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tures. If it were not so, the course and evidence of things would be confounded; miracles would lose their name and force, and there could be no distinction between natural and supernatural.

of his obscurity, cast off the cloud, and declare himself, as he was, king of Israel. But the ignorance and lowness of these poor men made them of another temper. They went along in an implicit trust on him, punctually keeping to his com- 116. There had been no room left to see and admands, and not exceeding his commission. When mire the wisdom, as well as innocence, of our Sahe sent them to preach the gospel, he bid them viour, if he had rashly every where exposed himpreach the "kingdom of God" to be at hand; self to the fury of the Jews, and had always been and that they did, without being more particular preserved by a miraculous suspension of their mathan he had ordered, or mixing their own prudence lice, or a miraculous rescuing him out of their with his commands, to promote the kingdom of the hands. It was enough for him once to escape from Messiah. They preached it without giving out, the men of Nazareth, who were going to throw or so much as intimating that their master was him down a precipice, for him never to preach to he; which men of another condition, and an higher them again. Our Saviour had multitudes that foleducation, would scarce have forborne to have lowed him for the loaves, who barely seeing the done. When he asked them who they thought miracles that he did, would have made him king. him to be, and Peter answered, "The Messiah, If to the miracles he did, he had openly added, in the Son of God," he plainly shows, by the follow-express words, that he was the Messiah, and the ing words, that he himself had not told them so; and at the same time, forbids them to tell this their opinion of him to any body. How obedient they were to him in this, we may not only conclude from the silence of the evangelists concerning any such thing published by them any where before his death, but from the exact obedience three of them paid to a like command of his. He takes Peter, Jaines, and John into a mountain, and there Moses and Elias coming to him, he is transfigured before them: he charges them, saying, "See that ye tell no man what ye have seen, till the Son of man shall be risen from the dead." And St. Luke tells us, what punctual observers they were of his orders in this case: "They kept it close, and told no man, in those days, any of those things which they had seen."*

king they expected to deliver them, he would have had more followers, and warmer in the cause, and readier to set him up at the head of a tumult. These, indeed, God, by a miraculous influence, might have hindered from any such attempt; but then posterity could not have believed that the nation of the Jews did at that time expect the Messiah, their king and deliverer, or that Jesus, who declared himself to be that king deliverer, showed any miracles amongst them, to convince them of it; or did any thing worthy to make him be credited or received. If he had gone about preaching to the multitude which he drew after him, that he was the "Messiah, the king of Israel," and this had been evidenced to Pilate, God could indeed, by a supernatural influence upon his mind, have made Pilate pronounce him innocent, and not condemn 115. Whether twelve other men, of quicker him as a malefactor, who had openly, for three parts, and of a station or breeding which might years together, preached sedition to the people, have given them any opinion of themselves or their and endeavored to persuade them that he was own abilities, would have been so easily kept from the " Messiah, their king," of the blood royal of meddling beyond just what was prescribed them, David come to deliver them. But then I ask, in a matter they had so much interest in; and have whether posterity would not either have suspectsaid nothing of what they might in human pru-ed the story, or that some art had been used to dence have thought would have contributed to their master's reputation, and made way for his advancement to his kingdom, I leave to be considered. And it may suggest matter of meditation, whether St. Paul was not, for this reason, by his learning, parts, and warmer temper, better fitted for an apostle after, than during our Saviour's 117. But now the malice of the chief priests, ministry; and therefore, though a chosen vessel, Scribes, and Pharisees; the headiness of the mob, was not by the divine wisdom called till after animated with hopes, and raised with miracles: Christ's resurrection. I offer this only as a subject Judas's treachery, and Pilate's care of his governof magnifying the admirable contrivance of the ment, and of the peace of his province, all workdivine wisdom, in the whole work of our redemp- ing naturally as they should; Jesus, by the admirtion, as far as we are able to trace it by the foot- able wariness of his carriage, and an extraordisteps which God hath made visible to human rea-nary wisdom visible in his whole conduct, weathers For though it be as easy to omnipotent all these difficulties, does the work he comes for, Power to do all things by an immediate overruling uninterruptedly goes about preaching his full apwill, and so to make any instruments work, even contrary to their natures, in subserviency to his ends; yet his wisdom is not usually at the expense of miracles, (if I may so say,) but only in cases that require them, for the evidencing of some revelation or mission to be from him. He does constantly (unless where the confirmation of some truth requires it otherwise) bring about his purposes by means operating according to their na

son.

