistoricalportraitureinthepagesoftheGospels,culminatingintheagony of Gethsemane and the anguish of the Passion; we read thedogmatic representation in the arguments of the Epistles. They fill ourminds with wonder; they wring our hearts with compassion; but weremainconsciousthroughallthateventhebloodysweatofGethsemaneand the forsaken cry on the cross are an insufficient index of the soul-anguishwhichwasenduredbythisgreatestofearth'ssufferers,thismosthumiliated of all those who from the primal curse have trodden withbloodyfeetthethornysurfaceofthissin-smittenworldofours.SurelytheBaptist was right when he bade us see in this Jesus, the type of all

righteoussufferers,thesufferingservantofJehovah.

Butagreatdealmore is tobe saidof this sufferer thanmerely thatHestands before us as the type of all sufferers. His sufferings were notenduredfortheirownsake;nordidtheBaptistsupposethattheywere.Weneedtoremark, inthesecondplace, therefore, thattheBaptistbidsusseeinJesusthesubstitutivesacrificeforsin.

"BeholdtheLambofGod,"criestheBaptist,"whichtakethawaythesinof theworld."Not,Behold theProphet likeuntoMoses,whomye shallhear; nor yet,Behold the Israelitewithout guile, inwhommeet perfectpurity,wisdomandtruth;noreven,BeholdtheLionofthetribeofJudah,who shall scatter your foes and deliver you from all your enemies. Hemighthavesaidanyoneorallofthesethings.TheyarealltrueofJesus.Christ is our teacher, and our example, and our king. But there issomethingmorefundamentalthananyofthesethings;somethingwhichunderliesthemallandfromwhichtheyacquiretheirvalue.Anditisthisthat theBaptist saw inChrist and sends us toChrist to find. "Behold,"sayshe,"theLambofGod,whichtakethawaythesinoftheworld."Thatimage could mean but one thing to an humble, sin-conscious OldTestamentsaint.Hewouldthinkfirstoftherighteoussuffererofthefifty-third chapter of Isaiah: and that righteous sufferer is not merelydescribedthere,wewillremember,asalambthatisledtotheslaughter,andasasheepthatbeforehershearersisdumb,theveryembodimentofmeeknessandpatienceinenduringtheviolenceofthedespoiler;but,inwell-remembered words which throw a glory over these sufferings towhich even meek patience and uncomplaining endurance can lendnothing, we read: "Surely he hath borne our griefs and carried oursorrows;hewaswoundedforourtransgressions,hewasbruisedforouriniquities; the chastisement of our peace was upon him, and with hisstripes we were healed." "All we like sheep have gone astray; we haveturned, every one, to his ownway; and the Lord hath laid on him theiniquityofusall.""Forthetransgressionofmypeoplewashestricken…yetitpleasedtheLordtobruisehim.Hehathputhimtogrief:whenthoushalt make his soul an offering for sin, he shall see his seed, he shallprolonghisdays,andthepleasureoftheLordshallprosperinhishand.…Byhis knowledge shallmy righteous servant justifymany, andhe shall

beartheiriniquities.…Hebarethesinofmanyandmadeintercessionforthe transgressors."And alongwith the fifty-third chapter of Isaiah, theOldTestamentsaint,whendirectedtotheLambofGodwhichtakesawaysin, would inevitably think also of the paschal lamb, the fundamentalnationalsymbolofdeliverance;alongwithit,beyondquestion,alsoofthelambofthedailysacrificeandoftheunderlyingsignificanceofthewholesacrificial system,with its typical finger pointing forward to somethingbetter,—toGod'sownLamb,whoshouldreallytakeawaysin,a lambofGod'sproviding,ableandwillingtobearonhisownheadthesinoftheworld.

It is through the eyes of such anOld Testament saint thatwe of theselater daysmay hope to catch for ourselves the Baptist'smeaning.Menhave no doubt wearied themselves with efforts to derive from hisdeclarationsome lessexplicit reference tosacrifice.Jesusmightwellbecompared to a lamb, it has been said,merely because ofHismild andinoffensivedisposition,thegentlenessofHisbearing,thepatienceofHisdemeanourunderthe injuriesofHis foes;andHemightwellbesaidtotakesinawayfromtheworldwithreferencemerelytoHiszealforpurityofconductandheart, the loftinessofHisethicalcharacter, thewinningexampleoftheholinessofHis life.Itmaycertainlybedoubtedwhetherthosewhotakethislineofremark,havefullyunderstoodJesus—whethertheyrememberthesternnessofHisdemeanourinthepresenceofsin,theexcoriationofHisrebuke,thatscourgeofcordswithwhichHedrovethetradersfromtheTemple,thatbearingwhich,whenHesethisfacetogoup to Jerusalem, caused even His followers to draw back from Himafraid,leavingHimtorushonaloneinthevan.Wemustbeware,becauseJesus is described as bearing with patience the sufferings He came toendure,ofpicturingHimthereforetoourselvesaswithoutthepowerofindignationorwithout thewill touse it.And itmayequallybedoubtedwhetherthosewhosupposethatthesinoftheworldmaybetakenawaybyanypowerofpersuasionorexample, rightlyunderstandman,orhislove of sinning, or the power of sin in him. But let all this pass. TheartificialityofsuchattemptstoexplainawaytheplainsignificanceoftheBaptist'sdeclaration is tooglaring to require formal refutation.Jesus isnotmerely comparedwith a lamb in it;He is identifiedwith a specificandparticular lamb,—thewell-known"LambofGod."Andwhetherthis

be taken as Isaiah's lamb of the fifty-third chapter of Isaiah, or thepassover lamb, or the lamb of the common sacrifices, it is in each andeverycaseasacrificiallambwhichisindicated.NorisJesussaidhereinsomebroadandgeneralway to takeaway sin.He is said tobe the sin-bearerastheLambofGod:andthere isbutonewayinwhichfromthebeginningoftheworld,orinanynation,alambhaseverbeenknowntobearsin,andthatis,asapiacularsacrifice,expiatingguiltinthesightofapropitiatedGod.TheLambofGodwhich takesaway sin, is andcanbenothingother thanthe lambofGod'sprovidinguponwhoseheadsin islaid,andbywhosebloodexpiationiswrought.

When,then,theBaptistpointedoutJesusastheLambofGodwhotakesaway the sinof theworld,hepointedHimoutas thedivinelyprovidedsacrifice for sin: he pointed Him out as the substitute for sinners, bywhosestripes theyarehealed.ThushepreachedbeforehandtheGospelofthebloodofJesus—thatbloodofJesusbywhichalonecanoursinsbewashed away. Followinghis direction,we shall see in Jesusnotmerelyandnotprimarilyourprophetandnotmerelyandnotprimarilyourking—ourprophetandourkingthoughweadoringlyrecognizeHimasbeing,by whom alone we are effectively instructed in the truth, or protectedfromthemost intimateenemiesofourpeaceandsafelydirected inourway.Nay,weshallrecognizeinHimnotmerelyourpriestwhorepresentsus before God and makes satisfaction for our sins; but before all andaboveall,asoursacrifice,—thevictim itselfuponwhoseheadoursin islaid,andbywhoseoutpouredbloodourguiltiscleansed.Itis,inaword,the Gospel of the cross—of the cross of Christ—which the Baptistcommendstoushere; thatGospel,notonlyofChristsimpliciter,butofChrist as crucified, which has ever remained to the Jews a stumbling-blockandtoGentilesfoolishness,butwhichhasalsoeverremained,andwill ever remain, to thecalled themselves,Christ thepowerofGodandthewisdomofGod.ThebloodofJesus,—O,thebloodofJesus!—whenwehavereached it,wehaveattainednotmerely theheart,but theheartoftheheartoftheGospel.Itisasalambasithadbeenslain,thatHedrawstoHimselfmostmightilythehearts,asHeattractstoHimselfmostfullythepraisesofHissaints.

But not even in this high testimony is the witness of the Baptist

exhausted.Wereachitsheightonlywhenweremark,inthethirdplace,thathecallsuponustoseeinJesustheSaviouroftheworld.

"Behold,"he cries, "theLambofGod,which takethaway the sinof theworld,"—not "our sin "merely, though we praise God that may begloriouslytrue;nor"thesinofHispeople"merely,thoughthattoo,whenproperly understood, expresses the entire fact; but,with clear vision oftheultimateissue,"thesinoftheworld."Thepropitiatorysacrificewhichthe Baptist sees in Jesus, is a sacrifice of world-wide efficacy: thesalvation which he perceives to issue from it stretches onward in itsworking until it embraces the whole world. The sin of the world, as awhole,hegathers,asitwere,intoonemass;and,layingitupontheheadofJesus,cries,"BeholdtheLambofGod,whichtakethawaythesinoftheworld."Itisinthisuniversalism,wesay,thatwereachtheheightoftheBaptist'sdeclaration.

Anditisinthisuniversalismthatithasbecomecommontodiscovertheelement in the Baptist's proclamation which is specifically new. ThesufferingMessiah,itisoftensaid,isnodoubtanOldTestamentdoctrine;Messiah the sin-bearer, yes, even that may be found in the fifty-thirdchapterofIsaiah:butMessiahthebearerofthesinoftheworld,—wasitnot reserved to the opening of the new dispensation, characterized byspiritual breadth, and to John the Baptist, harbinger of Christ, to giveexplicit expression to this great truth? Itwill bewell, however, towalkwarilyevenhere.ThenarrownessoftheordinaryJewishoutlookcannot,perhaps, be easily overstated,—the pride of the Jews as the specialfavourites of heaven, and their ingrained determination to confine thegrace of God to the limits of their own nation. But they certainlywereneverencouraged in this restrictedviewof the reachofGod'smercybytherevelationofHispurposeswhichJehovahhadmade to them.Fromthe moment when He promised to the mother of all living a seed bywhosebruisedheeltheserpent'shead—thesourceofallevilintheworld—should be crushed, the extension of His grace was never confinedwithinnarrowerlimitsthantheraceitself.Thenormativepromisetothefatherofthefaithful,—typicalofalltheotherpromisesofredemptionthatfilltheOldTestament,—wasthatinhisgreatSeed(forHesaithnotseeds,as ofmany, but Seed, as of one) should all the nations of the earth be

blessed. Least of all in this wonderful chapter of Isaiah to which theBaptist'swordscarryusmostimmediatelyisthesacrificeoftherighteoussufferercircumscribedinitsefficacybythecleansingofthesinsofIsrael."WhenHe shall havemadeHis soul an offering for sin,"we read, "Heshall justifymany";and,bearingthesinsofmany,"soshallHesprinklemany nations." No doubt the Baptist's declaration, in the springinggrowthofpropheticannunciation,goesbeyondeventhis,andassertsnotarelativebutanabsoluteuniversalism.Notmanynations,butthewholeworld,iswhathebidsusseeredeemedinChrist:theJesusheproclaimsastheGod-providedsacrificebearsuponHisbroadandmightyshouldersnothinglessthantheworld'ssin.

Itisthenote,then,ofpureuniversalism,weperceive,thatissoundedintheBaptist'sgreatproclamation.Hedoesnotthink,ofcourse,ofdenyingthat salvation isof theJews.ThisLambofGodwasaJewof theJews,andcameastheHopeofIsrael:andonlyastheHopeofIsraeldoesHebecomealsotheHopeoftheworld.NomoredoesHethinkofdoubtingthatonlyasitshouldworkitswayoutfromIsrael,perhapsbyslowandeven tentative stages, could this redemption of Israel extend into andthroughout the world.We cannot credit him, to be sure, with detailedforesightof theactualprocessbywhich thesalvation inJesushasbeenconveyed to the world: through the scattering of the disciples fromJerusalem, the preaching of Paul and his companions, the slowmissionaryadvanceoftheChurchandslowerleaveningoftheingatheredmass, throughall these two thousand laggingyears—andnooneknowshowmanymore thousands of years the secular processmust continuebefore thegreatgoal isattainedand thegreatpromise fulfilled that thewhole shall be leavened. But the Baptist certainly expected theredemptionhesawinitspotencyinJesustotakeeffectonlythroughtheprocess of discipling; and accordingly he directs his own disciples toJesusthattheymightattachthemselvestoHimwhoseverynatureitwasto"increase,"andhehimselfremainsthroughlifeaninterestedobserverof the work and career of Him whose pathway it was his own highestambitiontosmooth.LeastofalldoestheBaptisteverthinkofobscuringthatdark, thatterrible fact, thatastheredemptioninJesusthusmakesitswaysurelytoitsultimategoalofthesalvationoftheworld,therearemultitudesofsinnerslefttothissideandthat,outofthedirectlineofits

advance; there aremanywho fail to hear the call; there aremanywhohearingrefuse tohearken to it; therearewholemassesofmen thatareextrudedintheprogressoftheperfectingwholetoitsconsummateend.Though theprogressbecontinuous, therefore,and thegoal sure,yet solongasitisprogresstoagoalasyetunreached,theremusteverremainamong the saved, unsaved—dross amid the gold, chaff to bewinnowedout from the wheat. This Saviour, accordingly, whom the Baptistproclaimsas theLambofGodwho takes away the sinof theworld,hepresentsalsoasthehusbandmanwhoprunesandweedsHisgarden,andcutsdowntheunfruitfultreestocastthemintotheflames;astheLordofthe harvest who has His fan in His hand and thoroughly purges Histhreshing-floor,burningupthechaffwithunquenchablefire.TheBaptistneitherdeniesnorglozessuchthingsasthese.Butneitherdoeshefocushis eye upon them as if theywere the endwhich Jesus had in view incoming into the world. Rather, looking through and beyond them, hefixeshisgazeupontheultimategoalwhich,aftertheprocessattendedbythese effects is over, shall at length be attained, and in this greatdeclaration points to Jesus as bearing in His own body on the treenothinglessthanthesinoftheworld.

Youwillobserve,thatwhatIamendeavouringtodo,istomakeasplainasIcan that theBaptist'sgaze,whenhedeclares thatJesus takesawaythesinoftheworld,isdirectedtotheendofaprocess—aprocessoflongcontinuance and of varied appearance through the several stadia of itscourse.HeseesinJesustheSaviouroftheworldandperceivesinHimasavedworld.Through the turmoiland the labourwhichaccompany theaccomplishment of this great task; through the long years of progresstowards the goal, the centuries andmillenniums of but partial successandoft-timesevenofapparent failure,whichweknowas thehistoryoftheChurchandwhichevenwe(letuspraiseGodforit)canrecognizeasthehistoryof theexpansionofChristianity;he looksoutupon theend,thatendtowhichallhasbeensteadilyadvancing,whentheknowledgeofthegloryof theLord shall cover theearthevenas thewaters cover thesea,—with the samebreadth and expansion, leaving nonook or crannyunfilled,andwiththesamedepthof fulness,overwhelmingall. It is thespectacle of a saved world thus which fills his vision. And with thisspectaclefullinhiseye,hemaywellaffordtoneglectallthatintervenes,

and to proclaim Jesus simply as the Lamb of God that takes away theworld's sin. He is unquestionably the husbandman who prunes Hisgardenwell,andcaststheimprofitableplantsandbranchestotheflames:but on that very accountHe is not aHusbandmanwho gives overHisgarden—the garden of the Lord—to thorns and weeds and unfruitfultrees, but rather one who cleanses it and makes it in effect—this verygardeninitsentirety—whatithasinprinciplebeenfromthebeginning,isnow,andevershallbe,theGardenoftheLordinwhichshallgrowatlast,luxuriantlyfillingitinitswholeextent,onlyplantsofworthandtreesofdelight.He is beyond doubt thewinnower ofmen,whose fan is inHishand,tobeatoutthechaffandcastitinthefire:butonthisveryaccountHedoesnotgiveoverHisthreshing-floortotheworthlessandcumberingchaff, but thoroughly purges it that, after the chaff is burned, it mayremain the garner of the Lord heaped with the precious grain.Accordingly the Baptist does not teach us that in Jesus the sin of theworldissotakenawayinthemass,thattherehasnotbeenandshallnotyetbeintheprocessbywhichtheworldhasbeenandisbeingsavedbyHim,unfruitfultreescutdownandchaffcastintothefire;butratherthatin the end, when the process is over, no unfruitful trees will be foundgrowinginGod'sgarden,theworld,nochaffbefoundcumberingGod'sthreshing-floor,theworld.Thevisionhebringsbeforeus,letusrepeatit,isthevisionoftheultimatesalvationoftheworld,itscompleteconquesttoChristwhenat lastJesus' last enemyshallhavebeenconqueredandthewholeworldshallbowbeforeHimasitsLordanditsRedeemer.Onthebasisofthisgreatconsummationseenhangingonthemarginofthefuturebyhispropheticeye,hedeclaresofJesusthatHebearsinHisbodyonthetreethewholeworld'ssin,andinverytruthistobeacclaimedastheSaviouroftheWorld.

Such,then,istheJesustowhomtheBaptistwoulddirectoureyes,whenhebidsusbeholdinHimtheLambofGodthattakesawaythesinoftheworld. Let us not fail to derive at least two great lessons from hisexhortation.

The first of them is this: we must never despair of the world. This iscertainlyamuch-neededlesson.Forarewenotverypronetodespairoftheworld?And is there not very good apparent reasonwhywe should

despairofit?Forwhocandenythattheworldisveryevil?Only,wemustnot add in the words of the old hymnist, that therefore "the times arewaxing late." This world is not to rot down into destruction, but tobecome, however slowly and by whatever tentative processes, the verygardenoftheLord.Thattheworldisveryevilisnoproof,then,thatthetimes are waxing late; but, if any inference can be drawn from it, thecontrary rather. The world has always been very evil, ever since thereenteredit,throughthatforbiddenfruit,thesinofmanandallourhumanwoes.Throughoutalltheages,itssinhasgoneupreekingbeforeGodtoheaven.Viewedinitselfwecouldnotbutdespairofit.Butthegreatfact—thegreatfact,greatereventhanthefactoftheworld'ssin—isthatChristhas redeemed this sinful world. In Him we behold the Lamb of Godwhich takes away the sinof theworld.Not,who strives to take it awayandfails;not,whotakesitawayinsomemeasure,butisunabletotakeitawayentirely;not,whosuspendsitstakingawayuponagiganticIF—asthoughHistakingitawayweredependentonsomeaidgivenHimbytheworld itself—thatworldwhich loves its sin andwill never give it up ofitselfandwhichwill,ofcourse,alwaysactwhenlefttoitselfinaccordancewith its nature as the sinful world. No, but who actually, completely,finally,takesawayitssin.This,—Ibegyoutobindthegreattruthonyourheart,—this,despiteallappearancesthatsmitetheastoundedeyeandtheslowness of its realization of its great destiny—is a redeemedworld, inwhich we live. It has been purchased unto God by the most preciousbloodofHisSon.Itssalvation,inGod'sowngoodtimeandway,cannomorefailthanthepurposeofGodcanfail,thanthebloodofJesusChristcanbeofnoneeffect.God'sways,tobesure,arenotasourways:thereisnoneofusfittedtobeHiscounsellor;wecannotreviewHisplansnorbidHimstayandjustifytousHismethodsofworking.ItmusteverremainamysterytouswhyHeworksinthisworldbyprocess;whyHecreatedtheworld by process, why He has peopled it by process, why He hasredeemed it by process, whyHe is saving it by process—by process soslowandtoourhumaneyesouncertain,castsomuchtothemercyofthecurrentsthatflowupanddownthroughtheearth,thatwearetemptedattimestodoubtwhetheritisdirectedtoagoalatall.WeknowonlythatitisbyprocessthatGodchoosestoworkintheworld,—exceptthisfurther:that, thoughHeworks by process,He ever gloriously attainsHis ends.Thiswickedworldinwhichweliveis,then,God'sworld,Christ'sworld;it

belongstoChristbyrightofpurchaseandnothingcansnatchitoutofHishands. Thedaywill surely comewhen the kingdoms of theworld shallbecomethekingdomofourGodandHisChrist;andwe—youandI—arecoworkerswithGodinbringingaboutthegreatconsummation.Oliftupyour eyes from thedust andnoise of the strife and its apparently fitfulfortunes, and, shall I not even say? doubtful issue; and under thedirectionoftheBaptist,fixthemupontheend:liftthemfromtheworld'ssinanditsjustdoomforitssin,totheworld'sSaviouranditsaboundinglife inHim. See the redeemedworld in its redeeming Lord, clothed inrighteousness; and let yourhearts beathighwith the vision and gathercourageforyourdailytasksasmessengersofGodtoaworldlostindeedinitssin,butfoundagaininitsSaviour.

The second lesson is: wemust not despair of ourselves. Living in thissinfulworld,asconstituentmembersofit,wearepartakersofitssin;or,asitmaybemorefairtoputit,itssinfulnessisbuttheexpressionofoursin.How canwe, sinners, cherishhope of life? In ourselves, surely,wecan find no ground for such a hope: and thatwe know rightwell. Ourhearts condemn us and God is greater than our hearts. If we look atourselves, how can we not despair? Let us look, therefore, not atourselvesbutatJesus;forJesus,theBaptisttellsus,istheLambofGodwhichtakesawaysin.And,noteitwell,troubledheart,theBaptistdidnotmake this declaration to those who had no sin, or even to those who,having it, knewnot that theyhad it.What appeal, in fact, could suchadeclarationmaketosuchmenasthat?Hemadeittothosewhomhehadcalledwithflamingspeechtorepentance;andwho,withburninghearts,hadcometohisbaptismofremissionofsin.Themessageis,then,toyoutoowhoseheartsare sorewith the senseof sin.Toyouandmealsohecriesto-day:"BeholdtheLambofGod,whichtakethawaysin."Isitnotajoyful message to sin-stricken souls? Let others think of Jesus as theymay.Letthemhailhimasaking:letthemsitatHisfeetasaprophet:letthemeagerlyseektofollowinHissteps.Foryouandme,sinners,Heismostgloriousandmostprecious,asaSaviour.Letothersmakeelaborateinquisition into the possible reasons which led Him to come into thissinfulworldofours.HeHimselftellsusthattherewerebuttworeasonswhichcouldhavebroughtHimintotheworld—tojudgetheworld,ortosavetheworld.And,blessedbeHisname,Hehasfurthertoldusthatit

wasactuallytosavetheworldthatHecame.Thisistheonlyreasonthatcansatisfyourhearts,orevenour reason,—thatJesusChrist came intotheworld to save sinners. It is only as the Lamb ofGod that has beenslain, topurchaseuntoGodbyHisbloodofevery tribeandtongueandpeople andnation, and tomake themuntoGod a kingdomandpriestswhoshallreignontheearth,—thattheheavenlyhostsintheapocalypticvisionhymnHim; and it is only aswe catch a glimpse of thisHis trueglorythatwecanworthilyaddourvoicestoHispraise.Itisonlywhenwesee in Him a slaughtered lamb, lying on a smoking altar, from whichascendsthesweetsavourofanacceptablesacrificetoGodforsin,thatwecanrisetoanythinglikeatruesenseofthegloryofJesusChrist,orinanydegreegiveasufficingaccounttooursoulsofHispresenceintheworld.

"TheLordhascomeintoHisworld!"

Nay,nay,thatcannotbe;

Theworldisfullofnoisomeness

Andalliniquity:

HeistheLordofalltheearth—

HowcouldHestooptohumanbirth?

"TheLordhascomeintoHisworld!"

AslaughteredLambIsee,

Asmokingaltaronwhichburns

Asacrificeforme!

OblessedLord!Oblessedday!

Hecomestotakemysinaway!

GOD'SIMMEASURABLELOVE

JOHN 3:16:—For God so loved the world, that He gave His onlybegotten Son, thatwhosoever believeth onHim should not perish,buthaveeternallife.

TOwhomweowethisgreatdeclarationoftheloveofGod,itissomewhatdifficult to determine;whether to our LordHimself, or to that disciplewhohadlainuponHisbosomandhadimbibedsomuchofHisspiritthathe thenceforthspokewithhisMaster'svoiceand inhisMaster'swords.Happily it isamatterofnosubstantial importance.Forwhatdifferencedoes itmaketoyouandmewhethertheLordspeakstous throughHisownlips,orthroughthoseofHisservant,theApostle, towhomHehadpromised,andtowhomHehadgiven,HisHolySpirittoteachhimallthetruth?What concerns us is not the instrumentality through which themessagecomes,butthemessageitself.Andwhatagreatmessageitis,—themessageof thegreatnessof the loveofGod!Letusseeto it that,asthewordssoundinourears,itisthisgreatrevelationthatfillsourhearts,fillsthemsofullastofloodalltheirbeingandwashintoalltheirrecesses.ThegreatnessoftheloveofGod,theimmeasurablegreatnessoftheloveofGod!

Thisexhortationisnotaltogethersuperfluous.Strangeasitmaysound,itis true, thatmany—perhaps themajority—of thosewho feed their soulsonthisgreatdeclaration,seemtohavetrainedthemselvestothink,whenitfallsupontheirears,inthefirstinstanceatleast,notsomuchofhowgreat,howimmeasurablygreat,God'sloveis,asratherofhowgreattheworld is. It is the world that God loves, they say,—the world: andforthwith they fall to thinking how great the world is, and how,nevertheless,God loves it all.Think, theycry,of themultitudesofmenthatswarmoverthefaceoftheearth;andhaveswarmedoveritthrough

allthecountlessgenerationsfromthebeginning;andwillswarmoveritin ever-increasing numbers through perhaps even more countlessgenerationsyettocome,untiltheend:andGodlovesthemall,eachandeveryoneof them,fromthe least tothegreatest;so lovesthemthatHehasgivenHisonlybegottenSontodieforthem,foreachandeveryoneofthem—and for each and every one of them with the same intent,—theintent,namely,thathemaybesaved.ohhowgreattheloveofGodmustbetoembraceinitscompasstheseuncountedmultitudesofmen;andsoto embrace them that every individual that enters as a constituentunitinto the mass of mankind receives his full share of it, or rather isinundatedbyitsundividedandundiminishedflood!

Certainlythisisagreatconception.Butitisjustascertainlynotagreatenoughconception tomeet the requirementsofour text.For, lookyou,will you measure the immeasurable greatness of God's love by themeasureofman?Allthesemultitudesofmenthathavelived,dolive,orshalllive,fromthebeginningtotheendoftheworld'sentirespan,—whatistheirfinitesumtotheinfinitudeofGod?Lo,theworld,andallthatisintheworld,—andallthathaseverbeenintheworldorcaneverbeintheworld,—lies as nothing in the sight of the Infinite One, floats as anevanescent particle in His eternal vision. How can we exalt ourconceptionof the greatness of thedivine loveby thinkingof it as greatenough to embrace all this? Can we praise the blacksmith's brawn bydeclaring it capable of supporting a mustard-seed on an outstretchedpalm? This standard is too small: we cannot compute such masses interms of it. Conceive the world as vastly as you may, it remains everincommeasurablewiththeimmeasurableloveofGod.

And what warrant does the text offer for conceiving so greatly of theworld,orindeedforthinkingofitatallunderthecategoryofextension,as if itwere itssize thatwasoppressingthe imaginationof thespeaker,and its parts—down to the last analysis—that were engaging hiswonderingattention?Evidentlythetextenvisagestheworld,ofwhichitspeaks in the concrete, as awhole. Thisworld ismade up of parts, nodoubt, and the differing destinies that await the individuals whichcompose it are adverted to. But the emphasis does not fall upon itscomponent elements, as if their number, for example, could form the

ground of the divine love, or explain the wonder of its greatness.Distributionof it into itselementsandengagementwiththe individualswhichcompose it, ismerely the resultof the false startmadewhen themind falls away from contemplating the immensity of the love of Godwithwhichthetextisfreighted,toabsorbitselfratherinwonderoverthegreatnessoftheworldwhichisloved.

