I was glad when they said to me, “Let us go to the house of the Lord.”

God Insensibly Withdrawn
Philip Doddridge (1702–1751)

A present God is all our strength,
And all our joy and hope;
When He withdraws, our comforts die,
And every grace must droop.

But flatt’ring trifles charm our hearts
To court their false embrace,
Till justly this neglected Friend
Averts His angry face.

He leaves us, and we miss Him not,
But go presumptuous on;
Till baffled, wounded, and enslaved,
We learn that God is gone.

And what, my soul, can then remain,
One ray of light to give?
Severed from Him, their better life,
How can His children live?

Hence, all ye painted forms of joy,
And leave my heart to mourn;
I would devote these eyes to tears,
Till cheered by His return.

Look back, my Lord, and own the place,
Where once Thy temple stood;
For lo, its ruins bear the mark
Of rich atoning blood.

—Worthy Is the Lamb (Soli Deo Gloria, 2004).

John 8:12–20

“I Am the Light of the World”

Then Jesus again spoke to them, saying, “I am the Light of the world; he who follows Me will not walk in the darkness, but will have the Light of life.” 13 So the Pharisees said to Him, “You are testifying about Yourself; Your testimony is not true.” 14 Jesus answered and said to them, “Even if I testify about Myself, My testimony is true, for I know where I came from and where I am going; but you do not know where I come from or where I am going. 15 You judge according to the flesh; I am not judging anyone. 16 But even if I do judge, My judgment is true; for I am not alone in it, but I and the Father who sent Me. 17 Even in your law it has been written that the testimony of two men is true. 18 I am He who testifies about Myself, and the Father who sent Me testifies about Me.” 19 So they were saying to Him, “Where is Your Father?” Jesus answered, “You know neither Me nor My Father; if you knew Me, you would know My Father also.” 20 These words He spoke in the treasury, as He taught in the temple; and no one seized Him, because His hour had not yet come.

