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the good shepherd giveth his life for the sheep. . But he that is an bireling, and not she shepherd, whose own the sheep are not, teeth the wolf coming, and leaveth the sheep, and fleeth: and the wolf catcheth them, and scattereth the sheep. The hireling fleeth because he is an hireling, and careth not for the sheep. John ix. 11, 12,

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And as I am the good shepherd, and so earnest in tending them, so I know every particular sheep, am able to claim it, in whose possession soever it be, and know every thing relating to the sheep. I know the circumstances wherein they are placed, and well acquainted with their wants, and can judge what assistances they stand in need of. Besides I love them all with the greatest sincerity, and approve of their obedience to me, because, though it be imperfect, it is sincere. For they have just notions of my dignity and character: they know that I am their shepherd and Saviour sent from God; and that I am able to feed them with knowledge, deliver them from the punishment of sin, and bestow on them eternal life, and procure them a place in the blissful mansions of my Father's kingdom. ،، I am the good shepherd, and know my sheep, and am known of mine." John x. 14.

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And this mutual knowledge and love of each other is like that subsisting between me and my Father. ،، As the Father knoweth me, even so know I the Father: and I lay down my, life for the sheep." John x. 15.

I will give a convineing proof of the love I bear the sheep; I will lay down my life for them; an instance of regard that will never be given by any hireling.

But I have other sheep besides these of theseed of Abraham; numbers of my flock are among the Gentiles. These also I must bring into my Church, and they must cheer

fully submit to my laws. There shall be then but one visible church, they, shall know me, shall distinguish my voice from that of a stranger, and though consisting of Jews and Gentiles, yet shall they have but one shepherd to feed and govern them; for the middle wall of the partition shall be broken down. "And other sheep I have, which are not of this fold: them also I must bring, and they shall hear my voice ; and there shall be one fold, and one shepherd.' John x. 16.

And because I lay down my life to save the world, therefore my heavenly Father loveth me. But though I lay down my life, I will take it again; for I will in due time rise from the dead. I do not, however, either lay down my life, or rise from the dead, without the appointment of the Almighty. I act in both according to the divine wisdom, and agreeable to the will of my heavenly Father., "Therefore doth my heavenly Father love me, because I lay down my life, that I might take it again. No man taketh it from me, but I lay it down, of myself: I have power to lay it down; and I have power to take it again. This commandment have I received of my Father." John x. 17, 18.

Various were the effects produced by this discourse, upon the minds of the Jews. Some of them cried out that he was mad, or possessed with a devil, and that it was the highest folly to hear them; while others, who judged more impartially of him and his doctrine, declared that his discourses were not those of a lunatic, nor his miracles the works of a devil; asking those who were enemies to Jesus, if they imagined any devil was able to confer the faculty of sight on one that was born blind?" There was a division, therefore, again among the Jews, for these sayings. And many of them said, He hath a devil, and is mad: why hear ye him? Others said, these are not the works of him that hath a devil: Can a devil open the eyes of the blind?" John x. 19, 20, 21.

Soon after, as Jesus was standing in Solomon's porch, the Jews came to him, desiring that he would tell them plainly, whether he was the expected Messiah, or not? But Jesus knowing that they did not ask this question for information, but to gain an opportunity of accusing him to the Romans, as a seditious person, who endeavoured to deceive the people, by pretending to be the great Son of David, promised by the prophets, in order to usurp the kingdom, told them, that they must form a judgment of him from his actions. "I told you, and ye believe not: the works that I do in my Father's name, they bear witness of me. But ye believe not, because ye are not of my sheep, as I said unto you." John x. 25, 26. Your unbelief' is the effect of your attachment to this world, being unwilling to receive the doctrine of the kingdom of heaven: because you must then renounce all your fond hopes of temporal power and advantages. But, on the contrary, those who are of a meek and humble disposition, and their minds free from worldly passions, easily perceive the truth of my doctrine and miracles, and consequently are readily disposed to become my disciples. Nor shall such persons lose their reward; for I will willingly receive them and make them partakers of eternal life in my Father's kingdom. And however assiduous malicious men may be, in endeavouring to hinder men from believing on me, they shall never be able to effect their purpose, though assisted by all the powers of darkness. For my heavenly Father, who hath given them to me, is far greater than them all; nor is any able to contend with him; and this powerful, this Almighty Being and I are one in power. "My sheep hear my voice, and I know them, and they follow me. And I give unto them eternal life; and they shall never perish, neither shall any pluck them out of my hand. My Father, which gave them me, is greater than all; and no man is able to pluck them out of my Father's hand. I and my Father are one." John x. 27, &c.

