"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."

Belief in Christ means Belief in God.

(John 8: 12.)

"Jesus cried and said, He that believeth on me, believeth not
on me, but on him that sent me. And he that seeth
me seeth him that sent me. I am come a light into
the world, that whosoever believeth on me should not
abide in darkness. And if any man hear my words,
and believe not, I judge him not; for I came not to
judge the world, but to save the world. He that
rejecteth me, and receiveth not my words, hath one
that judgeth him: the word that I have spoken, the
same shall judge him in the last day. For I have not
spoken of myself: but the Father which sent me, he gave me
a commandment, what I should say, and what I should
speak. And I know that his commandment is life
everlasting: whatsoever I speak therefore, even as the
Father said unto me, so I speak." (John 12: 44.)
"As thou hast given him power over all flesh, that he
should give eternal life to as many as thou hast given
him. And this is life eternal, that they might know thee
the only true God, and Jesus Christ,* whom thou hast
sent."
(John 17:3.)

Belief in God suffices for Salvation.

"He that heareth my word, and believeth on him that sent me, hath everlasting life, and shall not come into con(John 5: 24.)

demnation."

The Resurrection of the Dead.

"For in the resurrection they neither marry, nor are given in marriage, but are as the angels of God in heaven. But as touching the resurrection of the dead, have ye not read that which was spoken unto you by God,

*This text and that of John 8: 24, quoted ante p. 60, appear to be the strongest expressions in favour of the doctrine that a belief in Christ's Divine mission is an indispensable qualification for salvation, though they do not go so far as asserting that Christ was himself the Almighty incarnate-rather the reverse. Mr. Greg doubts whether Christ ever uttered the words above, since "they form," says he, "a natural expression for the evangelist, but scarcely for his Master.'

saying, I am the God of Abraham, and the God of

Isaac, and the God of Jacob.

the dead, but of the living."

Everlasting Punishment.

God, is not the God of

(Matt. 22: 30-32.)

"When the Son of man shall come in his glory, and all the holy angels with him, then shall he sit upon the throne of his glory: then shall the King say unto them on his right hand, Come, ye blessed of my Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world: then shall he say also unto them on the left hand, Depart from me, ye cursed, into everlasting fire, prepared for the devil and his angels.*

(Matt. 25: 31.) "And these shall go away into everlasting punishment, but the righteous into life eternal." (Matt. 25: 46.) "The Son of man shall send forth his angels, and they shall gather out of his kingdom all things that offend, and them which do iniquity:† and shall cast them into a furnace of fire: there shall be wailing and gnashing of teeth." (Matt. 8: 12.) "And if thy hand offend thee, cut it off: it is better for thee to enter into life maimed, than having two hands to go into hell, into the fire that never shall be quenched : where their worm dieth not, and the fire is not quenched." (Mark 9: 43.)

Salvation for the Elect.

"And he shall send his angels with a great sound of a

trumpet, and they shall gather together his elect from
the four winds, from one end of heaven to the other."
(Matt. 24: 31, and Mark 13: 27.)

"I pray for them: I pray not for the world, but for them
which thou hast given me; for they are thine."
(John 17: 9.)

The Lord's Supper.

"And he took bread, and gave thanks, and brake it, and

* The resurrection of the dead and everlasting punishment are not taught as indispensable requisites of belief, without which salvation is unattainable. Contrast these mere statements of fact with Salvation according to the Thirtynine Articles, as set forth in a subsequent chapter.

†This text also suggests that evil-doers are to be punished: not (as the Church says) unbelievers. (See ante p. 40.)

Baptism.

gave unto them, saying, This is my body which is
given for you: this do in remembrance of me. Like-
wise also the cup after supper, saying, This cup is the
new testament in my blood, which is shed for you."
(Luke 22: 19; also Mark 14 : 24.)

"And Jesus came and spake unto them, saying, All power
is given unto me in heaven and in earth.
Go ye
therefore, and teach all nations, baptizing them in the
name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy
Ghost."*
(Matt. 28: 18.)
"And he said unto them, Go ye into all the world, and
preach the gospel to every creature. He that be-
lieveth and is baptized shall be saved; but he that
believeth not shall be damned."+ (Mark 16: 16.)
"Now when all the people were baptized, it came to pass,
that Fesus also being baptized, and praying, the heaven
was opened."
(Luke 3: 21.)

Christ's Divinity.

