constitute the critical test of every soul that
is brought into contact with them. Judgment is the necessary
accompaniment of salvation. Man's will being free, it must be so. And
this judgment, determined in this life, will one day appear in final,
irreversible, manifested result. "The hour is coming, in the which all
that are in the graves shall hear His voice, and shall come forth; they
that have done good, unto the resurrection of life; and they that have
done evil, unto the resurrection of damnation."

3. But naturally the Jews would say: "These are extraordinary and
apparently extravagant claims to make. It is not easily credible that
this voice which now so quietly speaks to us is one day to wake the
dead. It is not easily credible that one whom we can carry before our
courts is to judge all men." To which thoughts Jesus replies: "I do not
expect you to take My word for these things, but there are three
guarantees of My truth to which I point you. There is first of all (1)
the testimony of John[19]--a man in whose prophetic gift you for a while
prided yourselves, rejoicing that God had sent you so powerful and
enlightening a messenger. His whole function was to testify of Me. This
lamp, in the light of which you rejoiced, was lit solely for the purpose
of making quite visible to you that which you now say you cannot see.
But this is not the best witness I have, although those of you who
cannot see for themselves might be saved if only you would believe
John's testimony. But (2) I have greater witness than that of John. John
said that I should come as the Father's agent. Well, if you cannot
believe John's words, can you not believe the things you see? This
impotent man raised to health, is this not a little hint of the Divine
power that is in your midst? And are not all the works I do the Father's
works, done by His power and for His purposes? Is not My whole career
its own best evidence? But besides, (3) the Father Himself has borne
witness to Me. He has not appeared to you. You have not heard His voice
nor seen His shape, but His _word_, His own sufficient account of His
nature and connection with you, you have. You search the Scriptures, and
rightly, for they are they which testify of Me. They are the Father's
word which, had you listened to, you would have known Me as sent by Him.
Had you not mumbled only the husk of Scripture, counting its letters and
wearing it on your foreheads, but had you, through God's la