C

33 Ye sent unto John, and he bare witness unto the truth.

34 But I receive not tes

timony from man: but these things say, that ye might be saved.

35 He was a burning and da shining light and ye were willing for a season to rejoice in his light.

36 But I have greater witness than that of John: for the works which the Father hath given me to finish, the same works that I do, bear witness of me, that the Father hath sent me.

39 ¶Search the scriptures: for in them ye think ye have eternal life: and 'they are they which testify of me.

40 And ye will not come to me, that ye might have life. 41 "I receive not honour from men.

42 But I know you, that ye have not the love of God in you.

43 I am come in my Father's name, and ye receive me not: if another shall come in his own name, him ye will receive. 44 How How can ye believe, which receive honour one of another, and seek not the honour that cometh from God only?

45 Do not think that I will accuse you to the Father: there is one that accuseth you, even Moses, in whom ye trust.

46 For had ye believed Moses, ye would have believed me: for he wrote of me.

47 But if ye believe not his writings, how shall ye believe my words?

p ch. iii. 16, 18; & vi. 40, 47 ; & viii. 51 ; & xx 31.John lii. 14.-r ver. 28. Eph. ii. 1, 5 ; & v. 14. Col. ii.

13. ver. 22.-Acts x. 42; & xvii. 31.- Dan. vii. 13, 14

-u Is. xxvi. 19. 1 Thes. iv. 16. 1 Cor. xv. 52.- Dan.

xii. 2. Mat. xxv. 32, 33, 46.-y ver. 19. Mat. xxvi. 39.

ch. iv. 34; & vi. 38.-a See ch. viii. 14. Rev. iii. 14.Mat. iii. 17; & xvii. 5. ch. vili. 18. 1 John v. 5, 6, 7.9. -ech. i. 15, 19, 27, 32.-d 2 Pet. i. 19.-e See Mat. xill. 20; & xxi. 26. Mark vi. 20.- 1 John v. 9.-g ch. iii 2; & x. 25 ; & xv. 24.-h Mat. iii. 17: & xvii. 5. ch. vi. 27; & viii. 18.-i Deut. iv. 12. ch. i. 18. 1 Tim. i. 17. John iv. 12.- Is. viii. 20; & xxxiv. 16. Luke xvi. 2. ver. 46. Acts xvii. 11.- Deut. xviii. 15, 18. Luke xxiv. 27. ch. i. 45.-m ch. i. 11 ; & iii. 19.-n ver. 34. 1 Thes.

6.0 ch. xii. 43.-p kom. ii. 29. Rom. ii. 12Gen. ili. 15: & xii. 3; & xviii. 18; & xxii. 18; & xlix. 10. Deut. xviii. 15, 18. ch. i. 45. Acts xxvi. 22.

READER.-Verily, verily I say unto you, &c. Our Lord proceeded to state certain decisive proofs, in support of the claims which he made. Our reason is appealed to in confirmation of our faith and evidence in abundance may be adduced, to convince us that our holy religion is no foolish fancy or base imposition. The Gospel does not evade, but challenges and demands, a fair inquiry. Accordingly, Jesus did not rest the matter upon his own mere assertions, which might appear suspicious, but showed, by a variety of arguments, that he was the very person whom he declared himself to be.

He appealed to the testimony of John the Baptist, who had seen the Spirit of God descending in an open manner upon him, and heard a voice from heaven affirming his high character. To him they had once appeared to pay attention, and had sent a deputation to consult him; and yet they would not abide by his decision.

He referred them to his own miracles, in attestation of his Divine mission. He had performed such wonderful works as no human power ever could effect: these, therefore, sufficiently evinced that he could not be a deceiver, but was indeed, what he uniformly maintained, the Saviour that should come into the world.

He alleged that his Father himself had borne witness of him: he had done it, not only by the communication of extraordinary gifts, but by an express declaration that

Jesus was his beloved Son. Such an evidence as this had not been vouchsafed on any other occasion. Yet to what purpose was it then given? Alas! it rendered many

the more inexcusable for their unbelief, as they hardened their hearts against conviction.