Andhavingbegunwiththisfalsestepitisnotsurprisingifthewanderingmind finds itself shortly lost inadmirationnot evenof thegreatnessoftheworld,butratherofthegreatnessoftheindividualsoul.Thesesoulsofmen, each and every one of whichGod loves so deeply thatHe hasgivenHisSontodieforit,—whatgreat,whatnoble,whatgloriousthingstheymust be! 0what value each of us should place upon this precioussoulofoursthatGodsohighlyesteemedastogiveHisSontodieforit!Agreat and inspiring thought, again, beyond all doubt: but, again,obviouslynotgreatenoughtobethethoughtofthetext.Clearly,whatthetext invites us to think of is the greatness of the love of God, not thegreatnessofthehumansoul.

AndhowcanwefancythatwecanmeasuretheloveofGodbywhatHehasdoneforeachandeveryhumansoul?Persistinreadingthetextthusdistributively,making"theworld"meaneachandeverymanthatlivesontheearth,andwhat,afterall,doesitdeclarethattheloveofGodhasdonefor them? Just open a way of salvation before men, give them anopportunitytosavethemselves.For,what,inthatcontingency,doesthetext assert? Just this: that "God so loved theworld"—that is, each andeverymanthathaslived,doeslive,orshall liveinthisworld,—"thatHegaveHisonlybegottenSon,thatwhosoeverbelievethonHimshouldnotperish,buthaveeternallife.""WhosoeverbelievethonHim,—thoseonly.Is this, then, the measure of the immeasurable love of God—that Hebarely opens a pathway to salvation before sinfulmen, and stops rightthere;doesnothing further for them—leaving it to theirownunassistedinitiationwhether theywillwalk in it ornot?Surely this cannotbe theteachingofthetext;andthat,formanyreasons,—primaryamongwhichisthis: thatweallknowthatthe loveofGodhasdonemuchmorethanthisformultitudesofthechildrenofmen,namely,hasnotmerelyopenedawayofsalvationbefore them,buthasactuallysaved them.Nor isour

text silent on this point. It is not in this mere opening of a way ofsalvationbeforeeachandeverymanthattheloveofGodfortheworldisdeclaredbyittoissue,butintheactualsavingoftheworld.Wereadthenext verse andwe discover it asserting thatGod sentHis Son into theworldforthisspecificend,thattheworldshouldbe"savedbyHim."Goddidnotthenonlysolovetheworldastogiveitabarechanceofsalvation:He so loved the world that He saved the world. And surely this issomethingfarbetter:andprovidesamuchhigherstandardbywhichtoestimatethegreatnessofGod'slove.

Wediscover, then, that thedistributionof the term "world" in our textinto"eachandeveryman"intheworldnotonlybeginswiththeobviousmisstepofdirectingourattentionatonce rather to thegreatnessof theworldthantothegreatnessofGod'sloveandonlyinfersthelatterfromtheformer;butendsbypositivelybelittlingtheloveofGod,asifitcouldcontent itself with half-measures,—nay, in numerous instances, withwhat is practically no measure at all. For if it is satisfied with merelyopeningawayofsalvationandleavingmentowalkinthiswayornotasthey list, the hard facts of life force us to add that it is satisfied withmerelyopeningawayofsalvationformultitudestowhomitshouldneverbemadeknown thatawayof salvation layopenbefore them,althoughtheirsolehopeliesintheirwalkinginit.Andwhydwellonspecialcases?Shall we not recognize frankly that so meagre a provision would beoperativeinnocase?Forevenwhenitismadeknowntomenthatawayof salvation isopenedbefore them—can they,being sinners,walk in it?Letourpassageitselftellus.Doesitnotexplicitlydeclarethateveryonethatdoethillhateththelightandcomethnottothelight?Andwhoofusdoesnotknow thathe, at least,—ifnot everyman,—doeth ill?Does theloveofGodexpenditself thenin inoperativemanifestations?SurelynotsocanbemeasuredtheloveofGod,ofwhichtheScripturestellusthatitsheightanddepth,andlengthandbreadthpassknowledge:ofwhichPauldeclares that nothing can separate us from it, not death, nor life, norangels, nor principalities, nor things present, nor things to come, norpowers,norheight,nordepth,noranyothercreature:ofwhichheopenlyasserts,thatifitavailstoreconcileuswithGod,throughthedeathofHisSon,muchmoreshallitavailtobringusintothefruitionofsalvationbyHislife.

Obviously, then, the distribution of the notion "world" in our text into"eachandeveryman"intheworld,doeslessthanjusticetotheinfinitudeoftheloveofGodwhichitisplainlytheobjectofthetexttoexaltinourthought. Reacting from the ineptitudes of this interpretation, anddeterminedat all costs to take the conceptionof the loveofGodat theheightofitsidea,menofdeeperinsighthavethereforesuggestedthatitisnottheworldatlargethatisinquestioninthetext,butGod'speople,thechosenofGodintheworld.Surely,itisGod'sseeking,nay,God'sfindinglove that is celebrated here, they argue; the love which goes out to itsobjectwithavigourwhichnoobstaclecanwithstand,and,despiteeverydifficulty, brings it safely into the shelter of its arms. The "world" thatGodsolovedthatHegaveHisSonforit,—surelythatisnotthe"world"thatHelovedsolittleastoleaveittotakeorleavetheSonsogiven,asitsownwaywardheartmightdictate;butthe"world"thatHelovedenough,aftergivingHisSonforit,prevalentlytomoveuponwithHisquickeningSpirit and graciously to lead into the offered salvation. The "world" ofbelievers,inaword,astheyarecalledinthefollowingclause;or,astheyarecalledelsewhereinScripture,the"world"ofGod'select.ItwasthesewhomGodlovedbeforethefoundationsoftheworldwithalovebeyondallexpressiongreatandstrong,constantandprevailing,alovewhichwasnot and could not be defeated, just because it was love, the verycharacteristic of which, Paul tells us, is that it suffereth long, is notprovoked, taketh no account of evil, beareth all things, endureth allthings,yea,neverfaileth:andthereforewasnotandcouldnotbesatisfieduntilithadbroughtitsobjectshome.

Itisveryclearthatthisinterpretationhastheinestimableadvantageovertheoneformerlysuggested,thatitpenetratesintotheheartofthematterandrefusestoevacuatethetextofitsmanifestpurport.ThetextisgiventoenhanceinourheartstheconceptionoftheloveofGodtosinners:tomake us to know somewhat of the height and depth and length andbreadthofit,thoughtrulyispassesknowledge.Itwillnotdo,then,aswereadittothrowlimitationsaroundthislove,asifitcouldnotaccomplishthatwheretoitisset.BeyondallquestionthelovewhichiscelebratedisthesavingloveofGod;andthe"world"whichisdeclaredtobetheobjectof this love is a "world" that is—not merely given an opportunity ofsalvation—butactuallysaved.Asnonebutbelievers—orifyouchooseto

lookatthemsubspecieœternitatis,nonebuttheelect—attainsalvation,soitseemsbutanidenticalpropositiontosaythatitisjusttheworldofbelievers,or theworldof theelect, that is embraced in the loveofGodherecelebrated.Whenthetextdeclares,therefore,thatGodsolovedtheworldthatHegaveHisonlybegottenSonforit,isnotwhatismeant,andwhatmust bemeant, just the elect scattered throughout the world? Itmayseemstrangetous,indeed,tospeakoftheelectas"theworld."Butisnotthatlargelybecause,inthechangedtimesinwhichwelive,wedonotsufficiently poignantly appreciate or deal seriously enough with theuniversalismofChristianity, in contrastwith thenationalismof theolddispensation? In this universalistic and anti-Jewish Gospel of John,especially, what more natural than to find the "world" brought intocontrastwithJewishexclusivism?Infine,isnotthemeaningofourtextjustthis:thatJesusChristcametomakepropitiationforthesinsnotofJewsonly,butof thewholeworld, that is tosay,notofcourse foreachand everyman that lives in theworld, but in any event formen livingthroughout the world, heirs of the world's life and partakers in theworld'sfortunes?CertainlyitisdifficultforustoappreciatethegreatnessoftherevolutionwroughtinthereligiousconsciousnessofmenlikeJohn,bred in the exclusivism of Judaism and accustomed to think of theMessiahasthepeculiarpropertyofIsrael,whentheworld-widemissionofChristianitywasbroughthometotheirmindsandhearts.ToJohnandmen like John its universalism was no doubt well-nigh the mostastonishingfactaboutChristianity.AndthedeclarationthatGodsolovedthe world—not Israel merely, but the world—that He gave His onlybegotten Son, that whosoever—from every nation, not from the Jewsmerely—should believe on Him should have eternal life: this greatdeclarationmusthave struckupon their heartswith a revelationof thewidenessofGod'smercyandtheunfathomableprofunditiesofHislove,suchaswecanscarcelyappreciateinourdaysofage-longfamiliaritywiththe great fact. Is not this, then, the real meaning of the immensedeclarationof thetext: thatJesusChrist is theworld-wideSaviour, thatnow the middle-wall of partition has been broken down and God hascalledtoHimselfapeopleoutofallthenationsoftheearth,andhassoloved thisHis people gathered thus from thewholeworld, thatHehasgivenHisonlybegottenSontodieforthem?Andisnotthisatruthbigwithconsequences,worthyofsucharecordasisgivenitinourtext,and

capableofawakeninginourheartsamostprofoundresponse?

Assuredly no one will doubt the value and inspiration of suchsuggestions. The truth that lies in them, who can gainsay? But it isdifficulttofeelthattheyquiteexhaustthemeaningofthegreatwordsofthetext.IntheirefforttodojusticetotheconceptionoftheloveofGod,dotheynotdosomethinglessthanjusticetotheconceptionembodiedinthe term"theworld"? In identifying "theworld"withbelievers,do theynotneglect,ifwemaynotquitesaythecontrastofthetwothings,yetatleast the distinction between the two notions which the text seems toinstitute? "God so loved the world," we read, "that He gave His onlybegotten Son, that whosoever believeth onHim should not perish, buthaveeternallife."Certainlyhere"theworld"and"believers"donotseemtobe quite equipollent terms: there seems, surely, something conveyedbytheonewhichisnotwhollytakenupintheother.How,then,shallwesay that "the world" means just "the world of believers," just thosescatteredthroughtheworld,who,beingtheelectofGod,shallbelieveinHisSonand sohaveeternal life?There isobviouslymuch truth in thisidea:andthemaindifficultywhichitfacesmay,nodoubt,beavoidedbysayingthatwhatistaughtisthatGod'sloveoftheworldisshownbyHissavingsogreatamultitudeasHedoessaveoutoftheworld.ThewickedworlddeservedatHishandsonlytotaldestruction.ButHesavesoutofitamultitudewhich noman can number, out of every nation, and of alltribes and peoples and tongues. How much must, then, God love theworld!Thisinterpretation,beyondquestion,reproducesthefundamentalmeaning of the text. But does it completely satisfy all its suggestions?Doestherenotlieinthetextsomemoresubtlesequenceofthoughtthanis explicated by it? Is there not implied in it some profounder and yetmore glorious truth than even the world-wide reach of God's love,manifestedintheGreatCommission,andissuinginthemultitudeofthesaved,thevoiceofwhosepraiseascendstoheavenasthevoiceofmanywatersandasthevoiceofmightythunders?

Neither of the more common interpretations of the text, therefore,appearstobringoutquitefullyitsrealsignificance.Theonefailstoriseto the height of the conception of the love of God embodied in it; theotherappearstodosomethinglessthanfull justicetotheconceptionof

the world which God is said by it to love. The difficulty in both cases,seems to arise from a certain unwillingness to go deeply enough: asurfacemeaning, possible to impose upon the text, seems to be seizedupon,while its profundities are left unexplored. If wewouldmake ourown the great revelation of the love of God here given us, wemust bemorepatient.Renouncingtheeasyimpositionuponitofmeaningsofourowndevising,wemustjustpermitthetexttospeakitsownlanguagetoour hearts. Its prime intention is to convey some conception of theimmeasurablegreatnessoftheloveofGod.ThemethoditemploystodothisistodeclaretheloveofGodfortheworldsogreatthatHegaveHisSontosaveit.Thecentralaffirmationobviously,then,isthis,—anditisasufficientlygreatonetoabsorbourentireattention—thatGodlovedtheworld."God,""loved,""theworld"—wemustdealseriouslywiththisgreatassertion, and with every element of it. We must first of all, then,thoroughlyenterintothemeaningofthethreegreattermsherebroughttogether:"God,""loved,""theworld."

Weshallnotmaketheslighteststep forward inunderstandingourtext,forinstance,solongaswepermitourselvestotreatthegreatterm"God"merelyasthesubjectofasentence.Wemustendeavourrathertoriseasnearlyasmaybetoitsfullestsignificance.Whenwepronouncethewordwemustseetoitthatourmindsarefloodedwithsomewonderingsenseof God's infinitude, of His majesty, of His ineffable exaltation; of Hisholiness, of His righteousness, of His flaming purity and stainlessperfection.This is theLordGodAlmightywhomtheheavenofheavenscannot contain, to whom the earth is less than the small dust on thebalance.Hehasnoneedofaught,norcanHisunsulliedblessednessbeinanywayaffected—whetherbywayofincreaseordecrease—byanyactofthecreaturesofHishands.Whatwecallinfinitespaceisbutaspeckonthe horizon of His contemplation: what we call infinite time is in Hissight but as yesterday when it is past. Serene in His unapproachableglory,Hiswill is the resistless lawofall existences towhich theireverymotion conforms. Apparelled in majesty and girded with strength,righteousnessandjudgmentarethefoundationsofHisthrone.Hesitsinthe heavens and does whatsoever He pleases. It is this God, a God ofwhomtosaythatHeistheLordofalltheearthistosaysolittlethatitistosaynothingatall,ofwhomourtextspeaks.Andifweareevertocatch

itsmeaningwemustbearthisfullyinmind.

NowthetexttellsusofthisGod—ofthisGod,remember,—thatHeloves.In itself, before we proceed a step further, this is a marvellousdeclaration.Themetaphysicianshavenotyetplumbeditandstillprotestinability toconstrue theAbsolute in termsof love.Weshallnot stop todwelluponthissomewhatabstractdiscussion.EnoughforusthataGodwithoutemotional lifewouldbeaGodwithoutall that lends itshighestdignity topersonal spiritwhoseverybeing ismovement; and that is asmuchastosaynoGodatall.AndmorethanenoughforusthatourtextassuresusthatGodloves,nay,thatHeisLove.Whatitconcernsusnowtonote,however,isnotthemerefactthatHeloves,butwhatitisthatHeisdeclaredtolove.Forthereinliestheclimaxofthegreatproclamation.This is nothing other than "the world." For this is the unimaginabledeclarationofthetext:"Godsolovedtheworld."ItisjustinthisthatliesthemysteryofthegreatnessofHislove.

Forwhat is this "world"whichweare so strangely told thatGod loves?Wemustnotthrowthereinsontheneckofourfancyandseekaresponsethat will suit our ideas of the right or the fitting.Wemust just let theScripturesthemselvestellus,andprimarilythatApostletowhomweowethis great declaration.Nor does he fail to tell us; and that without theslightest ambiguity. The "world," he tells us, is just the synonym of allthat is evil andnoisome anddisgusting.There is nothing in it that canattractGod'slove,—nay,thatcanjustifytheloveofanygoodman.Itisathingnot tobedalliedwith,oracquiesced in: they thatareof it,arebythatveryfactnotofGod;andwhattheChristianhastodowithitisjusttoovercomeit;foreverythingthatisbegottenofGodmanifeststhatgreatfactpreciselybythis—thatheovercomestheworld."Lovenottheworld,neitherthethingsthatareintheworld,"isJohn'sinsistentexhortation.Andthereasonforithestatesverypungently:because"ifanymanlovetheworld,theloveoftheFatherisnotinhim."Godandtheworld,then,areprecisecontradictions."NothingthatisintheworldisoftheFather,"wearetold;or,asitisputelsewhereindirectpositiveform:"Thewholeworld lieth in theevilone.""Theworld, the fleshandthedevil"—this isthe pregnant combination in which we have learned from Scripture toexpressthebalefulforcesthatwaragainstthesoul:andthethreeterms

are thuscast togetherbecause theyareessentiallysynonyms.See, then,whitherwearebrought.WhenwearetoldthatGodlovestheworld,itismuchasifweweretoldthatHelovesthefleshandthedevil.Andwemay,indeed, takecourage fromour textandsay itboldly:Goddoes love theworldandthefleshandthedevil.Thereinindeedisthegroundofallourcomfortandallourhope:forwe—youandI—areoftheworldandoftheflesh and of the devil. Only,—we must punctually note it,—the lovewherewithGodlovestheworld,thefleshandthedevil—therefore,us—isnotaloveofcomplacency,asifHetheHolyOneandtheGoodcouldtakepleasureinwhatisworldly,fleshly,devilish:butthatloveofbenevolencewhich would fain save us from our worldliness, fleshliness anddevilishness.

Thatindeedispreciselywhatthetextgoesonatoncetosay:"ForGodsoloved the world, that He gave His only begotten Son, that whosoeverbelievethonHimshouldnotperish,buthaveeternallife."Theworldthenwasperishing:and itwas to save it thatGodgaveHisSon.The text is,then, you see, in principle an account of the coming of the SonofGodinto theworld.Therewerebut two things forwhichHe,beingwhatHewasastheSonofGod,couldcomeintotheworld,beingwhatitwas:tojudgetheworldortosavetheworld.ItwasforthelatterthatHecame."For," the next verse runs on, "God sent notHis Son into theworld tojudge theworld,but that theworld throughHimshouldbesaved."Notwrath,then,thoughwrathweredue,butlovewastheimpellingcauseofthecomingoftheSonofGodintothiswickedworldofours."ForGodsolovedtheworld,thatHegaveHisonlybegottenSon."Theintensityoftheloveiswhatisemphasized:itwassointensethatitwasnotdeterredevenbythesinfulnessofitsobjects.Youwillperceivethatwhatwehaveherethenis, ineffect,buttheJohanneanwayofsayingwhatPaulsayswhenhetellsusthat"GodcommendethHisownlovetowardsus,inthatwhilewe were yet sinners, Christ died for us." The marvel, in other words,whichthetextbringsbeforeusisjustthatmarvelaboveallothermarvelsin thismarvellousworld of ours—themarvel of God's love for sinners.AndthisisthemeasurebywhichweareinvitedtomeasurethegreatnessoftheloveofGod.Itisnotthatitissogreatthatitisabletoextendoverthewholeofabigworld: it is sogreat that it isable toprevailover theHoly God's hatred and abhorrence of sin. For herein is love, that God

couldlovetheworld—theworldthatliesintheevilone:thatGodwhoisall-holyandjustandgood,couldsolovethisworldthatHegaveHisonlybegotten Son for it,—that He might not judge it, but that it might besaved.

Thekeytothepassage lies, therefore,yousee, inthesignificanceof theterm "world." It is not here a term of extension somuch as a term ofintensity. Its primary connotation is ethical, and the point of itsemploymentisnottosuggestthattheworldissobigthatittakesagreatdealoflovetoembraceitall,butthattheworldissobadthatittakesagreatkindof love to love itatall,andmuchmore to love itasGodhasloveditwhenHegaveHisSonforit.Thewholedebateastowhethertheloveherecelebrateddistributes itself toeachandeverymanthatentersintothecompositionoftheworld,orterminatesontheelectalonechosenoutoftheworld,liesthusoutsidetheimmediatescopeofthepassageanddoes not supply any key to its interpretation. The passage was notintended to teach, and certainlydoesnot teach, thatGod loves allmenalikeandvisitseachandeveryonealikewiththesamemanifestationsofHis love:andas littlewas it intended to teachordoes it teach thatHisloveisconfinedtoafewespeciallychosenindividualsselectedoutoftheworld.What it is intended todo is toarouse inourheartsawonderingsenseofthemarvelandthemysteryoftheloveofGodforthesinfulworld—conceived, here, not quantitatively but qualitatively as, in its verydistinguishingcharacteristic,sinful.Andsearchtheuniversethroughandthrough—inall its recesses and throughall itshistorical development—andyouwillfindnomarvelsogreat,nomysterysounfathomable,asthis,that the great and good God, whose perfect righteousness flames inindignation at the sight of every iniquity and whose absolute holinessrecoils in abhorrence in the presence of every impurity, yet loves thissinfulworld,—yes,hassoloveditthatHehasgivenHisonlybegottenSontodie for it. It is thismarvel and thismystery that our textwould faincarryhometoourhearts,andwewouldbewiseifwewouldpermitthemtobeabsorbedinitscontemplation.

Atthesametime,however,althoughwecannotpermitthepassagetobeinterpretedinthetermsofthedebateinquestion, itwouldnotbequitetruetosayithasnobearinguponthatdebate.

Onething,forinstance,whichthepassagetellsus,andtellsuswithgreatemphasis, isthatthelovewhichitcelebratesisasavinglove;notalovewhich merely tends towards salvation, and may—perhaps easily—bedefeatedinitsaimby,say,theunwillingnessofitsobjects.Theverypointofthepassagelies,ontheoneside,inthemightinessoftheloveofGod;andon theother in theunwillingnessnotof somebutofall itsobjects.The loveherecelebratedis,wemustremember, the loveofGod—oftheLordGodAlmighty:anditislovetotheworld—whichaltogether"liesintheevilone."Itisalovewhichisgreat,andpowerful,andall-conquering;whichattainsitsend,andwillnotstandhelplessbeforeanyobstacle.Itistheprecisepurposeofthepassagetoteachusthis,toraiseourheartstosomeapprehensionoftheinconceivablegreatnessoftheloveofGod,setasitisuponsavingthewickedworld.Itwouldbepossibletobelievethatsuchaloveasthisterminatesequallyandwiththesameintentuponeachand everymanwho is in "theworld," only ifwemay at the same timebelieve that itworksout itsendcompletelyandwith full effectoneachand every man. But this the passage explicitly forbids us to believe,proceeding at once to divide the "world" into two classes, those thatperishandthosethathaveeternallife.Thealmighty,all-conqueringloveofGod,therefore,certainlydoesnotpouritselfequallyandwiththesameintent upon each and every man in the world. In the sovereignty thatbelongs of necessity to His love as to all love, He rather visits with itwhomHewill.

But neither will the text allow us to suppose that God grants this Hisimmeasurable love only to a few, abstracted from the world, while theworlditselfHepermitstofallawaytoitsdestruction.Thedeclarationis,notthatGodhaslovedsomeoutoftheworld,butthatHehaslovedtheworld.Andwemustrisetotheheightofthisdivineuniversalism.Itistheworld that God has loved with His deathless love, this sinful world ofours:anditistheworld,thissinfulworldofours,thatHehasgivenHisSontodie for:and it is theworld that throughthesacrificeofHisdearSon,Hehassaved,thisverysinfulworldofours."GodsentnotHisSonintotheworld,"weread,"tojudgetheworld,butthattheworldshouldbesavedbyHim":thatistosay,GoddidnotsendHisSonintotheworldforthepurposeofjudgingtheworld,butforthepurposeofsavingtheworld:adeclarationwhich couldnotbe true if,despiteHis corning, theworld

werelostandonlyaselectfewsavedoutofit.ThepurposesofGoddonotfail.

Youmust not fancy, then, that God sits helplessly by while the world,whichHehascreatedforHimself,hurtleshopelesslytodestruction,andHeisableonlytosnatchwithdifficultyhereandthereabrandfromtheuniversalburning.TheworlddoesnotgovernHiminasingleoneofHisacts:Hegoverns it and leads it steadilyonward to theendwhich, fromthebeginning,oreverabeamofithadbeenlaid,Hehaddeterminedforit.As itwascreated forHisglory,soshall itshowforthHispraise:andthishumanraceonwhichHehasimpressedHisimageshallreflectthatimageinthebeautyoftheholinesswhichisitssupremetrait.Theelect—they are not the residuum of the great conflagration, the ashes, so tospeak, of the burnt-up world, gathered sadly together by the Creator,afterthecatastropheisover,thatHemaymakeanewandperhapsbetterbeginningwiththemandbuildfromthem,perchance,anewstructure,toreplace thatwhichhasbeen lost.Nay, theyare themselves "theworld";nottheworldasitisinitssin,lyingintheevilone;buttheworldinitspromiseandpotencyofrenewedlife.Throughalltheyearsoneincreasingpurposeruns,oneincreasingpurpose:thekingdomsoftheearthbecomeevermoreandmorethekingdomofourGodandHisChrist.Theprocessmaybeslow;theprogressmayappeartoourimpatienteyestolag.Butitis God who is building: and under His hands the structure rises assteadilyasitdoesslowly,andinduetimethecapstoneshallbesetintoitsplace, and to our astonished eyes shall be revealed nothing less than asavedworld.

Meanwhile,wewholive inthemidstof theprocessseenotyet theend.These are days of incompleteness, and it is only by faith that we canperceivetheissue.ThekingdomofGodisasyetonlyinthemaking;andthe"world"isnotyetsaved.So,thereappearaboutustwoclasses:thereare those that perish as well as those that have eternal life. With theabsoluteness which characterizes the writer of this Gospel, these twoclassesaresetbeforeusinthetextandintheparagraphofwhichitformsapart, in their intrinsicantagonism.Theyarebelieversandunbelieversin theSonofGod:and theyarebelieversandunbelievers in theSonofGod, because they are in their essential natures good or bad, lovers of

lightorloversofdarkness."Foreveryonethatdoethevilhateththelightand comethnot to the light; but he that doeth the truth cometh to thelight." Throughout the whole process of the world's development,therefore, the Light that has come into theworld draws to Itself thosethatareofthelight:He,thatis,whothroughloveoftheworldcameintotheworld tosave theworld,—yea,andwhoshall save theworld—in themeantime attaches to Himself in every generation those who in theiressentialnaturebelongtoHim.HowtheycometobeHis,andthereforeto be attracted to Him, and therefore to enter into the life that is lifeindeed—to become portions no longer of theworld that lies in the evilone,butofthereconstructedworldthatabidesinHim—theparagraphinwhichourtextissetleavesusmuchuninformed.Accordinglysomerashexpositorswishtoinsistthattoitthedivisionofmenintotheessentiallygood and the essentially bad is an ultimate fact. They speak thereforemuch of the ineradicable dualism of Jesus' conception, not staying toconsidertheconfusionthuswroughtinthewholeparagraph.ForinthatcasehowcouldtherebetalkoftheSonofGodcomingintotheworldtosave the world? Obviously, to the text, those that belong to the Sonthemselvesrequiresaving;thatistosay,nolessthanthelostthemselves,theybelongbynaturetothe"evilone,"inwhomthewholeworld—notapartofitonly—wearetoldexplicitly"lieth."

Andifwewillbutattendtothecontextinwhichourparagraphisset,wewill perceive that we are not left without guidance to its properunderstanding. For we must remember that this paragraph is not anisolated document standing off to itself and complete in itself, but is acomment upon the discourse of our Lord to Nicodemus. It necessarilyreceives its colour and explanation, therefore, from that discourse ofwhich it is either a substantive part or upon which it is at least areflection.Andwhatdoesthatdiscourseteachusexceptthis:thatallthatisbornoffleshisflesh,andonlywhatisrebornofSpiritisSpirit;thatnomancanentertheKingdomofGod,therefore,excepthebebornagainofGod;andthatthisbirthisnotatthecommandofmen,butisthegiftofaSpirit which is like the wind that bloweth where it listeth, the soundwhereofwehear thoughweknownotwhence it cometh andwhither itgoeth—butcansayofitonly,Lo,itishere!Herethenistheexplanationoftheessentialdifference inmenrevealedinthevaryingreceptionthey

givetotheSonofGod.Itisnotduetoaccidentofbirthortodiversityofexperience in theworld, leastofall to inherentqualitiesofgoodnessorbadnessbelongingtoeachbynature.Itisduesolelytothis,—whetherornot theyhavebeenbornagainby theSpirit and soareof the light andcomespontaneouslytothe lightwhenitdawnsupontheirwaitingeyes.The sequence in this great process of salvation, then, according to ourpassage,when taken in itscontext, is this: thegiftof theSonofGod tosavetheworld;thepreparationoftheheartsofmentoreceivetheSonofGod in vital faith: the attraction of these "children of the light" to theLightoftheworld;andthegradualrebuildingofthefabricoftheworldalongthelinesofGod'schoosingintothatkingdomoflightwhichisthusprogressivelypreparedforitsperfectrevelationatthelastday.

