il' he saw the book of life, and his own name written in it. If Christ has said, "Him that cometh to me, I will in nowise cast out," and our hearts can testify, "I have come," we need not doubt that we are saved. In the things of this world, we say that seeing is believing. But in the things of the Gospel, believing is as good as seeing ' Christ's word is as good as man's deed. He of whom Jesus says in the Gospel, " He liveth," is alive for ever- more, and shall never die.
And now let us remember that afflictions, like that of the nobleman, are very common. They will probably come to our door one day. Have we known anything of bearing affliction ? Would we know where to turn for help and comfort when our time comes ? Let us fill our minds and memories betimes with Christ's words. They are not the words of man only, but of God. The words that he speaks are spirit and life. (John vi. 63.)
Notes. John IV. 43 — 54.
43. — [After two day si] The G-reek words here would be more hteraily rendered, " After the two days," i. e., after the two days mentioned in the preceding verse.
[Departed thence.'] Quesnel remarks, " It is an instance of self- denial wliich is very uncommon, to leave those who respect and applaud us, that we may go to preach among others from whom we have reason to expect a quite different treatment."
44. — [.For Jesus himself testified.. Ms oivn country^ This verse has much perplexed commentators. What is meant by the expi-es- sion, ''His own country?" If it means Gahlee, as most sup- pose, how are we to reconcile it with the words which follow, "the Galileans received him?" — And again, what is the connec- tion between the verse before us and the one which precedes it ? Why should our Lord go into Galilee, when it was a place where He had no honour? And finally, how are we to reconcile the statement that our Lord had n) "honour" in Galilee with the undeniable fact that nearly all His disciples and adherents were Galileans ? All these points have given rise to much speculation and conjecture.
(o.) Some, as Origen and Maldonatus, get over the difficult/