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Jefus came to Bethfaida, where he was requested to extend his compaffion to a blind man *. He readily confented; and yet he chofe not to perform the miracle within the confines of the town, nor would he fuffer the perfon to return thither, to publish his cafe which might be intended as a mark of his difpleasure against the unbelieving inhabitants, Many of the aftonishing effects of his power and grace, at this time alfo, are purpofely concealed from the obfervation of finners, who would be difpofed to treat them with contempt and derifion. But the day is approaching, when all his wonderful works, and the excellency of his character, fhall be made known to the affenbled univerfe, to the unspeakable joy of his faithful people, and the confusion of his enemies.

When he had withdrawn the man to a little distance from the city, he reftored his fight, but in a gradual manner. At the first touch of the Saviour, fome faint glimmerings of light were conveyed to the darkened eyes, fo that things were perceived very obfcurely, and men appeared" as trees walking." But, upon the fecond touch, every object was feen diftinétly. In every one of his miracles, Jefus exhibited his divine perfections: but he did not confine himfelf to a particular mode of operation. In fome inftances, we apprehend, the full blaze of day was fuddenly poured in upon the blind, but here was a regular advance from one degree of clearness to another. It is the fame in fpiritual concerns. He alone "giveth light and understanding to the funple;" but the methods of his grace are different in different perfons. must not dictate to him, nor fet up the cafe of any Chriftian as a ftandard, to which that of all others must be accommodated. Some may be inftantaneouy "called out of darkness into marvellous light;" whilst many attain, by a flow progrefs, to. the knowledge

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From his tircunfance, Jes was led to addrefs, zuc us dipes my, but the multitude at large, on term of beng wiling to fuffer with him. Les em declarations; for they concrariis. Do we profets a regard to him? He Chair's is to excer upon a frict course of felf-denial, ant to hermit to extreme dificulties, even to martyrcon chá a is case. We muit teftify a grateful jene of Lite, and a pure desire to promote his glork, by len bang ease, intereft, reputation, and life

A via we are required, for his fake. A ftrong atustment to present enjoyments may ruin us for esc, but a chem renunciation of every thing dear mo sabe voce earth, in the fervice of Christ, will be recompensed with eternal blefiedness here

Are any deterred, by fuch confiderations, from foljewing the Saviour? Then make your choice, and, if you please, prefer the world to him. Secure its beft delights, and, if it be poffible, poffefs the whole et its pomps, its dominion, or its pleafures: what will you have gained' Can you eftimate your profit, when you fhall be rejected of God, and your fouls be loft, beyond the power of recovery, for ever? Is there any equivalent to be offered, by which you could purchase a release from hell, cr even a mitigation of its torments? And are your immortal spirits in danger of perifhing? Yes:"the Judge ftandeth before the door;"" the Son of man fhall come," with all the glory of his divine majefty, and with the whole retinue of heaven; and you must appear at his tribunal, ** receive “ according to your works." What, then, you to look for at his hands, if you have oppofed ufe, or, through the bafe principle of fear or have declined the profeffion of his Gofpel, or ety of his people? Think you, that he will wn you, and number you among his faints?

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No: he will feparate you from their company, for whom you dared not to avow an attachment upon earth; he will reject you with abhorrence, and confign you to a ftate of unutterable confufion, torment, and despair.

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Such was the purport of our Lord's folemn admonitions; and in the fame manner fhould finners of the prefent day be warned. Perhaps the objection might be raised, If he were indeed of that exalted dignity, which he reprefented, why did not his glory immediately appear? And it might be with a view to obviate the difficulty, that he affured the perfons around him, that fome of them should not die, till they had feen a grand exhibition of his majesty, which might be confidered as the commencement of his government. Some have supposed, that this referred to his transfiguration, which foon followed; but it has more generally been explained of that remarkable difplay of his power, which took place in the deftruction of Jerufalem, to the overthrow of his enemies, and the establishment of his Church. That event he frequently defcribed as his coming; and it was an awful emblem of his future and more illuftrious advent for the final judgment of the world.

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His predictions have been in part fulfilled; and in due time, when his righteous purpofes are effected, they will all have their full completion. He will be revealed in his glory, as he hath told us; " and every fhall fee him." How fhall we ftand before him? What is our hope and expectation? Does the profpect of his manifestation fill us with delight? For fo it ought to do, if we be indeed partakers of his falvation. It is the privilege of his faithful people to look and long for his appearing, crying, "Come, Lord Jefus, come quickly." But fuch as remain at enmity against him, have abundant caufe to dread "the day of the Lord." In vain would they call upon the rocks and mountains

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mountains to cover them, and hide them from his face. They must be arraigned at his bar; and their everlasting doom fhall be pronounced from his mouth. May we find mercy of the Lord in that day, and enter with him into his kingdom for ever! Amen,

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JESUS CHRIST.

SECT. 22.

Jefus was transfigured, and declared to be the Son of God-expelled an evil fpirit, which his Apoftles could not-warned them of his approaching fufferingspaid the facred tribute by a miracle-fuggefted folemn cautions against amb tion, offences, contempt of any the weakest believers, feverity and revenge towards. an offending brother.

THE Lord Jefus Chrift appeared upon earth in a ftate of profound humiliation: the brightnefs of his original glory being obfeured by the infirmities of humanity, and the external meanness of his condition. His example, indeed, his preaching, and his miracles, proved him to be, not only fuperior to the children of men, but "the Lord from heaven.' There were also certain occafions, on which his true dignity was difplayed in a very signal manner. The following inftance is of that kind; and it feems to have been intended, not for vain parade, but for im◄ portant purposes to himself and others..

About a week after the folemn. addrefs to his difciples, which was laft mentioned, he retired to a high mountain (fuppofed by fome to be mount Tabor), for the purposes of fecret devotion *. He felected three out of the twelve, Peter, James, and Jo

Mat. xvii. 1-13. Mark ix. 2-13. Luke ix

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