Thus,thus,then,itisthatGodissavingtheworld—theworld,mindyou,and notmerely some individuals out of the world: by a process whichinvolves not supplanting but reformation, recreation.We look for newheavensandanewearth,itistrue;butthesenewheavensandnewearthare not another heaven and another earth, but the old heaven and oldearthrenewed;oras theScripturesphrase it "regenerated."Fornot theindividualmerelybut theworld-fabric itself is toberegenerated in that"regenerationwhentheSonofManistositonthethroneofHisglory."During theprocess theremaybemuch that is discarded: butwhen theprocessiscompleted,thenalsoshallbecompletedthetaskwhichtheSonof Man has taken upon Himself, and the "world" shall be saved—thiswickedworldofsinfulmentransformedintoaworldofrighteousness.

Surely,weshallnotwishtomeasurethesavingworkofGodbywhathasbeenalreadyaccomplishedintheseunripedaysinwhichourlotiscast.Thesandsoftimehavenotyetrunout.Andbeforeusstretch,notmerelythe reaches of the ages, but the infinitely resourceful reaches of thepromise of God. Are not the saints to inherit the earth? Is not therecreatedearththeirs?ArenotthekingdomsoftheworldtobecometheKingdomofGod?Isnot theknowledgeof thegloryofGodtocover theearthasthewaterscoverthesea?Shallnotthedaydawnwhennomanneedsaytohisneighbour,"KnowtheLord,"forallshallknowHimfromtheleastuntothegreatest?Oraiseyoureyes,raiseyoureyes,Ibeseechyou,tothefarhorizon:letthemrestnowhereshortoftheextremelimit

ofthedivinepurposeofgrace.Andtellmewhatyouseethere.Is itnotthesupreme,theglorious,issueofthatloveofGodwhichloved,notonehere and there only in the world, but the world in its organiccompleteness; and gave His Son, not to judge the world, but that theworldthroughHimshouldbesaved?AndHesaiduntome,"Comehither,Iwillshewtheethebride,thewifeoftheLamb.Andhe.…shewedmetheholy city Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven fromGod, having thegloryofGod.…Andthecityhathnoneedofthesun,neitherofthemoon,to shineupon it: for the gloryofGoddid lighten it, and theLamb, thelampthereof.Andthenationsshallwalkamidstthelightthereof;andthekingsoftheearthdobringtheirgloryintoit.Andthegatesthereofshallin nowise be shut by day (for there shall be no night there): and theyshallbringthegloryandthehonourofthenationsintoit:andthereshallin no wise enter into it anything unclean, or he that maketh anabomination and a lie; but only they which are written in the Lamb'sbookoflife."OnlythosewrittenintheLamb'sbookoflife,andyetallthenations!Itisthevisionofthesavedworld."ForGodsolovedtheworld,that He gave His only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in Himshould not perish, but have eternal life." It is the vision of theconsummatedpurposeoftheimmeasurableloveofGod.

THEGOSPELOFPAUL

2 CORINTHIANS 5:14–15, 18–19, 21:—For the love of Christconstraineth us; because we thus judge, that one died for all,thereforealldied;andHediedforall,thattheywhichliveshouldnolonger liveuntothemselves,butuntoHimwhofor theirsakesdiedand rose again.… But all things are of God, who reconciled us toHimself through Christ, and gave unto us the ministry of

reconciliation; towit, thatGodwas inChrist reconciling theworlduntoHimself,notreckoninguntothemtheirtrespasses.…HimwhoknewnosinHemadetobesinonourbehalf;thatwemightbecometherighteousnessofGodinHim.

I HAVE chosen for my text three sentences which do not form aconsecutivepassage.Theystand,however,inveryclosecontiguitywithinthelimitsofasingleshortparagraph,withinthenarrowcompass,indeed,ofeightverses.Morethanthat,theystandoutuponthefaceofthisshortparagraph asmarked features, fromwhich it receives its character andchiefsignificance.Glancingoverthisparagraph,theeyecannomorefailtofixitselfuponthesethreesentencesthangazingoverarichplainfromsomehighpointof sight it could fail tobe attractedbya seriesofboldpromontoriesthrowingthemselvesathwartit;orglancingonthefrettedlidofsomehighlywroughtcasketitcouldfailtobedrawnanddazzledbythejewelswhichblazeuponit.Wecannotsay,indeed,thattheparagraphexistsforthesethreesentences:they,rather,arehereforthepurposesofthe paragraph and fulfil these purposes with perfection. But inprosecuting the end he has here in view the apostle is led tomake hisappealtoconsiderationsofsohighanorderthatthesentencesinwhichtheyareadducedstandoutabovethegeneraldriftofthediscussionlikemountain-peaksinaplain,glowonitssurfacelikejewelsintheirsetting.

WhatPaulisengageduponinthissectionofhisEpistleisthevindicationofhisintegrityasaministerofgrace,andofthepurityoftheGospelhepreached.Itisinfullviewofthejudgment-seatofChrist,heasserts,thatheprosecutes themission thathasbeen committed tohim;andhehaspermitted nothing to deflect him by a hair's-breadth from themessagewhichhasbeenplacedonhislips.Ingivingforcetothiscontentionheisledtoenunciatethecontentsofthemessageofwhichhehasbeenmadethebearer:and it is thisenunciationwhich is thrownup toourview inthesesentencesIhavechosenformytext.

In these sentences is contained therefore the announcement of Paul'sGospel; and it is this fact which gives them their distinction. SearchthroughoutthewholecompassofPaul'sEpistlesanditisdoubtfulifyouwill findanother such succinct, completeandpungent statementof theGospelwhichPaulpreached;ofwhathedeemedtheverytouchstoneand

heart of the message he brought to men. Certainly you will find nonemoreformallysetforthastheapostle'sowndeclarationoftheessenceofhisGospel.IfwewishtoknowpreciselywhatPaulpreachedandpreciselyinwhatheconceivedallthathepreachedtocentreandtobesummedup,wecannotdobetterthanattendtothesecrispsentences.

I have called them crisp sentences, and Imight almost have spoken ofthem as detached sentences. For part and parcel as they are of Paul'sargument,fittingintoitandbearingtheirpartinitwiththeperfectionofsentencesbornofthediscussionofthemoment,theyyethaveanoddairofdetachmentaboutthem,whichseemstoassureustheywerenotstruckoutintheheatofthisdebate,buthavebeenbroughtintoitfromwithout.One of them is introduced by what we may almost call a formula ofcitation: "becausewe thus judge"—"seeing that our judgment is this,"—viz.whatfollows.Allofthemarephrasedwiththatsharplycutfrugalityof language which belongs to proverbial speech, and is the result, nodoubt, of the attritionwhich sentences suffer frommuch repetition, bywhichall theroughedges, likesuperfluousparticles,arewornoff. "Onediedforall:thereforealldied:andHediedforallthat,living,theymightnolongerlivetothemselves,buttoHimwhodiedandroseforthem.""AllisofGod;whoreconcileduswithHimselfthroughChristandgaveustheministryofreconciliation,sinceitwasGodwhoinChristwasreconcilingtheworldwithHimself.""HimthatknewnosinHemadesinforus,thatwe might become the righteousness of God in Him." There is not aredundant word in any of these sentences; there is even a notableparsimonyofwords; evenwhatmighthavebeendeemed thenecessaryconnectingparticlesareomitted.Ithinkwemaybequitesurethatthesesentenceswerenot first framedasPaulset themdownon thesheetsofthisletter;thattheyhadoftenbeenonhislipsbefore;andthattheywentdownonthesheetshewaswritinghereintheformtheyhadtakenonhislipsafternumerous repetitions. Inaword,wehavehere thephrases inwhichPaulwasaccustomedtogiveexpressiontotheheartofhisGospel.

Itistemptingtoturnasidetoremarkupontheanalogysuppliedbythisdiscovery to a phenomenon characteristic of the so-called PastoralEpistles,inwhichwerepeatedlymeetwithgnome-likeannouncementsofthegreat truthsof theGospel,encysted,as itwere, in the tissuesof the

Epistle. Itwouldseemthat fromthebeginningPaulwasaccustomed toimbedinhisEpistlesthe"faithfulsayings"inwhichhewaswonttofindadequate expression given to the mighty truths it was his life-work tomakeeffectiveamongmen.Itisimportant,however,thatweshouldnotpermit our attention to be distracted from the main point which nowclaimsit.Thisisthatwehaveinthesentencesnowbeforeusnotonlyanannouncement of the essence of Paul's Gospel, perhaps themost clearandformalannouncementof itsessencetobefoundinhisEpistles,butalsothisannouncementintheformwhichhehabituallygaveit.ItwasintheseprecisewordsthatPaulwasaccustomedtoexpresshimselfwhenhedesiredtocarrytheessenceofhisGospelhometothemindsofmenandfix it there with precision and in unmistakable and unalterabledistinctness.Wemayapproach the studyof these sentences, then,withthe utmost confidence thatwe have in themnot some chance, perhapsone-sided, deliverance valid only for the immediate purpose of aparticular controversy, but the well-weighed and carefully compactedexpression of the very core of his Gospel, that Gospel which had beencommittedtohimbytheLordHimself,bywhichhewontheworld,uponwhichhenourishedhisownspirit,andwhichheofferstousastheverywordoflife.

What, then, is this Gospel of Paul, brought before us here with suchdirectnessandenergyofexpression?

Castingoureyeoverthesentencesinwhichitisembodied,wearestruckat oncewith the fact that it is a universalistic Gospel.We should haveexpected this of Paul. The hinge uponwhich hiswhole lifework turnedwas the universalizing of theGospel of Christ. It was therefore that hewastheApostleoftheGentiles.Anditwasoutofthisthatallhisconflicts,trials,sufferingsarose.Thebitterstrife inwhichhewasengagedinthisveryChurchofCorinth,onecampaignofwhichisfoughtoutinthisletter,wasitselfrootedintheuniversalismofhisGospel.Itcouldnotbethatthenoteof thisuniversalismshouldbeunheardinanythingthatcanput intheslightestclaimtobetheembodimentofPaul'sGospel.

Itissolittleunheardherethatitwouldbetruertosaythatitformstheground-tone of the whole enunciation. "One died for all: therefore alldied"—thatisthekey-notewhichisstruckatthebeginning."Godwasin

Christ reconciling the world with Himself"—that is the greatannouncement in which it culminates. We may be perfectly sure thatneitherstatementwasheremadebyPaulforthefirsttime.Rather,thesewere the things on which he had fed his courage in those days ofafflictions, necessities, distresses, stripes, imprisonments, tumults,labours, watchings, fastings, in which his life had been spent.Wemayfancy him in themidst of the deaths which he died daily repeating tohimselfoverandoveragainthesegreatwords:"Onediedforall:thereforeall died": "Godwas in Christ reconciling theworldwithHimself"—andderiving from them the force by virtue of which, though he died yetbeholdhelivedagain,thoughhewaschastenedyethewasnotdestroyed,though he was brought to grief yet he always rejoiced, though he washimself poor he yet enriched many, though he had nothing he yetpossessedallthings.Theyconstituteindeedthebattle-cryofPaul'swholeimmense conflict and give its character to his entire life-history.EliminatethisnoteofuniversalismfromPaul'sGospelandyoudoawaywithhissignificanceinhistory;youcutuptheGospeltowhichhefreelygavehislifebytheroots.

Youcannotexaggerate,therefore,thesignificancetohisGospelofPaul'suniversalism.InimportantrespectsthisuniversalismwashisGospel.Butunfortunatelyit isverypossibletomisconceiveandtomisrepresentthisuniversalism: and unhappily it is commonly very gravelymisconceivedand misrepresented. After all, Paul's universalism was Paul'suniversalism; and Paul's universalism stood in opposition, not to theparticularism of divine grace, but to the exclusiveness of Jewishnationalism.What he gave his life to,what he directed all his teachingtoward, was not a passionate assertion of absolute indiscrimination onGod's part in His dealings with sinners of the human race, but thevindicationtotheGospelofGod'sgrace inChristJesusofaworld-widereference.Ifhearguesatonetimethat"there isnodifference"betweenmen,hemakesitplainthathemeansthisinpointofclaimuponGodforHismercy; and so soonashe comes to speakof thedistributionof thedivinegifts,hemakesitequallyplainthatthereisagreatdifferenceandthat thisdifferencedependson thewillof theDivineGiver.WhenPaulthereforenailedtohismast-headthegreatdeclaration:"Onediedforall;thereforealldied,"hewasas faraspossible fromintimatingthatJesus'

deathwasequallyandwithoutdistinctioninbehalfofeveryindividualofthehumanrace,and that thereforeevery individualof thehumanrace,past, present and to come, died with Christ on the cross. This crassdistributive universalism of redemption apparently never once enteredhismind.Andequally,whenheinscribeduponhisbanner,"GodwasinChristreconcilingtheworldwithHimself,"hethoughtofnothingsolittleasteachingthatthisreconciliationconcerneditselfequallywitheachandeveryindividualwhohaseverlivedintheworld, livesinitnow,orevershallliveinit.Suchaconceptionisquitealientohisentirethought.WhathemeansisjustthatGod,whoistheGodnotoftheJewsonlybutalsooftheGentiles,hasgivenHisSon todienot for theJewsonlybut for theworld.His eyehas caught this great vision; and, hismouthbeing openandhisheartenlarged,hecries,Notonepeopleonly,but theworld forChrist!ItisthegreatmissionarycrywhichPaulgivesushere."TheworldforChrist!"Thatisthecrythatsoundsinourearsto-dayandfillsuswithenthusiasminourserviceof thecross. It is thecrywhichPaulheard inhis heart two thousand years ago, and under the impulse of which heinauguratedthatgreatmissionworkwhichstilloccupiesourheartsandhands."TheworldforChrist"—notonenation,notoneclass,notoneraceor conditionofmen,but theworldandnothing less than theworld forChrist!

Itwouldcertainlybeexceedinglyunfortunate inanyevent toevisceratePaul'swholeGospelforthesakeofgratuitouslyimposingonhislanguageaninoperativeuniversalismofredemptionwhichdoesnotactuallysave.Thatmencouldperish forwhomChristdied,Paulnever imagined thathumanmindscouldconceive.Theverynerveofhisgreatdeclarationthat"Christdiedforall;thereforealldied,"isthatparticipationinthedeathofChrist is salvation.Thereforehegoeson todeclare that thosewho thusdiewithChrist live, livewiththeChristwhonotonlydiedfor thembutalso rose again for them. So little was it possible for him to admit adistinctionbetweendyingwithChrist,whichistheunconsciouslotofall,and livingwithChrist,which is the consciousattainmentofonly some,thatheevenfoundselsewhereanafortioriargumentonparticipationinChrist'sdeathasremovingalldoubtofparticipationinHislife."ButGodcommendeth His own Son towards us," he reasons, "in that while wewereyetsinnersChristdiedforus.Muchmorethen,beingnowjustified

byHisblood,shallwebesavedfromwraththroughHim.Forifwhileweweresinners,wewerereconciledwithGodthroughthedeathofHisSon,muchmore,being reconciled, shallwebe savedbyHis life." "But ifwedied with Christ," he reasons again, "we believe that we shall also livewithHim"; and again, "For ifwehavebecomeunitedwithHimby thelikenessofHisdeath,weshallbealsobythelikenessofHisresurrection."Paul therefore will have nothing to do with a distinction betweenmenwhohaveonlydiedwithChristandthosewhoalso livewithHim.WithPaul,todiewithChristmeanstolivetogetherwithHim;tobereconciledwith God through the death of Christ means to enter into the fullinheritanceof life.WhenhepassionatelydeclaresthatwhenChristdiedHediednot for Jewsonlybut for all, that inHimGodwas reconcilingnothing less than the world with Himself, he is thinking of no half-measures. He is proclaiming the world-wide reach, the world-widedestinyofGod'ssalvation.

How impossible it is to read Paul as teaching here a purely potentialuniversalisminthedeathofChrist,tobemadeeffectiveineachinstancebytheindividual'sownactofappropriation,isrenderedclearbyanotherprime characteristic of his Gospel as here enunciated. This is what wemayperhapscall,forlackofabetterphrase,itshighsupernaturalism.Bythis we mean to refer to the emphasis and persistence with which heascribesthewholesavingprocess—inits initiationandoutworkingalike—toGod. This toowe should have expected of Paul. There is nomoremarkedfeatureofhistotalthoughtthanthevisionofGodwhichinformsit: and nomatter fromwhat point of departure his argument takes itsstart,itcanfinditspointofrestonlywhenitarrivesat"thegoodpleasureof His will, to the praise of the glory of His grace, which He freelybestowed on us in the Beloved." It can cause us no surprise thereforewhenwefindhiminourpresentpassageinsisting,ofthenewlifewhichhediscovers inthose—inall those—whohavediedwithChrist, that it isallofGod;andrepresentingthewholetremendoustransactionbywhichwesinnersaretransformedintothelikenessofChristasinauguratedandcarriedthroughbyGodalone.AllthoseforwhomChristdiedHetellsusdied with Him and rose again with Him, and are consequently a newcreation, theold thingshavingpassedawayandbecomenew.Andthenhe adds with what might almost seem superfluous emphasis—for how

couldthesethingsbe,exceptbythepowerofGod?—"ButallthesethingsareofGod,whoit isthathasreconcileduswithHimselfthroughChristandhasgiventoustheministryofreconciliation,seeingthatitwasGod"(observe the emphasis again) "who in Christwas reconciling theworldwith Himself." Accordingly, when a few verses later he alludes to theredemptive process again, he tells us quite naturally, not that "Hewhoknewnosinwasmadesin forus,"but that"HimwhoknewnosinGodmadesinforus,thatwemightbecometherighteousnessofGodinHim."Soeageristheapostlethathisreadersshalltakeofffromhispageatleastthisassurance,thatwhattheyareinChristJesusandall thattheyshallbecome theyowe toGodand toGodalone. ItwasHe,he tells us,whomadeChrist,thesinlessone,tobesinforus;itwasHewhoreconcileduswithHimself throughChrist; it is ofHim thatwe are new creatures inChrist.Inthewholesavingprocesswesupplynothingbutthesinnerstobe saved, and the consequent activities induced in us by the savingprocess, as, in accordance with our nature, wemove as we aremovedupon.

Itsurelybelongs to themostastonishingcuriositiesofexposition, then,that in the face of this abounding emphasis upon the sole efficiency ofGodinsalvation,thereshouldbefoundthosewhoinsistthat,accordingtoPaul'steaching,thedecisiveactinsalvationissuppliedbyanactionofthe human will. See, we are told, the apostle in this very contextbeseecheshisreadersnottopermitthegraceofGodtocometotheminvain,buttobereconciledwithGod.DoesnotthisimplythatallthatGodhasdonelieswithoutus,anditbelongstous,inoursovereignfreedom,togiveitvalidityeachforhisownperson?Weneednotpausetopointoutthat the inference thus so confidentlydrawn is explicitly contradictedascoreoftimeselsewherebytheapostle,whoconsistentlyrepresentsitas"ofGod"thatmendifferintheirspiritualendowments;anddeclaresthatnoonehas the least advantageover anotherwhichhehasnot receivedfrom above, and therefore cannot glory in it as if it were of his ownproduction,—that,inaword,inthematterofspiritualstanding,itisnotof him that willeth nor of him that runneth but of God that showethmercy.Norneedwepause to point out that there is a great difference,which we dare not neglect in a matter like the present, between anexhortation to action in accordance with the really moving force, and

exhortationtoactiondesignedtosetthisforceinmotion.Whenthissameapostleexhortsustoworkoutourownsalvationwithfearandtrembling,"foritisGodwhoisworkinginyouboththewillingandthedoingforHisgood pleasure," we certainly cannot infer that our salvation so hangsuponourownwillthatGod'senergizingwaitsuponouract:thecontraryis openly asserted—that our act rests rather onHis energizing; it isHethatworksourverywillingaswellasourdoing.SimilarlyitcanscarcelybeinferredfromPaul'sexhortationtous"tobereconciledwithGod,"thatreconciliationwithGod so depends on the unmoved action of our ownfreewillthatallofGod'sactionlookingtooursalvationmustwaituponit. Apart from all this, it would seem to be enough to observe that noinferenceofthiskindcansetasidePaul'sexplicitandemphaticascriptionhere of this very reconciliation to God. For it is precisely ourreconciliation which Paul ascribes to God with what seems almost anexcessive energy of emphasis: "All these things are of God, who it wasthatreconcileduswithHimselfthroughJesusChrist":"ItwasGodwho,inChrist,was reconciling theworldwithHimself."When, immediatelyafter this strong assertionof thedivineproductionof reconciliation, heentreatshisreaderstobereconciledwithGod,theonemostcertainthingofall isthathedoesnotmeanto implythattheirreconciliationisso intheir own hands that the act of God waits upon their act. And thisbecomesthemoreevidentwhenweobservethateveninthisexhortationitselftheverbisthrownintothepassivevoice,andpointsthereforenottosomethingwhichwearetodo,buttosomethingwhichwearetosuffer.The exhortation, in other words, is not that we should "reconcileourselves"toGod,butthatweshouldassumeanattitudeconsonantwiththe reconciliationwhichGodhaswroughtwith respect tous.That is tosay, we have a conception here which ranges perfectly with that otherexhortationwhichwehavealreadyillustrativelyadduced:thatweshouldworkoutourownsalvation,knowingitisGodwhoisworkinginusboththe willing and the doing. It is an exhortation to consonant, not todeterminingactivity.

Weare led thus,however, toadvert toa furtherprimecharacteristicoftheGospel ofPaul, as set forth in ourpassage.That is. that it finds itskey-note in a doctrine of reconciliation. The core of Paul's Gospel isindeedexpressed in thisoneword,Reconciliation;and itbehovesus to

considercarefullywhathemeansbyit.Thereareseveralthingsthataretold us about it in our present passage. In the first place we are veryemphaticallytold,aswehavejustseen,thattheauthorofitisGod:itisGodHimself,notman,whoworksthisreconciliation."Allthesethings,"saystheapostle,"areofGod,whoitisthathasreconcileduswithHimselfthroughChrist.""ForitwasGodwhoinChristwasreconcilingtheworldwith Himself." Next we are told that the effects by which thisreconciliationmanifests itself amongmenare relief from theburdenoftheirsin,andtheproclamationoffreepardon."ItwassurelyGodwhoinChristwasreconcilingtheworldwithHimself,sinceHedoesnotimputetothemtheirtrespassesandhasplacedinusthewordofreconciliation."Thenwearetoldthatitfindsitsgroundinthesin-bearingofChrist."WebeseechyouinthebehalfofChrist,BeyereconciledwithGod:HimwhoknewnosinHemadesinforus,thatwemaybetherighteousnessofGodinHim."Fromsuchsuggestionsas these it isperfectlyeasytoseewhatPaulmeansbythisreconciliation,theministryofwhichhedeclarestobehis only function, the proclamation of which his one duty—or ratherprivilege—in the world. It is, shortly, not the reconciliation of man toGod, as the shortcomings of ourEnglish versionmightmisleadus intosupposing:butthereconciliationofGodtoman—areconciliationwhichGod has Himself undertaken and which He has accomplished at thetremendouscostof thedeathofHisSon,on thegroundofwhichHe isable to releasemen from their trespasses.Of coursemenare at enmitywithGod: they do not like even to retainGod in their knowledge, andtheyturnagainstHimwithunconcealeddreadandhatred.ButthisisnotthethingwhichmostdisturbsPaul.WhatmostdisturbshimisthatGodis at enmitywithman: thatHiswrath is revealed from heaven againsttheir aboundingunrighteousness.Andwhat fillshisheartwith joy—thejoythatmadehimthezealousmissionaryhewas,—istheassurancethatthis enmity has been removed, that this wrath has been appeased andthatbyGodHimself,whohasreconcileduswithHimselfthroughChrist,by making Him who knew no sin to be sin for us,—and so enablingHimselfnottoimputeourtrespassestous.TheproclamationofthisgreattransactionseemedtoPaulsogloriousthathejoyfullymadetheministryofreconciliationhislife-work;thewordofreconciliationhisGospel.Initlies,inaword,theveryheartofPaul'sGospel.

Now thepresuppositionof thisGospel, youwillperceive, is adeepandkeensenseofhumansinandthatintheaspectofguilt.ThereasonwhyPaul'sheartwas filledwith such joyat the thoughtof a reconciledGodwasthathisheartwasoppressedwithasenseofguiltinthepresenceofajust God. A holy and righteous God, he knew, could not possibly lookuponhim,orhispartners inguilt,withoutabhorrenceand indignation.Inhis conscience thewrathofGodwas revealedagainst theaboundinginiquityofmen.Owretchedmenthatweare,hissoulofsoulscriedout,who shall deliver us from this mass of sin? It was because he felt sodeeply and keenly the guilt of sin, and knew so clearly the depth andheinousnessofhis ownandof theworld's guilt, thathebrokeoutwithsuch rejoicing at the sight of a reconciled God, and made theproclamationofHisreconciliationhisGospel—thesubstanceofthegladtidingswhichheboretoasin-strickenandhopelessrace.Theunderlyingconceptionofsin,—ofsinoppressing,ofsinremoved—thusdominatesthepassageswhicharenowengagingourattention.WhyshouldChrist,—the"One"—needtodieformen:andwhyisitgladtidingsthatallforwhomHe died, died with Him? Why should the Gospel of reconciliation beannouncedasmanifestingitselfpreciselyinthenon-imputationofmen'strespasses to them? Why above all should the exhortation to bereconciledwithGodbesupportedby thegreatdeclaration thatHewhoknewnosinhasbeenmadesinforus?IsitnotclearthatunderneathallPaul'sGospelliesthemostprofoundandpoignantsenseofsin,andthathis Gospel consists precisely in a proclamation of relief from theintolerableburdenofguilt?Thisthenwasthewordofreconciliation,theministryofwhichwascommittedtohim:thattherighteouswrathofGodagainstsinhasbeenappeasedandthefaceofGodhasbeenturnedtousagainclothedinasmileoffavour.

It has seemed worth while to dwell upon this, partly because of theapparentdyingoutofadeepsenseofsin inwidecirclesofpresent-daylife, but more because this sense of sin though it may be temporarilyobscured cannot really die out, but will sooner or later assert itself ineveryhumanbreastandbringdespairwhenitdoesnotfinditsantidotein a sense of a reconciled God. No doubt our age is marked by a"vanishing sense of sin," and there are multitudes about us who seemnever to have awakened to any adequate realization of their moral

condition,orofthesignificanceoftheirmoralconditionwithrespecttotheirrelationstoGodandtothatfutureoverwhichtherighteousawardofGodrules.Itwouldnotbestrangeif thereweresomesittinghereto-day towhomPaul's strongagonyunder the consciousnessof sin seemswholly alien to normal human experience, something at any rate intowhichthey find it impossiblesympathetically toenter. Idonotsaythatthisconditionofapathyinfaceofthemosttremendousfactofhumanlifeisscarcelycreditabletoyou:Idonotevensaythatitoughttobeviewedby you as a signal of extreme danger, because it is the index of anindurated heart, a heart callous to its own wickedness, and thereforeshouldcauseyouthedeepestconcernandcalloutyourbestendeavourstoseethingsmoretrulyeveniflesscomfortably.WhatIwishtosaynowtoyouis, that it isaconditionthatcannot last.Weareallsinners:and,beingsinners,weareunderthecondemnationofthejustGod,whodoesrighteousness in heaven and on earth.We cannot always conceal fromourselvesthisstateofthings.Soonerorlaterourtroubledeyeswillopenwithfrightuponit:andalloursmugcontentmentwithourselveswillbegone.Now,lifemayrunonuponoiledaxles.Then,Timewillseemtous"a maniac scattering dust, and Life a Fury slinging flame." And then,having discovered what sin is and what we are as sinners, we shalldiscoveralsothejoywhichPaulfeltatthevisionofareconciledGod.ItwillnolongerseemstrangetousthatourLorddeclaredthatthereisjoyinheavenoveronesinnerthatrepents,morethanoverninetyandninejustpersonswhoneednorepentance.Itwillnolongerbedifficultforustounderstandthatthegladdestofallgladtidingswhichtheapostleknewtobringtotheworld,wasthegladtidingsofreconciliationinthebloodofJesusChrist.

