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inherit eternal life: "If thou wilt be perfect, go, sell what thou hast, and give to the poor; and thou shalt have treasure in heaven: and come, take up the cross, and follow me." His reproofs of those in power were the freest imaginable, when their unbelief and vices deserved them. And instead of lamenting that the wise and prudent were not in his train, who were the fittest instruments to compass worldly ends, he made it a ground of thanksgiving to God that his doctrine had been hidden from them and revealed unto babes. Nay, he recounted this among the eharacteristics of his Messiahship, that his gospel was preached to the poor.

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We have seen that he was equally free in censuring his own followers, even the most zealous and eminent among them.

When his disciples asked him who was the greatest in the kingdom of heaven, he chose out none of distinguished attachment or ability; but observe his answer: "Whosoever shall humble himself as a little child, the same is greatest in the kingdom of heaven."

When a certain Scribe, and therefore a convert of no mean rank, said to him, "Master, I will follow thee whithersoever thou goest;" his discouraging reply was, "Foxes have holes, and the birds of the air have nests; but the Son of Man hath not where to lay his head."

When he was called the Holy One of God by a demoniac, whom the people might think endued

9 Mark x. 21. and p. p. r Matt. xi. 25. s ib. 5.

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P. 397, 8. 508.

c. viii. 20. See also Luke ix. 59–62.

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with a spirit of divination, "Jesus rebuked him, saying, Hold thy peace." In like manner he often concealed his miracles, often retired after he had wrought them, and never made an ostentatious display of his power. He also commanded Peter, James and John not to disclose his transfiguration, and the glorious vision and the voice from heaven which accompanied it, till he was risen from the dead.

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When the multitude were about to make him a king, an end which an impostor would have promoted, he retired to a mountain alone. And when the same multitude sought him and discovered his retreat, he thus addressed them, "Verily, a verily, I say unto you, ye seek me not because ye saw the miracles, but because ye did eat of the loaves and were filled. Labour not for the meat which perisheth, but for the meat which endureth unto everlasting life, which the Son of Man shall give unto you; for him hath the Father sealed, even God:" and he "purposely alienated them, and 'some of his disciples, by the most figurative and dark of all his discourses.

Thus, again, when Philip and Andrew told Jesus that certain d Hellenistic Jews desired to see him; penetrating their worldly motives, he spake of his approaching death, and taught his disciples to expect persecution in this life and an eternal recompense in

the next.

When he commissioned his twelve apostles, one part of his injunction to them was, "Freely ye have received, freely give."

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He not only discouraged all hope of temporal honours in his disciples, but foretold, in various places, in the most public manner, and the clearest and strongest terms, that hatred, tribulation and death awaited them. His followers were to forsake all that they had, to hate their lives, and to take up their cross: and'humility, "patience and love of their enemies were among the chief virtues which they were to practise.

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He did not endeavour to allay the astonishment and fear of the twelve as they were going up to the last passover: but on the contrary he took that very opportunity to foretel his crucifixion and its ignominious circumstances. His death on the cross was an original part of his plan: and he alluded to it almost as soon as he entered on his ministry.

Lastly he prophesied of supernatural events immediately to succeed his death; I mean, his resurrection on the third day, his ascension, and the descent of the Holy Spirit. He also foretold that his disciples should do a greater works than he and that "these signs should follow them that believed; in his name they should cast out demons, they should speak with new tongues, they should take up serpents, and, if they drank any deadly thing, it should not

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that our Lord was no impostor, and the topic also that he was no enthusiast, illustrated in a masterly way by Dr. Randolph in his excellent. View, &c. p. 45, 141, 155, 381-404.

hurt them; they should lay hands on the sick and they should recover." The most senseless deceiver would not have subjected himself to so speedy a detection much less one who on other occasions shewed so much wisdom, and so deep a knowledge of human nature.

I shall close this attempt to illustrate the perfection of our ever blessed Lord's character, with a doxology formed out of all those which are addressed to him in the books of the New Testament; and which I, his unworthy disciple, humbly and devoutly offer up to him: "Salvation belongeth unto the Lamb: 'worthy is the Lamb that was slain to receive riches, and wisdom, and strength: "unto him that loved us, and washed us from our sins in his own blood, and hath made us kings and priests unto his "God and Father, be blessing, and honour, and glory, and Y dominion, and power for ever and ever. Amen."

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Rev. vii. 10. Gratiæ ob acceptam salutem. Grot. The sense of the words is, He is the author of eternal salvation to mankind, Heb. v. 9. See Rev. vii. 10. xix. 1. and Jonah ii. 9. Rev. v. 12. ☐ ib. i. 5, 6. Compare Phil. iv. 20. and see John xx. 17. 2 Cor. i. 3. Eph. i. 3 * Rev. v. 13. English Version, col. i. 3.

y ib. i. 6.

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THE END.

INDEX

OF

THINGS, PERSONS, WORDS, PHRASES EXPLAINED, AND

REMARKABLE PASSAGES.

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