He directed them, likewise, to the testimony of the Holy Scriptures. These were the writings of the Old Testament, which they all acknowledged, and professed to receive with the highest regard. To these Divine oracles he made a solemn appeal, in vindication of his own claims, and exposed the inconsistency of pretending reverence for the sacred records, and at the same time rejecting the Saviour, whom they all concurred in pointing out. The inspired authors are witnesses of Christ, either by types, promises, or prophecies; and since Jesus has exactly fulfilled those ancient descriptions, they illustrate and confirm his declarations. How strange is it then, that any, who have the Bible in their hands, should remain in ignorance of him! How absurd and sinful is the general inattention of men to the important contents of that book, which they allow to be a revelation from heaven!

Thus Jesus endeavoured to convince the Jews of his character and mission, and of the justice of those claims which he advanced. And are not we also interested in the subject? Do we, then, receive Christ Jesus the Lord, as he is set forth before us? Do we unfeignedly bow to his authority, and confess him to

be "the Lord from heaven," "God over all?" Much has been said and written about the want of evidence; the same outcry was raised among the unbelieving Jews, "What sign showest thou?" This question was urged again and again, even where proofs in abundance were produced. And nothing is more common than for those, who are determined not to be persuaded, to allege that no decisive arguments are brought, to gain them over to the side of Christianity. It is preposterous that men should make this complaint, and affect to be ready to give every testimony its due consideration, when we know that they refuse to examine with serious attention; nay, that they contemptuously shut their eyes and stop their ears against, every thing which opposes their favourite scheme. We doubt not that the grand cause of infidelity is insincerity, and an extreme depravity of heart. And such reasons as these do not form an excuse for freethinkers, but rather furnish the grounds of their condemnation. Observe, then, from what source your objections to the Christian doctrines arise; and fear lest you should not conduct your religious inquiries with diligence and honesty, with meekness and solemnity. That your minds may be more deeply impressed with the importance of the subject, weigh carefully the conclusion of our Lord's address, in which he subjoins the most pointed admonitions.

In our application to men who are utterly careless and indifferent, we must not content ourselves with

cold reasoning, but endeavour to alarm their consciences, or else the strongest arguments will fail of their effect. Thus Jesus, upon the occasion before us, attempted to rouse his hearers, and to work upon their hearts, by a plain and faithful representation of the nature, malignity, and danger of their sin. As it is probable that some persons of a similar character and disposition may cast their eyes upon these pages, we would earnestly entreat their serious regard to the considerations here suggested.

He warned and reproved his opposers, because they acted in contempt of his unparalleled kindness, and most gracious offers of salva tion, when their own final perdition must be the consequence. He declared that he courted not their favour through ambitious views, and that their destruction would be entirely owing to their obstinate refusal of submission to him. His knowledge of their very thoughts and motives enabled him to detect their hypocrisy, and therefore he observed that their treatment of him fully proved, notwithstanding their professions of regard to God, that their hearts were not under the influence of Divine love. That principle would have led them to receive him, who addressed them in his Father's name, and sought nothing but his Father's glory. So likewise will all our pretences either to devotion or morality be found vain and insincere, if we neglect the great Saviour of the world.

He condemned them for their

anxiety to procure respect and empty titles of honour from their fellowcreatures, while they felt no real concern about the favour and approbation of God; declaring that, in such a state of mind, they could not exercise any proper reliance upon him as the Redeemer. How solemn is the thought! The faith of Jesus cannot consist with ambition, or a foolish fondness for human applause. Those, therefore, whose grand desire and aim is to be admired and advanced among men, are at once excluded from the number of his true disciples, He requires us to take up our cross, and to follow him through contempt and tribulation. Such as are unwilling to do this, understand not his worth or their own necessities; and, of consequence, they cannot believe in his name.