In Matthew Jesus speaks of himself upwards of a dozen times as "the Son of Man;" scarcely once does he call himself the "Son of God," though on about six occasions he was so addressed by others. Addressing others, he several times speaks of God as "Your Father," and in numerous instances alludes to God as "My Father."

In Mark Christ nowhere calls himself the "Son of God," though in upwards of ten instances he styles himself the Son of Man." In several instances St. Mark and others refer to him as the “Son of God."

In Luke, he is called the "Son of God" several times by others, though he never styles himself so, but frequently the "Son of Man," speaking, however, in a few instances, of God as 66 my Father."

John tells us, that on several occasions Christ was called

* Mr. Greg (as will be seen, ante p. 16) doubts whether Christ ever uttered these words.

+ See remarks on this text, ante p. 7.

the "Son of God" by others; in a few instances he spoke of himself as the "Son of God," and, in others, alludes to God as "my Father," whilst in many others he also styles himself the "Son of Man."

God a Spirit.

"God is a Spirit: and they that worship him must worship
him in spirit and in truth."
(John 4: 24.)

The Voice from Heaven.

"And there was a cloud that overshadowed them: and a voice came out of the cloud, saying, This is my beloved Son: hear him."

(Mark; also Matt. 3: 17; and Luke 10: 35.)

The Son of God.

*

"Art thou the Christ, the Son of the Blessed? And Jesus
said, I am: and ye shall see the Son of man sitting
on the right hand of power, and coming in the clouds
of heaven."
(Mark 14: 61.)
"The high priest answered and said unto him, I adjure
thee by the living God, that thou tell us whether thou
be the Christ, the Son of God. Jesus saith unto him,
Thou hast said: nevertheless I say unto you, Here-
after shall ye see the Son of man sitting on the right
hand of power, and coming in the clouds of heaven."
(Matt. 26: 63; also John 11: 36.)

My God.

"And at the ninth hour Jesus cried with a loud voice, saying, ELOI, ELOI, LAMA SABACHTHANI ? which is, being interpreted, My God, my God, why hast thou forsaken me?" (Mark 27: 46, and Matt. 15: 34.)

Christ sent by God.

*

"Jesus said unto them, If God were your Father, ye would love me: for I proceeded forth and came from God; neither came I of myself, but he sent me."

(John 8: 42.) "He that heareth you heareth me; and he that despiseth you despiseth me; and he that despiseth me despiseth him that sent me." (Luke 10: 16.)

Again, be it observed, Christ makes a statement; but does not (like the Church) threaten those who cannot believe it.

"He that heareth my word, and believeth on him that sent
me, hath everlasting life."
(John 5: 24.)

"He that believeth on me, believeth not on me, but on
him that sent me."

(John 12: 44.) "I have not spoken of myself; but the Father which sent me." (John 12: 49.) "Verily, verily, I say unto you, He that receiveth whomsoever I send receiveth me; and he that receiveth me receiveth him that sent me.”*

(John 13: 20; also Matt. 10: 40; Mark 9:37; and Luke 9: 48.)

God in Christ.

"I and my Father are one."

(John 10: 30.) Say ye of him, whom the Father hath sanctified, and sent into the world, Thou blasphemest; because I said, I am the Son of God? If I do not the works of my Father, believe me not. But if I do, though ye believe not me, believe the works that ye may know, and believe, that the Father is in me, and I in him." (John 10: 36.) 'Jesus saith unto him, Have I been so long time with you, and yet hast thou not known me, Philip? he that hath seen me hath seen the Father; and how sayest thou then, Shew us the Father? Believest thou not that I am in the Father, and the Father in me? the words that I speak unto you I speak not of myself: but the Father that dwelleth in me, he doeth the works. Believe me that I am in the Father, and the Father in me: or else believe me for the very works' sake." (John 14: 9.)

Christ's Divine Mission.

"And when he had opened the book, he found the place where it was written, The Spirit of the Lord is upon me, because he hath anointed me to preach the gospel to the poor; he hath sent me to heal the brokenhearted, to preach deliverance to the captives, and recovering of sight to the blind, to set at liberty them

* The passages in John which refer to Christ as sent by God are so numerous that I cannot quote them all. Refer to John 4: 34; 5: 23; 12: 44; 5: 30; 6: 38-40; 5: 36; 6: 57; 8: 16; 6: 44; 7: 16; 9: 4; 10: 36; 11: 42; 12: 45; 14:24; 15: 21, &c., &c.

F