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The Jews were so incensed at this declaration, which they considered as blásphemous, that they took up stones to cast at him, in conformity to the law, which commands all blasphemers to be stoned. But Jesus asked them, which of the beneficent miracles he had wrought, in confirmation of his mission, deserved such treatment? Many good works have I shewed you from my Father; for which of those works do ye stone me?" As if he had said, I have fed the hungry in the desart, I have healed the lame, I have cleansed the lepers, I have cured the sick, I have given sight to the blind, I have cast out devils, and I have raised the dead: for which of these works are ye going to stone me? Do these miracles indicate that the author of them is an impostor? Or can you be so stupid to think that the Almighty would suffer any person to perform such works, with no other intention than to deceive the human race? The Jews answered, we are far from thinking that thou deservest punishment for any good work thou hast done in favour of the afflicted and distressed: the punishment is intended to chastise thee for thy blasphemous speeches; for thou, though t a weak mortal, the being of a day, like ourselves, arrogantly assumed the power and majesty of the Most High, and by claiming the incommunicable attributes of the Deity, makest thyself God. "For a good work we stone thee not: but for blasphemy, and because that thou, being a man, makest thyself God." John x. 33.

Jesus replied, have not the scriptures expressly called those gods, and the sons of God, who were commissioned to govern God's people, on account of their high office, and the inspiration of the Spirit, which was, though though sparingly, bestowed upon them? Can you, therefore, impute to that person whom the Almighty had sanctified and sent into the world to save lost mankind, and pay the price of redemption for all the sons of men; can you, I say, impute blasphemy unto him, for taking on

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himself the title of the Son of God? If my own assertion be not sufficient to convince you of my personal dignity, you must surely think that the many miracles I have wrought abundantly prove that they are the works of the Most High, as Omnipotence alone could perform them; and therefore, that the Father and I are so united, that whatever I say or do, is approved of by the Almighty "Is it not written in your law, I said, Ye are gods? If he called them gods, upon whom the word of God came, and the scripture cannot be broken, say ye of him, whom the Father hath sanctified, and sent into the world, Thou blasphemest; because I said, I am the Son of God? If I do not the works of my Father, believe me not. But if I do, though ye believe not me, believe the works: that ye may know and believe, that the Father is in me, and I in him." John x. 34, &c.

But this reply, instead of satisfying the Jews, rather tended to enrage them the more and Jesus, seeing it was of no consequence to reason with so headstrong a people, rendered himself invisible, and by that means escaped from them.-"Therefore they sought again to take him; but he escaped out of their hands." John x. 39.

The feast of the dedication being now over, Jesus departed from Jerusalem, and retired into the parts of Perea beyond Jordan. Here his ministry was attended with great success; for the inhabitants of the country, remembering what had been told them, by John the Baptist, concerning Jesus, and being sensible that the doctrine and miracles of our blessed Saviour were fully equal to what the Baptist had foretold, firmly believed him to be the Mes

siah.

