Having gone through the Baptift's teftimonie, as here recorded, we look back to ch. i. 4... 42. where Andrew finds his brother Simon, and fays to him: We have found the Meffiah. Then ver. 45... 51. Philip findeth Nathanael, and faith to him: We have found him, of whom Mofes in the Law, and the Prophets did write, fefus of Nazareth. Nathanael likewife is convinced, and fays: Rabbi, Thou art the Son of God. Thou art the King of Ifrael. So writes St. John, fhewing, that the pious, and well difpofed among the Jews, readily received Jefus as the Chrift. And thereby fhewing likewife the great unreasonableneffe, and extreme perverfneffe of those who did not believe in him after all the proofs, which he fet before them in the courfe of his moft powerful miniftrie. As the Evangelift moft justly says, near the conclufion of this part of his Gofpel. ch. xii. 37. But though he had done fo many miracles among them, yet they believed not on him. And fee what follows there.

Ch. ii. 11. After the account of the miracle at Cana. This beginning of miracles did fefus in Cana of Galilee, and manifefted forth his glorie: that is, the glorie of the Meffiah. And his difciples believed on him: or were confirmed in their belief, that he was the Chrift.

Soon after this Jefus went up to Jerusalem, at a Passover, and cleansed the temple, faying: Make not my Father's houfe an houfe of merchandise. ch. ii. 13... 17. By the work itself, and by his words, manifefting himfelf to be the Meffiah. I omit other things in the remaining part of that chapter, which an attentive reader will take notice of.

Then, ch. iii. 1... 21. is the hiftorie of Nicodemus, who, whilst Jefus was this time at Jerufalem, made him a private vifit. He immediatly profeffeth faith in him, as a Prophet. But our Lord tells him plainly, that he was the Meffiah, and demands a fuitable regard from him. He likewife fets before Nicodemus the nature of his defign, for preventing, or for removing all worldly expectations from him. He likewife intimates the call of the Gentils, and the judgements coming upon the Jewifh People, if they fhould perfift in unbelief. For, fays he, as Mofes lift up the ferpent in the wilderneffe, fo muft the Son of man be lifted up: that whofoever believeth in him might not perish, but have everlasting life. For God fent not his Son, the Meffiah, into the world, to condemn the world: but that through him the world, Gentils as well as Jews, might be faved.

And what there follows.

...

Jefus going through Samaria from Jerufalem, in his way to Galilee, meets with a woman of that countrey. ch. iv. 19. The woman faith unto him: Sir, I perceive, that thou art a Prophet. And ver. 25. 26. The woman faith unto him: I know, that the Meffiah cometh, or is foon to appear... Jefus faith unto her: I that speak unto thee am he... The woman left him, and went into the city, and faith unto the men: Come, fee a man that has told me all things that ever I did. Is not this the Chrift? Afterwards, ver. 42. Many of that place faid unto the woman: Now we believe, not because of thy faying. For we have feen him ourselves, and know, that this is indeed the Chrift, the Saviour of the world. Here is another inftance of our Lord's freely declaring himself to be the Chrift, and of his accepting a profeffion of faith in himself, as fuch. And the ready faith or thefe Samaritans aggravates the continued unbelief of the Jews, on whom more culture had been bestowed.

Ch. v. I.

1

Ch. v. 1. After this there was a feast of the Jews. And Jefus went up to Jerufalem. By many this is thought to be the Paffover. By others it is reckoned fome other feaft between the laft mentioned and the next Paffover of our Lord's ministrie. However that may be, at this season our Lord healed the lame man at the pool of Bethefla, on the Sabbathday, and bid him carry his bed, and go home. Therefore did the Jews perfecute Jefus, and fought to flay him, because he had done these things on the Sabbath Day. But Jefus answered them: My Father worketh hitherto. And I work. ver. 16. 17. The Jews charge him with blafphemie. Our Lord vindicates himself, and claims the character of the Meffiah in high terms. And affures them, that all judgement had been committed unto the Son, meaning himself, the Meffiah: that all men might honor the Son, even as they honor the Father. ver. 21. 23. And, for proof, he refers to their scriptures, the teftimonie of John, and the works, which he had wrought among them, in the Father's name. ver. 24.

