October 22

"I am come that they might have life." Joux 10:10.

THOUGH men have differed in their definitions of life, they have all agreed in their estimation of it. Even the father of lies spoke truth when he said, Skin for skin, yea, all that a man hath will he give for his life. Yet what is this life which we so highly prize, nourish with so much care, and to preserve which are ready to make every kind of sacrifice? What is it in duration? "A vapor that appeareth for a little time, and then vanisheth away." What is it in dignity? "We spend our years as a tale that is told." What is it in enjoyment? Hear Jacob: "Few and full of evil have been the days of the years of my pilgrimage." "But this was, perhaps, a peculiar case." What says Job? "Man that is born of a woman is of few days, and full of trouble." "But he expressed himself under depression and gloom." What then says Solomon, who withheld his heart from no joy? "All is vanity, and vexation of spirit." But here is a life that deserves the name: a life spiritual in its nature, endless in its continuance; consisting, not of an immortality of being only, but of blessedness; commencing in grace, completed in glory, and emphatically called the life of God. Of this life the Lord Jesus here speaks. "I am come that they might have life."

He came to procure it for us. The blessing comes every way free to us, but it cost him dear. If we live, he must die. "The bread," said he "which I give, is my flesh, which I will give for the life of the world." Princes have often sacrificed the lives of their subjects to their own; yea, and where their own have not been in danger, they have offered thousands of victims on the altar of their vanity or revenge. But the Prince of peace gave his life a ransom for many. He was poor: he was a man of sorrows. You see him agonizing in the garden, and hear him exclaiming on the cross. "My God, my God, why hast thou forsaken me?" Why is all this? Is he guilty? "In him was no sin." Yet he was esteemed stricken, smitten of God, and afflicted. But, "he was wounded for our transgressions; he was bruised for our iniquities: the chastisement of our peace was upon him, and by his stripes we are healed." "One died for all."

He came to announce it to us. We can derive no benefit from him without a dependence upon him, an application to him, a connection with him. But all this requires the knowledge of him, and therefore says God, "By his knowledge shall my righteous servant justify many; for he shall bear their iniquities." It is true we are justified by faith, but "how can we believe in him of whom we have not heard? and how can we hear without a preacher?" He therefore "came and preached peace." "I am come," said he, "a light into the world, that whosoever believeth on me should not walk in darkness, but have the light of life." He proclaimed the nature of this life, the source of it, the medium of it, the certainty of it, the present enjoyment of it. His disciples, therefore, well said, "To whom should we go, but unto thee? thou hast the words of eternal life." And these words he dispensed, not only by his personal ministry, but by the instrumentality of others. What the apostles did, he did; because he sent them, and qualified them; he inspired them, and commanded them to preach the gospel to every creature, and also to record it, for the use of all future ages; so that we can read what they delivered.

He came to produce it in us. "The Son quickeneth whom he will." He received, in consequence of his death, the whole dispensation of the