SECTION XXXIV.

Chap. viii. ver. 12—25.

CHRIST IS THE LIGHT OF THE WORLD.

12. Then spake Jesus again unto them, saying, I am the light of the world: he that followeth me shall not walk in darkness, but shall have the light of life.

Christ is to the soul what the sun is to all nature; and those who follow him in his teaching and example, are in the way of a true life here, and have the light in them which leadeth to eternal life; necessarily implying, that whoever does not follow him, is in the darkness of death, whatever he does, or whatever he thinks of himself.

13. The Pharisees therefore said unto him, Thou bearest record of thyself; thy record is not true.

They declared that his record was not true; because, as they pretended, it was unsupported by other evidence. What they said was false; he had other witness besides his own; and we learn from hence that no evidence is suf ficient for those who will not be convinced.

14. Jesus answered and said unto them, Though I bear record of myself, yet my record is true: for I know whence I came, and whither I go; but ye cannot tell whence I come, and whither I go.

"My record is true," in itself; for I know what I am, though you do not.

15. Ye judge after the flesh; I judge no man.

Ye judge blindly, proudly, without self-knowledge, and therefore without pity; as in case of the poor woman. “I judge no man," without first offering him mercy, and calling him to repentance.

16. And yet if I judge, my judgment is true: for I am not alone, but I and the Father that sent me.

Christ's judgment is infallible, and strictly just, though he were to give up all to condemnation. But to our comfort, He, who best knoweth the desert of sin, and cannot be deceived in judging of any, is not like rash man, for proceeding to extremities at once.

17. It is also written in your law, that the testimony of two men is true.

18. I am one that bear witness of myself, and the Father that sent me beareth witness of me.

Though his testimony was true in itself, he did not expect they should acquiesce in it, but refers them again to fuller evidence, that of the Father bearing witness to his mission by miracles. Those who reject him, will be made to know that it was not for want of proof.

19. Then said they unto him, Where is thy Father? Jesus answered, Ye neither know me nor my Father; if ye had known me, ye should have known my Father also.

This assertion came from his mouth more than once, or twice. We cannot possibly know God in his justice and holiness, what he does to save us, and what he expects from us, and why he will condemn us, but through the knowledge of Christ. And yet vain man, who neither knows himself, nor anything else, will be prying into the mind of God, and telling him what he must do.

20. These words spake Jesus in the treasury, as he taught in the temple and no man laid hands on him; for his hour was not yet

come.

St. John repeats this observation, and it has great weight in it. Whatever men propose, they cannot stir one step in the execution of their designs, without the will of God.

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.

66

How dreadful, never to find the want of Christ, till we are dying in our sins! Whither I go, ye cannot come. The impossibility was in their own wills, and worldly hearts.

22. Then said the Jews, Will he kill himself? because he saith, Whither I go, ye cannot come.

They meant, that they would have him, if he was anywhere in the world.

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.

This is the case of all out of Christ; and they are in a state of condemnation, because they are from beneath, and of this world, and have not got above it, by faith in Christ. The consequence he states in the next verse.

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.

This is the awful consequence of unbelief at all times, and to all persons.-Edit.

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.

How many are so ignorant of Christ, as to be ready to ask, who he is? How many say plainly, christian knowledge is too deep for them!

Jesus, in effect, tells us, "he is the same," he is at a word with us, and cannot alter himself to suit our purpose. If we stay till doom's-day, he will never be any other than what he has already declared himself to be.

SECTION XXXV.

Chap. viii. ver. 26-38.

CHRIST JUSTIFIES HIS DOCTRINE.

26. I have many things to say and to judge of you but he that sent me is true; and I speak to the world those things which I have heard of him.

Let us take heed lest Christ should have many things to say and judge of us.

27. They understood not that he spake to them of the Father.

And therefore what he spake was the same as if it had been spoken by the Father. This is what every Christian believes.

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.

He says that they should know him after his crucifixion, by his resurrection, ascension, and sending the Holy Spirit. But did they generally know, and own him? No. The meaning therefore is, that they should have the fullest possible means of knowing him. They knew indeed in dreadful reality who he was, in their national punishment.

29. And he that sent me is with me: the Father hath not left me alone; for I do always those things that please him.

He that is able to say this sincerely, knows Christ, and the way to have God with him.

30. As he spake these words, many believed on him.

31. Then said Jesus to those Jews which believed on him, If ye continue in my word, then are ye my disciples indeed.

Let us learn of Christ himself what is a sure mark of discipleship. But how can we receive, or continue in his word, if we will not be at the pains to know what it is?

32. And ye shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free.

Blessed is the man who says, I will know the truth, and be of it, whatever it costs me. "And the truth shall make you free." Free from the tyranny of sin, the yoke of the law as a covenant, a spirit of bondage, and the fear of condemnation: free to choose what God chooses for us.

33. They answered him, We be Abraham's seed, and were

never in bondage to any man: how sayest thou, ye shall be made free?

It was utterly false that they were never in bondage. Besides the inward bondage of sin, of which Christ was here speaking, they were not their own masters; yet they would not understand that they had been, and were then, in a state of outward bondage to another nation. How blind and perverse is man!

34. Jesus answered them, Verily, verily, I say unto you, Whosoever committeth sin is the servant of sin.

He is a poor slave to the worst of masters; he has as many masters as sins, and nothing but death for his wages. 35. And the servant abideth not in the house for ever: but the Son abideth ever.

In Christ we are sons, and heirs with him. He came to make us sons and heirs. He came to free us from sin, which we have contracted through our blindness and ignorance; he came to make us free to righteousness, through the truth. Out of Christ we have neither lot nor portion in God's family.

36. If the Son therefore shall make you free, ye shall be free indeed.

To this test we must come. Has Christ indeed made us free, to serve God, and live according to his will, with the full consent of our minds? For servants we must be, either of God or Satan; and freedom, is not freedom to do what we please, but what we should. We know that we should love and obey God, and yet the world and our lusts will not suffer us. What is this but Satan's chain about us? As ever you would be happy, let Christ take it off.

37. I know that ye are Abraham's seed: but ye because my word hath no place in you.

38. I speak that which I have seen with that which ye have seen with your father.

seek to kill me

my Father and ye do

Who that father is he tells them afterwards. We have either the nature of God, or that of the devil, in us: and