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those performed upon the dumb; for it must be remembered that he not only conferred on those the faculty of hearing, and pronouncing articulate sounds, but conveyed at once into their minds the whole language of their country; they were instantly acquainted with all the words it contained, their significations, their forms, their powers, and their uses; at the same time they enjoyed the habit of speaking it both fluently and copiously. This was surely enough to demonstrate to the most stupid, that such works could have been effected by nothing less than infinite power. "The mul

titude wondered, when they saw the dumb to speak, the maimed to be whole, the lame to walk, and the blind to see; and they glorified the God of Israel." Matt.

xv. 31.

The various works performed by the blessed Redeemer detained the multitude in the desart with him three days, during which time they consumed all the provisions they had brought into this solitary place. But Jesus would not send them away fasting, lest any who had followed him so far from their habitation should faint in their return. Accordingly he again exerted his heavenly power to feed the multitude a second time in the wilderness.

It is highly worthy of our notice, the great wisdom of our blessed Saviour, in choosing to spend so great a part of the time he executed his public ministry in the wilderness, and solitary places. He did not seek the applauses of men, but the eternal salvation of their souls; and therefore often delivered his doctrines in the silent retreats thereof: in consequence of which he was followed by such only as had dispositions adaptted for profiting by his instructions. It could not be supposed that many of different dispositions would accompany him into solitudes, where they were to sustain the inconveniences of hunger for several days successively, and be at the same time exposed to all the inclemencies of the weather. Those

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only who were desirous of instruction, could, therefore, be expected to follow the blessed Jesus into these retired parts; and on those, doubtless, his doctrine distilled like dew, and like the small rain upon the tender herb. Happy mortals, who thus exchanged the shallow and frothy streams of folly, for the deep and salutary rivers of eternal wisdom: who left the noise and bustle of covetous bigotted people, for the calm instructions of the Son of God; and exchanged the perishing bread of this world for the "bread of life, the bread that came down from heaven!"

After feeding the multitude miraculously, Jesus retired into a district, called Dalmanutha, a part of the territory of Magdala. Here he was visited by the pharisees, who having heard that he had a second time fed the multitude miraculously, were fearful, that the common people would acknowledge him for the Messiah: and therefore determined openly and publicly to confute his pretensions to that character.

In order to do this, they boldly demanded of him a sign from heaven; for it must be remembered, that the Jews expected the Messiah would make his first public appearance in the clouds of heaven, and in a glorious manner establish a temporal kingdom. This opinion was founded on the following prophecy of Daniel, which they understood literally; "I saw in the night visions, and, behold, one like the Son of man came with the clouds of heaven, and came to the Ancient of Days, and they brought him near before him. And there was given him dominion, and glory, and a kingdom, that all people, nations, and languages, should serve him. His dominion is an everlasting dominion, which shall not pass away; and his kingdom that which shall not be destroyed." Daniel vii. 13, 14.

It is therefore evident, that the pharisees by desiring Jesus to shew them a sign from heaven, meant that he should demonstrate B b

himself to be the Messiah, by coming in a visible and miraculous manner from heaven, and wresting with great pomp the sceptre of David from the hand of the Romans.

If the minds of the pharisees had been open to conviction, the proofs which Jesus was daily giving them, would have been more than sufficient to establish the truth of his mission, and demonstrate that he was the long-expected Messiah.

But they were not desirous of being convinced; and to that alone, and not to want of evidence, or of capacity in themselves, it was owing, that they refused to acknowledge our Saviour to be the person foretold by the prophets. Their disposition was absolutely incorrigible; so that Jesus sighed in his spirit, and declared that the sign they sought should never be given them; and that the only sign they were to expect was that of the prophet Jonas, on the miracle of his own resurrection: a sign, indeed, much greater than any shewn by the ancient prophet; and consequently a sign which de-. monstrated that Jesus was far superior to them all. "A wicked and adulterous generation seeketh after a sign, and there shall no sign be given unto it, but the sign of the prophet Jonas." Matt. xvi. 4.

Having thus removed the impertinent curiosity of the pharisees, he departed with his disciples and entered into a ship; and as they sailed, he cautioned them to beware of the doctrine of the pharisees and sadducees, which he termed leaven, from its pernicious influence in filling the minds of men with pride, and other irregular passions: these hypocrites chiefly insisted on the observation of the frivolous traditions, but neglected the true principles of piety, and hence filled the minds of their disciples

tended to caution them against procuring it from the heathens or Samaritans. They were so stupid as not to know that their Master who had fed above ten thousand people with five loaves, was also capaple of providing for them in their necessities.