* Luke ix. 36.

gain that testimony from Pilate? Because he could not (for nothing) have been so favorable to Jesus, as to be willing to release so turbulent and seditious a man, to declare him innocent, and to cast the blame and guilt of his death, as unjust, upon the envy of the Jews.

pointed time, sufficiently manifests himself to be the Messiah in all the particulars the Scriptures had foretold of him; and when his hour is come, suffers death; but is acknowledged, both by Judas that betrayed and Pilate that condemned him, to die innocent. For, to use his own words, "Thus it is written, and thus it behoved the Messiah to suffer." And of his whole conduct we have a reason and clear resolution in those words to St. Peter, Matt. xxvi. "Thinkest thou that I cannot now pray to my Father, and he shall presently give me

more than twelve legions of angels? But how then shall the Scripture be fulfilled, and thus it must be ?"

world," and the "world to come." The kingdom of God, as they called it, or the time of the Messiah, they called öμèλλwv alwv, “the world to come," which they believed was to put an end to "this world:" and that then the just should be raised from the dead to enjoy in that new world, a happy eternity with those of the Jewish nation who should be then living.

118. Having this clue to guide us, let us now observe how our Saviour's preaching and conduct comported with it in the last scene of his life. How cautious he had been in the former part of his ministry, we have already observed. We never find him to use the name of the Messiah but once, till 121. These two things, viz. the visible and powhe now came to Jerusalem, this last passover. Be-erful appearance of his kingdom, and the end of fore this, his preaching and miracles were less at the world, being confounded in the apostles' quesJerusalem (where he used to make but very short tion, our Saviour does not separate them, nor disstays) than any where else; but now he comes six tinctly reply to them apart; but leaving the indays before the feast, and is every day in the tem- quirers in the common opinion, answers at once ple teaching; and there publicly heals the blind concerning his coming to take vengeance of the and the lame, in the presence of the Scribes, Jewish nation, and put an end to their church, Pharisees, and chief priests. The time of his mi- worship, and commonwealth; which was their nistry drawing to an end, and his hour coming, he o vvv atov, present world, which they counted should cared not how much the chief priests, elders, rulers, last till the Messiah came and so it did, and then and the sanhedrim were provoked against him by had an end put to it. And to this he joins his last his doctrine and miracles; he was as open and coming to judgment, in the glory of his Father, bold in his preaching, and doing the works of the to put a final end to this world, and all the disMessiah now, at Jerusalem, and in the sight of the pensation belonging to the posterity of Adam rulers and of all the people, as he had been before upon earth. This joining them together made his cautious and reserved there, and careful to be little answer obscure, and hard to be understood by taken notice of in that place, and not to come in them then; nor was it safe for him to speak plaintheir way more than needs. All that he now took er of his kingdom, and the destruction of Jerusacare of was, not what they should think of him, or lem, unless he had a mind to be accused for havdesign against him, (for he knew they would seize ing designs against the government. For Judas him,) but to say or do nothing that might be a just was amongst them; and whether no other but his matter of accusation against him, or render him apostles were comprehended under the name of criminal to the governor. But as for the grandees his disciples, who were with him at this time, one of the Jewish nation, he spares them not, but cannot determine. Our Saviour therefore speaks sharply now reprehends their miscarriages publicly of his kingdom in no other style but that which he in the temple, where he calls them, more than once, had all along hitherto used, viz. "The kingdom of hypocrites, as is to be seen Matt. xxiii.; and con- | God :"- When you see these things come to cludes all with no softer a compellation than "ser-pass, know ye that the kingdom of God is nigh at pents" and "generation of vipers."

119. After this severe reproof of the Scribes and Pharisees, being retired with his disciples into the Mount of Olives, over against the temple, and there foretelling the destruction of it, his disciples ask him, Matt. xxiv. "When it should be, and what should be the signs of his coming?" He says to them, "Take heed that no man deceive you: for many shall come in my name;" that is, taking on them the name and dignity of the Messiah, which is only mine; saying, "I am the Messiah, and shall deceive many.' But be not you by them misled, nor by persecution driven away from this fundamental truth-that I am the Messiah; "for many shall be scandalized," and apostatize, "but he that endures to the end, the same shall be saved:" and this gospel of the kingdom shall be preached in all the world; that is, the good news of me, the Messiah, and my kingdom, shall be spread through the world. This was the great and only point of belief they were warned to stick to; and this is inculcated again, ver. 23-26, and Mark xiii. 21-23, with this emphatical application to them in both these evangelists: "Behold, I have told you beforehand;" remember ye are forewarned.

