the first appearance of our Lord, and was now about to be entirely overturned by his death.

Christ, in the thirty-second verse, foretels his death, and the manner of it:

that he fhould be lifted up; that is, to the cross; and fhould draw all men' unto him. This has been already, in a great measure, fulfilled; and will, no doubt, be completely fo, before the end of all things. The crofs, till then the object of contempt and abhorrence, as the means of putting to death the worst of malefactors, has become fanctified; is thought of with reverence, by all Chrif tians; and has even been, thro' miftaken zeal and enthusiasm, exalted into an object of religious worship; whilft great part of the world have been drawn to a crucified Saviour, and to place their whole hopes of happiness upon his merits.

This loweft ftate of humiliation, to which he fubmitted in atonement to the offended majefty of his Father, was fo fect an act of obedience to God, that it

per

was

was immediately fucceeded by the highest state of exaltation; and every knee, in Heaven and on earth, was commanded to bend, at the mention of his facred name.

That the people understood him in the fense here given, is plain, by their answer; in which they allude to the different prophecies in Scripture, touching the meffiah's kingdom and its duration.

Thus, in Daniel, (chap. vii. ver. 13. 14.) "I faw in the night vifions, and, behold,

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one like the Son of man came with the "clouds of heaven, and came to the "Antient of days, and they brought him near before him. And there was given “him dominion, and glory, and a king"dom, that all people, nations, and languages, fhould ferve him: his dominion is an everlafting dominion, which fhall

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not pass away, and his kingdom that "which fhall not be destroyed." And again, (in Pfalm cx. ver. 4.) "The Lord hath fworn, and will not repent, Thou

art a priest for ever after the order of "Melchizedek."

The

The Jews, who, as I have before had frequent occafion to obferve, understood all these prophecies as relating to a temporal kingdom, could not conceive how they were to be reconciled with our Lord's declaration, that he was to fuffer death.

How ftrangely inconfiftent was their expectation of an everlasting kingdom in a temporal world!

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35. Then Jefus faid unto them, Yet a little while is the light with you; walk "while ye have the light, left darkness "come upon you: for he that walketh "in darkness, knoweth not whither he goeth.

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36. While ye have light, believe in "the light, that ye may be the children "of light. These things fpake Jefus and departed, and did hide himfelf from " them."

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Our Lord here calls upon all who were prefent, to take advantage of the favorable opportunity now offered them, left, if they fhould

fhould neglect it, it might not be again afforded them. The light of the gospel of Chrift is as necessary for the guidance of the foul, as the light of the heavenly bodies is; to prevent us from stumbling into every kind of danger. Jefus, then, (his hour not being come, though near approaching,) withdrew himself from the malice of his perfecutors: by which we may learn that we are not required to expose ourselves to unnecessary perils.

"37. But though he had done fo many "miracles before them, yet they believed not on him:

"38. That the faying of Efaias the "prophet might be fulfilled, which he "fpake, Lord, who hath believed our report? and to whom hath the arm of the "Lord been revealed?

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Therefore they could not be lieve, because that Efaias faid again,

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40. He hath blinded their eyes, and "hardened their heart; that they should "not fee with their eyes, nor understand

" with their heart, and be converted, and "I fhould heal them.

"41. These things faid Efaias, when he "faw his glory, and spake of him.

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42. Nevertheless, among the chief rulers also many believed on him; but "because of the Pharifees they did not confefs him, left they should be put out "of the Synagogue:

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43. For they loved the praise of men more than the praife of God."

Although God is merciful and longfuffering, flow to anger, and of great goodnefs, yet if we obftinately persist in resisting the influence of his holy fpirit, and will not be brought to repentance, God's fpirit, as it is elfewhere expreffed in Scripture, will not always ftrive with us. This was the cafe with many of the Jews; and this I understand to be the meaning of the prophet Efaias in the above paffage, and of all the fimilar paffages we meet with in holy Scripture; fuch as, that "God "hardened the heart of Pharaoh," &c.;

that