If the foregoing be, in any measure, the language of the reader--if it be, at all, the expression of his difficulty, we would, in the first place, call his attention to two words which occur in our precious text (John iii. 16), namely, "_world_" and "_whosoever_." It seems utterly impossible for anyone to refuse the application of these two words. For what, let us ask, is the meaning of the term "_world_"? What does it embrace? or, rather, what does it not embrace? When our Lord declares that "God so loved the world," on what ground can the reader exclude himself from the range, scope, and application of this divine love? On no other ground whatever, unless he can show that he alone belongs not to the world, but to some other sphere of being. If it were declared that "the world" is hopelessly condemned, could anyone making a part of that world avoid the application of the sentence! Could he exclude himself from it? Impossible. How then can he--why should he--exclude himself, when it is a question of God's free love, and of salvation by Christ Jesus? But, further, we would ask, What is the meaning, what is the force of the familiar word, "_whosoever_"? Assuredly it means "_anybody_;" and if anybody, why not the reader? It is infinitely better, infinitely surer and more satisfactory to find the word "whosoever" in the gospel than to find my own name there, inasmuch as there may be a thousand persons in the world of the same name; but "whosoever" applies to me as distinctly as though I were the only sinner on the face of the earth. Thus, then, the very words of the gospel message--the very terms used to set forth the glad tidings, are such as leave no possible ground for a difficulty as to their application. If we listen to our Lord in the days of His flesh, we hear such words as these: "God so loved the _world_ that He gave His only-begotten Son, that _whosoever_ believeth in Him might not perish, but have everlasting life." Again, if we listen to Him after His resurrection, we hear these words, "Go ye into _all the world_, and preach the gospel to _every creature_" (Mark xvi.). And lastly, if we listen to the voice of the Holy Ghost sent from a risen, ascended, and glorified Lord, we hear such words as these: "The same Lord over all is rich unto _all_ that call upon Him. For _whosoever_ shall call on the name of the Lord shall be saved" (Rom. x. 12, 13).