employment of force, where argument had failed: but in this attempt they fucceeded no better than they had done upon former occafions. Till our Lord chofe to deliver himself into their hands, they had no power at all over him, and might with as much chance of fuccefs have ftriven with the wind: this they must have known, had they made ufe of the ineftimable advantages they enjoyed over the rest of the world, in being the depofitaries of the word of God.

Some of the faints and prophets who were intrufted with God's law, and were invested with authority to execute his will, are, in the Old Teftament, ftyled 'Gods;' as having the power from God himfelf to perform fupernatural acts: (Pfalm lxxxii. ver. 6. 7.) "I have faid, Ye are gods; and

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all of you are children of the Moft High. "But ye fhall die like men, and fall like "one of the princes." In this pfalm, David reminds thefe exalted and highlyfavored characters, that they were equally fubject to death with the most ignorant

and

and infignificant of their fpecies; left fpiritual pride should prevent them from the attainment of that state of future happinefs which they were teaching others to acquire. St. Paul thought the strictest watch over himself abfolutely neceffary; left, whilft he was teaching others, he himself should be a caftaway. If, then, one fo highly favored thought himself not fafe without keeping a conftant guard over himself, how incumbent is it on every Christian to follow his example! more particularly where any extraordinary gifts of the holy fpirit have been bestowed on him. The Jews had no excufe to plead for their infidelity: they had the justest grounds of faith in Jesus Chrift as the meffiah, or fon of God, (terms made use of in Scripture to express one and the fame perfon); fince he performed all that the prophets had foretold respecting that facred character. these very Jews would have been highly offended, had any one prefumed to doubt their knowledge of, or faith in, the holy Scriptures:

Bbb

Yet

Scriptures: but inconfiftency is the infeparable attendant upon obftinacy and

error.

John the Baptift having prepared the hearts of those whom he baptized to receive Jesus Christ and his doctrines, our Lord, whose time of quitting the world now drew near, thought proper to vifit those whose minds were in fome measure enlightened; that, by witneffing his mi racles, they might be convinced that he was the person of whom John fpake, and be come bright and early examples of true faith in him and his glorious Gospel.

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41. And many reforted unto him, " and faid, John did no miracle: but all

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things that John spake of this man were

"true.

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42. And many believed on him "there."

John performed no miracle; but fore told all those wonders which would afto nish the world when wrought by his Mafter.

This difference of character was necessary, to prevent the disciples of John from miftaking him for the messiah.

Some of the prophets, of old, had been permitted to work miracles; but this fupernatural power had been fufpended, from the time of Malachi to that of John the Baptist: a period of between three and four hundred years. Thofe miracles, therefore, performed by our Lord, must have appeared the more confpicuous, and confequently have made a greater impreffion upon the minds of his followers.

May the Almighty, of his mercy, increase our faith, and not only bring all Christians who are the least wavering to a fincere and fieady faith, but convert all benations to Christianity, that we may come one univerfal flock under one fhepherd, Jefus Chrift, our only faviour: to whom, with the Father and the Holy Ghost, be all honor and glory, world without end. Amen.

CHAPTER THE FIFTEENTH

66 1.

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ST. JOHN, CHAP. XI.

Now

OW a certain man was fick, named Lazarus, of Bethany, "the town of Mary and her fifter Mar❝ tha.

"2. (It was that Mary which anointed "the Lord with ointment, and wiped his "feet with her hair, whofe brother Lazarus was fick.).

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3. Therefore his fifters fent unto him, faying, Lord, behold, he whom thou "loveft is fick.

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4. When Jefus heard that, he said, "This fickness is not unto death, but for "the glory of God, that the Son of God " might be glorified thereby.

66 5. Now