ciples did not accost Jesus, but He turned and spoke to
them the first question and the first invitation; "What seek ye?...
Come, and ye shall see."

To-day, the choice of the civilised world has to be made between a
mechanical universe and a revealed love, for no third possibility
survives.

This promise establishes a relationship, which God never afterwards
cancelled. Human unbelief rejected its benefits, and chilled the mutual
sympathies which it involved; but the fact always remained, and in their
darkest hour they could appeal to God to remember His covenant and the
oath which He sware.

And this same assurance belongs to us. We are not to become good, or
desirous of goodness, in order that God may requite with affection our
virtues or our wistfulness. Rather we are to arise and come to our
Father, and to call Him Father, although we are not worthy to be called
His sons. We are to remember how Jesus said, "If ye being evil know how
to give good gifts unto your children, how much more shall your heavenly
Father give His Holy Spirit to them that ask Him!" and to learn that He
is the Father of those who are evil, and even of those who are still
unpardoned, as He said again, "If ye forgive not ... neither will your
heavenly Father forgive you."

Much controversy about the universal Fatherhood of God would be assuaged
if men reflected upon the significant distinction which our Saviour drew
between His Fatherhood and our sonship, the one always a reality of the
Divine affection, the other only a possibility, for human enjoyment or
rejection: "Love your enemies, and pray for them that persecute you,
that ye may be sons of your Father Which is in heaven" (Matt. v. 45).
There is no encouragement to presumption in the assertion of the Divine
Fatherhood upon such terms. For it speaks of a love which is real and
deep without being feeble and indiscriminate. It appeals to faith
because there is an absolute fact to lean upon, and to energy because
privilege is conditional. It reminds us that our relationship is like
that of the ancient Israel,--that we are in a covenant, as they were,
but that the carcases of many of them fell in the wilderness; although
God had taken them for a people, and was to them a God, and said,
"Israel is My son, even My firstborn."

It is added that faith shall develop into knowledge. Moses is to assure
them now that they "shall know" hereafter that the Lord is Jehovah
their God. And this, too, is