the Spirit descending, and remaining on him, the same is he, who baptizes with the Holy Ghost. And I saw, and bear record, that this is the Son of God, the Lamb, that taketh away the sins of the world."

Jesus had manifested himself spiritually to Nathaniel under the fig tree; and the honest Israelite, being reminded of that divine favour, confessed the author of it: Rabbi, said he, thou art the Son of God, thou art the King of Israel. Our Lord pleased with his ready confession, promised that he should see greater things, enjoy brighter manifestations, than these; that he should even see heaven open, and the angels of God ascending and descending upon the Son of man.

The bare outward sight of our Saviour's person and miracles rather confounded than converted the beholders. What glorious beams of his Godhead pierced through the veil of his mean appearances, when, with supreme authority, he turned the buyers and sellers out of the temple: When he entered Jerusalem in triumph, and all the city was moved, saying, Who is this? And when he said to those who apprehended him, I am HE, and they went backward, and fell to the ground! Nevertheless, we do not find, that one person was blessed with

the saving knowledge of him, on any of these solemn occasions. The people of Galilee saw most of him, and yet believed least in him. "What wisdom is this, which is given to this man, said they, that such mighty works are wrought by his hands? Is not this the carpenter the son of Mary? and they were offended at him.' Some went

even so far as to ascribe his miracles to a diabolical power, affirming, that he cast out devils by Belzebub the prince of the devils. Hence it appears, that if he had not in some degree, revealed himself to the hearts of his disciples, when he said to them, Follow me, they would never have forsaken all immediately and followed him. He manifested forth his glory, says St. John, and his disciples believed on him; and yet, when the manifestation was chiefly external, how weak was the effect it produced even upon them? How was our Lord, after all, oblig ed to upbraid them with their unbelief, their little faith, and, on a particular occasion with their having no faith? If we know, savingly, that Jesus is God with us, flesh and blood, i. e. mere man with all his best powers, hath not revealed this to us, but our Father, who is in heaven. As no man knoweth the Father save the Son and he to whom the Son will reveal him; so no man

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knoweth the Son but the Father, and he to whom the Spirit proceeding from the Father does reveal him. For no man can savingly say, that Jesus is Jehovah, the Lord, but by the Holy Ghost: and he, that hath seen me, by this divine revelation, says Jesus, hath seen the Father also; for I and the Father are one.

Had not our Lord revealed himself in a peculiar manner to sinners, no one would have suspected him to be God manifest in the flesh. Till he discovers himself, as he does not unto the world, he hath no form nor comeliness, says Isaiah, and when we see him, there is no beauty in him, that we should desire him; we hide as it were our faces from him; he is despised, and we esteem him not. He was obliged to say to the woman of Samaria, I that speak to thee am he; and to say it with a power that penetrated her heart, before she could believe with her heart unto righteousness. Then, indeed, divinely wrought upon, she ran and invited her neighbours to draw living water out of the well of salvation she had so happily found.

If our Lord had not called Zaccheus inwardly as well as outwardly; if he had not made him come down from the pinnacle of proud nature, as well as from the sycamore,

tree; if he had not honoured his heart with his spiritual, as he did his house with his bodily presence; the rich publican would never have received him gladly, nor would the Lord have said, This day is salvation come to thy house, forasmuch as thou art a son of faithful Abraham.

Salvation did not enter into the heart of Simon, who admitted our Lord to his house and table, as well as Zaccheus. The peni tent woman, who kissed his feet, and wash ed them with her tears, obtained the blessing, which the self-righteous Pharisee despised. It was to her contrite spirit, and not to his callous heart, that the Lord revealed himself, as the pardoning God.

The blind man, restored to his bodily sight, knew not his heavenly benefactor, till a second and greater miracle was wrought upon the eyes of his blind understanding. When Jesus found him, some time after he was cured, he said to him, "Doest thou believe on the Son of God? He answered, Who is he Lord, that I might believe on him?" And Jesus, opening the eyes of his mind, and manifesting himself to him, as he does not unto the world, said, "Thou hast both seen him, and it is he that talketh with thee." Then, and not till then, he could say

from the heart, Lord, I believe, and he worshipped him.

Both the thieves, who were crucified with him, heard his prayers and strong cries; both saw his patience and his meekness, his wounds and his blood. One continued to make sport of his sufferings, as though he had been a worse malefactor than himself; while the other, blessed with an internal revelation of his godhead, implored his mercy, trusted him with his soul, and confessed him to be the King of glory, at the very moment, when he hung tortured and dying as the basest of slaves.

St. Peter speaks so highly of the manifestation, with which he and the two sons of Zebedee were favoured on mount Tabor, that we ought not to pass over it in silence. They saw the kingdom of God coming with power; they beheld the king in his beauty.

His face did shine like the sun, and his raiment became white as light; a bright cloud overshadowed him, and behold, a voice out of the cloud, which said, This is my beloved Son in whom I am well pleased; hear ye him."

Nor did our Lord reveal himself less after his resurrection. Mary sought him at the grave with tears. As she turned herself, she saw him standing, but knew not

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