Prophetically, however, Ezekiel tells us, under the new covenant, of God's doing this, and here is what a "master in Israel" ought to have known. "I will take away the stony heart out of your flesh, and will give you an heart of flesh," is certainly complete moral renovation or new birth." And such a change was necessary in order to the introduction even of the earthly kingdom. If these "earthly things" stumbled him, how would he be prepared to believe One who spoke of things outside the range of the old prophets altogether? "If I have told you earthly things, and ye believe not, how shall ye believe, if I tell you of heavenly things?"

And this bringing out of new truth yet further tests the state of the soul to which it is presented. Do I know the Shepherd's voice? Can I distinguish it from the voice of strangers? Or do I receive only what is accredited by the concurrent testimony of the piety or wisdom of past generations? That may seem very humble. It is practical infidelity. I do not believe God until man assures me He has spoken! Which is it then I really trust? It is one of the saddest things in a day of confusion to hear people say, "But so many good men differ." Yes, I reply, but are you listening to the distracting voices of men, then? Does not the Lord Jesus say, "My sheep hear my voice"? And is it not written, "There must also be heresies, that they which are approved may be made manifest among you"?

The argument that because we are not infallible, God cannot communicate to us His mind infallibly, is as unreasonable even as it is dangerous. It is denying a distinctive characteristic of the Lord's teaching, "He taught as one having authority, and not as the scribes." But if I cannot recognise His voice from that of the scribes themselves, what becomes of that authority? It is as much gone as if He had never spoken, and I cannot certainly say if I be walking in the path of His will or not. Though I will do his will," I cannot "know of the

which even the thought of it on God's part suggests itself. It is now to man that repentance is proclaimed.

doctrine." Though my "eye be single," my "whole body" cannot be "full of light."

Nicodemus might have said, "The whole mass of rabbinical commentators say nothing of new birth." Would that excuse him? The question was, did he know the voice of God? And with heavenly things now to be revealed, could he receive them, without the sanction of antiquity, upon the simple word of Him whom he had just acknowledged "a teacher come from God"?

And now, in our day, when there are no new revelations, but only the old truth, amid the perplexity of critics and the folly of wise men, unperplexed and unchanged, the question still remains for each one of us, with all its interest, and with all its solemnity, Do I know the voice of God?

Then comes the testimony of the glory of His person who is there. "And no man hath ascended up to heaven, but he that came down from heaven, even the Son of man which is in heaven." Then the wonder of His work, still more revealing Him, "And as Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness, even so must the Son of man be lifted up, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have eternal life." And then, as soon as you know Him, you know another. In another way than simply by the value of His work, He brings to God. "For God so loved the world that gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish but have eternal life. For God sent not his Son into the world to condemn the world, but that the world through him might be saved."

he

rest. 66

He would not leave you short of that blessed revelation, for that would be still to leave you short of perfect Lord, shew us the Father, and it sufficeth us,' is, though the request of ignorance, for in Christ they had seen the Father, yet a true judgment of what it does need to "suffice" the heart. Were there aught, back of Christ, still to be revealed, we should not yet be fully blest. Christ in His love paying my debt to God would not content me without the knowledge of God in His love, so declared by that debt paid. If my conscience

"God in

needs the one, my heart needs the other. Christ," that satisfies. "And not only so, but we also joy in God, through our Lord Jesus Christ, by whom we have now received the reconciliation."

For it is a reality that we are "without God in the world" naturally, and that is another and a sadder truth even than being outcasts from God. Both

go together, no doubt, but while to be an outcast from God is to be outside all I know of light and goodness, to be without Him is to be without the knowledge of light or goodness. And it needs that surely to make up the perfect agony of woe.

What a difference it is to say I know that I am safe, and "to know God"! And in one way, although it needs the knowledge of security, perfectly to know Him, this is the first thing proposed, and it is that which we go on in continually. In it comes the knowledge of peace, because to "acquaint thyself with him" is to "be at peace." But this is only one of the varied fruits of that tree of life and blessing.