He warned them, finally, that Moses, the great founder of their own religion, to whom they pro

fessed an unreserved submission, appeared as their accuser before God; and that, as they would be fully convicted on the charge of rejecting that prophet, there would be no need to bring any further testimony against them. They were condemned on their own principles. Moses had written much concerning the Redeemer, and represented his office, work, and character, by various rites and ceremonies: a real regard, therefore, to those ancient records would have produced a cordial reception of Jesus, in whom the types and prophecies were fulfilled. was their astonishing

Yet such

ignorance and perverseness, that, with the Bible in their hands, they denied and persecuted the very person of whom they were continually reading.

The address is applicable to others besides Jews; to many among ourselves, who pretend to pay the highest deference both to the Old and the New Testament as the revelation of God. May we not ask, Do not these scriptures contain the heaviest charge against you, while you oppose the authority of Christ, and despise his grace? And should you not, to be consistent, either totally reject the book of inspiration, or else change your own principles and practice? The sin of unbelief is generally thought of little consequence; for it is presumed that men will not be finally condemned for mere opinions. But from the representation here given, does it not appear that it includes the most complicated guilt. It is not barely an error of the judgment, but betrays an extreme depravity of heart. It is not a single offence, for it is always accompanied with other base principles, and infallibly leads to every species of ill conduct.

Unhappy they on whom this sin is chargeable! Who treat the Saviour and his offers of mercy with contempt! O, consider how wretched is the state of your mind, while you discover the utmost disdain for infinite excellence, and repay the tenderest love with hatred! Your wickedness is of a heinous nature, and highly aggravated. You despise "the Lord of Glory," the Son

of God, who "thought it not robbery to be equal with God." You pay no regard to the united testimonies of earth and heaven in his favour. You scorn the kindest and richest offers ever made to man. You are unwilling to bow to him, whom even angels worship, or to be indebted to him for the life of your souls, when, alas! without him you must inevitably perish. You set light by his unparalleled condescension and labours of love, and, in defiance of all admonitions and threatenings, are rushing on, with steady course, to certain and everlasting damnation.

It is proper by these repeated warnings to call your attention to your own perilous condition. But how little effect is produced by such solemn reproofs ! Probably, after our Lord's address, his accusers and judges were silenced, and restrained by an awful impression upon their minds from proceeding to any act of violence against him. So possibly may you, who are his avowed opposers, for a season at least be convinced and alarmed by these faithful representations of your guilt and danger. You may seem. to relinquish your objections, and yet persevere in unbelief, and be destroyed for ever.-ROBINSON.

Search the Scriptures, for in them ye think ye have eternal life, and they are they which testify of me.-That Christ is the substance of the whole New Testament, containing the history, doctrines, and prophecies of him in the administration of the latter ages of the church, is very

manifest to all. The Old Scriptures are again divided into the law and the prophets; for the historical parts of them contain either typical prefigurations of the evangelical church, or inductions and exemplary demonstrations of the general truth of God's justice and promises, which are set forth by way of doctrine and precept in the law and prophets. Christ is the sum of both these.

Matt. v. 17. him in his transfiguration, Luke xvi. 16; to note that in him they had their accomplishment. For the law; Christ is the substance of it; he brought grace to fulfil the exactions, and truth to make good the prefigurations of the whole law; John i. 17. The ceremonial law he fulfilled and abolished: the moral law he fulfilled and established, that his obedience thereunto might be the ground of our righteousness, and his spirit and grace therewith might be the ground of our obedience; and therefore it is called the law of Christ, Gal. vi. 2. For the prophets; he is the sum of them too, for to him they give all witness ; Acts x. 43. He is the author of their prophecies; they spake by his Spirit: and he is the object of their prophecies; they spake of the grace and salvation which was to come by him, 1 Pet. 10, 11. So that the whole scriptures are nothing else but a testimony of Christ, and faith in him, of that absolute and universal necessity which is laid upon all the world to believe in his name. John v. 39.-REYNOLDS.

They waited upon