pel, let us say, roughly, that the test of the existence of a
spiritual life presented by St. John in the Epistle is of a threefold
character: it is--

([Greek: alpha]) A test of faith: he that believeth that Jesus is the
Christ is born of God.

([Greek: beta]) A test of love: he that loveth is born of God.

([Greek: gamma]) A test of righteousness: every one that doeth
righteousness is born of Him.

And if these are true criteria of the life within us, each of these
statements, with its necessary consequences, may be predicated of that
soul in which the Heavenly Life has been brought forth.

For instance: we must not take ([Greek: alpha]) and reject ([Greek:
beta]) and ([Greek: gamma]); nor must we disregard the consequences
which are a necessary part of our experimental verifications.

Of these three passages we should most probably elect to be tried by
([Greek: alpha]); for it is comparatively easy for us, especially at
the present day, to hold to an intellectual assent to a proposition.
In fact the difficulty is that the sieve is too wide; for almost every
one believes that Jesus is the Christ. It must be evident then that we
have misunderstood the text or omitted the consequences which follow
from it. Now the continuation of the statement is that whatsoever is
in this holy birth has victory over the world; and if we apply the test
of an overcoming life to our supposed faith, things look very
different. Discouraged, we pass on to the second criterion; if not by
faith, let us be judged by love.

Since we all of us love something and some persons, we shall perhaps
find ourselves safe under this test.

But, upon examination, we perceive that he does not simply mean love of
God, or love of Jesus, or a merely selective human love; but love of
the brethren and of the children of God in a universal manner. He
twists it backwards and forwards, saying at one moment, "He that loveth
God, let him love his brother also"; at another, "If he love not his
brother whom he hath seen, how _can_ he love God whom he hath not
seen"? and again, "By this we know that we love the children of God,
when we love God," and, breaking off abruptly, "when we love God, and
keep His commandments." Certainly if love is universal and coincident
with obedience, we shall scarcely be able to face this test.

So we pass on to the third criterion--that of righteousness; and here,
perhaps, we may expect some help, knowing how careful the Lo