hand." And continuing on his discourse with them, he has the same expression, Matt. xxv. 1: "Then the kingdom of heaven shall be like unto ten virgins." At the end of the following parable of the talents, he adds, verse 31: "When the Son of man shall come in his glory, and all the holy angels with him, then shall he sit upon the throne of his glory, and before him shall be gathered all the nations. And he shall set the sheep on his right hand, and the goats on his left. Then shall the King say," &c. Here he describes to his disciples the appearance of his kingdom, wherein he will show himself a King in glory upon his throne; but this in such a way, and so remote, and so unintelligible to a heathen magistrate, that if it had been alleged against him, it would have seemed rather the dream of a crazy brain, than the contrivance of an ambitious or dangerous man designing against the government: the way of expressing what he meant, being in the prophetic style; which is seldom so plain as to be understood, till accomplished. It is plain that his disciples themselves comprehended not what kingdom he here spoke of, from their question to him after his resurrection, "Wilt thou at this time re

120. This was in his answer to the apostles' in-store again the kingdom of Israel?" quiry concerning his "coming, and the end of the world;" for so we translate is puriλcías rõ at@vos; we must understand the disciples here to put their question according to the notion and way of speaking of the Jews. For they had two worlds, as we translate it, viv alŵv x, 6 μìddwv aiv; the "present

122. Having finished these discourses, he takes order for the passover, and eats it with his disciples; and at supper tells them, that one of them should betray him; and adds, "I tell it you now, before it come, that when it is come to pass, you may know that I am." He does not say out, the

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Messiah: Judas should not have that to say alone, but for them also which shall believe on me against him if he would; though that be the sense through their word." All that is spoke of "bein which he uses this expression, y el, more lieving," in this his last sermon to them, is only than once. And that this is the meaning of it is" believing on him," or believing that "he came clear from Mark xii. 6; Luke xxi. 8; in both from God;" which was no other than believing which evangelists the words are, "For many shall him to be the Messiah. come in my name, saying," yo tipe, "I am:" the meaning whereof we shall find explained in the parallel place of St. Matthew, chapter xxiv. 5,For many shall come in my name, saying," y cipt ó Xp1565, “I am the Messiah." Here in this place of John xiii. Jesus foretells what should happen to him; viz. that he should be betrayed by Judas: adding this prediction to the many ether particulars of his death and suffering, which he had at other times foretold to them. And here he tells them the reason of these his predictions, viz. that afterwards they might be a confirmation to their faith. And what was it that he would have them believe, and be confirmed in the belief of! Nothing but this, orɩ ɛyú ɛiμ, that he was the Messiah. The same reason he gives, John xiii. 28: 66 You have heard, how I said unto you, I go away, and come again unto you: and now I have told you before it come to pass, that when it is come to pass, ye might believe."

125. Indeed, John xiv., our Saviour tells Philip, "He that hath seen me, hath seen the Father;" and adds,-"Believest thou not that I am in the Father, and the Father in me? The words that I speak unto you, I speak not of myself; but the Father that dwelleth in me, he doth the works." Which being in answer to Philip's words, verse 9, "Show us the Father," seem to import thus much -"No man hath seen God at any time," he is known only by his works. And that he is my Father, and I the Son of God,—that is, the Messiah, you may know by the works I have done; which it is impossible I could do of myself, but by the union I have with God my Father. For that by being "in God” and “God in him,” he signifies such an union with God, that God operates in him, and by him, appears not only by the words above cited, out of verse 10: (which can scarce otherwise be made coherent sense,) but also from the same phrase used again by our Saviour pre123. When Judas had left them, and was gone sently after, verse 20: " At that day," viz. after out he talks a little freer to them of his glory and his resurrection, when they should see him again, of his kingdom, than ever he had done before.-"ye shall know that I am in my Father, and you For now he speaks plainly of himself, and of his kingdom, John xiii. "Therefore, when he (Judas) was gone out, Jesus said, Now is the Son of man glorified, and God is also glorified in him. And if God be glorified in him, God shall also glorify him in himself, and shall straightway glorify him."And Luke xxii. "And I will appoint unto you a kingdom, as my Father hath appointed unto me; that ye may eat and drink with me at my table in my kingdom." Though he has every where all along through his ministry preached the "gospel of the kingdom," and nothing else but that and repentance, and the duties of a good life; yet it has been always "the kingdom of God," and "the kingdom of heaven:" and I do not remember that any where, till now, he uses any such expression, as my kingdom. But here now he speaks in the first person, "I will appoint you a kingdom;" and "in my kingdom;" and this we see is only to the eleven, now Judas was gone from them.

