Old Teftament refpecting the meffiah, they could not have withheld their faith in him. "28. Then cried Jefus in the Temple "as he taught, faying, Ye both know me "and ye know whence I am: and I am "not come of myself, but he that sent me whom ye know not. ❝ is true, 86 66 29. But I know him: for I am from him, and he hath sent me." Those who rejected Christ Jefus, knew not God the Father; though they prefumed to call themselves, his peculiar people!' Such knowledge would have directed them to his Son, whom he sent to be the mediator and faviour of the whole world. 66 30. Then they fought to take him: "but no man laid hands on him, because "his hour was not yet come. 66 " 31. And many of the people believ❝ed on him, and said, When Christ com Oo 2 “eth, 66 eth, will he do more miracles than thefe "which this man hath done?" Times and seasons belong to God; and the hour which he had appointed for the facrifice of his only-begotten Son, was not yet arrived. Many of the people now believed on him, and others who ftill wavered, yet feeing the miracles he performed, were convinced that he must be fome great prophet, and doubted whether Chrift himself could perform greater. 66 66 32. The Pharisees heard that the peoIple murmured fuch things concerning him; and the Pharifees and the chief priefts fent officers to take him." From the favorable difpofitions which the people began to fhew towards him, the rulers of the Jews became alarmed, left both their traditions and themselves fhould fall into contempt, were our Saviour longer fuffered to preach and instruct the people; they therefore deter mined to lose no time in carrying their pre-concerted plan into execution. 33. Then faid Jesus unto them, Yet a "little while am I with you, and then I go unto him that sent me. 34. Ye fhall feek me, and fhall not “find me: and where I am, thither ye 66 cannot come." Our Lord here points out to them, that if they now rejected his offered grace, they should hereafter seek it in vain; and that a long and obftinate refusal might provoke him to withdraw his offers, when their fearch after him would be fruitless. Are we not in equal, nay, greater danger, if we do not make the best use in our power of that grace which is offered us? 66 66 them 35. Then faid the Jews among felves, Whither will he go that we shall not find him? will he go unto the dif perfed among the Gentiles, and teach "the Gentiles? "36. What 66 36. What manner of faying is this that "he faid, Ye fhall feek me and shall not "find me? and, Where I cannot come ?" am, thither ye The Jews were very much at a loss to understand our Lord's meaning, in declaring they could not follow whither he was going; it could only be amongst the Gentiles, they thought that being strictly forbidden by their law. The very suppofition, proves that they had formed improper notions of him, and conceived that he would disregard the law of Moses whenever it fuited his convenience to do so. 66 37. In the last day, that great day of "the feast, Jefus flood and cried, saying, If any man thirst, let him come unto me " and drink. "38. He that believeth on me as the scripture hath faid, out of his belly fhall "flow rivers of living water. 39. (But this fpake he of the Spirit, "which they that believe on him fhould " receive: "receive: for the Holy Ghoft was not yet “given, because that Jefus was not yet glorified.)" 66 He This address to the people at the feast was fimilar to that which our blessed Lord vouchsafed to the woman of Samaria. tells them, to apply to him for the holy spirit: which here, as in the former case, is described under the figure of living water. None could, however, receive it, except thro' faith in him. The apostles food greatly in need of this confolation to look forward to; as nothing lefs could have at all reconciled them to the thought of parting with their blessed Master. 66 40. Many of the people, therefore, "when they heard this saying, said, Of a "truth, this is the prophet. 41. Others faid, This is the Christ. But "fome faid, ShallChrift come out of Galilee? The Jews having been without a prophet, from the time of Malachi to that of John |