According to this supposition, which seems the most agreeable to reason, the inhabitants of these countries enjoyed the doctrines and miracles of the Son of God for a very considerable time. But however But however

this be, the Evangelist tells us, that while he was executing his ministry, beyond Jordan, he happened to pray publicly with such fervency, that one of his disciples, who was exceedingly affected, both with the matter and manner of his address, begged he would teach them to pray. "And it came to pass, that as he was praying in a certain place, when he ceased, one of his disciples said unto him, Lord, teach us to pray, as John also taught his disciples." Luke xi. 1.

Soon after our blessed Saviour happened to cast out a devil, when some, who were present ascribed the miracle to Beelzebub; "And he was casting out a devil, and it was dumb; and it came to pass, when the devil was gone out, the dumb speak: and the people wondered. But some of them said he casteth out devils through Beelzebub, the chief of the devils." Luke xi. 14, 15. However strange this argument may seem, and however weak and absurd it must appear to impartial judges, yet it had a considerable effect on illiterate persons, especially on those whose prejudices and interests it favoured. The pharisees pretended, that as Jesus had all along been at great pains to oppose the traditions which most of the teachers of that age considered as the essentials of religion, and the principal branches of piety, they concluded that he must be a very wicked person.

They also supposed that a false prophet had the power of working signs and wonders; and thence concluded, that our Saviour performed all his miracles by the assistance of evil spirits, with an intention to turn the people from the worship of the true God.

Another pretended reason for ascribing his miracles to evil spirits was, that the demons themselves, when they departed out of the persons possessed, honoured him with the title of the Messiah. Their arguments, though so evidently founded on falsehood,

contributed largely to the infidelity of the Jews, and however we may be surprised that such weak reasons should have any effect, considering what multitudes were witness of the many miracles the blessed Jesus performed on the sick of all sorts, on the blind, the deaf, the dumb, the maimed, the lame, on paralytics, lunatics, demoniacs, and other miserable objects; nay on the dead, whom he raised again to life; on the winds and the seas: in a word, on every part of nature; yet experience bath abundantly convinced us, that these, and their own superstitious opinions, fixed that head-strong people in their infidelity.

Though part of the multitude were content with ascribing this miracle to the power of evil spirits, others went still farther, desiring him to prove himself the Messiah, by giving them a sign from heaven. But Jesus knowing their thoughts, refused to grant them this request; telling them that they were a wicked race of mortals, and discovered a very perverse disposition, by seeking, after so many miracles had been performed, a sign from heaven; and therefore, that no greater sign should be given them than the sign of the prophet Jonas. "This is an evil generation: they seek a sign; and there shall no sign be given it, but the sign of Jonas the prophet." Luke

xi. 29.

"No man (added the Saviour of the world) when he hath lighted a candle, putteth it into a secret place, neither under a bushel, but on a candlestick, that they which come in may see the light." No man, endued with the spirit of God, concealeth the blessed gift; but holdeth forth the glorious doctrines of salvation, as it were like a candle, that the light of the same may shine upon the souls of men, who hear them. light of the body is the eye: therefore when thine eye is single, thy whole body also is full of light but when thine eye is evil, thy body also is full of darkness. Take heed, therefore, that the light which is in thee be

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not darkness." Luke xi. 34, &c. Take care, therefore, that thy soul is so completely enlightened by the spirit, that the emanation of light be not in the feast interrupted by any evil passion, or affection; that all the faculties of the soul may be as much enlightened and assisted, as the members of the body are by the bright shining of a candle. If thy whole body therefore be full of light, having no part dark, the whole shall be full of light, as when the bright shining of a candle doth give thee light." Luke xi. 36.

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Thus did our blessed Saviour prove the truth of his mission, against the cavils and sophistical reasoning of his malicious enemies. And when he had done speaking, one of the pharisees present desired he would dine with him. The Redeemer of mankind accepting the invitation, though probably given with an insidious design, accompanied the pharisee to his house, and sat down to meat, but without performing the ceremony of washing, observed by all the other guests.