On his landing at Bethsaida, they brought unto him a blind man, desiring that he would heal him: Jesus accordingly took the man by the hand and led him out of the city, and having spit upon his eyes, and put his hands upon him, asked him if he saw aught? To which the man answered, "I see men as trees walking." A very poor expression to convey an idea of the indistinctness of his vision. Jesus then put his hands again upon him, and he was restored to sight, "and saw every man clearly." It should be remembered that the people of Bethsaida had, by their ingratitude, impenitence, and infidelity, greatly displeased the Saviour of the world; and this, perhaps, was the reason why Jesus would not perform the cure in the city, but led the man out into the adjacent plain. The people had also, for a long time, been solicitous that he would take upon himself the character of Messiah; and therefore he chose to perform this miracle without the city, to prevent their farther importunity, so incompatible with the modesty and lowliness of our dear Lord and Master..

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with an high opinion of their own sanctity. JESUS having displayed his power and

But the disciples having forgotten to take bread with them, understood that he in

goodness in restoring the man to sight, departed from Bethsaida, and retired into the territory of Cesarea Philippi, where,

being desirous of proving in some measure the faith of the apostles, he asked them, saying, "Whom do men say that I, the Son of man, am?" In answer to his question the disciples replied, "Some say that thou art John the Baptist; some Elias; others Jeremias, or one of the prophets." Matt. xvi. 13.

The people in general mistook the character of our Saviour, because he did not assume that outward pomp and grandeur with which they supposed the Messiah would be adorned. Jesus was therefore desirous of knowing what idea his disciples formed of his character, as they had long enjoyed the benefit of his doctrines and miracles; and accordingly asked them, What they themselves understood him to be? To this question Simon Peter replied, "Thou art the Christ, the Son of the living God."

Our Saviour acknowledged the title; telling Peter, that God alone had revealed the secret to him. And in alluding to his surname, Peter, which signifies Rock, our Saviour promised that he should have a principal hand in establishing his kingdom; and that the Christian Church should be erected on his labours, as on a solid foundation, never to be destroyed. "And I say also unto thee, That thou art Peter, and upon his rock I will build my church and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it. And I will give unto thee the keys of the kingdom of heaven; and whatsoever thou shalt bind on earth shall be bound in heaven and whatsoever thou shalt loose on earth shall be loosed in heaven." xvi. 18, 19.

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Matt.

Having delegated this power to Peter, our Saviour strictly forbade his disciples to tell any man that he was the Messiah; because it had been decreed in the courts of heaven, that he should be rejected by the rulers of Israel as a false Christ, and suffer the pains of death. Circumstances which

could not fail of giving his followers great offence, as they did not yet understand the true nature of his kingdom; and therefore he thought proper to let every man form a judgment of his mission, from his doctrines and miracles, and not assume publicly the character of the Messiah under such great disadvantages.

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The foregoing discourses had doubtless filled the apostles' minds with lofty imaginations, and therefore our Saviour thought proper to acquaint them with his sufferings, in order to check any fond expectations of temporal power. Peter, however, was greatly displeased to hear his Master talk of dying at Jerusalem, when he had just before accepted the title of Messiah. Accordingly, he rebuked him for the expression, which he was so bold as to think unguarded. But Jesus turning himself about, said unto Peter, "Get thee behind me, Satan: thou art an offence unto me; for thou savourest not the things that be of God, but those that be of men." Matt. xvi. 23.

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Peter's conduct in this respect, arising from an immoderate attachment to sensual objects, our Saviour thought proper to declare publicly, that all who intended to share with him in the glory of the heavenly Canaan, must deny themselves; that is, they must be always ready to renounce every worldly pleasure, and even life itself, when the cause of religion required it; he also told them that in this life they must expect to meet with troubles and disappointments; and that whoever intended to be his disciple, must" take up his cross daily, and follow him."

Thus did the blessed Jesus fully explain. to his disciples the true nature of his kingdom; and at the same time intimated, that though they had already undergone many afflictions, yet they must still expect more, and greater, which they must sustain with equal fortitude, following their Master, in the footsteps of his afflictions. This duty,

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however hard, was absolutely necessary; because, by losing their temporal life, they would gain that which was eternal; "For whosoever will save his life, shall lose it, but whosoever will lose his life for my sake, the same shall save it." Luke iv. 24.

"For what is a man profited, if he shall gain the whole world, and lose his own soul? or what shall a man give in exchange for his soul ?" Matt. ix. 26.

To add to the weight of this argument, and enforce the necessity of self-denial, our Saviour particularly declared, that a day was fixed for distributing rewards and punishments to all the human race; and that he himself was appointed by the Father as Universal Judge; so that his enemies could not flatter themselves with the hope of escaping the punishments they deserved, nor his friends be afraid of losing their eternal reward. "Whosoever, therefore, shall be ashamed of me, and of my words, in this adulterous and sinful generation; of him also shall the Son of man be ashamed, when he cometh in the glory of my Father, with the holy angels." Mark viii. 38.

