it is owned, the whole scheme of Scripture is not yet understood; so if it ever comes to be understood before the restitution of all things, and without miraculous interpositions, it must be in the same way as natural knowledge is come at, by the continuance and progress of learning and of liberty, and by particular persons attending to, comparing, and pursuing intimations scattered up and down it, which are overlooked and disregarded by the generality of the world."(Anal. Part II., Ch. III.)

THE ANALOGY OF THE FAITH.

I.

JOHN Xvii. 17.

66 Thy Word is Truth."

THE Word is the revelation of what is-not, indeed, of visible and tangible things to be apprehended by the senses or intellect, but of spiritual verities appealing to the soul of man.

What is truth? is echoed not only by doubting Pilates, but by earnest and inquiring men.

God has revealed himself in the fulness of the covenant. The glory of the Father has shone forth in the Son. He has revealed Himself in the true sanctuary, and made a way whereby we might know Him—a God of mercy and love—in Christ Jesus.

Since light is come into the world and darkness banished, it is within the power of all to enjoy it: to turn from darkness to light, from the power of Satan unto God. The sin of the world is put away, death abolished, and life and immortality— the common lot of man-brought to light. All things are restored, of which the outpoured Spirit, poured out upon all flesh, is the seal.

The Lord Jesus testified to the Father. He came not by water only, but by water and blood, that we might know the

B

Father in the two principles here symbolised-in a cleansing from all that is of the flesh, and a life to God. He said to his disciples, "It is expedient that I go away; if I go not away the Comforter will not come." If sin be not put away there can be no receptivity for the Spirit of God. When, therefore, it became expedient for Christ to depart―leave this visible state of things-His death attested one still more awful, as He then bore away the sin of the world, that the Spirit might come. He is come, and reproves the world of sin, because it has not believed into Christ. Wherefore every one may know whether he be dead with Christ or not. If he be, then he is not of this world, but comes to the light and makes manifest that his works are wrought not "by man and God with him," but by God, man being crucified; so in Spirit and truth. He reproves the world of righteousness; Christ, having put away sin, is gone to the Father, and the Spirit is come, blessing all, attesting the Father in the full blessings of the covenant. Hence every one is either in sin or in righteousness. It is within the power of every one to choose which he will obey, for the prince of this world is judged. He then that does the truth attests what the Spirit attests-the judgment of the prince of this world, and the righteousness of the Father in the Son of God. He knows him as the holy Father that cannot bear to look upon iniquity; and as the righteous Father, imparting of his nature: so walks in the light, as he is in the light. He does the truth, and lies not.

Christ, the Son of God, reveals, according to this order of His name, the truth. He attests that sin is put away, and the blessing of the Father is poured out upon all flesh. In His controversy with the teachers of the Jewish law, He told them that, notwithstanding their hypocrisy and religious prejudices, the truth made them free. They were redeemed,

but they ignored their redemption; and so were without God. They might call themselves Abraham's seed, yet be the servants of sin, because they knew not the truth. How can any be the seed of the true Father till he has ceased from sin, suffered in the flesh? What is not of the Father is of the devil, who hates both the Father and the Son, and would destroy the Son, and thus seizing upon the inheritance, would deprive man of all the blessings of the covenant.

How can they who serve the creature know the truth? They crave for that which bears the curse, though it be life with its relationships, the world with its honours, glory, wealth, and all that ministers to earthly ease, comfort, and necessities. In all Christian jealousy the Apostle wrote:"O foolish Galatians! who hath bewitched you, that you should not obey the truth evidently set forth among you?" He gloried only in Christ Jesus, by whom he was crucified to the world and the world to him.

The truth then is, that God the Father has revealed himself not only in creation and providence, but in grace. His covenant is with all flesh. All stand in the same relation to the last Adam as to the first. All are in Christ Jesus; and the condemnation is that, despite the truth, they walk after the flesh and not after the Spirit. Their deeds then are only evil. Christ being rejected, they cannot believe into the name of the only begotten of the Father. There is no neutral ground. If we obey not the truth, we are the servants of sin. But if we do, we have the witness within that we have overcome the world, being crucified to it and it to us, counting all as loss for Christ; and, being found in Him, we have the righteousness of God.

The course of this world is in unrighteousness. It lieth in the wicked one. It knows not the truth, but keeps it down