Isay,reconciliationinthebloodofJesusChrist.ForwedonotgettotheheartofPaul'sdoctrineofreconciliation,untilwebringclearlybeforeuswhathe teachesusof theway inwhich ithasbeenaccomplished.Thatwayis,briefly,byagreatactofsubstitution:ofthesubstitutionofJesusChrist for us before the judgment-seat ofGod and the expiating of ourguiltbyHimonthetree.IfPaul'sdoctrineofreconciliationistheheartofhis Gospel, his doctrine of substitution is the heart of the heart of hisGospel.Initallthegladtidingshehadtoproclaimtomanculminateandfind their true significance. What does Paul mean by that great

declarationwhich stands in the forefront of our present passage: "Onedied for all: therefore all died"? And what does hemean by that evengreaterdeclarationwithwhichthepassagecloses:"HimwhoknewnosinGodmadesinforus"?Obviouslywhathemeansisjustsubstitution.Wemust not lose ourselves here in possibly learned but certainlymeaningless discussions of the precise fundamental significance of thepreposition "for." Of course its fundamental meaning is "for the sakeof,""forthebenefitof."ItwasforthesakeoftheallthatChristdied;anditwas precisely becauseHe died for their sakes that they share in thatdeathofHiswhichwas for theirbenefitandnot forHis. Itwas foroursakesthatGodmadeHimwhoknewnosintobesin;anditispreciselybecausethisgreat transactionwasdoneforourbenefit that itavails forus.AndwhatelsecouldPaulhavemeantwhenhecriesoutinthejoyofhissalvation,"Christdiedforme,""GodmadeHimsinforme,"thanjustthatChristhaddiedforhissakeanditinuredtohisbenefitthatHehadbeen made sin? Would you expect a beneficiary of this tremendoustransaction, suffused with a sense of the immense benefit received, toemploy in describing it language which was wholly denuded of allemotionalrecognitionthatitwasallforhim,forhissake?Andthisisthereal account to give of the prevalence in the allusions of the Biblicalwriters to the death of Christ of the broad preposition "for," with theprimaryimplicationof"forthesakeof,"ratherthanofthemoreprecise"for"withtheprimaryimplicationof"insteadof,"inrelatingthatdeathtothemselves.Theywerenotputtingtogetherasystematicstatementoftheexact relation of Christ's death to human salvation: they were givingexpressiontotheirdeepestreligiousconvictions,andtheycouldnotbutchoose language charged with their profound emotions. When theyemploytheparticularprepositiontheydoemploy,theyderogatenothingfrom the substitutive nature of the death they are describing, but theycouch their description of it in language freightedwith their answeringgratitudeandlove.WhenPauldeclaresthatwhenChristdiedinbehalfofall,thenalldiedwithHim—thatGodmadeHimsininourbehalfthoughHeHimself knewno sin—heasserts substitution just as clearly as if hehadsaidthatHediedinoursteadandhadbeenmadesininourplace;and at the same time he uncovers to us his own heart, throbbingwithgratefulresponsetosuchanunheard-ofbenefit.

ThegladtidingswhichPaul'sGospelbringstomen,then,isjust,toputitbrieflyandinfamiliarlanguage,salvationfromsininthebloodofJesusChrist.Whatitmeansis,inthecrispestformofstatement,justthatJesushasdoneitall.HehastakenourplaceandborneinHisownbodyonthetree all our iniquities: He has died our death: and He grants us HisrighteousnessthathereafterwemayliveandlivetoHim.This,accordingtoPaul,istheveryheartoftheheartoftheGospel.

Andnowletusobserve finallywhataccordingtoPaul is the issueofallthis for life. Here we have brought before us yet another primarycharacteristicofhisGospel.Shallwesay,BecauseJesushasdone itall,thereremainsnothingforustodo?SosaysnotPaul.Wecouldnotsaveourselves,ordotheleastthingtowards,orcontributingto,oursalvation.UntilJesushaddiedforustherewasnothingforustodobuttodie.Weweredeadinsin,andheldunderdeathforsin.ButnowsinceHehasdiedfor us, we can work our salvation out into life. And that is what Paulteaches us. We cannot save ourselves: but having been saved, we canillustrate our salvation in newness of life. "One died for all," he says,"thereforealldied:andHediedforall,that,living,theymightnolongerlive for themselves,but toHimwhofor themdiedandroseagain.""Hethat knew no sin was made sin for us, that we might become therighteousnessofGodinHim.""Sothen,ifanyoneisinChrist,heisanewcreature: the old things have passed away, behold, they have becomenew."Thereis,itwillbeobserved,adeclarationhereandanexhortation.The declaration is that this newness of life is the result of salvation inChrist. The exhortation is that we shall walk in accordance with thisnewnessof life.Theapostledoesnot leave itanopenquestionwhetherthose forwhomChrist hasdied (andwho, therefore,—sohe says—havedied with Him) shall possess this new life. He says they are "a newcreation";andanewcreationisnotaself-madething,whichwaitsuponourownchoicewhetheritismadeornot;butaproductofthealmightypowerofGod.AndthereforetheapostleatonceaddsthatithasGodforitsauthor:"AndallthesethingsareofGod."IfChristdiedforus,Hediedfor us only for this end—thatwemay live and, living,may live not forourselves,buttoHim.IfHewasmadesinforus,Hewasmadesinforusonlyforthisend—thatwemaybetherighteousnessofGodinHim.Theendcannomorefailthanthemeans.HewhoisinChristJesusisa"new

creation."Tohimtheoldthingshavepassedaway;allhasbecomewhollynew.Paulhadfounditso:andhemakeshisfindingitsothesubstanceofhisdefence to theCorinthians.He couldnotbutbe true tohismissionandoffice as an apostle ofChrist: for itwas the love ofChrist—nothislovetoChrist,butChrist'slovetohim—whichconstrainedhim—heldhimin—that he should not give himself to aught but that to which he wassent.BeinginChrist,hewasanewcreation,andeverythingthatwasofthefleshhadfallenawayfromhim.

Andeveryonewho,likePaul,hasbeenmadetheobjectofChrist'slove,forwhomChristhasdied, andwhohasbeenmadepartaker ofChrist'sdeath,willlikePaulfindtheloveofChristconstraininghim,willfindthelifeofChristflowingintohisveins,willdiscoverhimselfanewcreation,looking out as such on a new world, filled with new enthusiasms,directing himself to new ends. You cannot diewithChrist and not riseagainwithHim: it cannotbe thatHewhoknewno sin shallhavebeenmadesinforyou,andyouwhohaveknownnorighteousnessshallnotbemadetherighteousnessofGodinHim.ThisisPaul'sdeclarationtoyou:and there couldbenodeclarationof greater joy.Being inChrist Jesus,you havewithin you the powers of a new life, and theywill grow, andgrow, and grow. Sinner that you are,Christwhoknewno sinhas beenmadesinforyou,andyoushallbecometherighteousnessofGodinHim.Could there be a greater inducement to effort brought to bear uponusthanthisgreatdeclaration?It isGodthat isworkinginus:shallwenotthenworkoutourownsalvationwithfearandtrembling?ThisisPaul'sexhortationtoyou.Ineffecthesays:Seeingthatyouareanewcreation,live as becomes those who are a new creation. Desert the old plane ofyour living; it is notworthy of new creatures.Having diedwithChrist,livewithandforHim.Hehasbeenmadesinforyou.SeethatyoubecometherighteousnessofGod inHim.Youarereleasedfromthebondageofsin and freed for a new life of holiness. Live it. Adorn the Gospel youprofess:forGodhascalledyounottosinbuttoholiness,andifyouwalknotinthisholiness,—areyouinHim?haveyoudiedwithHim?HewhodieswithHimlivesalsoinandwithHim,andlivinginandwithHimlivestoHim.

So the apostle mingles declaration and exhortation, warning and

encouragement;andtheupshotofitallis,aswecannothavefailedlongere this to have told ourselves, that the Gospel he preaches is aneminentlyethicalGospel.RighteousnessinChrist,righteousnessthroughChrist,—justification, sanctification—these things do not standwith theapostleasseparableentitiesoveragainstoneanother,oneofwhichcanbehadwithout theother.Theyaredistinctly correlatives, implyingandimplicating one the other. It would be inconceivable to him that therecouldbe sanctificationwhichdidnot rest on justification, or that therecould be justificationwhich did not issue in sanctification. To diewithChrististolivewithHim;tolivewithHimmeanstolivetoHim.TobereconciledwithGodbyChrist'sdeathmeansanewcreationthroughHisSpirit. Analysis of parts and stages there may be; distinguishings ofinceptions from continuations and continuations from consummations:but to the apostle there is but one salvation, and that salvation is anindivisible whole. The holy life ripening into that perfection withoutwhichnomanshallseetheLord,isnotwithHimanarbitraryadditiontoacceptance by God in Christ Jesus, but its natural and necessaryoutgrowth:andtherefore,withallhisproclamationof life inChrist, thelifeoffaith,andofanobjectivesalvationinthebloodofJesus,heneverlooses sight of the essence of salvation in holiness of life. So, in ourpresentpassage,thewholemovementofwhichturnsasonitshingeuponthe substitution ofChrist for sinners andHis death in their behalf andtheir consequent righteousness in Him, the issue of all is foundnevertheless in holiness of life. Those forwhomChrist has died are, intheirnewcreaturehood,tolivenolongerforthemselvesbutforHimwhodiedandroseagainforthem.Therevolutioninstandingismarkedbyarevolution in living. If their trespasses are no longer imputed to them,they are also no longer to have trespasses to be imputed to them. In aword,theirsalvationisnotmerelyfromthepenaltybutfromthepowerofsin: and the mark of it is the life that is free not only from thecondemnation but from the commission of sin.We are savedwhile yetsinners,butnotthatwemayremainsinners,butthatwemayglorifyGodandHissavingpowerbybecomingunderHisguidancesaints.

This is what, according to Paul, we are saved to: this is what, in hisconception of it, salvation is. It is the promise to us of a perfected life.And surely there is no promise which could come to us with a more

penetratingappeal.Thereisnooneofussodegradedthathewouldnotfainbegood:thedesirethatstirswithinusmaybesofadedandsoweakthatwecanscarcelycallitadesire,butwesecretlyadmirethegoodevenwhen we pursue the bad. Paul points the way not to an inoperativeadmiration, but to an effective accomplishment.He says to us in effectthatallwhichthebestofmenhavelongedforandvainlystrivenafterandtheworsthavedullyadmiredwhileimpatientlyspurningisplacedwithinourreach inChristJesus.Hesaysthat inHimthere is thepotencyofanew lifeandthat thispotencyshallsurelypass intoactualization forallthosethatareinHim.Orifwechoose,wecangiveformtohismessagetousto-dayratherinthewordsofhisMasterandourMaster.Forwhatdoeshe say in effect but this: Blessed are they that hunger and thirst afterrighteousness, for theyshallbe filled?Fortheyshallbe filled!Let thesewordsbe our encouragement to-day.Let thembecome from to-day thestrengthofourlife."Theyshallbefilled!"

THEGLORIFIEDCHRIST

HEBREWS 2:9:—But we beholdHimwho hath beenmade a littlelowerthantheangels,evenJesus,becauseofthesufferingofdeathcrownedwithgloryandhonour,thatbythegraceofGodHeshouldtastedeathforeveryman.

THEwords I have chosen as a text form a part of a great passage, theproximatepurposeofwhichistosetinaclearlightthesurpassinggloryof Jesus Christ. In the first chapter of the Epistle to the Hebrews theunapproachable greatness of our Lord's person is exhibited. No mere"interpreter"ofGodHe,liketheprophets;nomere"messenger"ofGod,like the angels. The Jewish-Christian readers of this Epistle had been

prepared by their traditional teaching to expect the coming of aculminatinginterpreterofGod,ofafinalmessengerfromGod,andtheyreadily greeted Jesus Christ as such. Our author reminds them that,greeting JesusChrist as such, they had found inHim somethingmuchmore.NodoubttheyhadfoundinHimthesupremeinterpreterofGod,who,alone,havingseenGod,isinapositionto"declare"Him,—or,asourauthorexpressesit,who,beingtheveryeffulgenceofGod'sgloryandthevery impressofHissubstance,can,alone,manifestall thatGod is.AndtheyhadfoundinHimthefinalmessengerofGodwhohadcometodoaservice, forthesakeof themthatshall inheritsalvation,whichnoangelcoulddo,orinHisownwords,whohadcomenottobeministereduntobuttominister.Butourauthorremindshisreadersthattheyhadfoundin Jesus somethingmore glorious than even these great things, seeingthatHehadreceivedbyinheritancethemuchmoreexaltednameofSon.TheineffablegloryofJesusChristlies,hetellsus,inthis,—thateventhegreat functions of interpreter of God and messenger of God, great asthese functionsasexercisedbyHimare,arenot thesourceandnot themeasure of His greatness. As the Son of God, the effulgence of God'sglory, and the impress ofGod's substance, all the prophets are butHisservants,andbeforeHismajesty theveryangelsveil their facesanddoHimhomage.

The greatness ofHiswork, of course, he now goes on to remind them,correspondswiththegreatnessofHisperson.Inthesecondchapterourauthor advances to exhibit this surpassing greatness of thework of theSonofGod.The salvationHewrought is calledwithpointeddirectness"sogreatasalvation,"andiscontrastedbythisepithetwithallthateventhedivinelygivenlawcouldaccomplish.Toexhibititsgreatnessitissetbeforeusintheheightofitsideaonthepositiveside.Thatwearesavedbyitfromsinistakenforgranted,andalludedtoasamatterwellknowntoall.Butthenegativesideofsalvationisnottreatedasthemeasureofitsgreatness.Weareaskedtoattend,nottowhatwearesavedfrom,butto what we are saved to. And that is presented as nothing less thandominion over the universe. This dominion God has destined formanfromthebeginning.Butmanhad failedofhisdestiny.Howhopelessly,howdismally,hehad failed,noneknewbetter than those theauthorofthisEpistlewasaddressing,—Jews,whohadlosteventheirJewishideals,

andwerenowdoubtingwhetherinChristianitytheyhadnotlostall.HepointsthemtoJesusasonewhohadsavedthemoutofthisdepthtothatheight.Lordship,—notover "thisworld,"with its troublesand trials, itsincompletenessesandmake-believes,andafteralldone,theendofdeath,—butoverthe"worldtobe,"wastheirs.True,theyhadnotenteredasyetinto theirheritage: the"world tobe,"by thatvery token, isnotyet.ButJesushadentereduponit;andinHimtheyheldthereversiontoit."Butnow,notyetdoweseeallthingssubjectedtoman:butHimwhohasbeenmade a little lower than angels for the suffering of death, Jesus, webeholdcrownedwithgloryandhonour,inorderthatbythegraceofGodHistastingofdeathshouldbeforeveryman."Heisonthethrone;andHeistherenotforHimselfbutforus.ItwasforusthatHedied,nay,thatHetookuponHimselfmortality;andnowHe isonthe thronethat thisdreadfulexperienceofdeathmightreallyavailforus.

HadHeonlydiedforus,perhapssalvationmighthaveconsistedsolelyinrelieffromthispenaltyofsinwhichHeboreforus.ThatHeascendedoutofdeathtothethrone,conquersthethroneitselfforus.WhenwebeholdJesus on the throne for us, we may see how great a salvation He haswroughtforus.Foronthatthronewetooshallsit,notmerelyinHimbutwithHim. It has always been theFather's goodpleasure to give us theKingdom; not apart from the Son but along with that Son who is notashamedtocallusbrethren.AndbecausethishasalwaysbeenandstillistheFather'swill,itbehovedHimwhoordersallthingsforHisownglory,in leading many sons into glory, to bring the leader of their salvationthroughsufferingstothefullaccomplishmentofHisgreattask.

Theversewhichwehavechosenoutofthisnoblecontextasourtextissoremarkable,eveninitsform,thatwemustpauseforamomenttoobservesomeof its characteristics.The first thing that strikesusabout it is theway in which it takes all the great Christian verities for granted,—notformallyassertingthem,asifitwereinstructingusastotheirreality,butassumingthemasthingsfullyestablished,whichcouldbecounteduponto be fully understood, if only suggested. The Incarnation, the AtoningDeath,theSessionontherighthandofGod,theKinglyruleoftheexaltedChrist,—all these are in this verse touched upon with clearness,confidence,emphasis.Butnooneof them isasserted,as if thepurpose

weretoinformusofit.Theyareallassumedasthecommonconvictionofwriter and reader, and built upon as such for the conveyance of thespecialmessageofthepassage.

Note the simplicity andeffectivenesswithwhich this isdone.What thetextwishes todo is, toput itbriefly, to turnoureyes fromourselves toJesus.But it doesnot speakof JesusbyHisbarename,butdesignatesHimbyadescriptivephrasetakenfromtheeighthPsalmwhichhadjustbeenquoted.Whatisthisdescriptivephrase?"Himthathathbeenmadealittlelowerthanangels":"Butnow,weseenotyetallthingssubjectedtohim," i.e. to man: "but Him who hath been made a little lower thanangels,webehold,Jesus."Now,howcouldthisphrasebethusemployedtodescribeJesusasaman?Youobserve, it isnot,properlyspeaking,a"quotation" fromthePsalm. It isnotemployedhere in thesenseof thePsalm.As it stands in thePsalm, it isaproclamationofman'samazinggreatnessanddignity:God,itisdeclared,"mademanbutlittlelowerthanangels, and crowned him with glory and honour." Here, it is not aproclamationofdignity,butarecognitionofhumiliation:"Himthathathbeenmadealittlelowerthanangelsforthesufferingofdeath,webehold,Jesus." It is merely the application of certain words taken out of thePsalminanewsensetodesignateJesusaccordingtoahabitualmodeofthinkingofHim.Thewriterismakingaquicktransition,andhefeelsthatwhen he says, "Him who has been made a little lower than angels,"everybodywillbestruckatoncewithalittleshockofpleasedsurpriseatseeing thewords of the Psalm suddenly given a newmeaning andwillanticipatehiminsayingtothemselves,Why,itisJesushemeans:Hewasmadealittlelowerthanangelswhenhebecameman.Inotherwords,theauthorcountsconfidentlyonthedoctrineoftheIncarnationaspresenttothethoughtofhisreaders,towhichhecanthereforeallude,eveninthemost unexpected language, with the assurance that they will take hispoint.

Similarly,hesaysnothingdirectlyabouttheAtoningworkofChrist,butsimplyalludes to it inawordor twowhich in themselvesmightbearaless profound significance, butwhich he knows cannot but be taken injustthismeaningbyhisreaders:"Him,"hesays,"whohathbeenmadealittle lower than angels, for the suffering of death." He speaks only of

death. Othermen besides Jesus have suffered death: every otherman,sooneror later, suffersdeath. In themselves thewords, therefore, carrynosuggestionofanythingunusualinJesus'case.ButthewriterknewthateveryChristian heartwould respond,whenhe spoke of Jesus sufferingdeath, and that with a turn of phrase which called attention to thesuffering which He endured in His death, with a thrill of joyfulrecognitionthatthissufferingofdeathwasnotmerelytheusualpaymentof the debt of nature, common to man, but was fraught with highsignificance. This indeed, he subtly suggests, by speaking of Jesus'becominga little lowerthanangels for thesufferingofdeath: itwas forthis purpose that He became man,—that He might endure this death.Othermendonotbecomementodie:Jesusdid—andinthisheseparatedHimself from man. Death to Him is His voluntary act, and must beendured, not of necessity, but for an end. With such a suggestionembeddedinit,ourauthorcaneasilytrusthisbarementionofthedeathofJesus tosuggest forcibly tohis readersall thata full reference to theatonementcouldconvey.

ThesameistrueofhisallusiontotheAscension.OftheAscensionitselfhesaysnothing,noroftheResurrectionwhichprecededitandformsitspresupposition. He merely says, still in words borrowed from thedescriptionofman'shighdestinyintheeighthPsalm,thatJesushasbeen"crownedwith glory and honour."With what sort of glory?With whatkindofhonour?Perhapsthegloryandhonourofthegratefulmemoryofmen?The inscriptionofHisnameonsomemonument, in somehalloffame?Or,possibly,ontheheartsofHisgratefulfollowers?DoeshemeanthatallhistorywillringwithHispraise,and,likethewidowwhocastinher mite at the treasury of the Temple, this that He did shall berememberedinHishonourthroughallgenerations?Nothingofthekind.Hemeans the actual session of Jesus upon the throne of the universe,thatHemayreignwitharealruleoverallprincipalitiesandpowersandmights and dominions. But the words which he employs do notthemselves say this. That he leaves to the natural understanding of hisreaders,whomheknowshecantrusttoreadintohisbareallusiontothecrowning of Jesus with glory and honour the whole body of factsconcerningHisexaltation,includingHisresurrectionandascensionandsessionattherighthandofGod,thenceexpectingtillHeshallmakeHis

enemiesHisfootstool.

You see how remarkable our text is for its confident dealing with thisgreatcircleofChristiandoctrinesbywayofallusion.Itisasplainasdaythatthesethingswerenotnoveltiestothewriterortohisreaders.Theywerenotthingsaboutwhichhefeltthathemustinstructhisreaders;orevenwhich they required tobe remindedof indetail.Theywere thingswhich stood to them and himself, alike, as the basis of their faith andhope. It is, therefore, also clear that these doctrines, thus suggested bywayofallusion,donotconstitutethespecificteachingofourtext.Wedonotdealwithourmainpurposeinwritingbywayofallusion.Theburdenof the text is found, therefore, not in these great doctrines of theIncarnation,theAtonement,theSessionattherighthandofGod,whicharebroughtbeforeus in it, richly,powerfully,movingly, indeed,but, inpoint ofmode of presentation, allusively. It is to be found in the finalclauseofthetext,uptowhichtheylead,andwhichdescribesthepurpose,forwhich the incarnatedSonofGod,havingbecomemanand suffereddeath, has been crowned with glory and honour. This purpose was—Iretranslate the words in an effort to bring out their true sense andrelations—"inorderthatthis,Hisbitterexperienceofdeath,maybythegraceofGodredoundtothebenefitofeveryman."

Asitisinthesewordsthattherealmessageofthetextisdeliveredtous,they demand ourmost careful scrutiny. To place them in their properrelation,letusobserveinthefirstplacethattheclausegoesbacktotheprecedingwords, "Becauseof the sufferingofdeath"; and finds its truesenseonlywhenreadinreferencetothem.JesusChristbecamemanthatHemightdie;andHehasbeencrownedwithgloryandhonourthatthis,Hisdeath,mightbyGod'sgraceredoundto thebenefitofman.Wearejustified in rendering the strong Greek verb—"that He may taste ofdeath"—bythestrongEnglishsubstantive—"thatHisbitterexperienceofdeath,"on thegeneralrule,whichusedtobeso fertilelyemphasizedbyEdwardThring,thatitistheverbintheonelanguageandthesubstantiveintheotherthatisthestrongword,andthatourtranslations,iftheyaretobetruetothestressoftheoriginal,mustbearthisinmind.

Butperhapsitisworthwhiletopausetopointoutthattheideaintendedtobeconveyedbythephrase"tastingofdeath"isastrongandnotaweak

one.Many,nodoubt,whentheyreadofourLord's"tastingdeath,"takeitas implying that Hemerely "had a taste of death," as we say,—passedthrough it with the minimum of conscious experience of its terror.Preciselythecontraryiswhatisreallymeant.WhatthephrasesignifiesisthatHewasnotamerelypassivesubjectofdeath,ofwhomitismerelytobesaidthatHedied,andthatisallofit:butthatHedrainedthisbittercuptoitsdregs.Itisthehorrorandthepainsofdeaththatarethrownupboldly for our contemplationby thisphrase; and therefore it is used totake up again the preceding phrase,—"the suffering of death," a phrasewhich by an unexpected turn of expression itself emphasizes thesufferingsofdeath.JesusbecameamannotmerelythatHemightsufferdeath, but that He might endure the sufferings of death. He was notmerely the object on which death wrought; He in dying suffered, hadstrong agonies to endure. And now, our present clause adds that thisdreadfulcupofdeathwasdrunkbyHim,forahighend,—thatbyGod'sgracebenefitsmightbesecuredformen.

Letusnotpassontoorapidlytoremindourselvesthatinthesewordsliestheemphasisnotonlyofourtext,butofthisentireEpistle.ForoneofthegreatobjectsofthisEpistlewastoexhibitthegloryofthedeathofChrist.To those old Jewish Christians for whom the Epistle was written, theoffenceofJesuswas—whattheoffenceofJesushasbeeneversincetoallwho, though not of Jewish blood, are of Jewish hearts—just the cross.JesusasGod's"interpreter,"thesupremeprophet,revealingbywordanddeed what God is and what God intends for man: Jesus as God's"messenger," the supernal agent in the divine work of gathering HispeopletoHimself:thesewereideasfamiliartothem,towhichtheygaveimmediate and glad hospitality. But Jesus, the bruised and brokensufferer hanging on the accursed tree,—it was hard for them to adjustthemselves to that; and this it was which, first of all things, as thecrueltiesoftheirlotshooktheircourageandfaith,theywereindangerofdrifting away from.This itwas, therefore,which, first of all things, theauthorofthisEpistledesiredtofixintheirheartsastooprecioustolosehold of; as, indeed, the very centre and core of their Christianity, firstspokenbytheLordHimself,andconfirmedtothembythosewhoheardHim,Godbearingwitnesswiththemwithsignsandwondersanddiversmiracles and gifts of theHolyGhost, distributed according toHiswill.

And therefore he gives his strength in the paragraph ofwhich our textforms a part to carrying home to them these two great truths: that itbecameGod—seeingthatHeitistowhomallthingstendastheirendandthroughwhomall thingscometopassas theirdirectorandgovernor,—withoutwhom,therefore,asendandmeans,nothingtakesplace—toleadmanysonstoglory;andthatitbecameHimequallytomaketheLeaderin their salvation perfect—that is, to bring His saving work to thecompletion which is its accomplishment—through suffering. These arethe two ideas, you will perceive at once, which, though they areannouncedintheforminwhichIhavejuststatedthemonlyinthenextverse,yetalreadydominateourtext.ForpreciselywhatourtextseekstoemphasizeisthatJesuspassedthroughsufferingstoglory;andthatthereasonwhy these sufferingswere crownedwith glorywas in order thattheymightbemadetoinuretothebenefitofeveryone.

There still remain two or three pointswhich require elucidation beforetheprecisemessageof the textmaybegraspedwithclearness.Perhapsthe first of these that will strike us is that the text does not directlyannouncethereasonwhyJesussuffered.AsIhavealreadypointedout,itdoes not say explicitly that Jesus suffered that many might enter intoglory;but ratheronly thatHehasbeencrownedwithhonourandglorythatHis sufferingsmight inure to thegoodof everyone.Forall that isopenly asserted in this verseby itself, itmightbeplausibly argued thatthesavingpowerofJesusresidedinHissessionattherighthandofGod,rather than inHisdeath; thoughnodoubtweshouldbegivenpause inpushing this notion by observing that after all His kingly power is notrepresented as itself the saving force, but only as needed to secure, itsproper efficacy to His death: "That the bitterness of His death shouldinuretothegoodofeveryone."Andthecontextspeedilysuppliesallthatmaybethoughtwantinginthetextitself.WeareimmediatelytoldthatitwasbecominginourLordastheLeaderinoursalvationtopartakeinallthatbelongstothosewhomHewouldleadtoglory,sinceonlysocouldheopen the way for them to this glory: He must through death bring tonaughtHimthathadthepowerofdeath,thatisthedevil,anddeliverallthemwhothroughfearofdeathwerealltheirlifetimesubjecttobondage.Obviously it issinthatblocksthewaytotheirascenttoglory,andsoonwefinditexpresslydeclaredthatthereasonwhyourLordwasmadein

allthingslikeuntoHisbrethrenwasthatasamercifulandfaithfulhighpriestHemightmake propitiation for the sins of the people.Wemustnot,therefore,inferfromtheabsenceofexpressmentionofitinourtextthattheauthorofourEpistledidnotlookuponthesufferingsanddeathofChristasprimarilyandabovealltheexpiationofsin:orimaginethatthisideadoesnotunderlieandcolourthelanguageofthetextandneednotbeheldinmindbyusaspartofitspresupposition.Onthecontrary,this is one of the main foundations, as of the whole argument of theEpistle,soofourtextaswell.