The conversation between our Lord and the Jews, which begins with these verses, is full of difficulties. The connection between one part and another, and the precise meaning of some of the expressions which fell from our Lord’s lips, are “things hard to be understood.” In passages like this it is true wisdom to acknowledge the great imperfection of our spiritual vision, and to be thankful if we can glean a few handfuls of truth.
   Let us notice, for one thing, in these verses, what the Lord Jesus says of Himself. He proclaims, “I am the light of the world.”
   These words imply that the world needs light, and is naturally in a dark condition. It is so in a moral and spiritual point of view: and it has been so for nearly 6,000 years. In ancient Egypt, Greece, and Rome, in modern England, France, and Germany, the same report is true. The vast majority of men neither see nor understand the value of their souls, the true nature of God, nor the reality of a world to come! Notwithstanding all the discoveries of art and science, “darkness still covers the earth, and gross darkness the people.” (Isaiah. 60:2.)
   For this state of things, the Lord Jesus Christ declares Himself to be the only remedy. He has risen, like the sun, to diffuse light, and life, and peace, and salvation, in the midst of a dark world. He invites all who want spiritual help and guidance to turn to Him, and take Him for their leader. What the sun is to the whole solar system—the center of light, and heat, and life, and fertility—that He has come into the world to be to sinners.
   Let this saying sink down into our hearts. It is weighty and full of meaning. False lights on every side invite man’s attention in the present day. Reason, philosophy, earnestness, liberalism, conscience, and the voice of the Church, are all, in their various ways, crying loudly that they have got “the light” to show us. Their advocates know not what they say. Wretched are those who believe their high professions! He only is the true light who came into the world to save sinners, who died as our substitute on the cross, and sits at God’s right hand to be our Friend. “In His light we shall see light.” (Psalm xxxvi. 9.)
   Let us notice, secondly, in these verses, what the Lord Jesus says of those who follow Him. He promises, “He that followeth Me shall not walk in darkness, but shall have the light of life.”
   To follow Christ is to commit ourselves wholly and entirely to Him as our only leader and Saviour, and to submit ourselves to Him in every matter, both of doctrine and practice. “Following” is only another word for “believing.” It is the same act of soul, only seen from a different point of view. As Israel followed the pillar of cloud and fire in all their journeyings—moving whenever it moved, stopping whenever it tarried, asking no questions, marching on in faith—so must a man deal with Christ. He must “follow the Lamb wherever He goeth.” (Rev. xiv. 4.)
   He that so follows Christ shall “not walk in darkness.” He shall not be left in ignorance, like the many around him. He shall not grope in doubt and uncertainty, but shall see the way to heaven, and know where he is going.—He “shall have the light of life.” He shall feel within him the light of God’s countenance shining on him. He shall find in his conscience and understanding a living light, which nothing can altogether quench. The lights with which many please themselves shall go out in the valley of the shadow of death, and prove worse than useless. But the light that Christ gives to every one that follows Him shall never fail.
   Let us notice, lastly, in these verses, what the Lord Jesus says of His enemies. He tells the Pharisees that, with all their pretended wisdom, they were ignorant of God. “Ye neither know Me nor my Father; if ye had known Me, ye would have known my Father also.”
   Ignorance like this is only too common. There are thousands who are conversant with many branches of human learning, and can even argue and reason about religion, and yet know nothing really about God. That there is such a Being as God they fully admit. But His character and attributes revealed in Scripture, His holiness, His purity, His justice, His perfect knowledge, His unchangeableness, are things with which they are little acquainted. In fact, the subject of God’s nature and character makes them uncomfortable, and they do not like to dwell upon it.
   The grand secret of knowing God is to draw near to Him through Jesus Christ. Approached from this side, there is nothing that need make us afraid. Viewed from this standpoint, God is the sinner’s friend. God, out of Christ, may well fill us with alarm. How shall we dare to look at so high and holy a Being?—God in Christ is full of mercy, grace, and peace. His law’s demands are satisfied. His holiness need not make us afraid. Christ in one word is the way and door, by which we must ever draw near to the Father. If we know Christ, we shall know the Father. It is His own word,—”No man cometh unto the Father but by Me.” (John xiv. 6.) Ignorance of Christ is the root of ignorance of God. Wrong at the starting-point, the whole sum of a man’s religion is full of error.
   And now, where are we ourselves? Do we know? Many are living and dying in a kind of fog.—Where are we going? Can we give a satisfactory answer? Hundreds go out of existence in utter uncertainty.—Let us leave nothing uncertain that concerns our everlasting salvation. Christ, the light of the world, is for us as well as for others, if we humbly follow Him, cast our souls on Him, and become His disciples.—Let us not, like thousands, waste our lives in doubting, and arguing, and reasoning, but simply follow. The child that says—“I will not learn anything until I know something,” will never learn at all. The man that says—“I must first understand everything before I become a Christian,” will die in his sins. Let us begin by “following,” and then we shall find light.

—J. C. Ryle, Expository Thoughts on the Gospels (Baker Books, 2007).

Grace to you and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ.

I was glad when they said to me, “Let us go to the house of the Lord.”

Room at the Gospel Feast
Philip Doddridge (1702–1751)

The King of heaven His table spreads,
And dainties crown the board;
Not paradise with all its joys
Could such delight afford.

Pardon and peace to dying men,
And endless life are given,
And the rich blood that Jesus shed
To raise the soul to heaven.

Ye hungry poor, that long have strayed
In sins’ dark mazes, come.
Come from the hedges and highways,
And grace shall find you room.

Millions of souls, in glory now,
Were fed and feasted here;
And millions more, still on the way,
Around the board appear.

Yet is his house and heart so large,
That millions more may come;
Nor could the wide assembling world
Overfill the spacious room.

All things are ready; come away,
Nor weak excuses frame.
Crowd to your places at the feast,
And bless the Founder’s name.

—Worthy Is the Lamb (Soli Deo Gloria, 2004).

John 1:6–13
   6 There came a man sent from God, whose name was John. 7 He came as a witness, to testify about the Light, so that all might believe through him. 8 He was not the Light, but he came to testify about the Light.
   9 There was the true Light which, coming into the world, enlightens every man. 10 He was in the world, and the world was made through Him, and the world did not know Him. 11 He came to His own, and those who were His own did not receive Him. 12 But as many as received Him, to them He gave the right to become children of God, even to those who believe in His name, 13 who were born, not of blood nor of the will of the flesh nor of the will of man, but of God.

