Notes. John VIII. 12—20.
Before beginning the notes on this section, I will ask any one who doubts the genuineness of the first eleven verses of the chapter, to consider how very awkwardly the twelfth verse would come in if it immediately followed the 52nd verse of the seventh chapter. — The omission of the disputed passage about the woman taken in adultery, however necessary some may think it, undoubtedly makes a breach in the connection which cannot be reasonably explained.— Omit the passage, and our Lord appears to break in upon the angry council of tiie Pharisees, foiled in their attempt to take Him, and vexed with Nicodemus for pleading for Him. This is surely very improbable, to say the least. — Retain the disputed passage, on the other hand, and the whole connection seems plain. A night has passed away. A sunrise is over the whole party assembled in the temple court. And our Lord begins again to teach by proclaiming a beautiful truth, appropriate to the occasion, — "I am the light of the world."
12. — {Then spake Jesus again... them.'] The expression " spake again " exactly fits in with the preceding narrative. It carries us back to the 2nd verse, where we read that our Lord was sitting in the temple and teaching the people, when the woman taken in adultery was brought before Him. This naturally interrupted and broke off His teaching for a time. But when the case was settled, and both accuser and accused had gone away, He resumed His teaching. Then the expression comes in most naturally, " He spake again." Once admit that the narrative of the woman is not genuine and must be left out, and there is really nothing with which to connect the words before us. We are obliged to look back as far as the 37th verse of the last chapter.
The same remark applies to the word "them." The natural application of it is to " the people " whom our Lord was teaching, in the 2nd verse, when the Scribes and Pharisees interrupted him. Leave out the narrative of the woman, and there is nothing to which the word "them " can be referred, except the angry council of the Pharisees at the end of the seventh chapter.
[I am... light... world.] In this glorious expression, our Lord, we cannot doubt, declares Himself to be the promised Messiah or Saviour, of whom the prophets had spoken. The Jews would remember the words, — " I will give thee for a light of the Gentiles." (Isai. xlii. 6; xlix. 6.) So also Simeon had said, he would be a " light to lighten the Gentiles." (Luke ii. 32.) Why He used this figure, and what He had in His mind in choosing it, is a point on which commentators do not agree. That he referred to something before His eyes is highly probable, and in keeping with His usual mode of teaching.
(1) Some think, as Aretius, Musculus, Ecolampadius, Bullinger,and Bp. Andrews, that He referred to the sun, then rising
(2) Some think, as Stier, Olshausen, Besser, D. Brown, and Alford, that He referred to the great golden lamps which used to be kept burning in the temple courts. He was the true light, able to enlighten men's hearts and minds. They were nothing but ornaments, or at most, emblems.
(3) Some think, as Cyril and Lampe, that He referred to the pillar of cloud and fire which gave light to the Israelites, and guided them through the wilderness. He was the true guide to heaven, through the wilderness of this world.
The first of these three views seems to me most probable, and most in harmony with the context.
Rupertus remarks, that two grand declarations of Christ followed each other on two successive days at Jerusalem. On the last day of the feast He said, — "If any man thirst let him come unto Me and drink." (John vii. 37.) The very next day He said,—" I am the light of the world."
[He that followeth me."] This means " following " as a disciple, servant, traveller, soldier, or sheep. What the teacher is to the scholar, the master to the servant, the guide to the traveller, the general to the soldier, the shepherd to the sheep, that is Christ to true Christians. " Following" is the same as " believing." See Matt. xvi. 24; xix. 21; John x. 27; xii. 26. Following here, we must always remember, does not mean copying and imitating, but trusting, putting faith in another.
Musculus and Henry observe, that it is of no use that Christ is the light of the world if we do but follow Him. " Following " is the point on which all turns. It is not enough to gaze upon and admire the light. We must " follow" it.
[Shall not walk in darkness.] The expression "darkness" in the New Testament sometimes denotes sin, as 1 John i. 6, and sometimes ignorance and unbelief, as 1 Thess. v. 4. Some have thought that our Lord referred to the woman taken in adultery, and to such deeds of moral darkness as she had been guilty of. The meaning would then be, — "He that follows Me and becomes my disciple, shall be delivered from the power of darkness, and shall no longer commit such sins as you have just heard of." — Others, on the contrary, think that ouir Lord only referred to the intellectual darkness and ignorance of man's mind, which He had come to illuminate. The meaning wrould then be, — " He that follows Me as my disciple shall no longer live in ignorance and darkness about his soul." I decidedly prefer this second view. The promise seems to me to have a special reference to the ignorance in which the Jews were, about everything concerning Christ, as shown in the preceding chapter.
shall possess living light. He shall have spiritual light, as much superior to the light of any lamp or even of the sun, as the living water offered to the Samaritan woman was superior to the water of Jacob's well." The spiritual light that Christ gives is independent of time or place, — is not affected by sickness or death, — burns on forever, and cannot be quenched. He that has it shall feel light within his mind, heart, and conscience,— shall see light before him on the grave, death, and the world to come, — shall have light shining round him, guiding him in his journey through life, and shall reflect light by his conduct, ways and conversation.
