Homilistic Library (Vol. 4), 67. The English Commonwealth (J. A. Picton), 67. The Book of Enoch (Dr. Lawrence), 68. The Canons of the First Four Councils (Dr. Bright), 68. Hours with the Bible (Dr. Geikie), 68. Unitarian Christianity (Dr. Martineau), 68. The Light of Life (D. M. West), 69. Light from the Old Lamp (Jackson Wray), 69. The Spirit of Congregational Churches (Rev. D. Hamilton), 70. In Memoriam Rev. H. Dobney (H. Simon), 70. The Survival of the Soul (Silas Henn), 71. The Christian View of Strong Drink (Palmer Grenville), 71. The Servant of the Lord (Palmer Grenville), 72. New Tune Book (F. C. Maker), 72. Notes on John (B. E.), 72. Education (D. Kay, F.R.G.S.), 142. The Revelations of Common Sense (Antipodes), 142. Exegetical Studies (Paton Gloag, D.D.), 143. We Two (Edna Lyell), 143. The Messages to the Seven Churches (Canon Tait), 211. Luther (Dr. Tulloch), 211. Greek Testament Com- mentary (Dr. Young), 212. George Birkbeck (J. G. Godard), 212. Life of Christ, Vol. 3 (Weiss), 213. Doctrine of Divine Love (E. Sartorious), 214. Christian Missions (G. Smith, LL.D.), 214. A Friendly Letter to Ministers, 214. The Duty of Governments (Canon Farrar), 215. The Salvation Army (Mrs. Booth), 215. Idyls of Labour (J. Gregory), 216. Pauline Charity Discourses (Dr. Cross), 286. Modern Theories of Philosophy and Religion (Dr. Tulloch), 286. Legends and Theories of the Buddhists (Spence Hardy), 287. John Wycliffe (Jackson Wray), 288. Wicklif (W. Atkinson), 288. The Christ of History (Dr. Young), 288. Terse Talk (H. Varley), 357. Doctrine and Duty (Dr. Cushman), 358. The Problem of Churches (R. Milne), 358. Revelation Reconsidered (W. Ewing, M.A.), 360. The Light of Life (F. J. Scott), 360. Necessary to Salvation (C. Ě. Sanders, M.A.) 421. Voices from Old Beverston Castle and Rectory (T. Wesley Brown), 421. A Lamp and a Light (F. Bourdillon), 421. A Manual for Ministers and Deacons (Samuel McAll), 422. The Rivulet (Thomas Lynch), 422. Girl's Own Annual, 423. Boy's Own Annual, 423. Egyptian Life and History (M. E. Harkness), 423. Babylonian Life and History (Wallis Budge), 424. Present Day Tracts (Various Writers), 424. Little Ted (Jenkin Jones), 424. The Leading Homily. DUTY AND TRUTH. "IF ANY MAN WILLETH TO DO HIS WILL, HE SHALL KNOW OF THE TEACHING."-John vii. 17. D UTY and Truth; of these and of their relation to each other our text tells. Of what themes of more momentous practical interest did these same lips of Jesus ever speak? All the revelation His Gospel makes to men is supremely concerned with human Duty and divine Truth. And is not this man's duty, namely, the willing to do God's will? this divine Truth, namely, the teaching that is of sense of being about God and from God? And is not We said, too, that these words of our Lord suggest the relation of Truth and Duty to each other. The connection here indicated is not as we often conceive it when we lay more stress on Theology than on Religion, a conception of the relationship of Truth and Duty that leads us to say, "if we knew more we would do better." No; that is an inversion of Christ's order, which is, if you did better you would know more. Do what you already know to be right; however ordinary and commonplace the deed is, do it, and by doing it you will arrive at higher and deeper knowledge. Duty is the key to Truth. A I-TRUTH: the knowledge of it is of vast importance. This is implied here. The Jews were marvelling at the doctrine of Jesus; and He does not at all disparage their estimate of the worth of wisdom. The greater than Solomon would have crowned wisdom with as much enthusiasm as did Solomon himself. The consciousness of its worth is the conviction of all the best souls, and lies at the bottom of the restlessness of multitudes who scarcely know why they are so unquiet. In differing tones Humanity pours forth upon the air of all the lands and all the ages the cries, "Where shall Wisdom be found?" "What is Truth?" Sometimes the question is a cavil, it lightly trips over the lips of scorn. It is, as, perhaps, it was in Pilate's mouth, a hiss. Gold, pleasure, applause, who can appraise their worth; but what is Truth? But slowly and agonisingly the cry breaks over earnest lips, "What is Truth?" In perplexity, and from the midst of oft-baffled enquiries in these days of stern intellectual conflicts, and troops of claimants of authoritative teaching, men are heard crying, "Oh, to be away from falsehood; oh, to be above uncertainty and doubt." So much that has been counted sacred for ages is rudely questioned, so many social theories are being challenged, so many traditions are being resolved into legends; there is on every hand such shifting and silting that, perhaps, never did the appeal mean so much as it does now, Where shall wisdom be found, and where is the place of understanding?" No one can listen to Christ's teaching without realising that He has fullest sympathy with this human quest for Truth. In the conversation from which our text is taken, our Lord implies that the knowledge of Truth now and here is an unspeakable satisfaction to man. The eye does not thirst for beauty, or the ear hunger for music, or scarcely even the heart ache for love more constantly and universally than does the intellect yearn for Truth. The "teaching" that Christ says is God's is actual, changeless, absolute truth. Oh, to know it! It shall be to us as the polestar in the night of life, as an anchor in the storms of time. Thrice blessed is the man who in any domain of enquiry for Truth, and most of all in the highest domain, can utter a thank ful and satisfied, if surprised, Eureka. Christ says about the sort of man He describes, that this shall be his happy experience, "he shall know." He does not fix the period of the attainment of this knowledge. It may be slowly and gradually reached, as by the processes of prolonged research that end in discovery; or it may be realised with unexpected suddenness, as by some strangely vouchsafed revelation. More often the former than the latter, doubtless. But the latter as well as the former. It may be now and here, or it may be yonder and hereafter, or it may be both. But the lips of the Infallible Teacher have distinctly assured us that there are those whose desire for knowledge will be fulfilled, that the true passion for Truth will be satisfied. This leads us to the enquiry as to who will acquire this knowledge, and what is the method by which they will attain it. Thus we notice II-DUTY: the endeavour to do it is the surest way to a knowledge of the Truth. (1) God's will is the standard of Duty. "His will," so Christ speaks of God's requirements. Unlike the laws of nations, or the maxims of society, or the usages of trades and professions, it is fixed, unalterable. It is the same in all lands and centuries, and indeed in all worlds. Heaven has no code that contradicts the code by which God governs earth; nor can hell have any other. Righteousness, Truthfulness, Love, these are the glory of the Sovereign and ideals for His subjects in all the zones of the universe. Jesus spoke of it to His disciples as "the will of your Father," and taught us alike in the prayers of life and of tongue to seek that our Father's will should be done on earth as it is done in heaven. Then, and only then, is duty done. (2) The willing to do God's will is our duty. "If any man willeth to do His will." Canon Westcott calls our attention to this "willeth" as to the emphatic word here. Some may do God's will without any strong, stedfast exercise of their volition. Their temperament, or the influences about them may drift them into a course of life that is outwardly an observance of the Divine Law. But it is not of such that our Lord is speaking here. It is rather of such as with eagerness enquire what God's will is, and |