St. John, after beginning his gospel with a statement of our Lord’s nature as God, proceeds to speak of His forerunner, John the Baptist. The contrast between the language used about the Saviour, and that used about His forerunner, ought not to be overlooked. Of Christ we are told that He was the eternal God,—the Creator of all things,—the source of life and light. Of John the Baptist we are told simply, that “there was a man sent from God, whose name was John.”
   We see, firstly, in these verses, the true nature of a Christian minister’s office. We have it in the description of John the Baptist: “He came for a witness, to bear witness of the light, that all men through him might believe.”
   Christian ministers are not priests, nor mediators between God and man. They are not agents into whose hands men may commit their souls, and carry on their religion by deputy. They are witnesses. They are intended to bear testimony to God’s truth, and specially to the great truth that Christ is the only Saviour and light of the world. This was St. Peter’s ministry on the day of Pentecost.—“with many other words did he testify.” (Acts ii. 40.) This was the whole tenor of St. Paul’s ministry.—“He testified both to the Jews and to the Greeks repentance towards God, and faith towards our Lord Jesus Christ.” (Acts xx. 21.) Unless a Christian minister bears full testimony to Christ, he is not faithful in his office. So long as he does testify of Christ, he has done his part, and will receive his reward, although the hearers may not believe his testimony. Until a minister’s hearers believe on that Christ of whom they are told, they receive no benefit from the ministry. They may be pleased and interested; but they are not profited until they believe. The great end of the minister’s testimony is “that through him, men may believe.”
   We see, secondly, in these verses, one principal position which our Lord Jesus Christ occupies towards mankind. We have it in the words, “He was the true light which lighteth every man that cometh into the world.”
   Christ is to the souls of men what the sun is to the world. He is the centre and source of all spiritual light, warmth, life, health, growth, beauty, and fertility. Like the sun, He shines for the common benefit of all mankind,—for high and for low, for rich and for poor, for Jew and for Greek. Like the sun, He is free to all. All may look at Him, and drink health out of His light. If millions of mankind were mad enough to dwell in caves underground, or to bandage their eyes, their darkness would be their own fault, and not the fault of the sun. So, likewise, if millions of men and women love spiritual “darkness rather than light,” the blame must be laid on their blind hearts, and not on Christ. “Their foolish hearts are darkened.” (John iii. 19; Rom. i. 21.) But whether men will see or not, Christ is the true sun, and the light of the world. There is no light for sinners except in the Lord Jesus.
   We see, thirdly, in these verses, the desperate wickedness of man’s natural heart. We have it in the words, Christ “was in the world, and the world was made by Him, and the world knew Him not. He came unto His own, and His own received Him not.”
   Christ was in the world invisibly, long before He was born of the Virgin Mary. He was there from the very beginning, ruling, ordering, and governing the whole creation. By Him all things are held together. (Coloss. i. 17.) He gave to all life and breath, rain from heaven, and fruitful seasons. By Him kings reigned, and nations were increased or diminished. Yet men knew Him not, and honoured Him not. They “worshiped and served the creature more than the Creator.” (Rom. i. 25.) Well may the natural heart be called “wicked!”
   But Christ came visibly into the world, when He was born at Bethlehem, and fared no better. He came to the very people whom He had brought out from Egypt, and purchased for His own. He came to the Jews, whom He had separated from other nations, and to whom He had revealed Himself by the prophets. He came to those very Jews who had read of Him in the Old Testament Scriptures,—seen Him under types and figures in their temple services,—and professed to be waiting for His coming. And yet, when He came, those very Jews received Him not. They even rejected Him, despised Him, and slew Him. Well may the natural heart be called “desperately wicked!”
   We see, lastly, in these verses, the vast privileges of all who receive Christ, and believe on Him. We are told that “as many as received Him, to them gave He power to become you sons of God, even to those who believe on His name.”
   Christ will never be without some servants. If the vast majority of the Jews did not receive Him as the Messiah, there were, at any rate, a few who did. To them He gave the privilege of being God’s children. He adopted them as members of His Father’s family. He reckoned them His own brethren and sisters, bone of His bone, and flesh of His flesh. He conferred on them a dignity which was ample recompense for the cross which they had to carry for His sake. He made them sons and daughters of the Lord Almighty.
   Privileges like these, be it remembered, are the possession of all, in every age, who receive Christ by faith, and follow Him as their Savour. They are “children of God by faith in Christ Jesus.” (Gal. iii. 26.) They are born again by a new and heavenly birth, and adopted into the family of the King of kings. Few in number, and despised by the world as they are, they are cared for with infinite love by a Father in heaven, who, for His Son’s sake, is well pleased with them. In time He provides them with everything that is for their good. In eternity He will give them a crown of glory that fades not away. These are great things! But faith in Christ gives men an ample title to them. Good masters care for their servants, and Christ cares for His.
   Are we ourselves sons of God? Have we been born again? Have we the marks which always accompany the new birth,—sense of sin, faith in Jesus, love of others, righteous living, separation from the world? Let us never be content until we can give a satisfactory answer to these questions.
   Do we desire to be sons of God? Then let us “receive Christ” as our Savour, and believe on Him with the heart. To every one that so receives Him, He will give the privilege of becoming a son of God.