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124. With these eleven, whom he was now just leaving, he has a long discourse to comfort them for their loss of him, and to prepare them for the persecution of the world, and to exhort them to keep his commandments, and to love one another. And here one may expect all the articles of faith should be laid down plainly, if any thing else were required of them to believe, but what he had taught them, and they believed already; viz. “That he was the Messiah," John xiv. 1. "Ye believe in God, believe also in me,' verse 29. "I have told you before it come to pass, that when it is come to pass ye may believe." It is believing on him, without any thing else, John xvi. 31:"Jesus answered them,-Do you now believe?" This was in answer to their professing, verse 30, "Now are we sure that thou knowest all things, and needest not that any man should ask thee: by this we believe that thou comest forth from God." John xvii. 20: "Neither pray I for these (18)

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in me, and I in you;" that is, by the works I shall enable you to do, through a power I have received from the Father: which whoever sees me do, must acknowledge the Father to be in me; and whoever sees you do, must acknowledge me to be in you. And therefore he says, verse 12, “ Verily, verily I say unto you, he that believeth on me, the works that I do shall he also do, because I go unto my Father." Though I go away, yet I shall be in you who believe in me; and ye shall be enabled to do miracles also for the carrying on of my kingdom, as I have done; that it may be manifested to others, that you are sent by me, as I have evidenced to you that I am sent by the Father; and hence it is that he says, in the immediate preceding verse 11, "Believe me that I am in the Father and the Father in me; if not, believe me for the sake of the works themselves." Let the works that I have done convince you that I am sent by the Father, that he is with me, and that I do nothing but by his will, and by virtue of the union I have with him; and that, consequently, I am the Messiah, who am anointed, sanctified, and separated by the Father to the work for which he hath sent me.

126. To confirm them in this faith, and to enable them to do such works as he had done, he promises them the Holy Ghost, John xiv.: "These things I have said unto you, being yet present with you;" but when I am gone," the Holy Ghost, the Paraclete," (which may signify monitor as well as comforter, or advocate,) "which the Father shall send you in my name, he shall show you all things, and bring to your remembrance all things which I have said." So that, considering all that I have said, and laying it together, and comparing it with what you shall see come to pass, you may be more abundantly assured that I am the Messiah, and fully comprehend that I have done and suffered all things foretold of the Messiah, and that were

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for a further and fuller discovery of himself, and the kingdom of the Messiah, for fear they should be scandalized in him, and give up the hopes they had now in him, and forsake him. This he tells them, verse 1, of this sixteenth chapter: "These things I have said unto you, that you may not be scandalized." The last thing he had told them before his saying this to them, we find in the last verses of the precedent chapter: "When the Paraclete is come, the Spirit of truth, he shall witness concerning me." He shall show you who I am, and witness it to the world; and then "ye also shall bear witness, because ye have been with me from the beginning." He shall call to your mind what I have said and done, that ye may understand it, and know, and bear witness concerning me. And again here, John xvi., after he had told them they could not bear what he had more to say, he adds, verse 13: "Howbeit, when the Spirit of truth is come, he will guide you into all truth; and he will show you things to come: he shall glorify me." By the Spirit, when he comes, ye shall be fully instructed concerning me; and though ye cannot yet, from what I have said to you, clearly comprehend my kingdom and glory, yet he shall make it known to you wherein it consists: and though I am now in a mean state, and ready to be given up to contempt, torment, and death, so that ye know not what to think of it; yet the Spirit, when he comes, "shall glorify me," and fully satisfy you of my power and kingdom; and that I sit on the right hand of God, to order all things for the good and increase of it, till I come again at the last day in the fulness of glory.