I.

47.

Ch. vi. 1...3. We perceive, our Lord to be in Galilee, whither he had gone from Judea. Then at ver. 4. And the Paffover, a feast of the Jews, was nigh. After which follows the miracle of the five loaves and two fifhes, for feeding five thoufand. Then, thofe men, when they had feen the miracle, which Jefus did, faid: This is of a truth that Prophet, which fhould come into the world: or the expected Meffiah. Their notion of the kingdom, belonging to that character, being worldly and carnál, and they looking for worldly advantages, would have come, and taken him by force, to make him a King. So that our Lord found it needful to depart into a mountain himself alone. The difciples in the mean time took fhipping, and he came to them walking upon the fea. When they had received him, immediatly the ship was at the land, whither they were going. ver. 14... 21. The people having been disappointed, came to him as foon as they could at Capernaum. Where our Lord takes an opportunity to reprove their carnal temper, and inftructs them in the defign of the Meffiah, and the nature of his kingdom. And ftill taking upon himself that character, and requiring faith in him as fuch, he says: I am the bread of life... And this is the will of him that fent me, that every one which feeth the Son, and believeth on him, may have everlasting life. . . . I am the living bread, which came down from heaven. If any man eat this bread, he fhall live for ever. And the bread that I will give him is my flesh, which I will give for the life of the world... Many therefore of his difciples went back, and walked no more with him. But Peter, in the name of the Twelve, and poffibly, in the name alfo of fome others, followers of Jefus, faid: To whom fhall we go? Thou haft the words of eternal life. And we believe, and are jure, that thou art the Chrift, the Son of the living God. ver. 22... 69.

Ch. vii. 1. 2. After these things Jefus walked in Galilee. For he would not walk in Judea, because the Jews fought to kill him. Now the Jews feaft of Tabernacles was at hand.... 14. Now about the midst of the feast, Jefus went up into the temple, and taught. Ver. 25. 26. Then faid fome of them of Jerufalem... Do the rulers know indeed, that this is the very Chrift? Ver. 31. And many of the people believed on him, and faid: When Chrift cometh, will be do more miracles than these, which this man has done? Ver.

"

37.38. In

In the last day, the great day of the feaßt, Jefus flood, and cried: If any man thirst, let him come to me, and drink... He speaks of himself in the character of the Meffiah, and calls on all men to come to him, as such, and receive the great bleffings, which he is able to bestow. And at ver. 40. 41. Many of the people therefore, when they heard this faying, faid: This is the Prophet. Others faid: This is the Chrift.

Ch. viii. 12... 23. Our Lord is ftill at Jerufalem. And at ver. 12. Then Spake Jefus unto them, faying: I am the light of the world: claiming the character of the Meffiah, and declaring alfo the advantages of believing in him, and the fad confequence of not receiving him. Ver. 21. Then faid fefus again unto them. I go my way, and ye shall feek me, and fhall die in your fins. Ver. 24. I faid therefore unto you, that ye ball die in your fins. For, if ye believe not, that I am he, the Meffiah, ye shall die in your fins: that is, ye will bring upon yourselves heavie judgements and calamities. Ver. 47. He that is of God, heareth God's words. Ye therefore bear them not, because ye are not of God... Ver. 56. your father Abraham rejoyced to fee my day. . . . Does not our Lord in all this propose himself to them, as the Meffiah, require their faith in him, as fuch, and plainly intimate the calamities, that would befall them, if they should continue to reject him?