Meanwhileitisnotthrownforwardinourtext,andthereasonis,ashasalready been intimated, that the aspect of salvation which is for themomentengrossingthemindoftheauthorisnotthatofdeliverancefromthecurseofsin.He is lookingatsalvationat thispointofhisargumentnot on its negative, but on its positive side.Hismind is not full at themomentofwhatman issaved from,butwithwhatman issavedto.Hecannot help speaking of the sufferings of Christ, and throwing thesesufferings out in the highest relief: for it was in and through thesesufferingsthatChristsavedus.ButHiseyeisset,notonthedepthsoutofwhichthissalvationhasraisedus,butontheheightstowhichitpromisestoelevateus.Thisiswhatisswellinginhisheartwhenhecallsit"sogreatsalvation."Andthespecificaspectofitsgreatnesswhichisoccupyinghisattentionistheuniversaldominionwhichitbringstosavedmankind.Othegreatnessofthissalvation,whichJesusChristhaswroughtforus,heseemstocry;byitweareelevatedwell-nightothethroneofGoditself,andallcreationisplacedbeneathourfeet!

It is especially important to note the completeness of the writer'spreoccupation at this point with the positive side of salvation, and,indeed,withtheparticularaspectofthepositivesideofsalvationwhichconsistsintheestablishingofmankindinitsdestineddominionoverthecreation, in order that we may understand another peculiarity of hisexposition.ThisistheapparentinclusionofChristHimselfamongthosewhoshareinthesalvationadvertedto.Nothingcouldbefurtherfromourauthor's mind than that theory of the atonement, sometimes vividlycalled the theoryof "salvationby sample,"which conceivesourLord inHisincarnationtohavetakensinfulflesh,andtohaveparticipatedinHis

own work of saving humanity from sin. Our author is express in hisassertion that our Lord was "without sin," although He was offeredspecificallytobearthesinsofmany;andHemakesitapartofourLord'ssuperiority to the priest of the shadow-dispensation that He did notrequire as thepriestdid tooffer sacrifice forHimself aswell as for thepeople.OurauthornomorethantheotherwritersoftheNewTestamentimaginedJesustoparticipateinHisownpropitiationforsin.Yet,inthiscontext,hespeaksofHimas"theLeader insalvation,"makinguseofaterm variously rendered, "Author," "Captain," "Prince," of salvation,whichmay seem to imply thatHe leads in salvation becauseHe is thefirsttotakepartinit,aswellastheprincipalcauseofit;aswemayspeakof a badman as the leader in all the evil in which a coterie under hisinfluence indulges;or,moreappropriately in this connection,ofagoodman as the leader in all the goodworks his example inspires; or, evenbetterstill,ofagreatpopularsaviourlikeWashingtonastheleaderofhispeopleintofreedomandpower.And,indeed,ourwholepassageiscastinsome such mould as this. For what does it do but bid us see in theexaltation of Jesus to the throne of the universe, the fulfilment inprinciple of the promise in the Psalm of universal dominion to man,which is here identifiedwith the great salvation earned by Christ? TheexplanationofthisapparentinclusionofJesusHimselfinHisownsavingwork,isfoundintheengrossmentofthewriterwiththepositiveaspectofsalvation, and that asmanifested in dominion over the creation, to theexclusionforthemomentofcontemplationofitswholenegativeside.

Thenegativeaspectofsalvation,nodoubt,enterstoodeeplyintotheveryessence of salvation ever to be wholly out of mind when the work ofChrist isspokenof.Andtherefore,thoughtheimmediateinterestofthewriter,inourtext,restsnotsomuchontherelationofChrist'sdeathtothe guilt which it expiates, as on its relation to the glory which itpurchases, yet he not only alludes to His death, but throws it intoprominence as the basis of all that Jesus has obtained for men. Andcertainlythereisnoforgetfulnessapparentthatitwasforothers,notforHimself, thatallourLord'sworkwasdone.Theverypurpose forwhichthewholepassagewaswrittenistoemphasizethefactthatitwasnotforHimself but for others that our Lord wrought: and that purpose isnowheremoreemphaticallyassertedthaninthisveryculminatingclause

of our text, the assertion of which is precisely that our Lord's bitterexperience of death was on behalf of others: "In order that, thus, HistastingofdeathmightbyGod'sgraceinuretothebenefitofeveryman."Theenergyofthisexpressionissogreat,infact,thatwemaypossiblybemisled by it into attaching a meaning to it which was certainly notintendedbyitsauthor.Byhisusehereoftheterm"everyman"—"inorderthatHemighttasteofdeathforeveryman"—theauthorhasnointentionof asserting a universal salvation. As we are reminded by a recentcommentator, he "nowhere expresses hope or expectation of universalredemption."Hisinterestisnotinassertingthateachandeverymanwholivesintheworld,orhaslivedorwillliveinit,shallattaintotheuniversaldominionpromised through thePsalmist.Heknows verywell that thiswillnotbethecase;noonecouldbemoreearnestthanheisinwarninghisreadersagainstneglectingthisgreatsalvationandincurringthefateofthornsandthistleswhoseendistobeburned.Andtherefinementofauniversalredemptionwhichdoesnottakeuniversaleffect,buthangsforits realization upon a condition to be fulfilled by the redeemedthemselves, is foreign to his whole thought.He is speaking in our textmoreover not of the intention with which Christ died, but of therealization of that intention through the power of the ascended Christ.His interest is absorbed in the contrast between Jesus' earning thepromised dominion for Himself alone, and His earning it for others.Whatheasserts,and thatwith thehighestenergy, is thatJesusdidnotact forHimself in the great transaction which he speaks of as this "sogreatsalvation,"butforothers:andthattheresultofitisnotthatbyitHeHimselfattainedtohonourandglory,butthatHebyitledamultitudeofsons of God into glory. And therefore the "every one" of this verse isimmediatelytranslatedintothe"manysons"ofthenext:"ForitbecameHim,forwhomareallthings,andthroughwhomareallthings,tobringmanysonsintoglory."

Certainly there is a sense inwhich this "every one" is the human race.Jesus' endurance of death for every one is set forth as the ground onwhichthefulfilmentofthePsalmist'spromiseisbased.Andthatpromisewasthattomanshouldbegivedominionovercreation.Thenerveoftheassertion our authormakes is that Christ's ascension toHis glory is inorder that His death, suffered on earth, should bring about this great

consummation:"InorderthatbyGod'sgraceHisenduranceofdeathmaybe for every one,"—that is, may redound to the glorification, theestablishmenton itsdestined throne,notofHimself, butof thehumanrace.Thepromise is to thehumanrace;Christ isbut the instrumentofsecuring its fulfilment to the race.He entersHis glorynot forHimself,anymore thanHedied forHimself;but thatHemightbringabout theglorificationoftherace."Everyone"meanshere,thus,simplytheraceatlarge,anditspeculiarformisnotintendedtodistributetheraceintoitsunits,andtodeclarethattheconsummationshallfailfornooneoftheseunits;butwith thegreatestpossible energy toassert the racial effectofourLord'swork.NotforHimself,butformanitwasthatHedied;notforHimself, but forman itwas thatHehas ascended intoheavenandhasseatedHimselfontherighthandofGod;notforHimself,butformanisitthatHehasbeencrownedwithgloryandhonour,thatHisdeathmaynotbeofnoeffect,butbyGod'sgraceHisenduranceofdeathmayinuretothebenefitofmankind.

Andnow,perhaps,wearepreparedtardilytothrowintoitsproperrelieftheespecialmessageofthetextforus.Whatisitbutthis:ThenecessityoftheexaltationofChristforthecompletionofHissavingwork?WeareaccustomedtothinkofChristdyingforus.LetusrememberthatHenotonly died for us, but rose again for us: Paul says that He who wasdeliveredupforourtrespasseswasraisedforourjustification.AndletusrememberthatHewasnotonlyraisedforus,butascendedintoheavenforusandsitsattherighthandofGodforus.ItwasthereforethatourLorddeclared that itwasexpedient forus thatHeshouldgoaway,andthatPaul exhortsus to remember JesusChrist, risen from thedead, oftheseedofDavid.WhatourauthordoeswhenhedeclaresthatwebeholdJesus,madealittlelowerthanangelsforthesufferingofdeath,crownedwithgloryandhonour,thatHisbitterexperienceofdeathmaybeforthebenefitofeveryone, is to fixoureyesonthesavingworkof theexaltedJesus. IfHedied to expiateour sins,He reigns inheaven thatHemayapply thebenefits accruing from that expiation toHispeople, andmaythusbringthemintothegloryHehaspurchasedforthem.If,saysPaul,whilewewereenemies,wewerereconciledwithGodthroughthedeathofHisSon,muchmore,being reconciled, shallwebe savedbyHis life.Christnomoredied forus two thousandyearsagoatCalvary, thanHe

nowlivesforusinheaven.

An exhortation to fix our eyes on the exalted Saviour was eminentlytimelywhenthisEpistlewaswritten;anditisnolesstimelyto-dayafterthe passage of these two thousand years. Then, theHebrewChristians,puzzled anddistressedby the spectacle of a sufferingChrist, needed tohave theirhearts cheeredand their faith steadiedby thegreatvisionofthe exalted Christ: they needed to be continually reminded that Jesusdied,not forHimselfbut forman, and thatHisdeath cannot fail of itshigh purpose, seeing that He Himself, sitting on the throne of theuniverse,willseetoitthattheseedthatwassowninsorrowshallproducea harvestwhich shall be reaped in joy:He shall see of the soul and besatisfied. And we to-day, in the special trials to faith which an age ofcriticaldoubthasbroughttous,needtokeepinconstantremembrancethatourtrustisputnotinadead,butinalivingChrist,—inaChristwhodied,indeed,butwhomthetombcouldnotretain,butlo!Heisaliveforevermore. The fashionable, I do not say unbelief, I say the fashionablebelief,aboutusto-day,forgetsorneglects,oropenlyturnsitsbackuponthelivingChrist,andbidsusseekinspirationforour livesandhopeforourfuture,inaJesuswholivedanddiedinPalestinetwothousandyearsago,—andthatwasall.Dimlyseenthroughtheever-increasingobscurityofthegatheringyears,thatgreatfigurehasstillthepowertoattractthegazeandtoquickenthepulses—yes,todominatethelives—ofmen.Thisis,nodoubt,much;butsolittleisitall,thatitistheleastofwhatwearetoseekand to find inJesusChrist.He isour inspiration;and,knowingHimbetter than these, ourwould-be guides, knowHim,He is alsoourexample. But He is so much more than our inspiration or even ourexample, thatwe need scarcely think of these thingswhenwe think ofHim:He isour life.AndHe isour lifenotonlybecauseHehaswashedout in His blood the death-warrant that had been issued against us—giving,asHeHimselfphrasedit,Hislifeasaransomformany—butalsobecause,afterHehadpurchasedustoHimselfbyHispreciousblood,Hehasbecometousthelivingfountainandever-flowingsourceof lifeandblessedness.Jesuson thecross isourSaviour;and it isourprivilege tobeholdHimonHiscross,anall-sufficientsacrificeforoursins.ButJesusonHisthroneisourSaviourtoo;anditisourprivilegeto-day,aswereadtheloftywordsofthisgreatdeclarationoftheEpistletotheHebrews,to

behold Him on His throne, crowned with glory and honour, that HistastingofdeathmaybyGod'sgracebetheactualsalvationofoursouls.

Letusfixoureyesandsetourheartsto-day,then,onourexaltedSaviour.LetusseeHimonHisthronemadeheadoverall thingstoHisChurch,withallthereinsofgovernmentinHishands,—rulingovertheworld,andallthechangesandchancesoftime,thatallthingsmayworktogetherforgoodtothosethatloveHim.LetusseeHimthroughHisspiritrulingoverourhearts,governingallourthoughts,guidingallourfeelings,directingall our wills, that, being His, saved by His blood, we may under Hisunceasingcontrolsteadilyworkoutoursalvation,asHeworksinusboththewillingand thedoing, in accordancewithHis goodpleasure.As, inour unrighteousness, we know we have an Advocate with the Father,JesusChrist therighteous,—or,asourownEpistleputs it,agreatHighPriest who has entered within the veil and ever liveth to makeintercessionthereforus:soletusknowthatinourweaknesswehavetheprotectingarmof theKingofkingsandLordof lordsaboutus,andHewillnotletusslip,butwilllosenonethattheFatherhasgivenHim,butwill raise themup at the last day.Having been tempted like aswe are(thoughwithoutsin),Heisabletosympathizewithusinourinfirmities;havingsufferedaswedo,Heknowshowtosupportusinourtrials;andhavingopenedawayinHisownbloodleadingtolife,Heknowshowtoconductourfalteringstepsthatwemaywalkinit.ChristourSaviourison the throne. The hands thatwere piercedwith the nails of the crosswieldthesceptre.Howcanoursalvationfail?

ArtthouafraidHispowershallfail

Whencomesthineevilday?

Orcananall-creatingarm

Growweary,ordecay?

Supremeinwisdomasinpower,

TheRockofAgesstands;

ThoughHimthoucanstnotsee,nortrace

TheworkingsofHishands.

What matters it if we cannot see? There is a firmer foundation forconfidence here than sight. "Who shall separate us from the love ofChrist? shall tribulation, or anguish, or persecution, or famine, ornakedness,orperil,orsword?…Nay,inallthesethingswearemorethanconquerorsthroughHimthatlovedus.ForIampersuadedthatneitherdeath, nor life, nor angels, nor principalities, nor things present, northings to come, nor powers, nor height, nor depth, nor any othercreature, shall be able to separate us from the love ofGod,which is inChristJesusourLord."LetusblessGodto-daythatwecanbeholdJesus,notonlymadealittlelowerthantheangelsforthesufferingofdeath,but,having suffered death for us, crowned with glory and honour, that byGod'sgracethebitterpainsHesufferedinourbehalfmaybeefficaciousforthesavingofoursouls.

Justoneword,inclosing,especiallytoyouwhohavegivenyourselvestothe service of Christ in the ministry of His grace. Remember that youservealiving,notadeadChrist.YouaretotrustinHisblood.Initalonehaveyoulife.ButyouaretorememberthatHewasnotbrokenbydeath,butbrokedeath;andhavingpurchasedyoutoHimselfbyHisblood,nowrulesoveryoursoulsfromHisheavenlythrone.Heisyourmasterwhomyouaretoobey.HehasgivenyoucommandmenttobringallpeoplestotheknowledgeofHim.AndHehaspromisedtobewithyou,eventotheend of the world. Live with Him. Keep fast hold upon Him; be incompletetouchwithHim.LetyourheartsdwellwithHimintheheavenlyplaces,thatthearmofHisstrengthmaybewithyouinyourearthlytoil.Let thisbe thatbywhichallmenknowyou: that ingoodreportand inbad, in lifeand indeath, in thegreatand in thesmallaffairsof life—ineverything youdodown to theminutest acts of your everyday affairs—youaretheservantsoftheLordChrist.SowillyoubetrulyHisdisciples,andsowillHebeyourSaviour—untotheuttermost.

THERISENJESUS

2TIMOTHY2:8:—RememberJesusChrist,risenfromthedead.

THE opening verses of the second chapter of the Second Epistle toTimothyareinessenceacomprehensiveexhortationtofaithfulness.TheapostlePaulwaslyingimprisonedatRome,withexpectationofnootherissuethandeath.TheinfantChurchhadfallenuponperiloustimes.Falseteachers were assailing the very essence of the Gospel. Defection hadinvadedtheinnermostcircleoftheapostle'scompanions.Treacheryhadattackedhisownperson.Overagainstallthesedreadfulmanifestationsofimpending destruction, he strenuously exhorts his own son in faith,Timothy,tosteadfastfaithfulness.Faithfulnesstohimself,faithfulnesstothe cause he had at heart, faithfulness to the truth as he preached it,faithfulnesstoJesusChrist,theircommonRedeemerandLord.

The temptations to unfaithfulness bywhich Timothywas assailedwereverynumerousandvery specious.Manygoodmenhad fallenandwerefallingvictimstothem.Thepervertedteachingsoftheerroristsofthedaywereurgedwithagreatshowof learningandwitheminentplausibility.And theywereannouncedwitha fine scornwhichopenlydeclared thatonlydullwitscouldrestinthecrudeideaswithwhichPaulhadfacedtheworld—and lost. The sword of persecution had been ruthlesslyunsheathed,andsufferingsandacrueldeathwatchedinthewayofthosewhowouldfainwalkinthepathPaulhadbrokenout.Itseemedasifthewhole fabricwhich the apostle had built up at such cost of labour andpainwasabouttofallabouthisears.

Pauldoesnotforamoment,however,losecourage,eitherforhimself,orfor his faithful followers. But neither does he seek to involve Timothyunwittinglyinthedifficultiesanddangersinwhichhefoundhimself.Heratherbidshim first of all to count thewhole cost.And thenhepointshimtoasourceofstrengthwhichwillsupplyallhisneeds.Wecalledthepassage an exhortation. We might better call it, more specifically, anencouragement.Andtheencouragementculminatesinaveryremarkablesentence.Thissentenceispregnantenoughtorevealatoncethecentral

thoughtofPaul'sGospelandthecitadelofhisownstrength.Amidallthesurrounding temptations, all the encompassing dangers, Paul bidsTimothytobear inmind,as thesufficingsourceofaboundingstrength,thegreatcentraldoctrine,—orrather,letussay,thegreatcentralfact—ofhispreaching,ofhisfaith,ofhislife.Andheenunciatesthisgreatfact,inthesewords:JesusChristraisedfromthedead,oftheseedofDavid.

It is, of course, to the glorified Jesus that Paul directs his own andTimothy'sgaze.Or, tobemorespecific, it is to theregal lordshipof theresurrectedJesusthathepointsastheChristian'sstrengthandsupport.Thelanguageiscompressedtotheextremityofconciseness.Itisdifficulttoconveyitsfullforceexceptindilutedparaphrase.PaulbidsTimothyinthe midst of all the besetting perplexities and dangers whichencompassed him to strengthen his heart by bearing constantly inremembrance, not Jesus Christ simpliciter, but Jesus Christ conceivedspecificallyastheLordoftheUniverse,whohasbeendead,butnowlivesagainandabidesforeverinthepowerofanendlesslife;astheroyalseedofDavid ascended in triumph toHis eternal throne. It is not from theexaltationofJesusalone,letusobserve,thatPauldrawsandwouldhaveTimothydrawstrengthtoendureinthecrisiswhichhadfallenupontheirlives. It is to thecontrastbetween thepasthumiliationand thepresentgloryoftheexaltedLordthathedirectshiseyes.Hedoesnotsaysimply,"BearinmindthatJesusChristsitsonthethroneoftheuniverseandallthings are under His feet," although, of course, it is the universaldominionofJesuswhichgivesitsforcetotheexhortation.Hesays,"BearinmindthatJesusChristhasbeenraised fromthedead,of theseedofDavid—that it isHethatdiedwho,raised fromthedead,sitsaseternalking in the heavens." No doubt a part of the apostle's object in hisallusion to the past humiliation of the exalted Lord is to constitute aconnectionbetweenJesusChristandhisfaithfulfollowers,thattheymaybecome imitators of Him. They, the viatores, may see in Him, theconsummator,onewho like themhadHimselfbeenviator,andmaybeexcited to follow after Him that they too may in due time becomeconsummatores.Butthenerveoftheexhortation,obviously,doesnotlieinthis,astheverylanguageinwhichitiscouchedsufficientlyavouches.HowcouldTimothyimitateourLordinbeingoftheseedofDavid?Howcould he imitate Him by ascending the throne of the universe?

Fundamentallytheapostle ispointingtoChristnotasourexample,butasouralmightySaviour.HemeanstoadducethegreatthingsaboutHim.AndthecentraloneofthegreatthingsheadducesaboutHimisthatHehasbeenraisedfromthedead.

Itisnottobeoverlooked,ofcourse,thatPauladvertstotheresurrectionofChristherewithhismindabsorbednotsomuchintheactofHisrisingas in its issues. "Bear inmind," he says, "JesusChrist, as onewhohasbeenraisedfromthedead":thatistosay,asonewhocouldnotbeholdenof the grave, but has burst the bonds of death, and lo! He lives forevermore. But neither can it be overlooked that it is specifically to theresurrection,whichisanact,thatheadverts;andthatheadvertstoitinsuchamannerastomakeitmanifestthatthefactoftheresurrectionofChristheldaplaceinhisGospelwhichdeservestobecallednothinglessthan central. The exalted Christ is conceived by him distinctly as theresurrectedJesus;andit isclearthat,hadtherebeennoresurrectionofJesus,PaulwouldnothaveknownhowtopointTimothy to theexaltedChristasthesourceofhisstrengthtofacewithcouragethehardshipsanddefeats of life. From this great fact, he derives, therefore, the veryphraseology with which he exhorts Timothy, with rich reference to allthat is involved in Christ our Forerunner, to die with his Lord that hemight also livewithHim, to endurewithHim thathemight also reignwithHim.ToPaul,itisclear,theresurrectionofChristwasthehingeonwhichturnedallhishopesandallhisconfidence,inlifeandalsoindeath.

Now,thereisasenseinwhichitisofnospecialimportancetolaystressontheplacewhichtheresurrectionofChristheldinPaul'sthoughtandpreaching.Inthissense,towit:thatnobodydoubtsthatitwascentraltoPaul's Gospel. It would seem impossible, in fact, to read the NewTestament andmiss observing that not only to Paul, but to the wholebody of the founders of Christianity, the conviction of the reality ofChrist'sbodilyresurrectionenteredintotheverybasisoftheirfaith.ThefactisbroadlyspreaduponthesurfaceoftheNewTestamentrecord.OurLordHimself deliberately stakedHis whole claim to the credit ofmenuponHisresurrection.WhenaskedforasignHepointedtothissignasHissingleandsufficientcredential.TheearliestpreachersoftheGospelconceived witnessing to the resurrection of their Master to be their

primaryfunction.Thelivelyhopeandsteadfastfaithwhichsprangupinthemtheyascribedtoitspower.Paul'swholegospelwasthegospeloftheRisenSaviour:toHiscallheascribedhisapostleship;andtoHisworking,allthemanifestationoftheChristianfaithandlife.

ThereareinparticulartwopassagesinPaul'sEpistles,whichreveal,inanalmost startling way, the supreme place which was ascribed to theresurrectionofChristbythefirstbelieversintheGospel.

Inacontextofveryspecialvigourhedeclaresroundlythat"ifChristhathnotbeenraised"theapostolicpreachingandtheChristianfaitharealikevanity,and thosewhohavebelieved inChrist lieyetunrelievedof theirsins.HismeaningisthattheresurrectionofChristoccupiedthecentreofthe Gospel which was preached alike by him and all the apostles, andwhich had been received by all Christians. If, then, this resurrectionshouldprovetobenotarealoccurrence,thepreachersoftheGospelareconvicted of being false witnesses of God, the faith founded on theirpreachingisprovedanemptything,andthehopesconceivedonitsbasisare rendered void. Here Paul implicates with him the whole Christiancommunity, teachers and taught alike, as suspending the truth ofChristianityontherealityoftheresurrectionofChrist.Andsoconfidentisheofuniversalagreement in the indispensablenessof this fact to theintegrityoftheChristianmessage,thatheusesitforhissolefulcrumforpryingback thedoctrine of the resurrectionof believers into its properplace in the faith of his sceptical readers. "If deadmen are not raised,neitherhathChristbeenraised," ishissoleargument.Andheplies thisargumentwiththeairofamanwhoknowsfullwellthatnoonewhocallshimselfaChristianwilltoleratethatconclusion.ThefactthatChristhasbeen raised lay firmly embedded in the depths of the Christianconsciousness.

In some respects even more striking are the implications of suchphraseology as meets us in another passage. Here the apostle iscontrasting all the "gains" of the fleshwith the one great "gain" of thespirit—Christ Jesus the Lord. As over against "the excellency of theknowledge of Christ Jesus, his Lord," he declares that he esteems "allthings"asbutrefuse,—theheapofleavingsfromthefeastwhichissweptfromthetableforthedogs,—ifonlyhemay"gainChristandbefoundin

Him," if only, he repeats, he may "know Him, and the power of Hisresurrection, and the fellowship ofHis sufferings, becoming conformedintoHisdeath;ifbyanymeanshemayattaintotheresurrectionfromthedead." The structure of the sentence requires us to recognize the veryessenceof the savingefficacyofChrist as resident in "thepowerofHisresurrection." It is through the power exerted byHis resurrection thatHis savingwork takes effect onmen. That is to say, Paul discovers thecentreofgravityoftheChristianhopenolessthanoftheChristianfaithinthefactoftheresurrectionofChrist.AndoftheChristianlifeaswell.Fromthegreat fact thatChristhasrisen fromthedead,proceedall theinfluencesbywhichChristiansaremadeinlifeandattainments,hereandhereafter,likeHim.

Inthefaceofsuchevidence,spreadbroadcastovertheNewTestament,no one has been able to question that the founders of Christianityentrenched themselves in the factofChrist's resurrectionas thecentralstrongholdoftheirhope,faith,andproclamation.Wedonotneedtolaystress,therefore,onthisimplicationinsuchapassageasthatbeforeus,asifwewereseekingproofforadoubtfulorevenforadoubtedfact.Theimportance of our laying stress on its implication here and its openassertion throughout the New Testament, is that we may be able toestimate thereal significanceofaverywide-spread tendencywhichhasariseninourowntimetoquestiontheimportanceofthiseventonwhichthefoundersofChristianitylaidsuchgreatemphasis,andtowhichtheyattached such palmary consequence. If nobody doubts that the firstpreachers of the Gospel esteemed the resurrection of Christ thefoundation-stoneof theirproclamation, the chief stayof their faithandhope alike, there are neverthelessmanywho do not hesitate to declareroundlythatthefirstpreachersoftheGospelweregrosslydeceivedinsoesteemingit.Thisisaninevitablesequence,indeed,ofthecharinesswithrespect to the supernaturalwhich so strongly characterizesourmodernworld.The "unmiraculousChristianity"whichhas, inoneoranotherofits modes of conception, grown so fashionable in our day, as it couldscarcely allow that themost stupendousof allmiracles really lay at thebasisofChristianityinitshistoricalorigins,socannotpossiblyallowthatconfidence in the reality of this stupendous miracle lies to-day at thefoundationof theChristian's lifeandhope.Toallowthesethingswould

be to confess that Christianity is through and through a supernaturalreligion—supernatural in its origin, supernatural in its sanctions,supernatural in its operations in the world. And then,—what wouldbecomeof"unmiraculousChristianity"?