—J. C. Ryle, Expository Thoughts on the Gospels (Baker Books, 2007), 3:13–17

Grace to you and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ.

I reioyced, when they sayd to me, We wil go into the house of the Lord. (Psalme 122:1 Geneva Bible)

God Saying to the Soul, that He is its Salvation
by Philip Doddridge (1702–1751)

alvation, oh, melodious sound,
 To wretched dying men;
Salvation, that from God proceeds,
And leads to God again.

Rescued from hell’s eternal gloom,
From fiends, and fires, and chains;
Raised to the paradise of bliss,
Where love and glory reigns.

But, oh, may a degenerate soul,
Sinful and weak as mine,
Presume to raise a trembling eye
To blessing so divine?

The luster of so bright a bliss
My feeble heart o’er bears;
And unbelief almost perverts
The promise into tears.

My Savior God, no voice but Thine,
These dying hopes can raise;
Speak Thy salvation so my soul,
And turn its tears to praise.

My Savior God, this broken voice,
Transported shall proclaim;
And call on the angelic harps,
To sound so sweet a name.

—Worthy Is the Lamb (Soli Deo Gloria, 2004).

salme 49
(Geneva Bible) To him that excelleth.
A Psalme committed to the sonnes of Korah.
1 Heare this, all ye people: giue eare, all ye that dwell in the world,
2 As well lowe as hie, both rich and poore.
3 My mouth shall speake of wisdome, and the meditation of mine heart is of knowledge.
4 I will incline mine eare to a parable, and vtter my graue matter vpon the harpe.
5 Wherefore should I feare in the euil dayes, when iniquitie shall compasse me about, as at mine heeles?
6 They trust in their goods, and boast them selues in the multitude of their riches.
7 Yet a man can by no meanes redeeme his brother: he can not giue his raunsome to God,
8 (So precious is the redemption of their soules, and the continuance for euer)
9 That he may liue still for euer, and not see the graue.
10 For he seeth that wise men die, and also that the ignorant and foolish perish, and leaue their riches for others.
11 Yet they thinke, their houses, and their habitations shall continue for euer, euen from generation to generation, and call their lands by their names.
12 But man shall not continue in honour: he is like the beastes that die.
13 This their way vttereth their foolishnes: yet their posteritie delite in their talke. Selah.
14 Like sheepe they lie in graue: death deuoureth them, and the righteous shall haue domination ouer them in the morning: for their beautie shall consume, when they shall goe from their house to graue.
15 But God shall deliuer my soule from the power of the graue: for he will receiue me. Selah.
16 Be not thou afrayd when one is made rich, and when the glory of his house is increased.
17 For he shall take nothing away when he dieth, neither shall his pompe descende after him.
18 For while he liued, he reioyced himselfe: and men will prayse thee, when thou makest much of thy selfe.
19 He shall enter into the generation of his fathers, and they shall not liue for euer.
20 Man is in honour, and vnderstandeth not: he is like to beasts that perish.

