learnt his first lesson; he was comprehending somewhat of t God; and God, who had treat fore as a servant, gave him no of a son. This, therefore, is the state o upon whom the ends or object are come. In order to do this, God "ser rit of His Son upon us"-tha proceeded indeed from the Fat which proceeded from the So rested also upon the Son as ma Spirit which now enlightens us we want, so that we are not, take that which was given us as grown-up SONS; and thus we who has now learnt to compr needs, would pray to a father to relieve them. The Christi prayer and praise is reason This is the real difference. Father," said Philip, "and it We Christians have seen the Fath dwelt so many years among u suffice us. Hitherto, said our to say, unto the time when th was to descend upon the Chu asked nothing in My Name; but 66 6 ow capable forward you have a new privilege-" as e mysteries receive, that your joy may be full "In My Name"-this is the point, a Chris the lesson of the Sunday. There is thing in the Name of JESUS which ma forth the as God, b This is o know th difference between the mere child treat servant, and a son admitted to his Spirit confidence, and partaker of his father' r, that cls. But this we will treat of present We have thus, therefore, advanced step in the knowledge of God. Still not already attained, nor are we alre feet; we have seen God but "throug through the veil, that is Manhood, and not yet "face to fac "know in part," and that is far more e infants plicitly, ray as a st end his re darkly," 10 is kings and prophets of old knew; the sacrifice le sacrifice how us t afficeth in Him whe and it de jour, that Holy Gh h, ye have om this ti come when we shall "know even known," but that time is not come a And therefore it is that the in spiritual grace is still conveyed, e Christian, through outward and vis but there is a wide difference bet and those of the Old Testament. Testament men performed the o visible ceremonies, trusting that some inward and spiritual grace learnt his first lesson; he was now capable of comprehending somewhat of the mysteries of God; and God, who had treated him heretofore as a servant, gave him now the adoption of a son. This, therefore, is the state of the Christian upon whom the ends or objects of the world are come. In order to do this, God "sent forth the Spirit of His Son upon us"-that Spirit which proceeded indeed from the Father, that Spirit which proceeded from the Son as God, but rested also upon the Son as man. This is the Spirit which now enlightens us to know what we want, so that we are not, like infants, to take that which was given us implicitly, but as grown-up sons; and thus we pray as a son, who has now learnt to comprehend his real needs, would pray to a father who is willing to relieve them. The Christian sacrifice of prayer and praise is a "reasonable sacrifice." This is the real difference. "Show us the Father," said Philip, "and it sufficeth us." We Christians have seen the Father in Him who dwelt so many years among us, and it does suffice us. Hitherto, said our Saviour, that is to say, unto the time when the Holy Ghost was to descend upon the Church, ye have asked nothing in My Name; but from this time forward you have a new privilege" ask, and receive, that your joy may be full;" for "whatsoever ye shall ask the Father in My Name, He will give it you." "In My Name"-this is the point, and this is the lesson of the Sunday. There is something in the Name of JESUS which makes the difference between the mere child treated as a servant, and a son admitted to his father's confidence, and partaker of his father's councils. But this we will treat of presently. We have thus, therefore, advanced a great step in the knowledge of God. Still have we not already attained, nor are we already perfect; we have seen God but "through a glass darkly," through the veil, that is, of His Manhood, and not yet "face to face." We "know in part," and that is far more than the kings and prophets of old knew; the time will come when we shall "know even as we are known," but that time is not come as yet. And therefore it is that the inward and spiritual grace is still conveyed, even to the Christian, through outward and visible signs: but there is a wide difference between these and those of the Old Testament. In the Old Testament men performed the outward and visible ceremonies, trusting that there was some inward and spiritual grace belonging to them. We know what that inward and spiritual grace is; so that feeling the want of it, we seek it where it is to be found. Theirs was an implicit obedience, ours is a reasonable obedience; they, heirs of God's grace, and children of God by promise, were treated as servants, by reason of their spiritual infancy; we, heirs of God's grace, and children of God by actual adoption, are treated as sons, by reason of our spiritual obedience. This step, this progress in revelation, this increase in our power of comprehending our relation to God, and in our capacity for receiving His grace, took its date from the time when that God first "became man, and dwelt among us, so that we were permitted to behold His glory, the glory as of the Only Begotten of the Father, full of grace and truth." St. John calls Him the Word, because, as words are the medium through which we reveal our thoughts to one another, so the Word of God is the mediator through whom God reveals Himself to man. He was from the beginning: "All things were made by Him, and without Him was not anything made that was made;" but He was not seen, *"Our outward word," says St. Basil, "hath some similarity to the Divine Word; for our word declares the conception of the mind, since what we conceive in the mind, we bring out in the word." |