entitled to all the bonours of his inly, an en powered likewile to confer them mere, i at if you receive the liberty which I below, you will be refcued from a state of miracle brange, and the molt exalted privileges be fecured to you for ever. You boat of your extraction from an trious Patriarch, but this cannot proft you, face at this very moment you are fo incenied at my doctrine, as to be filled with murderous rage against me. I declare to you the will of my Father, that which I know to be fo, from the most intimate acquaintance with bis mind: and you alfo fhew by your deportment, what you have learned from your father.”

Here they interrupted him, ft maintaining that they fprang from no other than Abraham. But Jefus proceeded;—" Were you indeed the children of Abraham, you would tread in his steps: but how widely do you differ from him in your ípirit and conduct, while you are aiming at my life, for boldly alferting among you the truth of God? Your actions correfpond with the original, from which you are derived." This infinuation they confidered as reproachful to their character, and contended that God was their Father. The Saviour anfwered;-" If fuch were your near relation to God, you would discover an affectionate regard to me, who am come down from a state of intimate union with him, and have received my commiffion from him alone. To what fhall I afcribe it, that you do not comprehend my meaning, but to your carnal difpofitions, which have effectually stopped your ears against me? You, therefore, belong to another family, and are evidently the children of the wicked one, whose very tempers you: betray: for he has been uniformly feeking the deftruction of mankind, and, by the bafeft treachery and. blood, oppofing divine truth.. You reject me, rely because I have faithfully declared to you the fel of God. I dare appeal to you, prejudiced as

you

you are, that you cannot bring any charge of guilt against me: and, if you must admit my integrity, why will you not credit my affertions? Every one, who is born of God, and under the influence of his grace, will yield a ferious attention and an unreserved fubmiffion to the will of God, in whatever manner it be revealed: this, therefore, cannot be your charater, as you prove by your perverfe and obftinate unbelief."

These fevere reproofs exasperated the Jews ftill more, so that they replied with manifest rancour, that they were now juftified in their fufpicions of him, as being an enemy to their religion, like the Samaritans, and acting under the inftigation of the devil. He repelled the blafphemous charge with fingular meeknefs, obferving, that fo far from having connections with Satan, he had uniformly fhewn a zealous regard to his Father's glory, which had brought their contempt upon him; that yet, though he might be indifferent about his own perfonal honour, there was One, who would affert it to their entire condemnation. He added, alfo, the most gracious and folemn proteftations, for the encouragement of the penitent, that the fincere believer in him fhould never taste the bitternefs, or come under the power, of death. The precious promise, no less than his reproofs, incenfed them, and confirmed them in the perfuafion, that he was actuated by a diabolical influence. They grofsly mifapprehended him, as if none of his followers fhould fuffer even the diffolution of the body, and infolently afked, what privilege or dignity he claimed, beyond the ancient prophets.

He answered," If my claims were unfupported, they might fafely be defpifed; but I appeal to the atteftations of that God, to whom you profefs to ftand in a peculiar relation. Alas! your pretences are falfe and prefumptuous: on the contrary, I poffefs the moft perfect knowledge of him, and yield a constant

and

T

if the cominer mot Toolift preffins, at im ping that he has beer company WILL ADACETE LIST ME ESTOL. ཡང་གྲ་འང་དང་ decire an wer 1 ther cals, and to the s Dienr, is express and unecurata. terms be valed Wout he called their attention f it as a cumorn and intereking truth * Before SDTARMIE

In language was too clear I DE mitunderknad, and it contains a doctrine too important to be aban doned. The very mode of ipeaking, which he adopted, is peculiar to the Godheat; and it ambents to a full proof, that he is the unchangeable Jehovah, who remains the fame" from everlating to everlafting, and, therefore, that the ages and generations of men make no diference in his exiftence. He af firmed, then, that he is that very God, who revealed himself to Mofes by that adorable name, I am *” In this fenfe, it fhould feem, they received it; for immediately, conceiving him to be guilty of bla phemy, as he would have been on the fuppofition of his mere humanity, they prepared to ftone him; and he escaped from their fury, only by a miracle, concealing himself from their obfervation, while he withdrew from the tumultuous affembly.

How remarkable was the whole of this debate! It exhibits a ftriking reprefentation of the blindness and perverfenefs of finners, as alfo of the meekness and condefcenfion of the Saviour. Thofe, whofe office

them to maintain and propagate the Gospel, pect a fimilar oppofition from men, who are

*Exod. iii. 14.

deftitute

deftitute of the truth. Probably, the most unreafonable prejudices will fo prevail, as greatly to obftruct their usefulness. Their plaineft expreffions may be mifunderstood, or wilfully diftorted; the moft malicious charges may be urged against them, and their characters blackened by the bafeft afperfions. All this may be done, even among the people, for whofe eternal welfare they are labouring with the most generous and unwearied affiduity. But let them ftudy, and endeavour to copy, this divine exemplar. Like the bleffed Jefus, it will become them to stand unmoved against all the affaults of ignorance, pride, and envy, to obviate mistakes, and inculcate right doctrines, with patience and forbearance. Yet, confiftently with this gentleness of spirit, they should also warn the impenitent, and without fear or referve denounce "the terrors of the Lord." They fhould reprove and admonish, not with rashness or malevolence, but with courage and fidelity, and, while they plainly represent the state and character of the ungodly, affectionately befeech them" to flee from the wrath to

Would to God, that opposition to Chrift had been confined to the Jews! Are there none among us, who in a fimilar way refift the truth? How vile their affections! How wretched their condition! They may boaft of liberty, but "they are the fervants of corruption." They may suppose, that they are doing God fervice, and be ready to demand a recompenfe from him, even while they fulfil the purposes of Satan, and prove themselves to be totally under his influence. They may pretend to a peculiar penetration and difcernment, when they are deluded by "the father of lies," and, through the afcendancy of carnal principles, "cannot hear" the pure doctrine of the Gofpel. Let us pray, that we may not be given up to fuch infatuation as this.

Do

fixed on for the relief of Mofes in his office *. Thefe alfo he divided into pairs, that they might ftrengthen each other's hands; and, upon their departure, he gave them inftructions fimilar to thofe, which he had delivered to the Apoftles. This appointment, probably, took place before his attendance at the feast of tabernacles, laft mentioned.

He addreffed them to the following purpose: « Unite your fervent prayers, for more labourers to be fent out into the very extenfive field, which lies before you, that the harveft may be gathered in; for, though a large addition is now made, there is fufficient work to call for a further increase. And, as none fhould prefume to intrude themselves into this employment, your application fhould be to the great Lord of the harveft, who alone can difcern the proper perfons, and furnish them with all neceffary preparations for the facred function. You go forth under my directions" as lambs among wolves," in the face of furious adverfaries, who will endeavour to harass and destroy you. But commit yourselves to the care of divine Providence; nor take with you any fupplies for your temporal fupport. Like men in hafte, who are dispatched upon urgent business, you are to lose no time in vain compliments +: yet neglect not to give the strongest proofs of your benevolence, by praying for every family, whom you vifit: and you at leaft, if not they, fhall receive the benefit. Whatever entertainment may be offered you, you will not scruple to accept it, as the wages earned by your labour; but remove not from one house to another for your own indulgence, or in fearch of better accommodations. In confirmation of your doctrine, and as an intimation of its benign tendency, I now inveft you with full owers to heal the fick; but at the fame time you proclaim the approach of the Saviour, coming

1

Num. xi. 16.

† 2 Kings iv. 29.

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