Grace be with you, and Peace from God our Father, and from the Lord Jesus Christ.

I reioyced, when they sayd to me, We wil go into the house of the Lord. (Psalme 122:1 Geneva Bible)

The God of Spirits Sought
by Phillip Doddridge (1702–1751)

ather of spirits, from Thy hand,
Our soul immortal came;
And still Thine energy divine
Supports the’ethereal flame.

By Thee our spirits all are known;
And each remotest thought
Lies wide expanded to His eye,
By whom their pow’rs were wrought.

To Thee, when mortal comforts fail,
The flock deserted flies
And, on the eternal Shepherd’s care,
Our cheerful hope relies.

When o’er Thy faithful servant’s dust,
Thy dear assemblies mourn,
In speedy tokens of Thy grace,
O Israel’s God, return.

The pow’rs of nature all are Thine,
And Thine the aids of grace;
Thine arm has borne Thy churches up
Through every rising race.

Exert Thy sacred influence here,
And here Thy suppliants bless,
And change, to strains of cheerful praise,
Their accents of distress.

With faithful heart, with skilful hand,
May this Thy flock be fed;
And with a steady growing pace,
To Zion’s mountain led.

—from Worthy Is the Lamb (Soli Deo Gloria, 2004).

salme 87 (Geneva Bible)
A Psalme or song committed to the sonnes of Korah.

1 God layde his foundations among the holy mountaines.
2 The Lord loueth the gates of Zion aboue all the habitations of Iaakob.
3 Glorious things are spoken of thee, O citie of God. Selah.
4 I will make mention of Rahab and Babel among them that knowe me: beholde Palestina and Tyrus with Ethiopia, There is he borne.
5 And of Zion it shall be sayde, Many are borne in her: and he, euen the most High shall stablish her.
6 The Lord shall count, when hee writeth the people, He was borne there. Selah.
7 Aswell the singers as the players on instruments shall prayse thee: all my springs are in thee.

Grace be with you, and Peace from God our Father, and from the Lord Jesus Christ.

I reioyced, when they sayd to me, We wil go into the house of the Lord. (Psalme 122:1 Geneva Bible)

The Christian Scheme of Salvation Worthy of God
by Philip Doddridge (1702–1751)

mmortal God, on Thee we call,
The great original of all,
Through Thee we are, to Thee we tend,
Our sure support, our glorious end.

We praise that wise mysterious grace,
That pitied our revolted race,
And Jesus, our victorious Head,
The Captain of salvation made.

He, Thine eternal love decreed,
Should many sons to glory lead;
And sinful worms to Him are given,
A colony to people heav’n.

Jesus for us—Oh, gracious name!—
Encounters agony and shame;
Jesus, the glorious and the great,
Was by dire suff’ring made complete.

A scene of wonders her we see,
Worthy the Son, and worthy Thee;
And while this theme employs our tongues,
All heaven unites its sweetest songs.

—from Worthy Is the Lamb (Soli Deo Gloria, 2004).

salme 149 (Geneva Bible)

1 Prayse ye the Lord. Sing ye vnto the Lord a newe song: let his prayse be heard in the Congregation of Saints.
2 Let Israel reioyce in him that made him, and let ye children of Zion reioyce in their King.
3 Let them prayse his Name with the flute: let them sing prayses vnto him with the timbrell and harpe.
4 For the Lord hath pleasure in his people: he will make the meeke glorious by deliuerance.
5 Let ye Saints be ioyfull with glorie: let them sing loud vpon their beddes.
6 Let the high Actes of God bee in their mouth, and a two edged sword in their hands,
7 To execute vengeance vpon the heathen, and corrections among the people:
8 To binde their Kings in chaines, and their nobles with fetters of yron,
9 That they may execute vpon them the iudgement that is written: this honour shall be to all his Saintes. Prayse ye the Lord.

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Grace be with you, and Peace from God our Father, and from the Lord Jesus Christ.