Nor is there any inconfiftence in what is here obferved, and the accounts of the other Evangelifts. After Peter had made a profeffion of his faith, it is faid Matt. xvi. 20. Then charged he his difciples, that they Should tell no man, that he was the Chrift. And compare Mark viii. 30. and Luke ix. 21. Nevertheless, he was not unwilling to be thought of in that character. When Simon Peter had faid by way of answer to the question that he had been put to the difciples, thou art the Chrift, the Son of the living God: our Lord was greatly pleafed, and pronounced him bleffed upon that account. And he was defirous, that all should receive him, as the Meffiah. It was the defign of his own, and his forerunner's preaching, as recorded in all the Evangelifts, the first three, as well as St. John. They called upon all men to repent, for the kingdom of heaven, or of God, by the Meffiah, is at hand. So Mark 1. 14. 15. And himself fays: Matt. xii. 28. If I caft out demons by the Spirit of God, then is the kingdom of God come unto you. And Luke xvii. 21. Behold, the kingdom of God is among you, or in the midst of you, not within you, as we render it. But he tells them, that the kingdom of the Melliah was already begun to be fet up among them. When our Lord was baptized, there came a voice from heaven, faying: This is my beloved Son, in whom I am well pleafed. Or, this is the Meffiah. As recorded by all the first three Evangelifts. Matt. iii. 17. Mark i. 11. Luke iii. 22. And in them our Lord accepts applications to him, and confeffions of faith in him, in the character of the Son of David, and the Son of God, both which are the fame as the Meffiah. Of the former there are many inftances. Of the later I mention one. Matt. xiv. 33. Then they that were in the fhip, came, and worshipped him faying; Thou art the Son of God. And when he entred into Jerufalem, he accepted the acclamations of the multitude, which cried: Hofanna to the Son of David: Bleffed is he that cometh in the name of the Lord: Bleed is the King that cometh in the name of the Lord. Matth. xxi. I... 16. Mark xi. 1.. 11. Luke xix. 28... 40.

He

He fometimes laments the fmall fucceffe of his preaching, and that fo few received him. But acquiefceth in the event. As in Luke vii. 31. ... 35. Matth. xi. 16... 26. Luke x. 21... 24. And he even expreffein a furprize, that the Pharifees, and others, did not difcern the figns of the time. Matt. xvi. 1... 4. Mark viii. 11... 13. Luke xii. 54. 57. And every one may eafily perceive the reafon, why he did not allow the difciples, or fome others, to fay publicly, that he was the Meffiah. For confidering that the Jewish People in general, and the difciples, themselves, expected a worldly kingdom and worldly advantages from the Meffiah; there needed fome difcretion, left men should have been led to make tumults and disturbances, which might have been offensive to the magiftrate. But when our Lord spoke of himself, as the Meffiah, he always inculcated the true defign of his coming, and gave affurances of spiritual and heavenly bleffings, and fuch only.

Our Lord still continues at Jerufalem. Ch. ix. I... 41. is the hiftorie of the man blind from his birth, whom our Lord healed, anointing his eyes with clay, moistened with his fpittle. And it was the Sabbath-day, when fefus made the clay, and opened his eyes. The man being brought before the Pharifees, and examined by them, said, that he who had opened his eyes was a Prophet. And they caft him out. Jefus heard, that they had caft him out. And when he had found him, he faid unto him: Doeft thou believe on the Son of God? He answered, and faid: Who is he, Lord, that I might believe on him? Jefus faid unto him: Thou haft both feen bim, and it is be that talketh with tbce. And be faid: Lord, I believe, and be worshiped him. All this needs no comment. Afterwards at ver. 39. .. 41. are intimations given to the Pharifees of the fad confequences of rejecting him. And indeed in this hiftorie the bad temper of the Jewish Rulers is very manifeft.

Ch. x. Our Lord fpeaks of himself as the true shepherd, or the Meffiah. Ver. 11. I am the good Shepherd. The good Shepherd giveth his life for the beep. Ver. 16. And other sheep I have, which are not of this fold. Ver. 22... 24. And it was at Jerufalem the feast of the Dedication. And it was winter. And Jefus walked in the temple, in Solomon's porch. Then came the Jews round about him, and faid unto him: How long doeft thou make us to doubt! If thou be the Chrift, tell us plainly. Jefus answered them: I told you, and ye believed not. The works that I do in my Father's name bear witneffe of me. A very proper answer, certainly. And what follows to ver. 38. deferves to be confulted.

