he alluded, was to take place. And on a former occasion he said to them, " When ye have lifted up the Son of man, then shall ye know that I am he, and that I do nothing of myself, but as my Father hath taught me, I speak these things." The Father had just given witness to him, and he had "done many miracles before them." They ought, therefore, both to receive those communications which they could then comprehend, and also to believe that all others would afterwards be made intelligible. But very shortly the Father did "glorify his name ;" and, "in consequence of his being lifted up," Jesus was "Jesus was "crowned with glory and honour," and "all men were drawn to him.”

Was Jesus forsaken and disowned of the Father, because he was "given up into the hands of wicked men, and suffered death upon the cross?" The Father had spoken to him from heaven, and an angel from heaven strengthened him during his agony. But had he prayed to the Father to deliver him from the suffering of death, though he would "presently have given him more than twelve legions of angels," yet" how then could the Scriptures have been fulfilled, that thus it must be?" Yet even in those very transactions, which were so ignominious and so pitiable, was the testimony of the Father given to Jesus.-For remember the preternatural darkness, which, at the time of the full moon, and beginning at noon

day, for three hours overspread the land. And can we forget the circumstances which attested the truth of those words, so full of horror and yet so abundant in consolation,-so expressive of glory accruing to God, and of good will derived to men, --which were uttered by the lips of our dying Saviour? With a loud voice he cried, IT IS FINISHED. He bowed his head, and dismissed his Spirit.— Then was the law accomplished, then were the prophecies fulfilled, then was the salvation of man perfected. For did not God himself confirm this declaration, by the rending of the veil of the temple at the hour of incense, by the quaking of the earth, by the rending of the rocks, by the opening of the graves? The centurion, who stood near to the cross of Jesus, had before heard him exclaim, " "My God, my God, why hast thou forsaken me?" But when he saw that Jesus, uttering the declaration, "It is finished," expired under circumstances, which so manifestly declared the interposition of God, he was so impressed with the solemnity of the scene, and with the majesty of the innocent sufferer, that "he, and they also that were with him, feared greatly, saying, Truly this was the Son of God"."

Thus did the Father again glorify his name," by giving testimony to his Son. Thus

a Matt. xxvii. 54. Mark xv. 39.

did he confirm the authority, and sanction the conduct of him, who had refused to repress the ac-> clamations of the multitude who hailed him as "the Son of David, and as the King of Israel that cometh in the name of the Lord;" who himself also avowed to the high priest, that he was "the Christ, the Son of the Blessed."-And had not the Father given the same testimony by the mouth of an angel, before he was conceived in the womb of the Virgin?" He shall be great, and shall be called the Son of the Highest; and the Lord God shall give him the throne of his father David, and he shall reign over the house of Jacob for ever; and of his kingdom there shall be no end"." He was "made of the seed of David according to the flesh;" but, by the manner in which he was made a partaker of flesh and blood, we also see, that he was David's Lord, as well as David's Son; and therefore that he, as "the Christ, does indeed abide for ever," though as ruling, not on earth, but in heaven. For God himself has visited his people, by redeeming them from spiritual slavery; and, in the house of his servant David, hath raised up a horn of Salvation from sin and condemnation; by him, who was called Jesus, because he would save his people from their sins."

簠

b Luke i. 32, 33.

Though, therefore, the Jews demanded of Jesus, as the proof of his authority, "a sign from heaven," and though their demand was refused, yet we see that, in fact, several such tokens were given; not, however, exactly in the manner which they presumptuously, and in the spirit of disbelief, required of Jesus, "tempting him." For we must be content to receive the evidences of our faith in the manner in which they are proposed to us, and to abide by the inference to which they both severally and jointly lead us. Probably it is still true, that such as are not convinced by the numerous miracles which Jesus wrought, will not more readily be impressed by those, in which the Father himself bore witness of him. But when the demand of a sign from heaven was refused to those, who in such a temper demanded it, the sign of the prophet Jonas was promised to them'. That sign also has been given. "Three days was the Son of man in the heart of the earth,' and then was he again, and "with power, declared to be the Son of God, by the resurrection from the dead." Then was the witness of the Father completed; and then also began that witness of the Spirit, the rejection of which renders men incapable either of repentance or of pardon.

Calling to mind, then, all the wondrous events,

a See Matt. xii. 35-42.

and heavenly testimony, which we have been surveying, with what reverence, confidence, and obedience may we listen to the words, which our Saviour spoke, after he had predicted the sign of Jonas the prophet. "The men of Nineveh shall rise in judgment with this generation, and shall condemn it; for they repented at the preaching of Jonas, and, behold, a greater than Jonas is here! The queen of the south shall rise up in the judgment with this generation, and shall condemn it; for she came from the uttermost parts of the earth to hear the wisdom of Solomon, and, behold, a greater than Solomon is here!" We have this day learnt that he was "the beloved Son of God, in whom he is well pleased, and whom we are commanded to hear." Let us then "take up our cross and follow him;" let us "abide in his word, that we may be his disciples indeed;" let us glory in his cross; let us confide in his atonement; let us pray for pardon through his blood and righteousness; let us rejoice in his intercession; and let us pray to be sanctified by his word, and by his Spirit. For, very shortly after he had spoken the words just cited, he said also, Whosoever shall do the will of my Father which is in heaven, the same is my brother, and sister, and mother"."

Matt. xii. 38-50.