to be accomplished and fulfilled by him, according to the Scriptures. But be not filled with grief that I leave you: "It is expedient for you that I go away, for if I go not away the Paraclete will not come unto you." One reason why, if he went not away, the Holy Ghost could not come, we may gather from what has been observed concerning the prudent and wary carriage of our Saviour all through his ministry, that he might not incur death with the least suspicion of a malefactor; and therefore, though his disciples believed him to be the Messiah, yet they neither understood it so well, nor were so well confirmed in the belief of it, as after that, he being crucified and risen again, they had received the Holy Ghost; and with the gifts of the Holy Spirit, a fuller and clearer evidence and knowledge that he was the Messiah. They then were enlightened to see how his kingdom was such as the Scriptures foretold; though not such as they, till then, had expected. And now this knowledge and assurance received from the Holy Ghost was of use to them after his resurrection; when they could now boldly go about, and openly preach, as they did, that Jesus was the Messiah, confirming that doctrine by the miracles which the Holy Ghost empowered them to do; but till he was dead and gone, they could not do this. Their going about openly preaching, as they did after his resurrection, that Jesus was the Messiah, and doing miracles every where to make it good, would not have consisted with that character of humility, peace, and innocence, which the Messiah was to sustain, if they had done it before his crucifixion; for this would have drawn upon him the condemnation of a malefactor, either as a stirrer of sedition against the public peace, or as a pretender to the 127. Accordingly, the apostles had a full and kingdom of Israel. And hence we see, that they clear sight and persuasion of this, after they had who before his death preached only "the gospel of received the Holy Ghost; and they preached it the kingdom," that "the kingdom of God was at every where boldly and openly, without the least hand;" as soon as they had received the Holy remainder of doubt or uncertainty. But that even Ghost, after his resurrection, changed their style, so late as this, they understood not his death and and every where, in express words, declare, that resurrection, is evident from verses 17, 18. “Then Jesus is the Messiah, that king which was to come. said some of the disciples among themselves, What This the following words here, in St. John, xvi. is this that he saith unto us; a little while, and ye 8-14, confirm; where he goes on to tell them: shall not see me; and again, a little while, and ye "And when he is come, he will convince the world shall see me; and because I go to the Father? of sin, because they believed not on me." Your They said therefore, What is this that he saith, a preaching, then, accompanied with miracles, by little while? We know not what he saith." Upon the assistance of the Holy Ghost, shall be a con- which, he goes on to discourse to them of his death viction to the world that the Jews sinned in not and resurrection, and of the power they should believing me to be the Messiah. "Of righteous- have of doing miracles. But all this he declares to ness," or justice: "Because I go to my Father, and them in a mystical and involved way of speaking; ye see me no more." By the same preaching and as he tells them himself, verse 25: "These things miracles you shall confirm the doctrine of my as- have I spoken to you in proverbs ;" that is, in gecension; and thereby convince the world that I neral, obscure, enigmatical, or figurative terms. was that just one, who am therefore ascended to (All which, as well as allusive apologues, the Jews the Father into heaven, where no unjust person called proverbs or parables.) Hitherto my declarshall enter. "Of judgment: because the prince ing of myself to you hath been obscure, and with of this world is judged;" and by the same assist- reserve; and I have not spoken of myself to you ance of the Holy Ghost, ye shall convince the in plain and direct words, because ye could not world that the devil is judged or condemned, by bear it. A Messiah, and not a king, you could your casting of him out, and destroying his king- not understand; and a king living in poverty and dom, and his worship, wherever you preach. Our persecution, and dying the death of a slave and Saviour adds, "I have yet many things to say unto malefactor upon a cross, you could not put togeyou, but you cannot bear them now." They were ther. And had I told you in plain words, that I yet so full of a temporal kingdom, that they could was the Messiah, and given you a direct commisnot bear the discovery of what kind of kingdom hission to preach to others, that I professedly owned was, nor what a king he was to be; and therefore myself to be the Messiah, you and they would have he leaves them to the coming of the Holy Ghost, made a commotion, to have set me upon the throne

of my father David, and to fight for me; that your Messiah, your king, in whom are your hopes of a kingdom, should not be delivered up into the hands of his enemies, to be put to death; and of this, Peter will instantly give you a proof. But the time cometh when I shall no more speak unto you in parables; but I shall show unto you plainly of the Father." My death and resurrection, and the coming of the Holy Ghost, will speedily enlighten you, and then I shall make you know the will and design of the Father; what a kingdom I am to have, and by what means, and to what end. And this the Father himself will show unto you; "for he loveth you, because ye have loved me, and have believed that I came out from the Father." Because ye have believed that I am the "Son of God, the Messiah;" that he hath anointed and sent me; though it hath not been yet fully discovered to you what kind of kingdom it shall be, nor by what means brought about. And then our Saviour, without being asked, explaining to them what he had said, and making them understand better, what before they stuck at, and complained secretly among themselves, that they understood not; they thereupon declare, "Now are we sure that thou knowest all things, and needest not that any man should ask thee." It is plain thou knowest men's thoughts and doubts before they ask. "By this we believe that thou comest forth from God. Jesus answered, Do ye now believe?" Notwithstanding that you now believe that I came from God, and am the Messiah, sent by him; "Behold, the hour cometh, yea, is now come, that ye shall be scattered;" and as it is, Matt. xxvi. 31, and "shall all be scandalized in me." What it is to be scandalized in him, we may see by what followed hereupon, if that which he says to St. Peter, Mark, xvi., did not sufficiently explain it.