Accordingly,wehavenow formore than awhole generation, been toldoverandoveragain,andwithever-increasingstridencyofvoice, that itmakesnomannerofdifferencewhetherJesusrosefromthedeadornot.Themain fact,weare told, isnotwhether thebodythatwas laid in thetombwas resuscitated. Of what religious value, we are asked, can thatpurely physical fact be to any man? The main fact is that Jesus—thatJesuswho lived in theworld a life of such transcendent attractiveness,going about doing good, and byHis unshaken and unshakable faith inprovidencerevealedtomentheloveofaFather-God,—thisJesus,thoughHeunderwenttheinevitableexperienceofchangewhichmencalldeath,yetstilllives.Lives!—livesinHisChurch;oratleastlivesinthatheaventowhichHepointedusasthehomeofourFather,andtowhichwemayall follow Him from the evils of this life; or in any event lives in theinfluence which His beautiful and inspiring life still exerts upon Hisfollowers and through them in theworld. This, this,we are told, is thefact of real religious value; the only fact upon which the religiousemotionscantakehold;bywhichthereligiouslifecanbequickened;andthroughwhichwemaybeimpelledtoreligiouseffortandstrengthenedinreligiousendurance.

Thebeautyofthelanguageinwhichtheseassertionsareclothedandthefervour of religious feeling with which it is suffused, must not bepermittedtoblindustotherealissuethatisraisedbythem.Thisisnotwhetherourfaithisgroundedinamereresuscitationofadeadmantwothousandyearsago;orratherinalivingLordreigningintheheavens.Itisnot thepeculiarityof thisnewview that it focusesmen's eyeson theglorified Jesus and bids them look to Him for their inspiration andstrength.That iswhat theapostlesdid,andwhatall,sincetheapostles,who have followed in their footsteps, have done. Paul did not say toTimothymerely,"RememberthatJesusChrist,whenHedied,roseagainfromthedead,"—althoughtohavesaidthatwouldhavebeentohavesaidmuch.DirectingTimothy'seyestotheglorifiedJesus,reigninginpower

intheheavens,hesaid,"RememberJesusChrist,risenfromthedead,oftheseedofDavid."Itisnot,then,thepeculiarityofthisnewviewthatithas discovered the living and reigning Christ. The living and reigningChristhasalwaysbeentheobjectoftheadoringfaithofChristians.ItisitspeculiaritythatitneglectsordeniestheresurrectedChrist.

ItdoesnotpretendthatinneglectingordenyingtheresurrectedChristitdoesnotbreakwiththeentiretyofhistoricalChristianity.Itfreelyallowsthat the apostles firmly believed in a resurrected Christ, and that,following theapostles,Christiansup to to-dayhave firmlybelieved inaresurrected Christ. And it freely allows that this firm belief in aresurrected Christ has been the source of much of the enthusiasm ofChristianfaithandoftheChristianpropagandathroughalltheages.Butit hardily affirms that this emphasis on the resurrected Christneverthelessinvolvesagrossconfusion—nolessaconfusionthanthatofthekernelwiththehusk.Anditstoutlymaintainsthatthetimehascometo shell off the husk and keep the kernel only. Religious belief, we aretold, cannot possibly rest on or be inseparably connected with a mereoccurrence in timeand space.Whatothershave seen inadifferentagefrom ours—what is that to us? That Jesus rose from the dead twothousandyears ago andwas seenofmen—howcan that concernus to-day?AllthatcanpossiblybeofanysignificancetousisthatHewas"notswallowedupindeath,butpassedthroughsufferinganddeathtoglory,that is, to life, power, and honour." "Faith has nothing to do with theknowledgeoftheforminwhichJesuslives,butonlywiththeconvictionthatHeisthelivingLord."

Herenow isabrand-newconceptionof thematter, standing inexpresscontrast,andinexpresslyacknowledgedcontrast,withtheconceptionofthe founders, and hitherto of the whole body of the adherents, ofChristianity.Itistheoutgrowth,aswehavealreadyhinted,ofadistastefor the supernatural. To get rid of the supernatural in the origins ofChristianity, its entire historical character is surrendered. TheChristianity now to be proclaimed is to be confessedly a "newChristianity"—adifferentChristianityfromanywhichhaseverheretoforeexistedonthefaceoftheearth.Anditsnoveltyconsistsinthis,thatitisto have no roots in historical occurrences of any kind whatsoever.

Religiousbelief,wearetold,mustbeindependentofallmerefacts.

WemustnotforgetthattheprofessedpurposeofthisnewdeterminationoftherelationofChristianitytofactistosaveChristianity.IfChristianityis independent of all historical facts, why, it is clear that it cannot beassailed through the medium of historical criticism. Let criticismreconstructthehistoricalcircumstanceswhichhavebeenconnectedwithitsoriginasitmay;itcannottouchthisChristianitywhichstandsoutofrelationwithallhistoricaloccurrenceswhatever.Doubtlessitwouldbeagreat relief tomanyminds tobeemancipated fromall fearofhistoricalcriticism. But it is certainly a great price we are asked to pay for thisemancipation.ThepriceindeedisnolessanonethanChristianityitself.FortheobviouseffectofthedetachmentofChristianityfromallhistoricalfactistodismissChristianityoutoftherealmoffact.

Christianity is a "historical religion," and a "Christianity" whollyunrelatedtohistoricaloccurrencesisjustnoChristianityatall.Religion,—yes,manmayhave religionwithouthistorical facts tobuildupon, formanisareligiousanimalandcannomoreescapefromreligionthanhecanescapefromanyotherofhispersistentinstincts.HemaystillbythegraceofGodknowsomethingofGodandthesoul,moral responsibilityandimmortality.Butdonoteventheheathenknowthesame?Andwhathavewemorethanthey?Wemaystillcallbythenameof"Christianity"the tatteredragsofnatural religionwhichmaybe leftuswhenwehavecast away all the facts which constitute Christianity,—the age-longpreparationforthecomingoftheKingdomofGod;theIncarnationoftheSonofGod;HisatoningdeathontheCross;Hisrisingagainonthethirdday and His ascension to heaven; the descent of the Spirit on thePentecostal birthday of the Church. But to do so is to outrage all theproprieties of honest nomenclature. For "Christianity" is not a meresynonymof"religion,"butisaspecificformofreligiondeterminedinitspeculiarityby thegreat seriesofhistoricaloccurrenceswhichconstitutethe redemptive work of God in this sinful world, among whichoccurrences the resurrection of Christ holds a substantial and in somerespectsthekeyposition.

The impossibility of sustaining anything which can be called"Christianity"withoutembracinginithistoricalfacts,maybeillustrated

bythedifficultyincarryingouttheirprogrammewhichisexperiencedbymenwhotalkoffreeingChristianityfromitsdependenceonfacts.Fordothey not bid us to abstract our minds, indeed, from that imaginedresuscitation that occurred in Palestine (if it occurred at all) twothousandyearsago,but to focus themneverthelesson the livingJesus,who has survived death and still lives in heaven? Do they forget thatwhentheysay"Jesus"theyalreadysay"history"?Whoisthis"Jesus"whostill lives inheaven, and the fact ofwhose still living inheaven,havingpassedthroughdeath,istobeourinspiration?DidHeonceliveonearth?And, living on earth, did He not manifest that unwavering faith inprovidencewhichrevealstheFather-Godtous?Otherwisewhatisittousthat He "still" lives in heaven? To be free from the entanglements ofhistory; to-be immune from theassaultsofhistorical criticism; it isnotenoughtoceasetocareforsuchfactsasHisresurrection:wemustceasetocare for thewhole factofJesus.Jesus isahistorical figure.WhatHewas,nolessthanwhatHedid,isamatterofhistoricaltestimony.Whenwe turn our backs on historical facts as of no significance to our"Christianity," wemust turn our backs aswell on Jesus—any Jesuswechoosetorescueforourselvesfromthehandsofhistoricalcriticism.Hewhowouldhaveareally"unhistoricalChristianity"mustknownoJesuswhetheronearthorinheaven.AndsurelyaChristianitywithoutJesusisjustnoChristianityatall.

Christianitythenstandsorfallswiththehistoricalfactswhich,wedonotsaymerely accompanied its advent into theworld, buthave given it itsspecificformasareligion.Thesehistoricalfactsconstituteitssubstance,and to be indifferent to them is to be indifferent to the substance ofChristianity. In these circumstances it is a dangerous proceeding todeclare this or that one of them of no significance to the Christianreligion. Especially is it a dangerous proceeding to single out for thisdeclaration,oneinwhichthefoundersofChristianitydiscoveredsomuchsignificanceas theydiscovered in theresurrectionofChrist.WhenPaulsays to us, not "Remember Jesus Christ enthroned in heaven," but"RememberJesusChrist,risenfromthedead,oftheseedofDavid,"wesurely must pause before we allow ourselves to say, "It is of noimportancewhetherHerosefromthedeadornot."Andifwepauseandthinkbut amoment,we certainly shall not fail to set our seal toPaul's

judgmentofthesignificanceofHisrisingfromthedeadtotheChristianreligion. For once let us cast our minds over the real place which theresurrection of Christ holds in the Christian system and we shall noteasily escape the conviction that this fact is fundamental to its entiremessage.

Let us recall in rapid survey some of the various ways in which theresurrectionofJesusevincesitselfaslyingatthebasisofallourhopeandofallthehopeoftheworld.

Itisnaturaltothink,firstofall,oftheplaceofthisgreatfactinChristianapologetics.Opinionsmayconceivablydifferwhetheritwouldhavebeenpossible to believe in Christianity as a supernaturally given religion ifChristhadremainedholdenofthegrave.Butitisscarcelydisputablethatthe fact that He did rise again, being once established, supplies anirrefragabledemonstrationof the supernatural originofChristianity, ofthe validity of Christ's claim to be the Son of God, and of thetrustworthinessofHisteachingasaMessengerfromGodtoman.Inthelight of this stupendous miracle, all hesitation with respect to thesupernatural accompaniments of the life that preceded it, or of thesucceedingestablishmentofthereligiontowhichitssealhadbeenset,—nay, of thewhole preparation for the coming of theMessenger of Godwhowastoliveanddieandriseagain,andofthewholeissueofHislifeanddeathandresurrection—becomesatonceunreasonableandabsurd.ThereligionofChrist isstampedatoncefromheavenasdivine,andallmarks of divinity in its preparation, accompaniments, and sequencesbecomeat once congruous andnatural.From the empty graveof Jesustheenemiesof thecross turnaway inunconcealabledismay.Christhasrisen from the dead! After two thousand years of themost determinedassaultupon the evidencewhich establishes it, that fact stands.And solong as it stands, Christianity too must stand as the one supernaturalreligion.TheresurrectionofChrististhefundamentalapologeticalfactofChristianity.

ButitholdsnomorefundamentalplaceinChristianapologeticsthanintherevelationoflifeandimmortalitywhichChristianitybringstoadyingworld.Byittheveilwasliftedandmenwerepermittedtoseetherealityof that other world to whichwe are all journeying. Thewhole relation

theyboretolifeanddeath,andthelifebeyonddeath,wasrevolutionizedtothosewhosawHimandcompaniedwithHimafterHehadrisenfromthe dead. Death had no longer any terrors for them: they no longerneeded to believe, they knew, that there was life on the other side ofdeath, that the grave was but a sojourning place, and, though theirearthlytent-dwellingweredissolved,theyhadabuildingofGod,ahousenotmade with hands, eternal in the heavens. And we who have comelatermay seewith their eyes andhandlewith their hands theWord ofLife.We can no longer speak of a bourne fromwhich no traveller e'erreturns. The resurrection of Christ has broken the middle wall ofpartitiondownandonlyaveilnowseparatesearthfromheaven.ThatHewhohasdiedhasbeenraisedagainandeverlivesinthecompletenessofHishumanity is the fundamental fact in the revelationof theChristiandoctrineofimmortality.

Equally fundamental is the place which Christ's resurrection occupiesrelatively to our confidence in His claims, His teachings, and Hispromises.TheLordofLifecouldnotsuccumbtodeath.Hadhenotrisen,couldwehavebelievedHimwhenHe"madeHimselfequalwithGod"?ByHis resurrectionHe set a sealonall the instructionswhichHegaveand on all the hopes whichHe awakened.Had the one signwhichHechose failed, would not His declarations have all failed with it? Is itnothingtousthatHewhosaid,"ComeuntoMeandIwillgiveyourest;"whohaspromisedtobewiththosewhotrustHim"alwaysevenuntotheendoftheworld;"whohasannouncedtoustheforgivenessofsins;hasproved that He has power to lay down His life and to take it again?Whetherisiteasiertosay,"Thysinsbeforgiventhee,"or"Iwillariseandwalk"?ThatHecouldnotbeholdenofdeath,butaroseinthepowerofadeathlesslife,givesustoknowthattheSonofManhaspowertoforgivesins.

Andthereisayetdeepertruth:theresurrectionofChristisfundamentalto the Christian's assurance that Christ's work is complete and Hisredemption isaccomplished. It isnotenough thatweshouldbeable tosay, "Hewasdeliveredup forour trespasses."Wemustbeable toadd,"Hewasraisedforourjustification."Elsewhatwouldenableustosay,HewasabletopaythepenaltyHehadundertaken?ThatHediedmanifests

HisloveandHiswillingnesstosave.ItisHisrisingagainthatmanifestsHispowerandHisabilitytosave.WecannotbesavedbyadeadChrist,whoundertookbutcouldnotperform,andwhostillliesundertheSyriansky,anothermartyrofimpotentlove.Tosave,Hemustpassnotmerelytobutthroughdeath.Ifthepenaltywasfullypaid,itcannothavebrokenHim, it must needs have been broken upon Him. The resurrection ofChrist is thus the indispensableevidenceofHiscompletedwork,ofHisaccomplishedredemption.ItisonlybecauseHerosefromthedeadthatwe know that the ransom He offered was sufficient, the sacrifice wasaccepted, and that we are His purchased possession. In one word, theresurrection of Christ is fundamental to the Christian hope and theChristianconfidence.

It is fundamental, therefore, toourexpectationofourselves rising fromthedead.BecauseChristhasrisen,wenomorejudgethat"ifonediedforall, thenalldied," "that thebodyof sinmightbedoneaway," than thathaving died with Him "we shall also live with Him." His resurrectiondragsoursinitstrain.InHisrisingHeconquereddeathandpresentedtoGodinHisownpersonthefirst-fruitsofthevictoryoverthegrave.InHisrisingwehavetheearnestandpledgeofourrising:"ForifwebelievethatJesus died and rose again, even so them also that are fallen asleep inJesuswillHebringwithHim."HadChristnotrisencouldwenourishsogreatahope?Couldwebelievethatwhat issownincorruptionshallberaisedinincorruption;whatissownindishonourshallberaisedinglory;whatissowninweaknessshallberaisedinpower;whatissownabodyunder the dominion of a sinful self shall be raised a body whollydeterminedbythespiritofGod?

Lastofall,toreverttothesuggestionofthewordsofPaulwithwhichwebegan,intheresurrectionofChristwehavetheassurancethatHeistheLordofheavenandearthwhoserightitistoruleandinwhosehandsaregatheredthereinsoftheuniverse.WithoutitwecouldbelieveinHislove:Hediedforus.WecouldbelieveinHiscontinuedlifebeyondthetomb:whodoesnot liveafterdeath?Itmightevenbepossible thatweshouldbelieveinHisvictoryoverevil:foritmightbeconceivedthatoneshouldbeholy,andyetinvolvedintheworkingofauniversallaw.Buthadhenotrisen, couldwe believeHim enthroned in heaven, Lord of all?Himself

subject to death; Himself the helpless prisoner of the grave; does Hediffer in kind from that endless procession of the slaves of deathjourneyinglikeHimthroughtheworldtotheoneinevitableend?Ifitisfundamental to Christianity that Jesus should be Lord of all; that GodshouldhavehighlyexaltedHimandgivenHimthenamewhichisaboveeveryname;thatinthenameofJesuseverykneeshouldbow,andeverytongue confess Him Lord: then it is fundamental to Christianity thatdeathtooshouldbesubjecttoHimanditshouldnotbepossibleforHimtoseecorruption.ThislastenemytooHemustneeds,asPaulasserts,putunderHis feet; and it is becauseHehasput this last enemyunderHisfeet that we can say with such energy of conviction that nothing canseparateusfromtheloveofGodwhichisinChristJesusourLord,—notevendeath itself: and thatnothing canharmus andnothing takeawayourpeace.

Othecomfort,Othejoy,Othecourage,thatdwellsinthegreatfactthatJesusistheRisenOne,oftheseedofDavid;thatastheRisenOneHehasbecomeHeadoverallthings;andthatHemustreignuntilHeshallhaveput all things under His feet. Our brother, who has like us beenacquaintedwithdeath,—Heitiswhorulesovertheages,theagesthatarepast,andtheagesthatarepassing,andtheagesthatareyettocome.Ifourheartsshouldfailusaswestandoveragainstthehostsofwickednesswhichsurroundus,letusencourageourselvesandoneanotherwiththegreatreminder:RememberJesusChrist,risenfromthedead,oftheseedofDavid!

THEGOSPELOFTHECOVENANT

JOHN6:38–39:—ForIamcomedownfromheaven,nottodoMineownwill,butthewillofHimthatsentMe.AndthisisthewillofHimthatsentMe, thatofall thatwhichHehathgivenMeIshould lose

nothing,butshouldraiseitupatthelastday.

IN themiracle of the feeding of the five thousand our Lord presentedHimself symbolically toman as the food of the soul. For, asAugustineremindsus, thoughthemiracleswroughtbyourLordaredivineworks,intendedprimarilytoraisethemindfromvisiblethingstotheirinvisibleauthor, yet their message is not exhausted by this. They are to beinterrogated also as towhat they tell us about Christ, and theywill befound to have a tongue of their own if we have skill to understand it."For,"headds,"sinceChristisHimselftheWordofGod,evenadeedoftheWord isaword tous."OneofHismiracles isaccordinglynot tobetreated as amere picture,whichwemay be satisfied to look upon andpraise;butratherasawriting,whichwearenotcontenttopraisethoughwedelight in itsbeauty,but findnosatisfactionuntilwehavereadandunderstood it. We may possibly consider Augustine's detaileddecipherment of the signs in which this miracle is written somewhatfanciful.Hediscoversinitacompleteparableofthesalvationofmanandofmen.Butwecanscarcelyrefuse,aswereaditinthepregnantrecordofJohn,tosayinPaulinephrase,"Thesethingscontainanallegory."

Assuch, indeed,Johnpresents it.This isthemeaningofhiscaretotellus, as he introduces his recital, that "the passoverwas at hand;" not amerechronologicalnote,wemaybesure;noryetmerelyanexplanationof the presence of the multitude, gathered for the pilgrimage toJerusalem;butapremonitionofwhatistocome,—John'saccountoftheoccasionandmeaningofthemiracle,whichitselfwastheoccasionofthegreatdiscourseon thebreadof life.Christ, the truepassover,chose thepassover time, when men's minds were upon the type, to present theantitypetotheminsymbolandopenspeech.ItwasthereforealsothatHetestedHisdiscipleswithsearchingquestions,designedtobringthemtothe discovery of whether they yet knew Him; and that He taxed thepeople that "signs" were wasted upon them, and that while they weredemanding a sign that they might see and believe, the sign had beengiven them, and though they had seen, they did not believe. It wastherefore above all, that Christ followed up the miracle with thewonderfuldiscourseinwhichHeexplainsthesign,anddeclaresHimselfopenlytobe"thebreadofGodthatcomethdownfromheavenandgiveth

life to the world." This is the tremendous truth which miracle anddiscourseunitedtoproclaimtothemultitudesgatheredontheshoresofGennesaretatthatpassoverseason;butwhich,despitetypeandsignandteaching—each a manifest word from God,—they could neither receivenorunderstand.Andthisistheblessedtruthwhichourtext,—takenfromthecentreofthediscourseandconstituting,indeed,itskernel,—presentstoourapprehensionandbeliefanewto-day.MaytheSpiritoftruth,whosearches all things, even the deep things of God, illuminate ourmindsandprepareourhearts,thatwemayunderstandandbelieve.

Letusbeginbyobserving the testimonybornebyourLordandMasterheretoHisheavenlyoriginanddescent:"Iamcomedownfromheaven,"He says. And the truth here declared is the foundation of the entirediscourse.Thewholegistof it is torepresentJesusasthe"breadoutofheaven," "the truebreadoutofheaven," "thebreadofGod thatcomethdownoutofheaven,"whichtheFatherhathgivenforthelifeoftheworld.IneednotremindyouhowthisrepresentationpervadesJohn'sGospel,—from the testimony of the Baptist, that He who was to supplant him"cometh from above," and is therefore "above all," to Jesus' owntriumphant declaration at the close of His life, that, His work beingfinished,He is ready to return to theFatherwho sentHim, and to theglory that He had with Him before the world was. Our presentasseverationisbutasingleinstanceoftheconstantself-testimonyoftheSonofMantoHisheavenlyoriginanddescent.

The older Unitarianism was prodigal of miracle. It was not thesupernatural,butthemysteriesoftheHolyTrinityandtheGod-manthatwereitsscandal.Whenbroughtfacetofacewithsuchpassagesasthese,it was wont, therefore, to explain that Jesus, bornmiraculously of Hisvirginmother, but amereman, was taken up to heaven by the divinepower to learn the thingsofGod;whenceHeagaindescended tobringdivineteachingtomen.TothenewerUnitarianism,ontheotherhand,itispreciselythesupernaturalwhichistheoffence.ItsphilosophicalformsmighthospitablyreceivesuchmysteriesastheTrinityandtheGod-man,ifonlytheymaybepermittedtorunfreelyintotheirmoulds.Butdivineinterventionsofanykind,andmostofallthedescentofapersonalGodfrom heaven to earth, to be incased in flesh and to herd for a season

among men, it cannot allow. It therefore attacks our passages with atheoryofideal,notreal,pre-existence,andteachesthatJesusmeansonlythat,inthethoughtandintentionofGod,Hisadventintotheworldhadlong been provided for, and that, in that sense, He was with God andcameforthfromGod.

Howweak,how inconceivablybanal, all such expedients arebefore themajesty of Christ's self-witness: "I am come down from heaven." AndwhenweturnoverthepagesofthisGospel,—theleadingideaofwhich,ithasbeensaid,inadequatelyindeed,butsofartruly,isthedivinegloryofChristintheincarnation,—andobserveourLord'sconstantwitnessinthediscoursesrecordedinit,notmerelytoHisdescentfromtheFather,butto His essential equality and oneness with God, to His eternalpreexistencewithHim,andtoHisprospectivereturntoHisprimalglorywiththeFather,afterHistaskonearthisaccomplished,—howourspiritsbowinworshipbeforethatGodonly-begottenwhoisinthebosomoftheFather,whobecamefleshandtabernacledamongusforaseasonfullofgraceandtruth,andbyHisveryexistenceamongus"declared"tousthatGod,notonlywhomHecameforthfrom,butwhoHeis.

Weshouldnotfailtoobserve,however,thattheincarnationisnotspokenof in our text as an end in itself, but rather as ameans to an end.TheobjectofourLordhereisnottopresentthebarefactofHishavingcomedownfromheaventothewonderofmen,buttoexpoundthepurposeofHis coming down from heaven. "I am come down from heaven," Hedeclares,"inorderthatImaydothewillofHimthatsentMe."Youwillscarcelyneedtoberemindedthatthis,too, istherepresentation,notofourtextonly,butofthewholebodyofrelevantdeliverancesrecordedbyJohnfromthemouthoftheMaster,andindeedoftheentireGospelitself.Everywhereandalways,itisnotthecomingdownfromheavenitself,butthepurposeofthecoming,thatreceivestheemphasis.AndthisiswhyitisinadequatetosaythattheleadingideaofJohn'sGospelisthegloryofChristintheincarnation.Itsleadingideais,rather,thesufficientendoftheincarnation,or,inotherwords,itsleadingpurposeistopresentwhatwemaycallasatisfactoryphilosophyoftheincarnation.

Andthis is thepreciseamountof truththat liesbehindtheassertionsofreelymadebythosewhoarestumbledbytheheightsofJohn'stheology,

that his Gospel is not a simple narrative of fact, but an ideologicaltreatise,—which,intheirview,isequivalenttosayingthatitdoesnotgiveusfactbutfancy,andistobelookeduponnotasasoberhistorybutasametaphysical essay.Butdoeshistory cease tobehistorywhen it passesbeyond the mere tabulation of events, and essays to marshal themaccordingtotheirrelationsandunderthecategoriesofcauseandeffect?—whenitceasestobeamerechronicle,inaword,andbecomeswhatwehavelearnedtocallphilosophicalhistory?Andisittobemadeareproachtoawriterofhistorythathehassoughtnotmerelytocollect,butalsotounderstandhis facts; and to record them in suchawayas tobringouttheirinternalnatureaswellastheirexternalform?

BishopAlexander,inhisdelightfullittlebookonTheLeadingIdeasoftheGospels,placesthematterrelativelytoJohn'sGospelinaveryclearlight."A great life," he reminds us, "cannot be rendered by a simpleagglomeration of facts." "A great life,—a life whose words and worksinfluencemankindprofoundly,—isnotsufficientlytoldbymerelyrelatingitsfactsanddates.Whatanenigma,forinstance,isthelifeofNapoleon!Howmanyofhis biographies aremeremasks, concealing thosebronzefeatures!Wecannotunderstandanygreatandcomplicatedlife,goodorevil,bymerelyrecordingthe isolatedeventsalongwhich itmoved. It isanorganicwhole,andmustbereconstructedassuch.…This,then,isthegreat Leading Idea of St. John'sGospel.Given the facts ofChrist's life,how shall we bind them into unity, and read them as a whole? Whattheory of His Person and Nature will give us a logical and consistentview?…What Christ did and said becomes explicable only by knowingwhat Christ is.… Somewho have not lost all reverence for Christianityspeak as if St. John's prologue added a difficulty for faith; as if St.Matthew or St. Luke on the incarnation were comparatively easy toreceive.Isitsoforthosewhothink?Placesidebysidethesestatements.On theone side—'WhenasHisMotherMarywas espoused to Joseph,before theycame together shewas foundwithchildof theHolyGhost.'Ontheotherside,thefouroracularpropositions—'InthebeginningwastheWord,andtheWordwaswithGod,andtheWordwasGod.AndtheWordwasmadeflesh.'Whichiseasiertoreceive?…InSt.JohnthefactoftheIncarnationisliftedupandfloodedwiththelightofadivineidea.Ifin theUnityof thedivineExistence therebeaTrinityofPersons; if the

Second Person of that Trinity is to assume the reality of flesh and thelikenessofsinfulflesh,wecaninsomemeasureseewhyHeneededthetabernacleofabody,framedandmouldedbytheEternalSpirit,tobeHisfittinghabitation.ThemysteryofaVirginMotheristhecorrelativeofthemysteryoftheWordmadeflesh."

Surelythisismostadmirablysaid.Tobemadequiteperfect,itneedsonlythe removal of the emphasis from the nature of Christ to the work ofChrist. "If the SecondPerson of that Trinity is to assume the reality offlesh, and the likeness of sinful flesh."…Aye, if.…Dr. Alexander leavesthis"if"hangingintheair.ButnotsoJohn.TogiveanadequateaccountofitisjusttheobjectandchiefendofhisGospel.Weneedtoamendthepostulationoftheproblem,therefore,sofarasnotonlytoinsert,buttoemphasize this element. "Given the facts of Christ's life, how shall webindthemtogetherintounity,andreadthemasawhole?WhattheoryofHisPersonandNature,andPurposeandWork,willgiveusalogicalandconsistentview?"ThisistheproblemthatJohn'sGospelanswers.Andinansweringit,itgivesusaphilosophyoftheincarnation,andthusrendersnot only the incarnation itself, but all that Incarnated Life, not onlycredible but natural, and not only natural—maywe not even say?—butalmost inevitable—impossible tobeotherwise.AndthusJohnfulfils theendofhiswriting: "Thesearewritten, thatyemaybelieve thatJesus isthe Christ, the Son of God; and that believing yemay have life in Hisname."

What, then, is the account of the incarnation which this Gospel thuscommendstousasitsphilosophy?WenoteatoncethatinourtextourLordstatesit,inthefirstinstance,relativelynottoman,buttoGod.Thereason of the incarnation, rendering it credible, natural, inevitable, istraced back into the councils of the Godhead. "I am come down fromheaven,nottodoMyownwill,butthewillofHimthatsentme."