Ch. x. 39... 42. Therefore they fought again to take him, but he escaped out of their hand. And went away beyond Jordan, unto the place, where John at first baptized. And there abode. And many reforted unto him, and Jaid: John did no miracles. But all things, that John spake of this man, were true. And many believed on him there.

I fuppofe this retreat of our Lord to a place beyond Jordan, to be the fame that is mentioned Matth. xix. 1. and Mark x. 1. upon which fome remarks were made (b) many years ago. What paffed during that interval in that countrey, is recorded Matt. xix. 1. . . . to xx. 1... 16. and Mark x. 1... 31. Nor was St. Luke unacquainted with this re

treat.

(b) See the Vindication of our Saviour's three Miracles of raifing the dead. Ch. i. p. 18. 22. first ed. p. 32. 37- 2d edit.

treat. For he has inferted in his Gospel at ch. xviii. 15... 30. fome of the fame difcourfes, which are in the other two Evangelifts, whilst our Lord was there. I fay, I fuppofe, that St. John and the other Evangelifts speak of one and the fame receffe. But St. John feems to mention more particularly the occafion of it, in the verfes juft recited.

In this place, and interval, our Lord lived fomewhat more privatly, than he had done before. He received all who came to him, either for inftruction, or to be healed by him. But he did not go about the cities and villages of Judea, preaching publicly, as he had done for fome while before.

I always fuppofed, that our Lord's living thus, in that place, at no great distance from Jerufalem, had in it a kind defign. He intended thereby to afford to the Jewish People, especially, their Priests and Rulers at Jerufalem, an opportunity to confider, and calmly reflect upon all the wonderful things that had happened among them in the space of a few years, the preaching and baptifm of John, and all the things faid and done by himself in the course of his miniftrie, particularly, the miracles which he had wrought among them, the claims, which he had made of being the promited Meffiah, whom all ought to receive, and the intimations that had been given of impending ruin and miferie.

Here our Lord waited, willing to reft the proof of his miffion upon the teftimonies, that had been given to it. And if the Rulers of the Jewish People had now come, and folemnly owned him in the character, he bore, and with which God had clothed him, how joyfully would they have been received! But they were not fo difpofed. Great multitudes of the people came to him there, and be healed them. The Pharifees alfo came unto him. But it was tempting him. Matth. xix. I. 2. 3. Mark x. 1. 2.

But befide what is recorded by the other Evangelifts, St. John affures us, that in this interval our Lord came to Bethanie, about fifteen furlongs, or two miles, from Jerufalem, and there raifed Lazarus to life. ch. xi. 1.... 44. Then many of the Jews, which came to Marie, and had feen the things which Jefus did, believed on him: that is, that he was the Chrift. But fome of them went their way to the Pharifees, and told them, what things fefus had done. ver. 45. 46. Then gathered they a Council. ... Then from that day forth, they took counsel together, for to put him to death. ver. 47... 53. This fhews, that they were inflexible, and not to be gained by any confiderations.

It follows in ver. 54. Jefus therefore walked no more openly among the Jews: but went thence into a country near the wilderneffe, into a city called Ephraim. And there continued with his difciples. Which (*) I suppose, was not far from the place, from which our Lord came laft. And from this city, called Ephraim, our Lord came to Bethanie again, by the way of Jericho, a fhort time before the next Passover, as related by the other Evangelifts. We proceed.

Says St. John ch. xi. 55... 57. And the Jews Paffover was now at hand.

(*) Vid. Reland. Palæft. 1. i. cap. 56. Tom. i. p. 377. et Lenfant fur S. Jean. ch. xi. ver. 54.