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dead and quickening them, or giving them a principle of everlasting life. The work of judging mankind we find was committed to the Son, that he might be honoured as God; and, considering the union which subsists be twixt the FATHER and the SON, it is impossible to dishonour the Son without dishonouring the FATHER, for it is God that is dishonoured.

What our LORD asserted at this time, he certainly designed for the general instruction and comfort of the world; and he enforced it with those emphatical words which he always used when he taught what appeared to be new doctrine, Verily, verily, I say unto you: we should therefore pay the greatest attention to them, and consider the wonderful benefits annexed to that faith which leads us to acknowledge the divinity of CHRIST, and to pay him homage as the SON OF GOD; which are no less than redemption from sin and everlasting death, and a title to everlasting life.

With the same solemnity our LORD declared, that there will be a time for judgment, when he will raise all the dead by his own power; at which time retribution will be made according to the different actions of the good and bad part of mankind in this life. This power our LORD observed he could not have had as man with. out an union with God, for it is the exclusive privilege of God to judge his creatures; as the MESSIAH, therefore, he did not pretend to judge them according to the dictates of human reason, but according to the will of GOD. For the truth of his assertions, concerning his union with GOD, our LORD referred to the testimony of John the Baptist, who had declared him to be the Son of GOD; but our LORD did not rest the truth of his words solely upon the evidence of any man whatever, he appealed to his own works; which works were at that time but beVOL. V. ginning;

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ginning; but which, when finished, would exhibit a complete body of evidence: and while our LORD was performing these works, the FATHER, though invisible, bore testimony that the Sox was in union with Him; since no man could do those works which CHRIST did, unless GOD were with him. The Scriptures of the Old Testament also bore testimony to the same important truth; for the LORD, the SON OF GOD, who afterwards took human nature upon him, was evidently in union with the FATHER, and always appeared as God. It was his glorious form, not that of the FATHER, which was beheld by the patriarchs. Moses therefore, who wrote the history of the LORD's transactions with the people of Israel, and foretold the coming of such a Prophet and lawgiver as our LORD JESUS CHRIST professed to be, might be said to accuse the Jews of infidelity, when they refused to believe that the SON OF GOD was in union with the FATHER; because they refused to hearken to him who spoke the very words of GOD, and wrought miracles to prove that he was the MESSIAH foretold by Moses and the Prophets.

What effect this discourse had upon the council, and our LORD's persecutors, we are not told; but it is most likely that their malice was over-ruled by divine Providence; and that, being unable to refute him, they sffered him to depart, resolving to watch his words and actions for further cause of accusation against him.

From the explanation which our LORD Vouchsafed to give to his perfecutors, of the nature of his office, we learn, that it was such as no creature could execute, and that the great CREATOR took the MESSIAH into union with himself, and wrought by his hand, and spake by his mouth; not controuling his will, but perfectly in. structing his mind in the divine will, to which his soul

paid a ready obedience; and which he delighted to do, both for the love of GoD and, the love of man, being by nature allied to both. We also learn, that eternal life is the gift of GOD through CHRIST, and that faith is necessary to salvation: that there certainly will be a general resurrection, and a general judgment, at which CHRIST will preside as judge: that he is to be honoured by men as the Son of GOD, the Son whom he loves, whe has in himself a principle of eternal life, and the power of communicating it. For a confirmation of these divine truths, we are referred to the testimony of GoD himself, and to the writings of Moses. Let us, there fore, apply ourselves to a diligent study of the Old Testament, that we may the better comprehend the New. Let us receive the Gospel with humility of mind, and earnestly pray to our heavenly FATHER through CHRIST, for his grace to assist us in understanding whatever is ne cessary for our eternal salvation.

SECTION LVII.

JESUS DISCOURSES WITH THE SCRIBES AND PHARISEES CONCERNING, TRADITIONS.

From John, Chap. vii.—Mark, vii.-Matthew, xv.

AFTER these things, JESUS walked in Galilee: for he would not walk in Jewry, because the Jews sought to kill him.

Then came together unto him the Pharisees, and certain of the Scribes, which came from Jerusalem.

And when they saw some of his disciples eat bread with defiled (that is to say, with unwashed) hands, they found fault.

For the Pharisees, and all the Jews, except they wash their hands oft, cat not, holding the tradition of the elders.

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And when they come from the market, except they wash, they eat not. And many other things there be, which they have received to hold, as the washing of cups and pots, brazen vessels, and of tables.

Then the Pharisees and Scribes asked him, Why walk not thy disciples according to the tradition of the elders, but eat bread with unwashen hands?

But he answered and said unto them, Why do you

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also transgress the commandment of GoD by your tradition?

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For God commanded, saying, Honour thy father and mother and, He that curseth father or mother, let him die the death.

But ye say, Whosoever shall say to his father or his mother, It is a gift by whatsoever thou mightest be profited by me,

And honour not his father or his mother, he shall be free. Thus have ye made the commandment of GoD of none effect by your tradition.

Ye hypocrites, well did Esaias prophesy of you, saying,

This people draweth nigh unto me with their mouth, and honoureth me with their lips; but their heart is far from me..

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But in vain they do worship me, teaching for doctrines the commandments of men.

And he called the multitude, and said unto them, Hear and understand.

Not that which goeth into the mouth, defileth a man : but that which cometh out of the mouth, this defileth a

man.

Then came his disciples and said unto him, Knowest thou that the Pharisees were offended after they heard this saying?

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But he answered and said, Every plant which my heavenly Father hath not planted, shall be rooted up.

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Let them alone; they be blind leaders of the blind. And if the blind lead the blind, both shall fall into the ditch.

Then answered Peter, and said unto him, Declare unto us this parable.

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And Jesus said, Are ye also yet without understanding? Do not ye yet understand, that whatsoever entereth in at the mouth, goeth into the belly, and is cast out into the draught?

But those things which proceed out of the mouth, come forth from the heart, and they defile the man. For out of the heart proceed evil thoughts, murders, adultéries, fornications, thefts, false witness, blasphe

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These are the things which defile a man: but to eat with unwashen hands defileth not a man.

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The Scribes and Pharisees were extremely, jealous of the success of our LORD's ministry, and, it seems, took a long journey expressly to watch his behaviour, for Jerusalem was eighty or a hundred miles from Galilee. The Mosaic law enjoined frequent washings which were intended to intimate to the Jews the necessity of purity of heart: but the Pharisees made righteousness to consist in the act of washing, and carried the observance of this ceremony to a superstitious height, on the authority of their forefathers only, who had made great additions to the institutions of Moses: nay, they even neglected the observance of many precepts in the divine law, that they might conform to the traditions of their fathers..

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