Chrysostom thinks that one purpose of this promise was to draw on and encourage Nicodemus, and to remind him of the former saying Jesus had used about light and darkness, John iii. 20. J
Augustine remarks on this verse, " What is our duty to do,
Christ puts in the present tense: what He promiseth to them that do it, He bath denoted by a future time. He that followeth now, shall have hereafter, — followeth now by faith, shall have hereafter by sight. When by sight? When we shall have come to the vision yonder, when this night of ours shall have passed
away." I should be sorry, however, to confine the promise to so limited an interpretation as this, and though I have no doubt it will only be completely fulfilled at the second advent, I still think that it is partially and spiritually fulfilled now to every believer.
Calvin remarks, that in this verse "Benefit is offered not
only to one person or another, but to the whole world. By this universal statement Christ intended to remove the distinction, not only between Jews and Gentiles, but between learned and ignorant, between persons of distinction and common people." He also says, — " In the latter clause of the verse, the perpetuity of light is stated in express terms. We ought not to fear therefore lest it leave us in the middle of our journey."
Brentius remarks, that if a man could continually " follow 'J the sun, he would always be in broad daylight in every part of the globe. So it is with Christ and believers. Always following Him, they will always have light.
In this most precious and interesting verse there are several things which deserve our special attention.
(a) We should note the great assumed truth which lies underneath the whole verse. That truth is the fall of man. The world is in a state of moral and spiritual darkness. Naturally men know nothing rightly of themselves, God, holiness, or heaven. They need light.
(ft) We should note the full and bold manner of our Lord's declaration. He proclaims Himself to be " the light of the world." None could truly say this but One, who knew that He was very God. No Prophet or Apostle ever said it.
(c) We should note how our Lord says that He is " the light of the world." He is not for a few only, but for all mankind. Like the sun He shines for the benefit of all, though all may not value or use His light.
(d) We should note the man to whom the promise is made. It is to him " that followeth Me." To follow a leader if we are blind, or ignorant, or in the dark, or out of the way, requires trust and confidence. This is just what the Lord Jesus requires of sinners who feel their sins and want to be saved. Let them commit themselves to Christ, and He will lead them safe to heaven. If a man can do nothing for himself, he cannot do better than trust another and follow him.
(e) We should note the thing promised to him who follows Jesus, — viz., deliverance from darkness and possession of light. This is precisely what Christianity brings to a believer. He feels, and sees, and has a sense of possessing something he had not before. God " shines into his heart and givesl ight." He is " called out of darkness into marvellous light." (2 Cor. iv. 4—6; 1 Pet. ii. 9.)
Melancthon thinks that this verse is only a brief summary of what our Lord said, and must be regarded as the text or keynote of a long discourse.
Bullinger remarks how useful it is to commit to memory and store up great sentences and maxims of Christ, like this verse.
13.— [Tlie Pharisees... said unto him.] These "Pharisees were probably some of the multitude who had come together to hear our Lord's teaching, and not those who brought the woman taken in adultery to Hiin. The Pharisees were a powerful and widely spread sect, and members of their body would be found in every crowd of hearers, ready to raise objections and find fault with anything our Lord said, wherever they thought there was an opportunity.
{Thou barest record of thyself.] This would be more literally rendered, " thou dost witness about thyself."
[Thy record is not true.] This means, — " thy testimony is not trustworthy, and deserving of attention." The Pharisees evidently could not mean "thy testimony is false." They only meant that it was an acknowledged principle among men that a man's testimony to his own character is comparatively worthless. Our Lord Himself had admitted this on a former occasion, when he said before the council, — " If I bear witness of myself my witness is not true." (John v. 31.) Solomon had said, — "Let another praise thee, and not thine own mouth; a stranger, and not thine own lips." (Prov. xxvii. 2.)
meant by these words that even if He did testify of Himself, and make assertions about His own office and mission, His testimony ought not to be despised and disregarded as not trustworthy. Whether His enemies would hear it or not, what He said deserved credit, and was worthy of all acceptation. — " The testimony that I bear is not the testimony of a common witness, but of one who is thoroughly to be depended on."
