September 23

"Now they have known that all things whatsoever thou hast given me are of thee." John 17:7.

IN these words two subjects are presented for our consideration.

THE THINGS TO WHICH OUR SAVIOUR REFERS. What were the things he received from the Father? Appointment to his office. He was appointed to fulfil his three-fold office of Prophet, Priest, and King, to remove our ignorance, atone for our sins, and subdue our corruptions. Qualifications for his work. See Isaiah 61:1. The Spirit was not given to him by measure, but descended on him in a copious effusion. The doctrines he taught. He said to the Jews, "My doctrine is not mine, but his that sent me:" it was not his in the capacity of Mediator, but it was his as one with God. The dominion he possessed. This was from God. The Father is said to give him power over all flesh. But let us now glance at

THE KNOWLEDGE WHICH HIS DISCIPLES ATTAINED. They knew these things so as to be fully convinced of his true Messiahship. But how did they know them? By the innocence of his life. "He did no sin." His life was a perfect transcript of the Divine law — a personification of virtue — holiness embodied and alive. As the sunbeam remains uncontaminated on whatever objects it shines, so did the Son of righteousness run his course in our world pure and unspotted, though he often came in contact with human impurity and defilement. By the purity of his doctrine. It was in accordance with the law of God, that eternal rule of righteousness. By the miracles he performed. By these the truth of his doctrine was established: they were his divine credentials. By spiritual illumination. When Peter said, "Thou art the Christ, the Son of the living God," Jesus answered, "Blessed art thou, Simon Bar-jona; for flesh and blood hath not revealed it unto thee, but my Father which is in heaven." Thus all believers know Christ, and this spiritual illumination may exist in the minds of those who are fools with regard to human learning. One drop of experimental knowledge is worth an ocean of mere theoretical knowledge. An astronomer was once viewing the heavens with a telescope, and lecturing on some of the planets, when an unlettered clown who was present said to his companion, "Let him spy what he pleases, we are as near to heaven as he is, with all his glasses;" so may the unlearned Christian say, though he cannot discourse on deep and learned questions.