Eden has become the river of the water of life (xxii. 1), because it proceeds from the throne of God and of the Lamb that was slain. And this River is the Spirit who proceedeth from the Father and the Son. It nourishes not trees and plants, but the souls of men ; and the Tree of Life is He from whom all vital power comes, its fruit suiting every clime and every age. Even the nations which as yet know not the taste of the fruit are sheltered and healed by the leaves, the outward ministrations of the Gospel have that power upon them (2, 3). Those who eat of the fruit are no more under a curse though they have to eat bread by the sweat of the brow; where the throne of God and the Lamb is, there is all blessing. The same sun and stars which shone in their grandeur and beauty upon the first inhabitants of this globe shine still upon us; but upon the denizens of the new Creation a yet more glorious light will shine for evermore (5).

And here comes a touching parenthesis (6-9). It seems as if the inspired seer, realising what an unspeakably glorious vision he had written down, feared lest it might be thought by sufferers and sin-laden men too good to be true. So he simply repeats, as he has done before, that he has seen it all, that it is true, that it is not even the teaching of angels, but of God Himself.

He is bidden not to seal up the prophecy, as if it were for a distant age. The Judge is speaking now. The filthy refusing to listen, remain filthy, the faithful will love the right and seek after it (10-15).

And then the Lord tells how He is the fulfilment of all that was divine in the ancient time, 'the root and offspring of David,' 'the star' whom the Magi in their ignorance sought after; the names are repeated that the churches of Asia might take the assurance, and send the testimony through the world.

The Spirit, the inward voice to each man, and the Bride, the visible Church, say 'Come.' Even the weakest and most ignorant, if he heareth, will join in the Divine invitation; he that is athirst is welcome, whosoever will may drink of the water of life freely.

And then comes the warning and exhortation to us every one. We have constantly to call upon God to teach us all His truth, to preserve us from falsehoods of our own imagining. If we do so the last words will daily grow in their comfort and help to us. As He says, 'Behold I come quickly,' we shall respond with a fervent Amen.

IN

The Gospel according to

St. John

N the beginning was the Word, and the Word The Word was with God, and the Word was God. The & the same was in the beginning with God. All things Light were made by him; and without him was not any thing made that was made. In him was life; and 5 the life was the light of men. And the light shineth in darkness; and the darkness comprehended it not.

There was a man sent from God, whose name was John. The same came for a witness, to bear 10 witness of the Light, that all men through him might believe. He was not that Light, but was sent to bear witness of that Light.

That was the true Light, which lighteth every man that cometh into the world. He was in the 15 world, and the world was made by him, and the world knew him not. He came unto his own, and his own received him not. But as many as received him, to them gave he power to become the sons of God, even to them that believe on his name: which 20 were born, not of blood, nor of the will of the flesh,

* The beginning of each Chapter of the Authorised Version is indicated by an asterisk.

John's nor of the will of man, but of God. And the Word Witness was made flesh, and dwelt among us, (and we beheld to the his glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the Word Father,) full of grace and truth.

5

ΙΟ

John bare witness of him, and cried, saying, This was he of whom I spake, He that cometh after me is preferred before me: for he was before me. And of his fulness have all we received, and grace for grace. For the law was given by Moses, but grace and truth came by Jesus Christ. No man hath seen God at any time; the only begotten Son, which is in the bosom of the Father, he hath declared him.

And this is the record of John, when the Jews sent priests and Levites from Jerusalem to ask him, 15 Who art thou? And he confessed, and denied not; but confessed, I am not the Christ. And they asked him, What then? Art thou Elias? And he saith, I am not. Art thou that prophet? And he answered, No. Then said they unto him, Who art 20 thou? that we may give an answer to them that sent us. What sayest thou of thyself?

He said, I am

The voice of one crying in the wilderness,
Make straight the way of the Lord,

25 as said the prophet Esaias.

And they which were sent were of the Pharisees. And they asked him, and said unto him, Why baptizest thou then, if thou be not that Christ, nor