[For I know whence I came, etc.'] Our Lord here gives a solemn and weighty reason why His testimony to Himself ought to be reverently received by the Jews, and not refused. That reason was His divine nature and mission. He came to them and stood before them not as a common prophet and an everyday witness, but as one who knew the mysterious truth that He was the Divine Messiah, that should come into the world. — " I know whence I came: — I came forth from the Father, to be His Messenger to a lost world. I know whither I go: — I am about to return to my Father when I have finished His work, and to sit down at His right hand after my ascension. Knowing all this, I have a right to say that my testimony is trustworthy. You, on the other hand, are utteriy ignorant about me. You neither know nor believe my Divine origin nor mission. Justly, therefore, I may say that it matters little whether you think my testimony deserving of credit or not. Your eyes are blinded, and your opinion is worthless."
Chrysostom observes that our Lord " might have said, I am God. But He ever mingleth lowly words with sublime, and even these He veileth."
Bucer, Chcmnitius, and Quesnel observe that our Lord's argument is like that of an ambassador from a king, who says, — "I know my commission and Who sent Me, and therefore I claim attention to my message."
Webster paraphrases the sentence: " I speak in the full
consciousness of my previous and future existence in the glory of the Father; and I therefore feel and assert my right to be believed on my own testimony. If you knew whence I came and whither I go, you would not want any other witness than myself. And this you might know if you were spiritual; but you are carnal, and judge after the flesh."
15. — [Ye judge after the ftesh.~] The meaning of this sentence seems to be, — '• You judge and decide everything on fleshly and worldly principles, according to the outward appearance. You estimate Me and my mission according to what you see with the eye. You presume to despise Me and set light by Me, because there is no outward grandeur and dignity about Me. Judging everything by such a false standard, you see no beauty in Me and my ministry. You have already set Me down in your own minds as an impostor, and worthy to die. Your minds are full of carnal prejudices, and hence my testimony seems worthless to you."
Calvin thinks that "flesh" is here used in opposition to< " spirit," and that the meaning is, " You judge on carnal wicked principles," and not "You judge after the outward appearance." Most commentators think that the expression refers to our Lord's humble appearance.
[J judge no man.'] In these words onr Lord puts in strong contrast the difference between Himself and His enemies. "Unlike you, I condemn and pass judgment on no man, even on the worst of sinners. It is not my present business and office, though it will be one day. I did not come into the world to condemn, but to save." (John iii. 17.) It is useless, however, to deny that the connection between the beginning and end of the verse is not clear. It seems to turn entirely on the twice- repeated word "judge," and the word appears to be used in two different senses.
Some have thought that our Lord refers to the case of the woman taken in adultery, and contrasts His own refusal to be a judge in her case, with the malicious readiness of the Pharisees to judge Him and condemn Him even when innocent. "I refuse to condemn even a guilty sinner. You on the contrary are ready to condemn Me, in whom you can find no fault, on carnal and worldly principles."
Some, as Bulliuger, Jansenius, Trapp, Stier, Gill, Pearce, and Barnes have thought that the sentence before us means, — " I judge no man according to the flesh, as you do." But this view does not seem to harmonize with the following verse.
Bishop Hall paraphrases the verse thus: "Ye presume to
judge according to your own carnal affections, and follow your outward senses in the judgment ye pass on Me. In the mean time ye will not endure Me, who do not challenge or reconcile that power which I might in judging you."
16. — [And yet if I judge, my judgment, etc.] This verse seems to come in parenthetically. It appears intended to remind the Jews, that if our Lord did not assume the office of a judge now, it was not because He was not qualified. The sense is as follows: "Do not however suppose, because I say that I judge no man, that I am not qualified to judge. On the contrary, if I do pass judgment on any person's actions or opinions, my judgment is perfectly correct and trustworth}\ For I am not alone. There is an inseparable union between Me, and the Father that sent Me. When I judge, it is not I alone, but the Father with Me that judges. Hence, therefore, my judgment is and must be trustworth}\" The reader should compare John v. 19, and 30. The doctrine is the same. That mighty truth, — the inseparable union of the Father and the Son, — is the only key that unlocks the deep expression before us. Our Lord's frequent reference to that truth, in St. John's Gospel, should be carefully noted.