Thepurposeof the incarnation is thereforeprimarily topleaseGod theFather,andtoperformHiswill.Wecannotavoidtheimplicationthattheincarnated one comes, therefore, in a subordinate capacity. He camedownfromheavennottodoHisownwill,butthewillofHimthatsentHim.Hewassent.Hewasgivenacommission,awork,todo.Howthisconceptionisrepeatedoverandoveragaininthediscoursesrecordedby

John!EventoJohntheBaptistHeisthe"sentofGod."WhenNicodemusapproachedHimasateachercomefromGod,HeexplainedthatHewasnotcomeprimarilyasateacher,butasonesentbyGodtodoawork.Andthis istheburdenofthegreatdiscoursesatthepoolofBethesda,atthefeastofTabernacles,ontheLightoftheWorld,andaswelloftheclosingdiscoursesatthelastpassover.InallalikeJesusisthesentofGod,comenotofHimself toseekHisownwill,but todothewillofHimthatsentHim;andonlywhenHehad"accomplishedtheworkgivenHimtodo"toreturntotheFatherwhosentHim.

NowthissubordinaterelationinwhichJesusthuspervasivelyrepresentsHimselfasstandingtotheFather,soastohavebeensentbyHim,mustbeamattereitherofnatureorofarrangement.Itmustbeeitheressentialoreconomic.Itmustfinditsaccountandorigineitherinthenecessityofnature or else in the provisions of a plan. But side by side with thisperfectly pervasive proclamation ofHis subordination to the Father, inthewholematteroftheincarnationitself,andthepurposeor"will"thatlies behind that incarnation and gives it its justification and itsphilosophicalaccount,thererunsanequallypervasiveassertionbyJesusHimself and by His historian as well, of His essential equality andonenesswithGod.Hewasnotonly in thebeginningwithGod:HewasGod.Heistheonly-begottenGod,whoisinthebosomoftheFather.Tohave seenHim is to have seen the Father also.He draws and receivesfromThomastheworshippingcry,"MyLordandmyGod."HedeclarestotheJews,"IandtheFatherareOne."Itseemstobeclear,therefore,thatthesubordination inwhichtheFather isrecognizedasgreater thanHe,prescribing a "will" for Him to come into the world to perform, iseconomic, not essential; a matter of arrangement, not of necessity ofnature.

Bysucharepresentationweare,ofcourse,carriedatoncebackintothedarkness,or,whatisequallyblinding,intotheblazeofmystery.Itmaybethought that it is enough to be asked to believe in themysteries of theGod-manandoftheTrinity,—thatwithintheunityoftheGodheadthereexistssuchadistinctionofpersonsthatofeachwemayassertinturnthatfromthebeginninghehasbeenwithGod,andhasbeenGod.Arewetoadd this additional mystery of fancying the persons of the Godhead,

thoughnumericallyoneinessenceandsharersinallthedivineattributes,"acting," asDr.Martineauputs it, "eachon theother as outsidebeingsandconductingadivinedramaamong themselves,"—imposing tasksonone another, requiring conditions of one another, and earning favoursfromoneanother?Nodoubtitispastourcomprehension.Butdowegainorlosebydenyingitspossibility,itsreality?WhatdoestheTrinitymean,if it does not mean such a distinction of persons that each may sayrelatively to the other, "I," and "Thou," and "He"? What can theincarnationoftheSecondPersonmean,ifthepersonsmaynotstandoveragainst one another in a measure far transcending our power tocomprehend?AndletusrememberthatJohnpresentsthisconceptiontous, not as an added difficulty to faith, but as the philosophy, theexplanation of the incarnation. It may well happen here, too, that twomysteriessupportandrendercredibleeachtheother,—astwobeamsofwood,neitherofwhichcouldstandeasilyalone,whenbowedtogethernotonlysupporteachother,butprovidea firmfoundationuponwhichyoumaysafelypiletheweightofaslatedroof.ToadoptBishopAlexander'smodeofstatement,—"If intheUnityof theDivineExistencetherebeaTrinityofPersons,andiftheSecondPersonofthatTrinityistoassumethe reality of flesh and the likeness of sinful flesh,"—is it an additionaldifficultyoranaidtofaithinthissupernalmysterytobefurthertoldthatthiscolossalhumiliationoftheSonofGodwasnotanobjectlessdisplayofarbitrarypower,noryetatentativeandunconsideredeffortofdivinecompassiontodosomewhat,asyetundeterminedinkindoramount,forsinfulmankind,buttheexecutionintimeofaneternalplan,—aplanbornof, and redolent in its every part with the infinite compassion of God,shaped in all its details from all eternity by brooding love, and nowremaining only to be executed by each person involved taking andcompleting his appointed part in its tremendouswork?Themystery ofthecovenantisthecorrelativeofthemysteryoftheincarnation.Withoutits postulation the incarnation would present increased difficulties ofbelief.Withouttheaddedwords,"InordertodothewillofHimthatsentMe," the declaration, "I am come down from heaven,"would remain asimplemarvelandproveastrainonfaith.

Andnowletusnotfailtoobservethatitresultsfromwhatwehavesaid,thatJohn'sGospelistheGospeloftheCovenant.Ifitsleadingideaisnot

merelythegloryoftheincarnation,butthephilosophyoftheincarnation;andif thatphilosophyrunsbackintoaneconomicarrangementorplanbetweenthePersonsoftheTrinity,bywhichtheSecondPersoncomestoperformaworkcommittedtoHimbytheFather,nottodoHisownwill,butthewillofHimthatsentHim:thisisbutanotherwayofsayingthattheleadingideaofJohn'sGospelistheideaoftheCovenant.Andisitnotso?Search and look, and youwill findnot only that this covenant idearecursagainandagain throughout theGospel,witha frequencyandanemphasiswhichthrowitwellintotheforeground,butthatthebook,asawhole,ismouldedinitsformandcontentsuponit.Theburdenofitsfirstchapters is Christ's testimony that He has come because sent by theFather; theburdenof the lastchapters isHisapproachingreturntotheFatherwhosentHim;theaccomplishedworkliesbetween.Andthereforeit is thatwhenNicodemus came toHimat theopeningofHisministryand asked for teaching, Jesus pointed him rather to His work, anddeclared thedoctrineof regeneration itself "anearthly thing"comparedwith the heavenly mysteries He had to tell,—those mysteries of Hisdescentfromheaven,sentbytheFathertosavetheworld.AndthereforeitisthatinthemidstofHisministryHeopensthisgreatdiscoursefromwhich our text is taken, by declaring that the Son of Man has been"sealed," appointed and set apart, by the Father for thework of givingeternallifetomen;andwhenHisdisciplesstumbledattheheightofthegreat truth involved,—thatHehad comedown fromheaven togiveHisfleshasthefoodofthesoul,—Hesorrowfullyadded,"What,then,ifyoushould see the Son of Man ascending where He was before? "Andthereforeit isthatattheendofHislifeHecomparesHisfinishedworkwiththejoyawomanhasaftertravail,whenatlengththechildisborn;anddeclares that,havingaccomplished theworkwhich theFathergaveHimtodo,thecovenantconditionisfulfilled,andthecovenantedrewardisathand,andHeisabouttoreturntoHisprimalglory.John'sGospel,—weoughtnottomissit,—istheGospeloftheCovenant.

Howourheartsshouldburnwithinusasweapproachthelastandmostcentralquestionofall,andaskwhat isourLord'saccountof thenatureand terms of this mysterious but most blessed covenant, to fulfil theconditionsofwhichHecamedownfromheaven.Weobserveatonce,—and with what emotions of gladness we ought to observe it,—that it

concernsthesalvationofmen.Andequallyatonceweobserve,withstillswellingemotion,thatitiscompleteandperfectinitsprovisions,—thatitprovides for an entire and finished, for a sure and unfailing salvation.And we observe that this involves—as of course it must involve—theconsequence that it is definite and precise in its terms,—that itcontemplatesdefinite andparticularlydesignatedmen. "And this is thewillofHimthatsentMe,thatofallthatHehathgivenMe,Ishouldlosenothing, but should raise it up at the last day." The will of the Fatherwhich Christ came down from heaven to do, concerned, then,distinctively:"allthatHehathgivenMe."AndHiswillwithreferencetothese,whichHe sent the Son to perform,was not themaking of someindefiniteprovisionlookingtowardtheirrescuefromsinandshame,butthedefiniteactual,complete,andfinalsavingofthem:that"Ishouldlosenothingofit,butshouldraiseitupatthelastday."

Letourhearts stand stillwhilewe read these greatprovisions. It is thetestimonyofthecovenantedSonHimself,astothetermsofthecovenantwhichHe came to fulfil, that ithadadefinite andwell-defined subject,and that it had a definite and fully-determined end,—not merely therenderingthesalvationofmenpossible;normerelytheremovingofthelegal obstacles in the way of the salvation of men; nor merely thebreakingdownofwhateverdifficultiesmaystandinthepathofthefreeoutflowofGod'slovetomen;muchlessmerelytheintroductionintotheworldofabetterexampleoflifethanhadhithertobeenbeforemen,orofanewdivine forcemaking for righteousness; or the impressing ofmenwithadeepersenseoftheloveofGodforthem,orofHishatredofsin;but the actual, complete, and sure salvation of all that the Father hadgiventheSon:"ThisisthewillofHimthatsentMe,thatallthatHehathgivenMe, I should lose nothing of it, but should raise it up at the lastday."

In aword,we have presented to us here, in these pregnantwords, notonlyinoutline,butinallitsessentialdetails,whathascometobeknownamong us as the Covenant of Redemption. For what element of thedoctrine is lacking here? "I am comedown fromheaven, not to doMyownwill,but thewillofHimthatsentMe": there is theassertionofaneconomicarrangementasthepreconditionoftheincarnation,andofthe

prestipulationof the incarnatedwork. "And this is thewill ofHim thatsent Me, that of all that He hath givenMe I should lose nothing, butshouldraiseitupatthelastday"thereistherevelationofthecontentsofthe pre-incarnation arrangement, and the provision through theincarnation for the certain salvation of a chosen body of lostmen. "AllthattheFathergivethMeshallcomeuntoMe;""NomancancomeuntoMe except the Father which sent Me draw Him": there is the twindefinitionofthesubjectsofthesalvation.Or,ifwedesirefurtherwitnessthanthisonepassage,itisspreadfullyonthepagesofthisGospel.Letusattend only to those calm and final words which, as His work wasaccomplishing, our blessedRedeemer addressed, not to usmen, but toHisFather, inadivinelyassuredassertionofHisrighteousclaimsuponthefruitofHiswork."Father,thehouriscome:glorifyThySon,thattheSonmayglorifyThee:evenasThougavestHimauthorityoverall flesh,thattoallthatThouhastgivenHim,Heshouldgivetothemeternallife.…IglorifiedTheeontheearth,havingaccomplishedtheworkwhichThouhastgivenMetodo.Andnow,OFather,glorifyThouMewithThineownself, with the glory which I had with Thee before the world was. ImanifestedThynameuntothemenwhomThoudidstgiveMeoutoftheworld: Thine they were, and Thou didst give them toMe.… I pray forthem;Ipraynotfortheworld,butforthosewhomThouhastgivenMe."AllHisworkisinfulfilmentofanarrangementwiththeFather;andthewholeofit,downtothisHigh-Priestlyprayeritself,makingintercessionforHisown,concerns,primarilyandinitschiefimport,thosewhomtheFather gave Him out of the world, and secures beyond failure theircomplete salvation. This is the whole doctrine of the Covenant ofRedemption:theReformedtheologyhasgraspedit,andteachesit;butithasnotaddedonesinglethoughttoit.

Andnowletusbaskalittle,beforeweclose,inthecomfortingassurancesofthisblessedteaching.

HowtheloveofGodismagnifiedtousbythisteaching.Itisnotfromayesterday only that He has busied Himself with our salvation. In thedepthsofeternityourforeseenmiserieswereacauseofcaretoHim.InthatmysteriousintercoursebetweenFatherandSon,whichisaseternalastheessenceofGodheaditself,we—ourstate,oursin,ourhelplessness,

and the dreadfulness of our condition and end,—were a subject ofconsiderationandsolicitude.WhataGodthisisthatisunveiledbeforeushere.AGodofholiness:aGodsoholythatevenintheabyssofeternity-pastHecouldnotrestindifferenttothesinwhichwasonlyafterthelapseof innumerable ages to dawn in this corner of the as yet unexistentuniverse. A God of justice: a God so just that already His indignationburnedagainsttheasyetuncommittedsinofsuchpettycreaturesofHiswillasman.ButaGodoflove:alovesoinconceivablyvastasalreadyintheprofundityoftheunlimitedpasttobroodoverunimaginableplansofmercy toward these few guilty wretches among the numberlessmultitudesofHiscontemplatedcreatures.WhenthePsalmistraisedhiseyes to theheavensabove, theworkof the fingersof theAlmighty,andconsideredthemoonandstarswhichHehadordained,hewaslost inanaturalwonder that so great aCreator should concernHimselfwith sopunyacreature:"WhatismanthatThouartmindfulofhim?AndthesonofmanthatThoushouldstvisithim?"Buthowmuchgreateramarvelisbeforeusnow.Itisnotmanasman,—aweakandpunycreature—thatwehave to consider; but man as sinner,—this weak and puny creaturebecomevileandfilthy,offensiveandhatefultoaholyandjustGod.Itisnotincontrastevenwiththegrandeuroftheworldscirclingaboutworldswhichcrowdthedepthsoftheheavensanddwarftheconsequenceofthisspeckofearthontheskirtsoftheuniversewhichisourhome,thatwearetoconsiderhim;but incontrastwith themajestyof the increateTriunemaker of all that is. It is not simply that God has taken notice of thissinful,punycreature,thatwehavetoconsider;butthattheAll-HolyandAll-BlessedGodhasfeltcareandsolicitudeforhisfateandlookednotatHisown things incomparisonwithhis.What indeed is sinfulman thatGod should love him; and before the foundations of the world shouldprepare to save him by so inconceivable a plan as to give His only-begottenSonasaransomforhislife!Mybrethren,thisisnottothegloryofman,buttothegloryofGod;itisnottheexpressionofourdignityandworth, but raises our wondering hearts to the contemplation of thebreadthandlength,andheightanddepthoftheloveofGodthatpassethknowledge.

AndhowourappreciationoftheperfectionoftheworkofourSaviourisenhanced by this teaching. As it was upon no sudden caprice that He

cameintotheworld,butinexecutionofalong-cherishedandthoroughlylaidplan, so itwasnopartialworkwhichHeperformed,but thewholeworkofsalvation."Thisisafaithfulsaying,andworthyofallacceptation,ThatChristJesuscameintotheworldtosavesinners."AndthisHehasaccomplished,even to theuttermost.WhenHecriedupon thecross,asHis agonywent out in the darkness of death,—adeath for us—in thosewordsofdeepestimportandofmightypower,"Itisfinished!"—wheninHis great sacerdotal prayer, he proleptically declared that He had"accomplished thework"which theFather "had givenHim to do," andwasnow ready to lay asideHishumiliation and re-enterHis glory: theprecise thingwhichHepublishedas"finished"and"accomplished"wassalvation.AllhasbeendonebyHim.Hissavingworkneitherneedsnoradmitsofsupplementaryadditionbyanyneedychildofman,eventotheextentofaniota.WhenwelooktoHimweareraisinggratefuleyes,nottoonewhoinvitesustosaveourselves;normerelytoonewhohasbrokenoutapath,inwhichwalking,wemayattaintosalvation;noryetmerelytoonewhooffersusasalvationwroughtoutbyHim,onacondition;buttoonewhohassavedus,—whoisatoncethebeginningandthemiddleandtheendofoursalvation,theauthorandthefinisherofourfaith.

WhatcanwepossiblyneedthatwedonotfindprovidedinHim?Dowehopelesslygroanunderthecurseofthebrokenlaw,hangingmenacinglyoverus?Christhas"redeemedusfromthecurseofthelaw,havingbeenmade a curse for us." Do we know that only he that workethrighteousness is acceptable to God, and despair of attaining life on sounachievableacondition?ChristJesus"hathofGodbeenmadeuntousrighteousness."Dowe loatheourselves in thepollutionofoursins,andknowthatGodisgreaterthanwe,andthatwemustbeanoffenceinHisholysight?ThebloodofChristcleansethus fromallsin.Butdowenotneed faith, that we may be made one with Him and so secure thosebenefits? Faith, too, is the gift of God: and that we believe on Him isgranted by God in the behalf of Christ. Have we sought to run, andlearnedbybitterexperiencethatitisnotofhimthatrunnethnorofhimthatwilleth?Wemay learn tooby a happy experience that it is ofGodthat showeth mercy and that worketh in us both the willing and thedoing. Nothing has been forgotten, nothing neglected, nothing leftunprovided.InthepersonofJesusChrist, thegreatGod, inHisperfect

wisdom and unfailing power, has taken our place before the outragedjusticeofGodandunderHisperfectlaw,andhaswroughtoutacompletesalvation.

Whatanindefectiblecertitudeofsalvationisgivenbythisgreatteaching.IfChristJesuscametosaveandhassaved,howcansalvationfail?Ifthefree gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord, how can thiseternallifethusfreelygivengooutintime,andfailtoaccordwithitsverydesignationaseternal?IfChristhasundertakennotmerelytoopenawayofsalvationtous,buttosaveus;ifHecameintotheworldfortheprecisepurpose of performing this will of God, "that of all thatHe hath givenHim,He should lose nothing, but should raise it up at the last day,"—what possibility lies open of the failure of this great design, framed ineternitybyTriuneGodhead,andexecutedintimebynoneotherthanthestrongSonofGod?ThereforeourgraciousLordassuresus:"AllthattheFather givethMe shall comeuntoMe, andhim that comethuntoMe Iwillinnowisecastout."AndthereforeHisservant,condescendingtotheweakness of our fears, argues with us: "God commendeth His lovetowardsus, in that,whilewewereyetsinners,Christdiedforus.Muchmore,then,beingjustifiedbyHisblood,shallwebesavedfromwrathbyHim."Oh,thecertitudeinthat"muchmore.""IfGodbeforus,"hearguesagain, "who can be against us? He that spared not His own Son, butdeliveredHimupforusall,howshallHenotalsowithHimfreelygiveusallthings?…WhoshallseparateusfromtheloveofChrist?"Oweakandtrembling soul, can you not find, not courage merely, but certitude inthis?Whatmattersyourweakness?Yoursalvationrestsnotonit,butonGod's strength.He loves you;He determined to save you;He sentHisSontosaveyou;Hehascometodoit:Hehasdoneit.Youaresaved:itcannot fail, unless God's set purpose can fail; unless Christ's power tosavecanfail;unlessHispromisesoflovecanfail.

Whatacleargroundofassuranceofsalvation is furnishedby thisgreatteaching.Doessomewaywardspiritsay:"Allthisistrueonlyoftheelect,thosewhomtheFathergavetoChrist.AndI,alas!howmayIknowthatIamoftheelect?"Ah,self-tormentingsoul,whyexpendstrengthinpryingintoGod's secrets, insteadof takingHimatHisword? It is true indeedthat it isonlythosewhomHehasgiventoChristthatChristhassaved;

andthecomfort,asthesalvation,isforthemalone.ButitisnottruethatGodrequireselectionofyouforsalvation,orofferspredestinationtoyouas thewayof life.Heoffers younotpredestination,butChrist; andHerequires of you not election, but faith. Do you make election itself aground of doubt and despair? This, says an old Puritan, is indeed togatherpoisonoutofthesweetestofherbs."Godlayethitasadutyuponeveryonetorepentandbelieve,tocometoHimandheshallhaveresttohis soul.… If, then, thou believest, thou repentest, this may be a suretestimonyuntotheeofthyeverlastingglory."

Electiondoesindeedlieattherootofoursalvation:butfaithistheproofofelection.Arewesaved?Thequestionisresolvedinthis:DowebelieveinJesusChrist?Christindeedsays,"ThisisthewillofHimwhosentMe,thatofallthatHehathgivenMe,Ishouldlosenothing,butshouldraiseitupatthelastday."HereiselectiontherootofthesavingworkofChrist.Buthave you failed tonote or to remember thatHe immediately adds:"ForthisisthewillofMyFather,thateveryonethatbeholdeththeSonandbelievethonHimshouldhaveeternallife,andthatIshouldraisehimupatthelastday."HereistheworkofChristreceivedinfaiththegroundof salvation: and here is faith laying hold of Christ the evidence ofsalvation.Andthereforeitisnotonlysaid,"AllthattheFathergivethMeshallcomeuntoMe,"butitisimmediatelyadded:"AndhimthatcomethtoMeIwillinnowisecastout."Thesewordsaregraciousenoughintheirbroadest sense to send a thrill of joy through the heart, But there lieshiddenwithin thema furtherdelicategracewhich is lost in theEnglishtranslation.Thewordfor"come"issovariedinthetwoclausesastolaythestress in the first instance"uponthesuccessful issueof thecoming,the arrival," and in the second "on the process of the coming and thewelcome." "All that the Father giveth Me shall come unto Me "—shallcertainlyandunfailinglyreachMe."AndhimthatcomethuntoMeIwillinnowisecastout"—"himthatisintheprocessofcoming,"—yea,eventhoughheisbutjustbegun,withweakandfalteringsteps,evensuchanoneasthiswhoisbutbeginningtocome—"Iwillinnowisecastout."

What a blessed assurance, when faith is made thus not the ground ofsalvation,nottheconditionofsalvation,but itsevidence!It isherethatthesweetherbofelectionbeginstopourforthitsrefreshingcordial.Men

maytellus, indeed,"Believeandyoushallbesaved,"whilestillmakingfaith the ground or the condition of salvation. And, then, with whatdreadfulsolicitudewillwepluckupourfaithoverandoveragainbytheroots,toexamineitwithanxiousfear.Isittherightfaith?Isitastrongenoughfaith?DoIbelievearight?DoIbelieveenough?ShallIabideinmy belief until the end? Dreadful uncertainty! Inexpressible misery ofineradicabledoubt!It isonlywhenwehavelearnedfromsuchwordsofourMasteras thosebeforeus to-day, thatwedare say toour soulsnotonly, Believe and ye shall be saved! but those other words of deepermeaningand fullercomfort, caught fromtheMaster'sownblessed lips:Believeandyearesaved!"Verily,verily,Isayuntoyou,"saysourSaviourinwordswhich sumupprevious teachings, "He thathearethMywordsandbelievethHim that sentMe, hath eternal life, and comethnot intojudgment,buthathpassedoutofdeath into life."BlessedJohn,whosocaughthisMaster'swordsandrecordedthemforus.Whenfaithisthusmadenotthegroundorthecondition,buttheevidenceofsalvation,oureternalblissisnolongersuspendedinanysenseonaughtthatweareordo,buthangssolelyontheworkofChrist,doingHisFather'swill.Faith,even faith, as the ground or condition of salvation, may be also theground of despair: but faith as the proof of salvation is the charter ofassured though humble hope. It takes hold of the "strong Son of God,immortallove,"andoftheindefectiblepurposeofAlmightygracewhichcannotfailorknowanyshadowofturning.Thisweowetothatdoctrineof the eternal covenant which our blessed Saviour reveals to us in thewords on which we have meditated to-day. Because of its blessedprovisionswecancryjoytooursouls,thoughtheytremblewithnaturalfear and can scarce believe that Christ will save such faithless souls asthey. Though they have faith but as a grain of mustard-seed, they aresavedalready.For,thisisthewillofHimwhosentourRedeemer,thatofallthatHegaveHimHeshouldlosenothing,butshouldraiseitupatthelastday: for this is thewillof theFather, thateveryone thatbeholdeththe Son and believeth on Him should have eternal life and He shouldraisehimupatthelastday.

Beloved,donot,Ibeseechyou,groundyoursalvationeveninyourfaith.GrounditonlyinJesusChristwhoaloneisyourSaviour.Andrememberthis,—thatitisnotyourfaiththatsavesyoubutGod,andGodalone,by

whom it is that faith iswrought in your soul, andbywhosepower it isthat you are guarded through your faith unto that salvation which isreservedforyouinheaven,andwhichshallwithoutfailberevealedatthelastday.Canyourfaithfail?Nay,forgetyourfaith.CertainlythepowerofGod, your Almighty Saviour, through which alone you have faith andwhichispledgedtoyourguarding,cannotfail!

IMITATINGTHEINCARNATION

PHILIPPIANS 2:5–8:—Let thismind be in you, whichwas also inChristJesus:who,beingintheformofGod,thoughtitnotrobberytobe equal with God: but made Himself of no reputation, and tookuponHim the form of a servant, andwasmade in the likeness ofmen:andbeingfoundinfashionasaman.HehumbledHimself,andbecameobedientuntodeath,eventhedeathofthecross.

"CHRISTourExample."After"ChristourRedeemer,"nowordscanmoredeeply stir the Christian heart than these. Every Christian joyfullyrecognizes the example ofChrist, as, in the admirablewords of a greatScotchcommentator,abody"oflivinglegislation,"as"law,embodiedandpictured in a perfect humanity." InHim, in aword,we find themoralideal historically realized, and we bow before it as sublime and yearnafteritwithalltheassembleddesiresofourrenewedsouls.

Howlovinglywefollowinthoughteveryfootstepof theSonofMan,onthe rim of hills that shut in the emerald cup of Nazareth, on the bluemargeofGennesaret,over themountainsofJudea,and long towalk inspiritbyHisside.Hecametosaveeveryage,saysIrenæus,andthereforeHecameasaninfant,achild,aboy,ayouth,andaman.Andthereisno

agethatcannotfinditsexampleinHim.WeseeHim,theproperestchildthateverwasgiventoamother'sarms,throughalltheyearsofchildhoodat Nazareth "subjectingHimself toHis parents."We seeHim a youth,labouring day by day contentedly at His father's bench, in this lowersphere, too, with no other thought than to be "about His father'sbusiness."WeseeHiminHisholymanhood,going,"asHiscustomwas,"SabbathbySabbath,tothesynagogue,—GodasHewas,nottoogoodtoworshipwithHisweakerbrethren.And then thehorizonbroadens.WeseeHim at the banks of Jordan, because it becameHim to fulfil everyrighteousness,meeklyreceivingthebaptismofrepentanceforus.WeseeHiminthewilderness,calmlyrejectingthesubtlesttrialsoftheevilone:refusing tosupplyHisneedsbyamisuseofHisdivinepower, repellingtheconfusionof temptingGodwith trustingGod,declining to seekHisFather'sendsbyanyotherthanHisFather'smeans.WeseeHimamongthethousandsofGalilee,anointedofGodwiththeHolyGhostandpower,going about doing good:withnopride of birth, thoughHewas a king;withnoprideofintellect,thoughomnisciencedweltwithinHim;withnoprideofpower,thoughallpowerinheavenandearthwasinHishands;orofstation,thoughthefulnessoftheGodheaddweltinHimbodily;orof superior goodness or holiness: but in lowliness of mind esteemingeveryonebetterthanHimself,healingthesick,castingoutdevils,feedingthe hungry, and everywhere breaking tomen the bread of life.We seeHimeverywhereofferingtomenHislifeforthesalvationoftheirsouls:andwhen,atlast,theforcesofevilgatheredthickaroundHim,walking,alikewithoutdisplayandwithoutdismay,thepathofsufferingappointedforHim,andgivingHislifeatCalvarythatthroughHisdeaththeworldmightlive.