We know Him. We have a God. We have a God. It is joy to put our mouths in the dust before Him, and to own Him as infinitely beyond us in goodness as in power and majesty He is. This is what the Cross reveals. This is what faith receives. And this is where I begin to live and walk with Him, whom daily I know better, and daily seek yet more to know.

What follows in verses 18-21 is man's responsibility in view of "light," thus "come into the world." John's Gospel gives us no pleading with man, no trial of him. The light exposes him, that is all. What can be looked for from one dead in trespasses and sins? Yet even so, that does not excuse him, his responsibility is unaffected by it. For if he be "dead," it is "in sins." If he be in darkness, he loves darkness rather than light, because "This is his condemnation." This is why he does not come to the light, why he does

his deeds are evil."

Except in so far as chap. xii. 35, 36 may be called so. I know of no other passage of the same nature throughout the

book.

not believe. It is his wille that is in fault-his heart. The converse of "they believed not the truth," is simply "but had pleasure in unrighteousness."

Yet "death" it is, surely. A state out of which none but God can bring. And we must know it, each one for himself, so that it shall be, save in the grace of it, no mystery, that the "Firstborn" of this " new creation is also the first begotten from the dead." Even so we, born unto God, are new-born out of death. He for us risen out of it, we "quickened together with Him," "that He might be the Firstborn among many brethren." And thus, it is solemn to see the Lord of life and glory taking up John's work. "After these things came Jesus and his disciples into the land of Judea, and there He tarried with them, and baptised. John also was baptising in Ænon near to Salim, because there was much water there, and they came and were baptised." It is the last time you meet with baptism in this gospel, for with this chapter we pass out of the region of death into the life beyond. It was fit to have this solemn witness first. It comes as the seal of the previous teaching, and because "the testimony of two men is true," the master authenticates the testimony of the disciple. All this will be left behind when He takes up His own peculiar "witness" of "heavenly things. But while passing on to this, He must confirm the earthly," for grace does not "make void," but "establish law." The new revelation (if it go behind it) puts emphatically its seal upon the old.

John has accompanied us then so far. But the wilderness voice is now to give its last utterance, and joyful if solemn utterance it is. O how more than calmly we can look on at our own burial when Christ the Life is there! "He must increase, I must decrease" now. Think you there ought to be sorrow about that? Surely in another sense than old Simeon, but with relief of heart like his, we say "Lord, now lettest thou thy

I do not say this is perform may be far off." way to all the rest.

all, for when "to will is present," "to But for the will to be changed is the

servant depart in peace, for mine eyes have seen thy salvation."

Beautiful is this last utterance of one, than whom none greater had risen among them that are born of woman. He is still only "a voice," "a witness to the light," "not the light," and he pretends not to it. "A man can receive nothing, except it be given him from heaven. Ye yourselves bear me witness that I said, I am not the Christ, but that I am sent before him. He that hath the bride is the bridegroom, but the friend of the bridegroom, which standeth and heareth him, rejoiceth greatly because of the bridegroom's voice: this my joy therefore is fulfilled. He must increase, but I must decrease. He that is of the earth is earthly, and speaketh of the earth; he that cometh from heaven is above all."

Precious, simple, ungrudging witness! His glory was to be nothing. Cheaply attained as that is, who among us desires it?

But again and again this solemn testimony to man's utter ruin comes. Let heaven pour out its treasures, he does not value them. "What he hath seen and heard he testifieth, and no man receiveth his testimony." To receive that is to set to one's seal that God is true.

Truth is here again everything.

"He that believeth on the Son hath everlasting life; and he that believeth not the Son shall not see life, but the wrath of God abideth on him."

There the voice ceases. What is beyond is not for John (blessed servant as he is) to utter. He that comes from heaven is to speak now the things "which he hath seen and heard.” F. W. G.

N°. XXII.

ADDITIONAL NOTES ON THE GREEK ARTICLE.

EVERY noun which is not itself a proper name is in direct contrast with this latter; it is the name of what a thing is, not of an individual.

Where, in the nature of things, there is ostensibly only