17.— [It is also written, etc.~\ Our Lord, in this verse, reminds cne Jews of an admitted principle of the law of Moses,— that the testimony of two witnesses deserved credit. (Deut. xvii. 6; xix. 15.) " You will admit that the testimony of two witnesses deserves credit at any rate, although one witness alone may prove nothing. Now, admitting this, hear what testimony I can adduce to the divine character of my mission."
Let it be noted, that where our Lord says " in your law," He did not mean that He was above the law and did not recognize its authority. He only intended, by laying stress on the word "your," to remind the Jews that it was their own honoured law of Moses, to which they were continually professing to refer, that laid down the great principle to which He was about to direct their attention. "It is written in the law that you speak of so much, and that you so often quote."
It admits of consideration whether our Lord did not mean to use the expression " of two men " emphatically. It may be that He would put in strong contrast the testimony of two mere men, with the testimony of Himself and his Father in heaven. It is like the expression, " If we receive the wituess of men, the witness of God is greater." (1 John v. 9.) At any rate the word rendered " men " is emphatic in the Greek.
18. — [7«m one, etc.~\ The connection and sense of this verse are as follows: " Admitting that the testimony of two witnesses is trustworthy, I bid you observe that there are two witnesses to My divine nature and mission. I myself, the Eternal Son, am one of these witnesses: I am ever testifying concerning myself. The Father that sent Me into the world is the other witness: He is ever testifying concerning Me. He has testilied by the mouth of the Prophets in the Old Testament. He is testifying now by the miraculous works which He is continually doing by My hands." The reader should compare John v. 31 — 39.
There is undeniably something very remarkable about this verse. It seems a singular condescension on our Lord's part to use the train of argument that it contains. The true solution probably lies in the very high dignity of the two witnesses, whom He places together before the Jews. The Greek words beginning the verse are peculiar, and cau hardly be rendered in English. They will almost bear to be translated, — " I, the great I am, am the person witnessing about myself; and the Father," etc.
Chrysostom and Theophylact both remark that our Lord here claims equality of honour with the Father, by putting His testimony and the Father's side by side.
Poole remarks: " Our Saviour must not be understood here to distinguish Himself from His Father in respect of His divine
being, for so He and His Father are one; but in respect of His office, as He was sent, and His Father was He who sent Him."
19. — [Then said tliey...Wliere is thy Father?] This question of the Jews was probably not asked in a tone of serious inquiry, or from real desire to know. It was more likely sneering and sarcastic.
Calvin observes, "By these words they meant that they did not so highly value Christ's Father as to ascribe anything to the Son on His account."
Hengstenberg bids us observe that they did not ask, "Who is thy Father? " but " Where is thy Father? " It sounds as if they looked round in contempt, as if scornfully expecting an earthly father to stand forth and testify to Christ.
[Jesus answered. Ye neither know me... Father.] Our Lord here tells His enemies that they were ignorant both of Himself and of His Father in heaven. With all their pride of knowledge and fancied high attainments they knew nothing rightly either of the Father or the Son. The expression certainly favours the idea that the expression " Ye know me," (John vii. 28,) must be taken as a slight sarcasm.
Let it be noted that great familiarity with the letter of Scripture is perfectly compatible with gross spiritual darkness. The Pharisees knew the Old Testament prophecies well; but they neither knew God nor Christ.
[If ye had known me...my Father also.] These words teach plainly that ignorance of Christ and ignorance of God are inseparably connected. The man who thinks he knows anything rightly of God while he is ignorant of Christ is completely deceived. The God whom he thinks he knows is not the God of the Bible, but a God of his own fancy's invention. At any rate he can have a most imperfect conception of God, and can have but little idea of His perfect holiness, justice, and purity. The words teach also that Christ is the way by which we must come to the knowledge of God. In Ilim, through Him, and by Him, we may come boldly into the Father's presence, and behold His high attributes without fear.
He that would have saving, soul-satisfying religion, and become a friend and servant of God, must begin with Christ. Knowing Him as his Saviour and Advocate, he will find it easy and pleasant to know God the Father. Those that reject Christ, like the Jews, will live and die in ignorance of Gocl, however learned and clever they may be. But the poorest, humblest man, that lays hold on Christ and begins with Him, shall find out enough about God to make him happy forever. In the matter of becoming acquainted with God it is the first step to know Jesus Christ, the Mediator, and to believe on Him.
rht here is the same as that in the words spoken to Philip, when in reply to Philip's question, "Lord, show us the Father," Jesus said, "He that hath seen Me hath seen the Father." (John xiv. 8, 9.) I think this is at least doubtful. The thing that Philip needed to know was the precise relation between the Father and Son. The thiug that the Jews needed was a right knowledge of God altogether.
