perished, he signified that he was to come to quicken and nourish mankind with the bread of life, that sovereign cordial and salutary nutriment of the soul. His giving sight to the blind was a lively emblem of the efficacy of his doctrine to illuminate the blinded understandings of men. His healing their bodies represented his power to heal their souls, and was a specimen of his authority to forgive sins, as it was a real, though a partial, removal of its punishment. His casting out devils was an earnest of his final victory over Satan and all his powers. His raising particular persons from the dead was the beginning of his triumph over death, and a demonstration of his ability to accomplish a general resurrection; and, in a word, his curing all promiscuously who applied to him, showed that he was not come to condemn the world, but to save even the chief of sinners. Accordingly, at, or soon after performing these miracles, when the memory of them was fresh in the minds of his hearers, we often find him turning his discourse to the spiritual things they represented.

Having declared the salutary design of his coming into the world, "he spat on the ground, and made clay of the spittle, and he anointed the eyes of the blind man with the clay, and said unto him, Go, wash in the pool of Siloam, (which is, by interpretation, Sent.) He went his way, therefore, and washed, and came seeing."

From former examples, it is evident that our Saviour could as easily have performed this miracle without the assistance of any external means. Indeed, those the great Redeemer made use of on this occasion were so far from being likely to effect a cure, that they seemed properly adapted to produce a quite contrary effect.

We must therefore conclude that they were intended to direct our attention to higher mysteries, and show us, as in a glass, that it is no other than the same divine person who at first created man out of the dust of the earth, and gave sight to his eyes, that now restores and regenerates lapsed mankind,

and opens

the eyes closed with the black cement of sin.

This miraculous operation could not fail of producing a

general curiosity and surprise, and induced those who had seen this blind man in his dark and deplorable condition, to be very particular in their inquiries into the means of so singular a miracle. Unbelief and hardness of heart led some of them even to doubt of the plainest fact-a fact the most evident and indisputable, and plainly the work of the divinity; and others to persecute at once both the object and the author of it!

The man, transported with gratitude and joy, perceiving his neighbors doubted the identity of his person, proclaimed himself to be the very same whom they lately saw begging in total darkness. His bold acknowledgment of Jesus, and his divine power, excited the envy and malice of the proud Pharisees, who, finding all attempts either to discredit or disprove the fact, useless, had recourse to their usual method of calumniating the author of it; and finally "cast him out," that is, passed on him the sentence of excommunication, which was the highest punishment they had power to inflict.

The feast of dedication now drew near. This solemnity was not appointed by Moses, but by that heroic reformer, Judas Maccabeus, in commemoration of his having cleansed the temple, and restored its worship, after both had been polluted by Antiochus Epiphanes. Although this feast was merely of human institution, Jesus determined to be present at it, even though he knew further attempts would be made against his life. His public ministry was indeed now drawing near its period; and therefore the blessed Jesus would not omit any opportunity of preaching to the lost sheep of the house of Israel, and of doing good to the children of men. Nor did he now, as he had formerly done, travel privately to the capital, but openly declared his intention of going to Jerusalem, and set forward on his journey with great courage and resolution.

Jesus, in the course of his wandering, met with one who had formerly been his disciple, and ordered him to disengage himself from all worldly employments, and to follow him; but he was desirous of excusing himself for the present, under the pretense that he was bound by the ties of gratitude

to continue with his aged father till death, and he had laid his remains in the sepulchre of his ancestors. "Lord," said he, "suffer me first to go and bury my father." To which Jesus answered, "Let the dead bury their dead; but go thou and preach the kingdom of God." Let those that are im mersed in worldly affairs, follow the affairs of the world; but those who have embraced the doctrines of the gospel, do every thing in their power to spread the glad tidings of sal vation in every part of the world.

Another person offered to follow him, provided he would give him the liberty to return to his house, and take leave of his family; but Jesus told him that he should not suffer any domestic affairs to interfere with the care of his salvation; that the calls of religion were too pressing to admit of the least delay or excuse whatever, and that all who set themselves to seek the welfare of their souls, should pursue the work assiduously, without looking carelessly around them, as if they were regardless of the work they had undertaken to perform.

way.

