the plain below. They realise the promise of the Redeemer, "If ye continue in my word, ye shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free." But even if it were otherwise; if what must be abandoned were far more valuable than it is; and if to relinquish it were far more painful; still the contest must be resolved on, the sacrifice risked, and the victory achieved. As faith which is in Christ Jesus is the only power which can gain that victory and overcome the world, so to have gained the victory and overcome the world is the very test by which faith that is in Christ Jesus must be tried. It is the mark by which his disciples are described and known; and they who exhibit it are "the children of the kingdom," where there shall be no more contest, because there shall be no more sin. For the Lord who giveth us the victory hath said, "He that overcometh shall inherit all things." "To him that overcometh will I grant to sit with me on my throne, even as I also overcame, and am set down with my Father on his throne."6 6 Rev. iii. 21. LECTURE LXXVI. TESTIMONY TO THE TRUTH OF THE GOSPEL. 1 JOHN V. 6-10. 6. This is he that came by water and blood, even Jesus Christ; not by water only, but by water and blood. And it is the Spirit that beareth witness, because the Spirit is truth. St. John had affirmed that faith in Jesus Christ enables a believer to overcome the world. He now states the grounds on which that efficacy rests. It was the purpose of his ministry, the intent of his death, to bestow such power. This is he that came by water and blood, even Jesus Christ: not by water only, but by water and blood. He came by water. He was himself baptized; he commanded that all should be baptized, in water, the means of purity, and therefore the emblem of holiness. The world is a defiled and a defiling place. Baptism Baptism implies a cleansing from that defilement. But he came, not by water only, but by water and blood. There issued from him not a cleansing only, but an atoning stream. His blood makes F F propitiation for the soul which his Spirit purifies. And, therefore, when he died upon the cross, and the soldiers pierced his side, there flowed out blood and water. It was a proof that his death was real. And it was also a sign of what his death should effect, and is therefore specially related and solemnly attested. (John xix. 35.) "He that saw it bare record, and his record is true: and he knoweth that he saith true, that ye might believe." So here again the same apostle, whilst he testifies the fact, brings also his witness to the fact, saying, It is the Spirit that beareth witness, because the Spirit is true. And thus it is that God, in offering his salvation to man, has provided a testimony to his word as sure as it is important. 7. For there are three that bear record in heaven, the Father, the Word, and the Holy Ghost: and these three are one.1 8. And there are three that bear witness in earth, the spirit, and the water, and the blood: and these three agree in one. The Father bore record to the truth, when a voice came from heaven, saying, "This is my beloved Son hear him." The Word bore record to the gracious message, 1 This verse is wanting in many ancient manuscripts; and its genuineness was held doubtful even in the time of Jerome. It cannot, therefore, add much to Matt. xxviii. 19, towards proving the doctrine of the Trinity in argument or controversy. But the sense is more complete if the sentence is retained. 2 Matt. xvii. 5. when he said, "I am the way, and the truth, and the life; no man cometh unto the Father but by The Holy Ghost bore record, descending in a visible form upon the head of Jesus, when he was baptized with water; and upon the apostles at the day of Pentecost, when they were baptized with fire. So that there are three that bear record in heaven; if out of the mouth of three witnesses the truth may be established. And yet these three are one. The truth has both the exactness of one testimony, and the certainty of more than one. And as there are three witnesses in heaven, so there are three that bear witness on earth: the Spirit, the water, and the blood. The heavenly witnesses are unseen. They were seen once seen by the apostles at Jordan and on Mount Tabor.5 But they are now seen no longer. The record borne on earth is such as we can always perceive and judge of. The Spirit bears witness, when it enlightens, comforts, purifies the heart of the believer. The water bears witness, when the command of Christ is obeyed, and the disciple is baptized “in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost." And the blood bears record, when Christians meet together and commemorate the ransom paid by blood for the remission. of sins. Such is the ample testimony which God has furnished to the fact which of all things men most need to be assured of, the redemption that is in 3 John xiv. 6. 5 4 Matt. iii. 16. Acts ii. 3. Christ Jesus. If we credit anything on the testimony by which it is certified; if in ordinary life we are accustomed to act on the belief of what is recorded and reported to us; then are we bound to receive and act upon the testimony which God hath given to his Son. 9. If we receive the witness of men, the witness of God is greater: for this is the witness of God which he hath testified of his Son. 10. He that believeth on the Son of God hath the witness in himself: he that believeth not God hath made him a liar; because he believeth not the record that God gave of his Son. The thought is shocking, to treat God as if he could be false to his word, or to treat the word of God as if it could speak untruly. Yet this is done, when the record which he hath given of his Son is not received. But when it is received, there comes with it a witness clearer and surer than can be given by any outward testimony. He that believeth on the Son of God hath the witness in himself. He has a conviction stronger than can be produced by testimony, or wrought by argument: that conviction which was expressed by the inhabitants of Sychar, (John iv. 42,) when they said to their country woman, "Now we believe, not because of thy saying: for we have heard him ourselves, and know that this is indeed the Christ, the Saviour of the world." His words came to their hearts, with a force which convinced them of his truth. This was to have the witness in themselves. And it is the nature of the word of God to produce this intimate conviction. Something within the |