20.— [TJiese words spake Jesus...treasury...temple.'] This sentence seems meant to mark a pause or break in the discourse, and to show also how publicly and openly our Lord proclaimed His Messiahship. It was in a well-known part of the temple called the treasury that He declared Himself to be " the light of the world," and defended His testimony.
Calvin thinks that " the treasury was a part of the temple where the sacred offerings were laid up, and therefore a much frequented place."
[No mari laid hands on him.'] The remark made on a former occasion applies here. (John vii. 30.) A divine restraint was laid on our Lord's enemies. They felt unable to lift a finger against Him. They had the will to hurt, but not the power.
[His hour was not yet come.] The same deep thought that we remarked in ch. vii. 30, comes up here again. There was a certain fixed time during which our Lord's ministry was to last, and till that time was expired His enemies could not touch Him. When the time had expired, our Lord said, "This is your hour, and the power of darkness." (Luke xxii. 53.)
The expression should be carefully noticed, and remembered by all true Christians. It teaches that the wicked can do no harm to Christ and His members until God gives them permission. Not a hair of a believer's head can be touched until God in His sovereign wisdom allows it. — It teaches that all times are in God's hand. There is an allotted " hour " both for doing aud for suffering. Till the hour comes for dying no Christian will die. When the hour comes nothing can prevent his death. These are comfortable truths, and deserve attention. Christ's members are safe and immortal till their work is done. When they suffer it is because God wills it and sees it good.
Quesnel remarks: " A man enjoys the greatest peace of mind when he has once settled himself in a firm and steadfast belief of God's providence, and an absolute dependence upon His design and will."
21 Then said Jesus again unto them, I go my way, and ye shall seek me and shall die in your sins: whither I go, ye cannot come.
22 Then said tho Jews, Will he kill himself? because he saith, Whither I go, ye cannot come.
23 And he said unto them, Ye are from beneath; I am from above: ye are of this world; I am not of this world.
24 I said therefore unto you, that ye shall die in your sins: for if ye believe not that I am he, ye shall die in your sins.
25 Then said they unto him, Who art thou? And Jesus saith unto them, Even the same that I said unto you from the beginning.
26 I have many things to say a:ad to judge of you: but he that sent me is true; and I speak to the world those things which I have heard of
27 They understood not that he spake to them of the Father.
28 Then said Jesus unto them, When ye have lifted up the Son of man, then shall ye know that I am he, and that I do nothing of myself; but as my Father hath taught me, I speak these things.
29 And he that sent me is with me: tho Father hath not left me alone; for I do always those things that please
This passage contains deep things, so deep that we have no line to fathom them. As we read it we should call to mind the Psalmist's words, — " Thy thoughts are very deep." (Psalm xeii. 5.) But it also contains, in the opening verses, some things which are clear, plain, and unmistakable. To these let us give our attention and root them firmly in our hearts.
We learn, for one thing, that it is possible to seek Christ in vain. Our Lord says to the unbelieving Jews, " Ye shall seek Me, and shall die in your sins." He meant, by these words, that the Jews would one day seek Him in vain.
The lesson before us is a very painful one. That such a Saviour as the Lord Jesus, so full of love, so willing to save, should ever be sought " in vain," is a sorrowful thought. Yet so it is! A man may have many religious feelings about Christ, without any saving religion Sickness, sudden affliction, the fear of death, the failure of usual sources of comfort — all these causes may draw out of a man a good deal of " religiousness." Under the immediate pressure of these he may say his prayers fer vently, exhibit a strong spiritual feelings, and profess for a season to " seek Christ," and be a different man. And yei all this time his heart may never be touched at all! Take away the peculiar circumstances that affected him, and he may possibly return at once to his old ways. He sought Christ " in vain," because he sought Him from false motives, and not with his whole heart.