128. This I have been the more particular in, that it may be seen, that in his last discourse to his disciples (where he opened himself more than he had hitherto done; and where, if any thing more was required to make them believers, than what they already believed, we might have expected they should have heard of it) there were no new articles proposed to them, sit what they believed before, viz.: that he was the Messiah, the Son of God, sent from the Father: though of his manner of proceeding, and his sudden leaving the world, and some few particulars, he made them understand something more than they did before. But as to the main design of the gospel, viz., that he had a kingdom, that he should be put to death, and rise again, and ascend into heaven to his Father, and come again in glory to judge the world, this he had told them; and so had acquainted them with the great council of God, in sending him, the Messiah, and omitted nothing that was necessary to be known or believed in it. And so he tells them himself, John xv. 15: "Henceforth I call ye not servants; for the servant knoweth not what his Lord does: but I have called ye friends; for all things I have heard of my Father, I have made known unto you;" though perhaps ye do not so fully comprehend them as you will shortly, when I am risen and ascended.

129. To conclude all, in his prayer, which shuts up this discourse, he tells the Father what he had made known to his apostles; the result whereof

we have, John xvii. 8: "I have given unto them the words which thou gavest me, and they have received them, and they have believed that thou didst send me :" which is in effect, that he was the Messiah promised and sent by God. And then he prays for them, and adds, verse 20, 21, "Neither pray I for these alone, but for them also who believe on me through their word." What that word was through which others should believe in him, we have seen in the preaching of the apostles all through the history of the Acts, viz., this one great point, that Jesus was the Messiah. The apostles, he says, verse 25, "know that thou hast sent me;" that is, are assured that I am the Messiah: and in verses 21 and 23, he prays, "that the world may believe (which in verse 23 is called knowing) that thou has sent me:" so that what Christ would have believed by his disciples, we may see by this, his last prayer for them, when he was leaving the world, as well as by what he preached whilst he was in it. And as a testimony of this, one of his last actions, even when he was upon the cross, was to confirm this doctrine, by giving salvation to one of the thieves that was crucified with him, upon his declaration that he believed him to be the Messiah; for so much the words of his request imported, when he said, "Remember me, Lord, when thou comest into thy kingdom." To which Jesus replied, "Verily I say unto thee, to-day shalt thou be with me in paradise.' An expression very remarkable: for as Adam, by sin, lost paradise; that is, a state of happy immortality; here the believing thief, through his faith in Jesus, the Messiah, is promised to be put in paradise, and so reinstated in a happy immortality.

130. Thus our Saviour ended his life. And what he did after his resurrection St. Luke tells us, Acts, i. 3, that he showed himself to the apostles "forty days, speaking things concerning the kingdom of God." This was what our Saviour preached in the whole course of his ministry, before his passion; and no other mysteries of faith does he now discover to them after his resurrection. All he says is concerning the kingdom of God; and what it was he said concerning that, we shall see presently, out of the other evangelists; having first only taken notice, that when they now asked him, "Lord, wilt thou at this time restore again the kingdom to Israel?" he said unto them, "It is not for you to know the times and the seasons which the Father hath put into his own power: but ye shall receive power after that the Holy Ghost is come upon you; and ye shall be witnesses unto me unto the utmost parts of the earth." Their great business was to be witnesses to Jesus, of his life, death, resurrection and ascension; which, put together, were undeniable proofs of his being the Messiah. This was what they were to preach, and what he said to them concerning the kingdom of God, as will appear by what is recorded of it in the other evangelists.

131. When, on the day of his resurrection, he appeared to the two going to Emmaus, they declare what his disciples' faith in him was: "But we trusted that it had been he that should have redeemed Israel;" that is, we believed that he was the Messiah, come to deliver the nation of the Jews. Upon this Jesus tells them, that they ought

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