An omission of this kind could not fail of

surprising the pharisee, as he had thereby shewn an open contempt of their traditions. Jesus, who well knew the thoughts of this bigotted pharisee, said to him, Your sect are remarkably careful to keep every thing clean that touches your food, lest by eating it, your body should be polluted ; but you take no pains to clean your minds from the pollutions of rapine, covetousness, and wickedness. You must surely be convinced that he who created the body formed also the soul; and can you imagine that the Almighty, who requires purity of body, because it is the work of his hands, will not also insist upon a greater purity of soul, which is undoubtedly the far nobler part of human nature? Instead, therefore, of that scrupulous solicitude of washing your hands, when ye sit down to meat, ye should be careful to apply yourselves to the great duty of charity duty that will render it impossible for any external things to defile you, but will be at all times acceptable to your

Maker. "Now do ye pharisees make clean the outside of the cup and the platter; but your inward part is full of ravening and wickedness. Ye fools, did not he that made that which is without, make that which is within also? but rather give alms of such things as ye have, and, behold, all things are clean unto you." Luke xi. 39, &c.

But the pharisees, obstinate and perverse, withstood every means made use of by the benign Redeemer of mankind to conquer their prejudices, and bring them to the knowledge of the truth; and therefore our blessed Saviour treated them on this occasion, with a kind and wholesome severity, denouncing against them the most dreadful woes, for regarding so zealously the ceremonial parts of religion, and at the same time utterly neglecting the very precepts of their own religion.-"Woe unto you, pharisees, for ye tythe mint and rue, and all manner of herbs, and pass over judgment and the love of God: these ought ye to have done, and not to leave the other undone. Woe unto you, pharisees, for ye love the uppermost seats in the synagogues, and greetings in the markets. Woe unto you, scribes and pharisees, hypocrites: for ye are as graves which appear not, and the men that walk over them are not aware of them." Luke xi. 42, &c.

A certain lawyer, who sat at the table, thinking that this rebuke, though levelled principally against the scribes and pharisees, affected his order also, was greatly displeased. But Jesus who had never any regard to the persons of men, despised his resentmeut, and told him freely what he thought of their character. "Woe unto you, also, ye lawyers; for ye lade men with burdens grievous to be borne, and ye yourselves touch not the burdens with one of your fingers." Luke xi. 46. You pervert in a very erroneous manner, the interpretation of scripture for no other veason than to fayour the tradition of the elders, and by that means lay so heavy a burden on the soulders of the descendants of Jacob; that newher

you nor they will touch with one of their fingers.

The blessed Jesus also condemned them for building the sepulchre of the prophets, whom their father's had murdered because they did not do it from the respect which they had for the memory of these holy men, but from a secret approbation of their father's actions; as too evidently appeared from their whole conduct. "Woe unto you for ye build the sepulchres of the prophets, and your fathers killed them. Truly ye bear witness that ye allow the deeds of your Father: for they indeed killed them, and ye build their sepulchres. Therefore, also, said the wisdom of God, I will send them prophets and apostles, and some of them they shall slay and persecute: that the blood of all the prophets, which was shed from the foundation of the world, might be required of this generation from the blood of Abel, unto the blood of Zacharias, which perished between the altar and the temple: verily, I say unto you, it shall be required of this generation." Luke xi. 47, &c.

Our Lord also reproved the lawyers for filling the minds of the people with notions founded on wrong interpretations of Scripture, whereby they were prejudiced against the gospel; not being contented with rejecting it themselves, but took care to hinder others from receiving it-"Woe unto you, lawyers for ye have taken away the key of knowledge: ye entered not in yourselves, and them that were entering in ye hinder." Luke xi. 52.

Such honest reprimands highly provoked the pharisee and his guests. They were conscious of being guilty of the crimes laid to their charge, but unwilling the people should think them guilty; and therefore, out of revenge, urged him to speak on a variety of topics, hoping they should be able, by those means, to find occasion of rendering him obnoxious either to the

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