not actually go so far, though virtually they do. The
III. The coward's doom (verse 8).—Though the 'fearful' or coward is specially singled out here, yet there are others associated with him in his awful doom. The 'coward' is the first in the roll; but the whole roll is dark. They are all of earth, sons of Adam, men,—not devils. Let us take them as they are set down here. 1. The fearful.—This does not mean those who are full of fears,— timid, doubting Christians,—those 'who are of a fearful heart' (Isaiah 35:4; 1 Thessalonians 5:14). It means the cowards who refused to come out from the world and join Christ, though their consciences urged them; who shrunk from confessing Christ; who, through fear of men, of the world, of their good name, of earthly honour and gain, either kept their religion to themselves or threw it away. Of this class was the young man in the Gospel and Demas; those who 'drew back,' in Hebrews 10:38; the opposite of the 'over comers.' Of this class are they who tell you they keep their religion to themselves, and would not in company name the name of Christ; would blush if caught upon their knees, and apologize if a Bible were seen upon their tables. They are those whom our Lord denounces,—'Whosoever shall refuse to confess me before men.' Beware of cowardice in the things of God, of being ashamed of Christ! 2. The unbelieving.—These are the rejecters of Christ. The fearful do not actually go so far, though virtually they do. The (the fearful) shrink from owning, but the unbeliever refuses Him. It is this disowning, of the cross, this rejection of the testimony, this turning the back on Christ, that is here condemned. It is 'the evil heart of unbelief' which is held up to view as fit only for 'the second death'. 'He that believeth not shall be damned.' Oh the hatefulness of unbelief! For it there is no place but the ever burning alike. What must it be to refuse God's testimony to His Son! To refuse that Son Himself! 3. The abominable.—Those who were partakers of the abominations and filthiness mentioned before (17:4),— revellings, banquetings, riots, blasphemies. These are open sinners, swearers, lewd talkers, gluttons,