As our blessed Saviour's ministry was from this time till its final period confined to Judea and the countries beyond Jordan, it was necessary that some harbingers should be sent into every town and village he was to visit, to prepare his Accordingly, he called his seventy disciples unto him, and, after instructing them in the duties of their mission, and the particulars to observe in their journey, he sent them into different parts of the country, to those particular places whither he himself intended to follow them, and preach the gospel to the inhabitants. Our Lord, according to his own. declaration, despatched these disciples on the same important errand as he had done the twelve before. As some consolation, he told them, "He that heareth you, heareth me; and he that despiseth you, despiseth me; and he that despiseth me, despiseth him that sent me." Such a token of heavenly regard could not fail of comforting the seventy, and alleviating their minds, when thinking of the ill-usage they expected to meet with during the course of their mission. They well knew that the preaching of Christ himself had been

often despised, and often unsuccessful, with respect to many of his hearers; and therefore they had no very great reason to expect that they should find a more welcome reception than their Master.

The feast of the dedication being near, Jesus turned his course hither, and in the evening came to the house of Martha and Mary, the sisters of Lazarus, at Bethany. Martha was desirous of expressing her regard for the divine guest, by providing for him and his disciples the best entertainment in her power. But her sister, who was of a more contem plative disposition, sat quietly at the feet of Jesus, listening with the utmost attention to his doctrine. For the great Redeemer of mankind never omitted any opportunity of declaring the gracious offers of the Almighty, and his unspeakable love for the children of men. Martha being greatly fatigued with the burden of the service, complained to Jesus of the little care Mary took to assist her.

But Martha's officiousness incurred our Lord's reproof, who commended Mary for her attentive application to his doctrine, by saying, "Martha, Martha, thou art careful and troubled about many things: but one thing is needful; and Mary hath chosen that good part, which shall not be taken away from her."

At the feast of dedication, Jesus was informed that the beggar he had restored to sight at the feast of the taberna

les, was by the council cast out of the synagogue. This information excited the pity of the Son of God, and he resolved to make amends to him for the injury he had suf fered.

It was not long before he met the suffering person, and said to him, "Dost thou believe on the Son of God? He answered and said, Who is he, Lord, that I might believe on him? And Jesus said unto him, Thou hast both seen him, and it is he that talketh with thee. And he said, Lord, I believe. And he worshiped him."

It has before been hinted, that the beggar was thoroughly convinced that the person who opened his eyes was a messenger from heaven; it is therefore no wonder that as soon as

he knew Jesus was the person who had performed so great a work, he readily believed him to be the Son of God.

Our Saviour on this, as on all occasions, taught the people the superiority of his doctrines, and the fullness and freeness of his salvation.

The feast being over, Jesus departed from Jerusalem, and returned into the parts of Perea, beyond Jordan.

Here his ministry was attended with great success; for the inhabitants of the country, remembering what had been told them by John the Baptist concerning Jesus, and being sensible that the doctrine and miracles of our blessed Saviour were fully equal to what the Baptist had foretold, firmly believed him to be the Messiah.

CHAPTER VIII.

RELIEVES AN AFFLICTED WOMAN, WHO HAD BEEN DISEASED EIGHTEEN
YEARS; APPLIED TO IN BEHALF OF LAZARUS; RESTORES HIM TO
LIFE; EXCITEMENT OF THE PEOPLE; COUNCIL CALLED
TO RESOLVE TO PUT HIM TO DEATH.

TILL surrounded by a multitude of people, Jesus continued his teachings, charging his disciples to beware of the leaven of the Pharisees-hypocrisybecause all their actions would be brought to light, either in this world, or that which is to come; and therefore exhorted them to be very careful never to do any thing which could not bear the light, but to let the whole of their behavior be honest, just, and good.

To animate his followers to perseverance, he admonished them to look forward unto the general judgment, when he would acknowledge them as his servants, provided they acknowledged him in this world as their Master, and cheerfully and constantly obeyed his commands; but if they were ashamed of him and his doctrines before the sons of men, he would disown them before the celestial host.

He also cautioned his disciples not to be perplexed with