"WhichofyouconvincethMeofsin?"istoolowaquestion.WhocanfindinallHislifeasinglelack,asinglefailuretosetusaperfectexample?Inwhatdifficultyoflife,inwhattrial,inwhatdangeroruncertainty,whenweturnoureyestoHim,dowefailtofindjusttheexamplethatweneed?Andifperchanceweare,bythegraceofGod,enabledtowalkwithHimbutastepintheway,howourheartsburnwithinuswithlongingtobealwayswithHim,—tobe strengthenedby thealmightypowerofGod intheinnerman,tomakeeveryfootprintwhichHehasleft intheworldastepping-stone toclimbupwardoverHisdivinepath.Dowenotrightly

saythatnexttoourlongingtobeinChristisourcorrespondinglongingto be like Christ; that only second in our hearts to His great act ofobedienceuntodeathbywhichHebecameourSaviour,standsHisholylifeinourworldofsin,bywhichHebecomesourexample?

Ofcourseour text isnotsingular incallinguponus tomakeChristourexample. "Be ye imitators ofme, even as I also am of Christ Jesus," isratherthewholeburdenoftheethicalsideofPaul'steaching.Andinthis,too,hewasbuttheimitatorofhisLord,whopleadswithusto"learnofHim because He is meek and lowly in heart." The peculiarity of ourpresent passage is only that it takes us back ofChrist's earthly life andbids us imitate Him in the great act of His incarnation itself. Not, ofcourse, as if the implication were that we were equal with Christ andneededtostooptosuchserviceasHeperformed."Whyartthouproud,Oman?"Augustineaskspointedly."Godfortheebecamelow.Thouwouldstperhaps be ashamed to initiate a lowly man; then at least imitate thelowlyGod.TheSonofGodcameinthecharacterofmanandwasmadelow.…He, sinceHewasGod, becameman: do thou,Oman, recognizethatthouartman.Thyentirehumilityistoknowthyself."Theveryforceoftheappeallies,inaword,intheinfiniteexaltationofChristaboveus:andthementionoftheincarnationistheapostle'sremindertousoftheineffablemajestywhichwasbynatureHis towhomhewould raiseouradmiringeyes.Paulprisesatourheartsherewith thegreat leverof thedeity of our exemplar. He calls upon us to do nothing less than to beimitators of God. "What encouragement is greater than this?" criesChrysostom,withhis instinctiveperceptionof themotive-springsof thehumanheart."Nothingarousesagreatsoul to theperformanceofgoodworkssomuchaslearningthatinthisitislikenedtoGod."Andhere,too,PaulisbutthefollowerofhisLord:"Beyemerciful,asyourFatherwhichis in heaven is merciful," are words which fell from His divine lips,altogethersimilarintheirimplicationtoPaul'swordsinthetext:"Letitbethismindthatisinyou,whichalsowasinChristJesus."ItisthespiritwhichanimatedourLordintheactofHisincarnationwhichHisapostlewouldseeusimitate.HewouldhaveusinallouractstobelikeChrist,asHe showedHimself tobe in the innermost coreofHisbeing,whenHebecamepoor,He thatwas rich, thatwe byHis povertymight bemaderich.

Weperceive, then, that the exhortation of the apostle gathers force foritselffromthedeityofChrist,andfromthenatureofthetransactionbywhichHe,beingGod,wasbroughtintothissphereofdependent,earthlylife in which we live by nature. It is altogether natural, then, that hesharpenshisappealbyremindinghisreaderssomewhatfullywhoChristwas and whatHe did for our salvation, in order that, having the factsmorevividlybeforetheirminds,theymaymoreacutelyfeelthespiritbywhichHewasanimated.Thus,inaperfectlynaturalway,Paulisled,notto inform his readers but to remind them, in a few quick and livelyphraseswhichdonotinterruptthemainlinesofdiscoursebutratheretchtheminwithadeepercolour,ofwhatwemaycallthewholedoctrineofthePersonofChrist.Withsuchamasterlyhand,orletusrathersaywithsuchan eager spirit and sucha loving clearness and firmnessof touch,hashedonethis,thatthesefewpurelyincidentalwordsconstituteoneofthemostcompletestatementsofanessentialdoctrinetobefoundwithinthe whole compass of the Scriptures. Though compressed within thelimits of three short verses, it ranks in fulness of exposition with thealreadymarvellously concise outline of the same doctrine given in theopeningversesoftheGospelofJohn.WheneverthesubtletiesofheresyconfuseourmindsaswefacetheproblemswhichhavebeenraisedaboutthePersonofourLord,itispre-eminentlytotheseversesthatwefleetohave our apprehension purified, and our thinking corrected. The sharpphrasescuttheirwaythrougheveryerror:or,aswemaybettersay,theyarelikeaflightofswiftarrows,eachwingedtothejointsoftheharness.

Thegolden-mouthedpreacheroftheancientChurch,impressedwiththisfulnessofteachingandinspiredhimselftooneofhisloftiestflightsbytheverve of the apostle's crisp language, pictures the passage itself as anarena, and the Truth, as it runs burning through the clauses, as thevictorious chariotdashingagainst andoverthrowing its contestantsoneafter the other, until at last, amid the clamour of applausewhich risesfrom every side to heaven, it springs alone towards the goal, withcoursers winged with joy sweeping like a single flash over the ground.One by one he points out the heresies concerning the Person of ChristwhichhadsprungupintheancientChurch,asclausebyclausethetextsmites and destroys them; and is not content until he shows how thekneesofallhalf-truthsandwholefalsehoodsalikeconcerningthisgreat

matter aremade by these searchingwords to bow before our Saviour'sperfectdeity,His completehumanity, and theunityofHisperson.ThemagicofthepassagehaslostnoneofitsvirtuewiththemillenniumandahalfwhichhasfledbysinceJohnChrysostomelectrifiedConstantinoplewithhisgoldenwords:thisswordoftheSpiritisaskeento-dayasitwasthen, and happy is themanwho knows its temper and has the arm towield it.Butwemustnot loseourselves in apurely theological interestwithsuchapassagebeforeus.Ratherletuskeepoureyes,forthishour,onPaul'smainpurpose,andseektofeeltheforceoftheexampleofChristashehereadvancesit,forthegovernmentofourlives.Buttodothis,ashepointsitwithsofullareferencetothePersonofChrist,followinghimwemustbeginbystrivingtorealizewhoandwhatourLordwas,whosetusthisexample.

Let us observe, then, first, that the actor towhose examplePaulwoulddirect our eyes, is declared by him to have been no other than GodHimself. "Whowasbefore in the formofGod,"arehiswords:and theyare words than which no others could be chosen which would moreexplicitly orwithmore directness assert the deity of the personwho isheredesignatedbythenameofChristJesus.After thewearandtearoftwo thousand years on the phrases, it would not be surprising if weshouldfailtofeelthisasstronglyasweought.LetusrememberthatthephraseologywhichPaulhereemployswasthepopularusageofhisday,thoughfirstgivengeneralvoguebytheAristotelianphilosophy:andthatit was accordingly themost natural language for strongly asserting thedeityofChristwhichcouldsuggestitselftohim.Asyouknow,thismodeofspeechresolvedeverythingintoitsmatteranditsform,—intothebarematerialoutofwhichitismade,andthatbodyofcharacterizingqualitieswhich constitute it what it is. "Form," in a word, is equivalent to ourphrase"specificcharacter."Ifwemayillustrategreatthingsbysmall,wemay say, in this manner of speech, that the "matter" of a sword, forinstance, is steel, while its "form" is that whole body of characterizingqualities which distinguish a sword from all other pieces of steel, andwhich,therefore,makethisparticularpieceofsteeldistinctivelyasword.In this case, these are, of course, largelymatters of shape and contour.Butnow the steel itself,which constitutes thematter of the sword, hasalsoits"matter"andits"form:" its"matter"beingmetal,andits"form"

beingthewholebodyofqualitiesthatdistinguishsteelfromothermetals,and make this metal steel. Going back still a step, metal itself has its"matter"and"form;"its"matter"beingmaterialsubstanceandits"form"that body of qualities which distinguish metallic from other kinds ofsubstance. And last of all, matter itself has its "matter," namely,substance, and its "form," namely, the qualities which distinguishmaterialfromspiritualsubstance,andmakethissubstancewhatwecallmatter.Thesamemodeofspeechis,ofcourse,equallyapplicabletothespiritual sphere. The "matter" of the human spirit is bare spiritualsubstance,whileits"form"isthatbodyofqualitieswhichconstitutethisspirit ahuman spirit, and in the absenceofwhich, orby the changeofwhich,thisspiritwouldceasetobehumanandbecomesomeotherkindof spirit. The "matter" of an angel, again, is bare spiritual substance,while the "form" is the body of qualities which make this spiritspecifically an angel. So, too, with God: the "matter" of God is barespiritual substance, and the "form" is that body of qualities whichdistinguish Him from all other spiritual beings, which constitute HimGod,andwithoutwhichHewouldnotbeGod.WhatPaulasserts then,whenhe says thatChristJesusexisted in the "formofGod," is thatHehadallthosecharacterizingqualitieswhichmakeGodGod,thepresenceofwhichconstitutesGod,andintheabsenceofwhichGoddoesnotexist.Hewhois"intheformofGod,"isGod.

Norisitwithoutsignificancethat,outofthepossiblemodesofexpressionopentohim,PaulwasledtochoosejustthismodeofassertingthedeityofourLord.Hismindinthispassagewasnotonthebaredivineessence;itwasupon thedivinequalitiesandprerogativesofChrist. It isnot theabstract conception that Christ is God that moves us to our deepestadmiration forHis sublimeact of self-sacrifice:but ratherour concreterealization thatHewas all thatGod is, andhad all thatGodhas,—thatGod'somnipotencewasHis,Hisinfiniteexaltation,Hisunapproachableblessedness. Therefore Paul is instinctively led to choose an expressionwhichtellsusnotthebarefactthatChristwasGod,butthatHewas"intheformofGod,"—thatHehadinfullpossessionallthosecharacterizingqualities which, taken together, make God that all-holy, perfect, all-blessedbeingwhichwe callGod.Thus theapostleprepareshis readersforthegreatexamplebyquickeningtheirapprehensionnotonlyofwho,

butofwhatChristwas.

Letusnote,then,secondly,thattheapostleoutlinesforusveryfullytheactionwhichthisdivinebeingperformed."Hetooktheformofaservantbycomingintothelikenessofmen;andbeingfoundinfashionasaman,HehumbledHimselfbybecomingsubjectevenuntodeath,andthatthedeath of the cross." There is no metamorphosis of substance assertedhere: the "form of God" is not said to have been transmuted into the"formofaservant";butHewhowas"intheformofGod"isdeclaredtohave takenalso toHimself "the formofaservant."Nor is there,on theotherhand,anydeceptiveshowofanunrealhumiliationbroughtbeforeushere:He took,not theappearance,merestateandcircumstances,ormerework andperformance, but veritably "the formof a servant,"—allthoseessentialqualitiesandattributeswhichbelongto,andconstituteabeing "a servant." The assumption involved the taking of an actuallyservilenature, aswell as of a subordinate station anda servant'swork.And therefore it is at once further explained in both its mode and itseffects. He took the form of a servant "by coming into the likeness ofmen:" He did not become merely a man, but by taking the form of aservantHecameintoastateinwhichHeappearedasman.Hishumanitywasrealandcomplete:butitwasnotall,—HeremainedGodinassuminghumanity, and therefore only appeared asman, not became onlyman.Andbytakingtheformofaservantandthusbeingfoundinfashionasaman,Hebecamesubjecttoobedience,—anobediencepressedsofarinitshumiliation that it extended even unto death, and that the shamefuldeath of the cross. Words cannot adequately paint the depth of thishumiliation.Butthisitwas,—thetakingoftheformofaservantwithitsresultantnecessityofobediencetosuchabitterend,—thisitwasthatHewhowasbynatureintheformofGod,—inthefullpossessionanduseofall the divine attributes and qualities, powers and prerogatives,—waswillingtodoforus.

Letusobserve,then,thirdly,thattheapostleclearlyannouncestousthespirit inwhichourLordperformed this great act. "AlthoughHewas inthe formofGod,HeyetdidnotconsiderHisbeingonanequalitywithGod a precious prize to be eagerly retained, but made no account ofHimself, taking the form of a servant." It was then in a spirit of pure

unselfishnessandself-sacrifice,thatlookednotonitsownthingsbutonthe thingsof others, thatunder the forceof love esteemedothersmorethanHimself,—itwasinthismind:or,intheapostle'sownwords,itwasas not considering His essential equality with God as a preciouspossession,butmakingnoaccountofHimself,—itwasinthismind,thatChrist Jesus who was before in the form of God took the form of aservant.ThiswasthestateofmindthatledHimtosomarvellousanact,—nocompulsionfromHisFather,nodesiresforHimself,nohopeofgainorfearofloss,butsimple,unselfish,self-sacrificinglove.

Now it isnot tobeoverlooked that someof the clauses themeaningofwhich we have sought to fathom, are differently explained amongexpositors.Nevertheless,althoughIhavesoughttoadducethemsoastobring out the apostle's exact meaning, and although I believe that hisappealacquiresanadditionalpointandastrongerleveragewhentheyarethus understood, it remains true that the main drift of the passage isunaffected by any of the special interpretations which reasonableexpositorshaveputupontheseveralclauses.ThesedivergentexpositionsdoseriouslyaffectourdoctrineofthePersonofChrist.Inparticular,allthe forms of the popular modern doctrine of kenosis or exinanition,whichteachesthatthedivineLogosinbecomingman"emptiedHimself,"and thus, that the very God in a more or less literal sense contractedHimself to the limits of humanity, find their chief, almost their soleBiblical basis in what appears to me a gratuitously erroneousinterpretation of one of these clauses,—that one which the AuthorizedVersionrenders,"HemadeHimselfofnoreputation,"andwhichIhaveventured to render, "He made no account of Himself," that is, incomparison with the needs of others; but which the theologians inquestion, followed, unfortunately as I think, by the Revised Version,render with an excessive literality, "He emptied Himself," therebyresurrecting the literal physical sense of the word in an unnaturalcontext. We have many reasons to give why this is an illegitimaterendering;chiefamongwhichare,thatthewordiscommonlyemployedin its figurative sense and that the intrusion of the literal sense here isforbidden by the context. But it is unnecessary to pause to argue thepoint.Whatever the conclusionmight be, themaindrift of the passageremains the same. No interpretation of this phrase can destroy the

outstanding fact that the passage at large places before our wonderingeyes the two termini of "the formofGod "and" the formof a servant,"involving obedience even unto a shameful death; and "measures theextentofourLord'sself-denyinggracebythedistancebetweenequalitywithGodandapublicexecutiononagibbet."Inanycasetheemphasisofthepassage is thrownuponthespiritofself-sacrificingunselfishnessasthe impelling cause of Christ's humiliation, which the apostle adduceshereinorderthatthesightofitmayimpelusalsototakenoaccountofourselves, but to estimate lightly all thatwe are or have in comparisonwiththeclaimsofothersonourloveanddevotion.TheonesubjectofthewholepassageisChrist'smarvellousself-sacrifice.Itsoneexhortationis,"Letitbethismindthatisalsoinyou."Aswereadthroughthepassagewe may, by contact with the full mind and heart of the apostle, learnmuchmorethanthis.Butletusnotfailtograspthis,hischiefmessagetous here,—that Christ Jesus, thoughHewasGod, yet cared less forHisequalitywithGod,caredlessforHimselfandHisownthings,thanHedidforus,andthereforegaveHimselfforus.

Firmlygraspingthis,then,astheessentialcontentandspecialmessageofthepassage,therearesomeinferencesthatflowfromitwhichwecannotaffordnottoremindourselvesof.

Andfirstoftheseisaverygreatandmarvellousone,—thatwehaveaGodwhoiscapableofself-sacrificeforus.ItwasalthoughHewasintheformofGod,thatChristJesusdidnotconsiderHisbeingonanequalitywithGod so precious a possession thatHe couldnot lay it aside, but rathermadenoaccountofHimself.ItwasourGodwhosolovedusthatHegaveHimselfforus.Now,hereinisawonderfulthing.MentellusthatGodis,by the very necessity of His nature, incapable of passion, incapable ofbeingmovedbyinducementsfromwithout;thatHedwellsinholycalmand unchangeable blessedness, untouched by human sufferings orhumansorrowsforever,—haunting

Thelucidinterspaceofworldandworld,

Wherenevercreepsacloud,normovesawind,

Noreverfallstheleastwhitestarofsnow,

Noreverlowestrollofthundermoans,

Norsoundofhumansorrowmountstomar

Hissacred,everlastingcalm.

LetusblessourGodthatitisnottrue.Godcanfeel;Goddoeslove.WehaveScripturalwarrant forbelieving, as ithasbeenperhaps somewhatinadequately but not misleadingly phrased, that moral heroism has aplacewithinthesphereofthedivinenature:wehaveScripturalwarrantforbelievingthat,liketheoldheroofZurich,Godhasreachedoutlovingarms and gathered into His own bosom that forest of spears whichotherwisehadpiercedours.

Butisnotthisgrossanthropomorphism?Wearecarelessofnames:itisthetruthofGod.AndwedeclinetoyielduptheGodoftheBibleandtheGodofourheartstoanyphilosophicalabstraction.WehaveandwemusthaveanethicalGod;aGodwhomwecanlove,andinwhomwecantrust.Wemay feel awe in thepresenceof theAbsolute, aswe feel awe in thepresenceofthestormoroftheearthquake:wemayfeelourdependencein its presence, as we feel our helplessness before the tornado or theflood.Butwecannotloveit;wecannottrustit;andourhearts,whicharejustastrustworthyaguideasourdialectics,cryoutforaGodwhomwemay love and trust. We decline once for all to subject our wholeconception of God to the category of the Absolute, which, as has beentrulysaid,"likePharaoh'sleankine,devoursallotherattributes."Neitheristhisanunphilosophicalprocedure.AshasbeensetforthrenewedlybyAndrew Seth, "we should be unfaithful to the fundamental principle ofthetheoryofknowledge""ifwedidnotinterpretbymeansofthehighestcategorywithinourreach.""Weshouldbefalsetoourselves,ifwedeniedin God what we recognize as the source of dignity and worth inourselves." In order to escape an anthropomorphic God, we must notthrowourselvesatthefeetofazoomorphicoranamorphicone.

Nevertheless, letus rejoice thatourGodhasnot leftusby searching tofindHimout.LetusrejoicethatHehasplainlyrevealedHimselftousinHis Word as a God who loves us, and who, because He loves us, hassacrificed Himself for us. Let us remember that it is a fundamental

conceptionintheChristianideaofGodthatGodislove;andthatitisthefundamentaldogmaoftheChristianreligionthatGodsolovedusthatHegave Himself for us. Accordingly, the primary presupposition of ourpresentpassageisthatourGodwascapableof,anddidactuallyperform,thisamazingactofunselfishself-sacrificeforthegoodofman.

The second inference that we should draw from our passage consistssimplyinfollowingtheapostleinhisapplicationofthisdivineexampletoourhumanlife:alifeofself-sacrificingunselfishnessisthemostdivinelybeautifullifethatmancanlead.HewhomasourMasterwehaveengagedtoobey,whomasourExamplewearepledgedtoimitate,ispresentedtoushereasthegreatmodelofself-sacrificingunselfishness."Letthismindbeinyou,whichwasalso inChristJesus," is theapostle'spleading.Weneedtonotecarefully,however, that it isnotself-depreciation,butself-abnegation,thatisthuscommendedtous.IfwewouldfollowChrist,wemust,everyoneofus,notinpridebutinhumility,yetnotinlownessbutin lowliness,notdegradeourselvesbut forgetourselves, and seekeverymannothisownthingsbutthoseofothers.

Whodoesnotseethatinthisorganismwhichwecallhumansociety,suchamode of life is the condition of all real help andhealth?There is, nodoubt,anotheridealoflifefarmoregratefultoourfallenhumannature,anidealbasedonarrogance,assumption,self-assertion,workingthroughstrife, and issuing in conquest,—conquest of a place for ourselves, aposition,theadmirationofman,powerovermen.Weseeitsworkingoneverysideofus: in thecompetitionofbusiness life,—in thestruggle forwealthontheoneside,forcingastruggleforbarebreadontheother;insociallife,—inthefiercebattleofmenandwomenforleadingpartsinthefarceofsocialdisplay;evenintheChurchitself,andamongtheChurches,where,too,unhappily,arrogantpretensionandunchristianself-assertiondonot fail to find their temporal reward.But it is clear that this isnotChrist'sideal,norisittothisthatHehassetusHisperfectexample."HemadenoaccountofHimself:"thoughHewasintheformofGod,HeyetlookednotuponHisequalitywithGodasapossessiontobeprizedwhenHecouldbyforgettingselfrescuethosewhomHewasnotashamed,amidallHisglory,tocallHisbrethren.

ArethereanywhomyouandIareashamedtocallourbrethren?Othat

thedivineidealoflifeasservicecouldtakepossessionofoursouls!OthatwecouldrememberatalltimesandinallrelationsthattheSonofMancame into the world to minister, and by His ministry has glorified allministeringforever.Othatwecouldonceforallgraspthemeaningofthegreat fact that self-forgetfulness and self-sacrifice express the divineidealsoflife.

Andthusweareledtoathirdinference,whichcomestousfromthetext:thatit isdifficulttoseta limittotheself-sacrificewhichtheexampleofChristcallsuponustobereadytoundergoforthegoodofourbrethren.ItiscomparativelyeasytorecognizethattheidealoftheChristianlifeisself-sacrificingunselfishness,andtoallowthatitisrequiredofthosewhoseektoenterintoit,tosubordinateselfandtoseekfirstthekingdomofGod.Butisitsoeasytoacknowledge,eventoourselves,thatthisistobereadnotgenerallymerelybut indetail,and is tobeappliednotonly tosomeeminentsaintsbuttoallwhowouldbeChrist'sservants?—thatitisrequiredofus,andthatwhatisrequiredofusisnotsomeself-denialbutallself-sacrifice?YetisitnottothisthattheexampleofChristwouldleadus?—not, of course, to self-degradation, not to self-effacement exactly,buttocompleteself-abnegation,entireandungrudgingself-sacrifice?Isit to be unto death itself?Christ died.Arewe to endurewrongs?Whatwrongs did He not meekly bear? Are we to surrender our clear andrecognized rights? Did Christ stand upon His unquestioned right ofretainingHisequalitywithGod?Arewetoendureunnaturalevils,permitourselvestobedrivenintoinappropriatesituations,unresistinglysustaininjuriousandunjustimputationsandattacks?Whatmoreunnaturalthanthat the God of the universe should become a servant in the world,ministeringnot toHisFatheronly,butalso toHiscreatures,—ourLordandMasterwashingourveryfeet?WhatmoreabhorrentthanthatGodshoulddie?ThereisnolengthtowhichChrist'sself-sacrificedidnotleadHim. These words are dull and inexpressive; we cannot enter intothoughtssohigh.HewhowasintheformofGodtooksuchthoughtforus,thatHemadenoaccountofHimself.IntotheimmeasurablecalmofthedivineblessednessHepermittedthisthoughttoenter,"Iwilldieformen!"AndsomightywasHislove,socolossalthedivinepurposetosave,thatHethoughtnothingofHisdivinemajesty,nothingofHisunsulliedblessedness,nothingofHisequalitywithGod,but,absorbedinus,—our

needs,ourmisery,ourhelplessness—HemadenoaccountofHimself.Ifthisistobeourexample,whatlimitcanwesettoourself-sacrifice?LetusrememberthatwearenolongerourownbutChrist's,boughtwiththepriceofHispreciousblood,andarehenceforthtolive,notforourselvesbutforHim,—forHiminHiscreatures,servingHiminservingthem.Letallthoughtofourdignity,ourpossessions,ourrights,perishoutofsight,whenChrist's servicecalls tous.Let themindbe inus thatwasalso inHim,whenHetooknoaccountofHimself,but,GodasHewas,tooktheform of a servant and humbledHimself,—He who was Lord,—to lowlyobedience even unto death, and that the death of the cross. In such amindasthis,whereistheendofunselfishness?

Letusnot,however,dotheapostletheinjusticeoffancyingthatthisisamorbid life to which he summons us. The self-sacrifice to which heexhortsus,unlimitedasitis,goingalllengthsandstartingbackblanchedatnothing,isneverthelessnotanunnaturallife.Afterall,itissuesnotinthedestructionofself,butonlyinthedestructionofselfishness;itleadsusnottoaBuddha-likeunselfing,buttoaChrist-likeself-development.Itwouldnotmakeusinto

deedlessdreamerslazyingoutalife

Ofself-suppression,notofselflesslove,

butwouldlighttheflamesofalovewithinusbywhichwewouldliterally"acheforsouls."TheexampleofChristandtheexhortationofPaulfoundthemselvesuponasenseoftheunspeakablevalueofsouls.OurLordtooknoaccountofHimself,onlybecausethevalueofthesoulsofmenpressedupon His heart. And following Him, we are not to consider our ownthings,butthoseofothers,justbecauseeverythingearthlythatconcernsusisasnothingcomparedwiththeireternalwelfare.

Our self-abnegation is thus not for our own sake, but for the sake ofothers. And thus it is not to mere self-denial that Christ calls us, butspecificallytoself-sacrifice:nottounselfingourselves,buttounselfishingourselves. Self-denial for its own sake is in its very nature ascetic,monkish. It concentrates our whole attention on self—self-knowledge,self-control—andcanthereforeeventuateinnothingotherthanthevery

apotheosisofselfishness.Atbestitsucceedsonlyinsubjectingtheouterselftotheinnerself,orthelowerselftothehigherself;andonlythemoresurely falls into the slough of self-seeking, that it partially conceals theselfishnessofitsgoalbyrefiningitsidealofselfandexcludingitsgrosserand more outward elements. Self-denial, then, drives to the cloister;narrowsandcontracts the soul;murderswithinusall innocentdesires,dries up all the springs of sympathy, and nurses and coddles our self-importanceuntilwegrowsogreatinourownesteemastobecarelessofthe trials and sufferings, the joys and aspirations, the strivings andfailures and successes of our fellow-men. Self-denial, thus understood,will make us cold, hard, unsympathetic,—proud, arrogant, self-esteeming,—fanatical,overbearing,cruel.ItmaymakemonksandStoics,—itcannotmakeChristians.

It isnot to this thatChrist's example callsus.Hedidnot cultivate self,evenHisdivine self:He tooknoaccountof self.Hewasnot ledbyHisdivineimpulseoutoftheworld,drivenbackintotherecessesofHisownsoultobroodmorbidlyoverHisownneeds,untiltogainHisownseemedworth all sacrifice to Him. He was led by His love for others into theworld,toforgetHimselfintheneedsofothers,tosacrificeselfonceforalluponthealtarofsympathy.Self-sacrificebroughtChrist intotheworld.Andself-sacrificewill leadus,Hisfollowers,notawayfrombutintothemidst of men. Wherever men suffer, there will we be to comfort.Wherevermenstrive,therewillwebetohelp.Wherevermenfail,therewillbewe touplift.Wherevermen succeed, therewillwebe to rejoice.Self-sacrifice means not indifference to our times and our fellows: itmeans absorption in them. It means forgetfulness of self in others. Itmeansenteringintoeveryman'shopesandfears,longingsanddespairs:it means manysidedness of spirit, multiform activity, multiplicity ofsympathies. It means richness of development. It means not that weshould live one life, but a thousand lives,—binding ourselves to athousandsoulsby the filamentsof so lovingasympathy that their livesbecome ours. Itmeans that all the experiences ofmen shall smite oursoulsandshallbeatandbatterthesestubbornheartsofoursintofitnessfor their heavenly home. It is, after all, then, the path to the highestpossible development, by which alone we can bemade trulymen. Notthatweshallundertake itwith thisend inview.Thiswere todryup its

springs at their source. We cannot be self-consciously self-forgetful,selfishlyunselfish.Only,whenwehumblywalkthispath,seekingtrulyinitnotourownthingsbutthoseofothers,weshallfindthepromisetrue,that he who loses his life shall find it. Only, when, like Christ, and inloving obedience to His call and example, we take no account ofourselves, but freely give ourselves to others,we shall find, each in hismeasure,thesayingtrueofhimselfalso:"WhereforealsoGodhathhighlyexaltedhim."Thepathofself-sacrificeisthepathtoglory.