question for those thus privileged is--Shall they or shall they not believe on the Son of God? I. Oun JUDIOIAL RELATION TO Goo NEOESSARILY INVOLVES ONE OR OTHER OF TW() SENTEN0EB, Because he has devised and provided the gospel, God does not therefore cease to be a Judge, wise, holy, and just. As such he will pronounce upon all who are subject to his authority a sentence either of (1) condemnation, which i~ the due of sin and the desert of sinners; or of (2) acquittal, which proceeds from Divine grace, and which is the condition of true well-being. This being the alternative, it is for us a question of supreme moment--Can we in any way affect this sentence? II. OUR MORAL RELATION TO Goo DETEDMINES OUR JUDICIAL RF.LATIO:;!, In other words, his sentence will be according to the attitude, so to speak, of our hearts. It is open to us: 1. To refect or disbelieve in Christ the Savio•tr. Ti1e "only be"otten Son of God" claims our reverence and our faith. But the language of J es1L~ makes it evident that we may withhold what he claims; and to neglect and disregard is the same thing as to refuse and despise salvation. Such a choice is falling back upon our own deserts; and to appeal to justice is to court condemnation. Or we may : 2. Accept or put faith in Christ. Such a choice is opening the eye of the soul to the light that shines, and welcoming it and walking in it. '£bis is to fall in with the graciou, proposals of our heavenly Father, to obey the call to spiritual liberty and life. If it be said that God judges righteously according to the character of those who stand at his tribunal, this is admitted; but it should be observed that faith is the means of forgive- ness, and forgiveness is the spring of obedience and of conformity to the mind and will of the All-holy. III. TBE SENTENCE OF ACQUITTAL OB CONDEMNATIO:;! IS TP.EREFORE VIRTUALLY PRONOUNCED BY OURSELVES, AND THAT IN THIS PRESENT LIFE. There is an awful meaning in these words: "He that believeth not bath been judged already." Condem- nation is virtually passed upon the unbelieving, even in this life; and it may be said that it is pronounced by themselves. This doctrine of Christ is in no way inconsistent with the scriptural declaration that there shall be a day in which God shall judge all men by Jesus Christ. But it reminds us of the far-reaching, the eternal influence of our present decision, and bids us "flee from the wrath to come."-T. Ver. 19.-Lovers of darlcness, Our Lord's discourse to Nicodemus was mainly of redemption and regeneration, and was therefore bright and hopeful Yet he was constrained, in faithfulness and candour, to speak also of condemnation. The prospect before mankind was not one of unclouded glory. The prevalence of sin and the alienation of man from God were a cloud upon the horizon which obscured the bright- ness even of the gospel day. I. THE ADVENT OF LIGHT, In the spiritual world light is the emblem of know- ledge. Christ is designated by the evangelist " the true Light ; " he calls himself "the Light of the world." He brings the knowledge of God, and consequently of salvation and of eternal life. This spiritual sunrise involves the diffusion of purity, peace, and joy. II. THE PREFERENCE OF SOME MEN FOR DARKNESS OVER LIGHT. In itself light is best. "Light is good, and a pleasant thing it is for the eyes to behold the sun." Those who live and walk in the light of God are spiritually blessed. If any person rejects and loathes the light, the fault is in the eye of the ,oul, which is manifestly diseased. The captive may prefer the dungeon to liberty. l.)f many of the Jews- Christ's own countrymen-it was justly said, " He came unio bis own, and bis own received him not." And even now, when the gospel is preacl:.ed, and ruen are in\·ited to come into the sunshine of God's favour, there are found t}.....e who prefer to lurk in the dark caves of ignorance, superstition, and sin. III. THEIR BEASON OR MOTIVE FOR THIS PREFERENCE, Our Lord speaks explicitly and powerfully upon this, His doctrine, bis religion, condemns sin; h's gospel is good tidings of deliverance from sin. His own hatred to sin was such that he was crucified by ~inners who could not endure his purity, whilst he endured crucifixion tb:i.t he might redeem men from the power and love of sin. Hence Christ's society was <listasteful to impenitent sinners when he was upon earth, and bis gospel is distasteful, ie repugnant, to the same class to-day. Those whose works are evil will not come to 148 THE GOSPEL ACCORDING TO ST. JOHN. [011. m. 1-38.
the light, for thus their evil works would be exhibited in their monstrous heinousnese, and they themselves would be reproved. IV. •rHE .TUDGMENT THUS INCURRED. 1. The ground of judgment is here plainly stat.ed; it is not so much for sin, as for that content and delight in sin, which leads to the rejection of the gospel, to the refusal of deliverance from sin, to the hatred of that Saviour who came to vanquish sin. 2. The cou,•t of judgment is implied, 'rhe lovers of darkness are condemned by their own conscience, whose dictates they disregard in ord<'r to follow the impulses of passion. Yet it is Christ himself, the Word of God, who speaks in human nature, and utters the sentence of disapproval and of condemnation. Thus it is that Christ is to all men either their Saviour or their Judge, His coming to this earth was the cause only of salvation, but to many it was the occasion of judgment and of confusion.-T.