this lesson. He probably had a party of his own in the church to which Gaius belonged, and he did not receive the apostle as his superior. St. John had written to the church, conveying his injunction that they should bring forward on their journey some whom he recommended to their attention, who were going forth on a mission to the Gentiles. Diotrephes took offence at this: it interfered with his authority, or his interest; and he had used to influence in opposition to the apostle: neither doth he himself receive the brethren, and forbiddeth them that would, and casteth them out of the church.

A private injury must be overlooked and forgiven. Charity, in the case of private wrongs, "hopeth all things, believeth all things, endureth all things." But opposition to the apostle, resistance offered to his authority, was not a private but a public injury. The welfare of the church required submission and subordination. So that, gentle and loving as he was by nature, St. John doth not hesitate to say, when duty compelled: Wherefore, if I come, I will remember his deeds which he doeth, prating against us with malicious words. Like St. Paul to the Corinthian church: "I write to them that heretofore have sinned, and to all other, that, if I come again, I will not spare." 3

A word of general instruction follows.

11. Beloved, follow not that which is evil, but that which is good. He that doeth good is of God: but he that doeth evil hath not seen God.

32 Cor. xiii. 2..

"No man hath seen God at any time." But "faith is the evidence of things not seen." And through faith men come to such a knowledge of God as enables them to live as if they had seen him. Thus Paul says of Moses, that "he forsook Egypt, not fearing the wrath of the king: for he endured, as seeing him who is invisible." It is a test of the reality of faith, that it brings God before us, and places us in his presence. Joseph, when he was tempted, had a sense of God's nearness to him. "How shall I do this great wickedness, and sin against God?"5 Job, in his humiliation, says, "I have heard of thee by the hearing of the ear: but now mine eye seeth thee." David, when he was persecuted, had a like knowledge of God: who, though he is above, far out of our sight, is yet nigh unto all them that call upon him. "I have set God always before me; because he is at my right hand, I shall not be moved."6

Now Diotrephes, if he meant to obtain pre-eminence anong Christians, must profess to have this acquaintance with God. He could have no claim. to pre-eminence, except what was derived from his superior faith and piety. St. John teaches them to judge concerning this by a test which could not be mistaken. He that doeth good is of God: but he that doeth evil hath not seen God. He that doeth evil may boast of his knowledge of God, of his communion with God: but all such boasting is vain. "Whosoever abideth in him," whosoever hath that union with him which faith maintains, "sinneth not: whosoever sinneth hath not seen him, neither known him."7

4 Heb. xi. 27.

5 Gen. xxxix. 9.
7 John iii. 6.

6 Psa. xvi. 8.

The sin of Diotrephes was pride, self-esteem, presumption. No sin more clearly proves ignorance of God. The first effect of a knowledge of God is to make us humble; to abase us in our own eyes. And if Diotrephes had possessed any portion of that knowledge, instead of opposing the recommendation of St. John, or making a party against his friends, his thoughts mast have been of this kind:-The apostle, who" was the disciple whom Jesus loved;" who had been of his company from the beginning, and "seen his glory," and heard his "gracious words," and received an especial unction from his Spirit: what am I that I can withstand him, or set up in opposition to him my own judgment, my own friends, my own authority?

"Therefore by their fruits ye shall know them." Diotrephes was thus known unfavourably. On the other hand, St. John writes concerning another member of Gaius's church in strong terms of commendation. Perhaps he was of the opposite party to Diotrephes, and required the support of the apostle's good opinion.

12. Demetrius hath good report of all men, and of the truth itself: yea, and we also bear record; and ye know that our record is true.

13. I have many things to write, but I will not with ink and pen write unto thee:

14. But I trust I shall shortly see speak face to face. Peace be to thee. thee. Greet the friends by name.

thee, and we shall Our friends salute

St. John here speaks of the Christians in a term which does not occur elsewhere. The friends salute thee. Greet the friends by name. We know that the disciples of Christ were called after him whom

they followed, called "Christians," from an early period. But they were more frequently represented by their character: described under the name of" saints," or "believers," or "brethren," or, as here, of "friends." And, whatever they are called, we thus learn what they must be. Unless they "know in whom they have believed:" :" unless they are "holy, as he who hath called them is holy:" unless they "love as brethren," and walk together as friends :-the name of Christian will have no value, be of no effect, except to condemn them for not being what they ought to be, and what their title implies. Without that character, there will not be that peace to them, which John desired for Gaius: and which does belong to all who have not merely the name but the character of Christians, and are united to one another, and to God himself, by the triple bond of faith, and holiness, and mutual love.

8 See Acts xi. 26.

THE GENERAL EPISTLE OF JUDE.

A. D. 70.

LECTURE LXXXIV.

WARNING AGAINST FALSE TEACHERS WHO PERVERTED THE GOSPEL.

JUDE 1-4.

1. Jude, the servant of Jesus Christ, and brother of James,' to them that are sanctified by God the Father, and preserved in Jesus Christ, and called:

2. Mercy unto you, and peace, and love, be multiplied.

Called, sanctified, preserved in the faith. Such is the description of Christians to whom mercy, peace, and love are to belong, whether in St. Jude's time or in other times. The Son of God gave himself for us, that there might be such a people; “a peculiar people, redeemed from all iniquity.”

They are, first, called. The voice of God speaking in the Gospel is directed towards them, and reaches them and thus they are "made to differ”

1 Jude is called by Matthew, x. 3, and by Mark, iii. 8, "Lebbæus, whose surname was Thaddeus." Luke, vi. 16, and Acts, i. 13, styles him "Judas the brother of James: that James, who was the "pillar of the church at Jerusalem.