(or, who are under wrong prejudices, that inferior evil beings have power to do miracles in this world of ours,) would not be likely to be much wrought upon, or to have their dispositions altered by what would only fill them with great consternation and terror for the present, but would soon wear off. A long series of miracles might indeed get the better of and silence the most determined and obstinate opposition. But our Lord never exerted his divine power in so lavish a way. On the contrary, he avoided and refused to give any instances of it, when desired by those who were indisposed to the truth. For his com mission did not extend to overpower men with irresistible divine evidence which they could not but submit to, and which might confound them, as it were, without producing any salutary change in their hearts and tempers; but to give such a display of it, as might work upon ingenuous minds, and bring them to repentance, and to the acknowledgement of the truth. Only penitent men, and such as were well disposed to virtue and goodness, believed then in the miracles of Christ as wrought by the power of God, and received him as a divine prophet authorized by them. And only

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such

such now receive the Gospel effectually, and become the true disciples of Jesus.

There is then such mighty evidence for the truths of the Gospel, as no fair mind can reject. But it will be of no avail to us, but add to our just condemnation, to be convinced of these truths, if we are not amended and reformed by them. "Better (says an apostle, 2 Pet. ii. 21.) had it been for some not to have known the way of righteousness, than, after they have known it, to turn from the holy commandment delivered to them."

The great aim and business of the Gospel is, by teaching more worthy and exalted sentiments of the heavenly Father, and by the promise of a future endless life in his presence, to carry men to higher degrees of piety, benevolence, and all virtue, and thereby fit them for God.

And this is a motive calculated not only to work upon the virtuous and the good, to go on in their virtuous course, without turning aside to the things of a vain world, but also capable of alarming the sinner, the careless, and the indolent, who make no advances in holiness, and thereby lose what they may have already gained; by assuring and con

vincing

vincing them that nothing but pious, benevolent, and virtuous habits and dispositions, and continual improvements therein, can make them happy; and that, if they are not possessed of these, which are not to be infused into them in a moment, but to be gradually acquired, and by long and patient discipline, they must thereby be unhappy for ever.

Having thus finished our subject, and given some account of men's rejecting the Gospel in the midst of the brightest evidence of its truth, I shall close the whole with an incidental remark, which could not properly come in before, but may not be wholly useless to mention. For, though some have blamed, that no more notice is taken of a man on whom so extraordinary a miracle had been wrought, it is with great propriety that Lazarus, whom our Lord raised to life, is never again mentioned, except once, very soon afterwards, where it is said (John xii. 10, 11.) that the chief priests consulted that they might put Lazarus also to death; because that by reason of him many of the Jews went away and believed on Jesus.

The sacred writers had nothing to do with

his history, or that of any other person, but only so far as they served to illustrate that of their divine master. The greatest praise of Lazarus is, that Jesus had a particular friendship for him and he could love none but those who were truly pious and virtuous. Therefore we may conclude, that if his life was extended to any length afterwards, he continued to bear his silent but useful testimony to the truth of the Gospel, and to adorn it by his example; and so will have his name written in the book of life, though his virtues are unknown and unrecorded amongst men.

To conclude, then: it will now be most hap py, if the powerful evidence which his being recalled to life has afforded us for the truth of the Gospel, or any thing else, may induce all who have not done it to inquire into the Gospel and on good grounds to receive it, and may confirm all persons, in what St. John declares to have been his design in composing his history of Christ. (John xx. 30, 31.) Many other signs truly did Jesus in the presence of his disciples, which are not written in this book. But these are written, that

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ye

ye might believe that Jesus is the Christ, the son of God; and that, believing, ye might have life through his name.'

May we be in the happy number of those who shall live before God, and in his favour!

PRAYER.

O God, the God of the spirits of all flesh; who alone livest for ever and ever; who bringest down to the grave and bringest up

up!

We desire to thank thee for all thy mercy and goodness towards us in our present be ing, and the various comforts of it; and especially to adore the methods of thy extraordinary providence by which thou didst invest the holy Jesus with high authority and power, to awaken mankind to the knowledge of thee the only true God, and to the obedience of thy holy laws which he delivered to us.

Dispose us, we pray thee, to listen to his call, and to follow him in the way that leadeth unto life.

But as it is thy method, O God, with thy creatures, not to overbear and constrain them in their compliance with thy holy will; but to make trial of them, whether they are inclined to regard thee and thy laws, and pay.

obedience

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