To fortify the minds of his disciples, he informed them that he would not appear to judge the world in his low and despised condition, but magnificently arrayed in both his own and his Father's glory; not attended by twelve weak disciples, but surrounded by myriads of celestial spirits, with numberless hosts of mighty angels; nor should his rewards be the great officer, and large possessions of a temporal kingdom, but the joys of immortality.

Let us now ruminate on the glory of the Judge, and the solemnity of the final judgment. He shall come in the majestic splendour of his glorified body, pompously arrayed with the inaccessible light wherein Jehovah resides, and which darting through and enlightening the infinite regions of space, with its ineffable brightness, shall make even the sun to disappear. Dressed in this awful

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manner, the great Judge, attended by the whole celestial host, will "descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of the archangel, and with the trump of God," (1 Thes. iv. 16,) making heaven, earth, and hell to resound. The dead of all countries, and all times, will hear the tremendous call. Hark! the living, filled with joy, exult at the approach of Omnipotence; or seized with inexpressible horror, send up the most piercing cries, and are all changed in a moment in the twinkling of an eye! The dead press forth from their graves, and follow each other in close procession! Behold -but, ah! nothing can behold, nothing can bear his presence! The heavens depart like a scroll rolling itself together! Every mountain and every island is moved! The bond, the free, the rich the great, captains and kings, to avoid the face of him that sitteth on the throne, the presence of the Lamb, rush beneath trembling mountains, and plunge into flaming rivers! But neither mountains nor flaming rivers will devour them, for they are raised immortal. Behold him then, for all must behold him! even his eye, whose unthinking hand drove his nails at Calvary, nor heaven, nor earth exist; stars and sun are vanished, lest they should darken the procession! once the crucifixion of Jesus, and now his glory extinguishes the sun! Lo! bell, with what reluctance come forth to sentence! Lo! two worlds to be judged, and the third an assistant spectator! Behold! with what beauty, with what boldness, with what joy, some spring forward towards the judgment seat. See, on the other hand, how amazed, how terrified the wicked appear, with what vehemence they wish the extinction of their being! fain would they fly, but cannot; impelled by a force, by strong necessity, they hasten to the place of judgment: as they advance,the sight of the tribunal from afar strikes them with new terror. They approach in the deepest silence, and gather round the throne by thousands and thousands. In the mean time the angels having gathered together the elect from the uttermost parts of the earth, fly

around the numberless multitude, chanting melodious songs, and rejoicing that the day of general retribution is come, when vice shall be thrown from its high post of usurpation, and virtue exalted to the pinnacle of honour; when the intricacies of Providence shall be unravelled, the perfections of the Almighty vindicated, the Church of Christ purchased by his blood, cleared from her iniquitous members, and every thing which offendeth, banished for ever.

Behold! the books are opened, silence proclaimed, and every individual filled with awful consciousness, that he, in particular, is observed by the Almighty; so that not one single person can be concealed by the immensity of the crowd. The Judge, who can be biassed by no bribes, softened by no subtile insinuations, imposed upon by no feigned excuses, needs no evidence, but distinguishes with an unerring certainty. They separate! They feel their judgment in them, and hasten to their proper places; the righteous on one hand of the throne, and the wicked on the other. Behold! how beautiful, with the brightness of virtue, do the righteous stand at God's tribunal! their looks serene, and expressive of hopes full of immortality!

On the other hand, the wicked, confounded at the remembrance of their past lives, terrified with the bitter apprehensions of what is to come, hang down their dejected heads, and wish to hide themselves in the fathomless abyss, but all in vain; there is no escaping nor appealing from this tribunal!

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the unspeakable torment of an awakened conscience! Now they seek for death, but find it not; would gladly be righteous, but it is too late!

The happy land of promise, formed by the hand of the Almighty, large, beautiful, and pleasant, a proper habitation for his people, and long expected by them as their country, now appears. Here all the righteous are assembled, forming one vast, one happy society, even the kingdom, the city of God. Here Omnipotence manifests himself in a peculiar manner to his servants, wipes away all tears from off their faces, and adorns them with the beauties of immortality.

Here they drink a plenitude of joys from the chrystal river, proceeding out of the throne of God, and of the Lamb, and eat of the fruit of the tree of life.

Here there shall be no death, nor sorrow, nor crying; neither shall there be any more pain.

Happy day! happy place! and happy people! Imagination faints with the fatigue of stretching itself to comprehend the vast, the unmeasurable thought!

And this doctrine of Christ being appointed, the Universal Judge might appear incredible at that time, on account of his humiliation, he told them, that some who heard him speak should not taste of death, till they saw him coming in his kingdom. "Verily, I say unto you, there be some standing here, which shall not taste of death, till they see the Son of man coming in his kingdom." Matt. xvi. 28.

There are some here present that shall not die, till they see a faint representation of the glory in which I shall come at the last day, and an eminent example of my power inflicted on the men of this sinful generation.

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