Unhappily this is not all. There is such a thing as a settled habit of resisting light and knowledge, until we seek Christ u in vain." Scripture and experience alike prove that men may reject God until God rejects them, and will not hear their prayer. They may go on stifling their convictions, quenching the light of conscience, fighting against their own better knowledge, until God is provoked to give them over and let them alone. It is not for nothing that these words are written, — u Then shall they call upon Me, but I will not answer; they shall seek Me early, but they shall not find Me: for that they hated knowledge, and did not choose the fear of the Lord." (Prov. i. 28, 29.) Such cases may not be common; but they are possible, and they are sometimes seen. Some ministers can testifj'' that they have visited" people on their deathbeds who seem to seek Christ, and yet to seek in vain.
There is no safety but in seeking Christ while He may be found, and calling on Him while He is near,— seeking Him with a true heart, and calling on Him with an honest spirit. Such seeking, we may be very sure, is never in vain. It will never be recorded of such seekers, that they " died in their sins." He that really comes to Christ shall never be " cast out." The Lord has solemnly declared that " He hath no pleasure in the death of him that dieth," — and that »' He delighteth in mercy." (Ezekiel xviii. 32; Micah vii. 18.)
We learn for another thing, hew ivide is the difference between Christ and the ungodly. Our Lord says to the unbelieving Jews, — " Ye are from beneath, I am from above: ye are of this world, I am not of this world."
These words, no doubt, have a special application to our Lord Jesus Christ Himself. In the highest and most literal sense, there never was but One who could truly say, " I am from above, — I am not of this world." That One is He who came forth from the Father, and was before the world, — even the Son of God.
But there is a lower sense, in which these words are applicable to all Christ's living members. Compared to tho thoughtless multitude around them, they are " from above," and " not of this world," like their Master. The thoughts of the ungodly are about things beneath; the true Christian's affections are set on things above. The ungodly man is full of this world; its cares, and pleasures, and profits, absorb his whole attention. The true Christian, though in the world, is not of it; his citizenship is in heaven, and his best things are yet to come.
The true Christian will do well never to forget this line of demarcation. If he loves his soul, and desires to serve God, he must be content to find himself separated from many around him by a gulf that cannot be passed. He may not like to seem peculiar and unlike others; but it is the certain consequence of grace reigning within him. He may find it brings on him hatred, ridicule, and hard speeches; but it is the cup which his Master drank, and of which his Master forewarned all His disciples. — " If ye were of the world the world would love His own, but because ye are not of the world, but I have chosen you out of the world, therefore the world hateth you." (John xv. 19.) — Then let the Christian never be ashamed to stand Alone and show his colors. He must carry the cross if he would wear the crown. If he has within him a new principle " from above," it must be seen.
We learn, lastly, how awful is the end to which unbelief can bring man. Our Lord sa}'s to his enemies, " If ye believe not that I am He, ye shall die in your sins."
These solemn words are invested with peculiar solemnity when we consider from whose lips they came. Who is this that speaks of men d}Ting " in their sins," unpardoned, unforgiven, unfit to meet God, — of men going into another world with all their sins upon them? He that says this is no other than the Saviour of mankind, who laid down His life for his sheep, — the loving, gracious, merciful, compassionate Friend of sinners. It is Christ Himself! Let this simple fact not be overlooked.
They are greatly mistaken who suppose that it is harsh and unkind to speak of hell and future punishment. How can such persons get over such language as that which is before us? How can they account for many a like expression which our Lord used, and specially for such passages as those in which He speaks of the " worm that dieth not and the fire that is not quenched "? (Mark x. 46.) They cannot answer these questions. Misled by a false charity and a morbid amiability, they are condemning the plain teaching of the Scripture, and are wise above that which is written.
Let us settle it in our minds, as one of the great foundation truths of our faith, that there is a hell. Just as we believe firmly that there is an eternal heaven for the godly, so let us believe firmly that there is an eternal hell for the wicked. Let us never suppose that there is any want of charity in speaking of hell. Let us rather maintain that it is the highest love to warn men plainly of danger, and to beseech them to " flee from the wrath to come." It was Satan, the deceiver, murderer, and liar, who said to Eve in the beginning, " Ye shall not surely die." (Gen. iii. 4.) To shrink from telling men, that except they believe they will " die in their sins," may please the devil, but surely it cannot please God.
Finally, let us never forget that unbelief is the special sin that ruins men's souls. Had the Jews believed on our Lord, all manner of sin and blasphemy might have been forgiven them. But unbelief bars the door in mercy's face, and cuts off hope. Let us watch and pray hard against it. Immortality slays its thousands, but unbelief its tens of thousands. One of the strongest sayings ever used by our Lord was this, — " He that believeth not shall be damned." (Mark xvi. 16.)