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SERMON XXII.

JOHN viii. 29.

And he that sent me is with me: the Father bath not left me alone, for I do always those things that please him.

THESE words are at the close of a conversation which our Saviour held with some of the chief of his own nation in the treasury persons of the temple, a place of great resort, on account of the offerings made there by those who came to worship, and which were continually sent from all countries. A brief review of what had passed between them will give us a fuller comprehension of our Lord's declaration, which I propose to call your attention to at present.

The sacred historian then, having mentioned how much he had irritated his enemies by the freedom of his reproof, so as to endanger his

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life, in telling them plainly of their hatred of truth, and that, with all their advantages and pretensions, they were void of all true knowledge of God; relates further, that, not intimidated by their resentment, he proceeded as follows;

(Ver. 21.) "Then said Jesus again unto them; I go my way, and ye shall seek me, and shall die in your sins: whither I go, ye cannot come." Our Lord here points to the approaching ruin of their nation and country for their sin in rejecting him. q. d. “I am soon to leave you, and go the way appointed Then shall you wish for the presence of the Messiah; but in vain. Your wickedness and impenitence will bring upon you inevitable destruction. And I shall be secure in perfect happiness and favour with God, where you cannot come."

me.

(Ver. 22.) "Then said the Jews; Will he kill himself? because he saith; Whither I go, ye cannot come.

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(Ver. 23.) "And he said unto them; Ye are from beneath; I am from above; ye are of this world; I am not of this world. I said

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therefore unto you, that shall die in your sins: for if ye believe not that I am he, (that

is, the Messiah, the light of the world, as he had just before been characterizing himself,) ye shall die in your sins." The malignity of their remark, that the holy Jesus should make away with himself, deserved such severity of reprehension. You observe, that according to our Lord's own interpretation, to be from beneath, signifies to be of a low, earthly mind; and to be from above, not literally to come from heaven, but to be of a heavenly godlike temper and disposition. As though he had said, "Worldly minds will always have worldly views; and because you are such, you speak as you do. My character and aim is very different. But these selfish views and depraved dispositions, which hinder you from receiving me, though I give you the most undeniable evidence of my mission from God, will deprive you of his fayour, and bring ruin on you and your country."

(Ver. 25, 26, 27.) "Then said they unto him; Who art thou? And Jesus saith unto them; Even he that I said unto you from the beginning. I have many things to say, and to judge of you: but he that sent me is true, and I speak to the world those things which I

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have

have heard of him. They understood not that he spake to them of the Father."

To so insulting and contemptuous a question, Who he was? after such manifestations of a divine power and authority as he had given them, our Lord contented himself with mildly replying, That he was what he had always professed himself to be, and particularly what he had told them in the beginning of his present discourse with them; when he called himself the light of the world, as Isaiah had described him, their great expected prophet, the Messiah. That he had many other things to charge them with; but would only tell them at present, that he came (had his commission) from the author of truth, and received from him all he delivered to them. But the historian remarks, that they did not comprehend that he spoke to them of Almighty God. For they were so full of dark prejudices, that, unless he spoke in the most direct manner, they gave a wrong turn to his expressions.

Our Lord then added, in the verse before the text, what might affect some that were better disposed, and lay a foundation for the repentance and faith of others afterwards,

when

when they should see the things he foretold

come to pass. (Ver. 28.) "Then said Jesus unto them ; When ye have lifted up the Son of Man, then shall ye know that I am he; (that is, the Messiah,) and that I do nothing of myself; but as my Father hath taught me, I speak these things." q. d. "I know that the Jews will put me to an ignominious death; and then they will think they have made an utter end of me and of my pretensions: but I tell you beforehand, that then it will appear even more evidently than it now does, that I am the Messiah, and speak and act by a divine authority in all I have delivered to you, and done before you." This was fulfilled by his death, and restoration to life in three days, and by his translation to heaven, and the support and confirmation of his Gospel by the promised gifts of the holy spirit, or extraordinary power of God, and the destruction of Jerusalem and extirpation of the Jews out of their country.

Then come the words prefixed to my discourse-"And he that sent me is with me: the Father hath not left me alone; for I do always those things that please him." q. d. "Then will ye be convinced that I am that

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