hand. Such were the proofs offered by Christ to the difciples of John. For "in that fame hour," while they were prefent, and before their eyes, "he cured many of their infirmities "and plagues, and of evil (pirits, and "unto many that were blind he gave fight. Then faid he unto them, "Go your way, and tell John what

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things ye have feen and heard;

how that the blind fee, the lame "walk, the lepers are cleanfed, the "deaf hear, the dead are raised, to "the poor the gofpel is preached. "And bleffed is he whofoever fhall "not be offended in me." As if he had faid; I bear not witnefs of myfelf; my miracles bear witnefs of me. Only tell John what you have heard and feen, and he will teach you how

to draw the proper inference. Ifaiah, as he well knoweth, did foretell, that when Meffiah came, he would perform fuch and fuch mighty works. You yourselves are eye and ear witneffes of the works done by me. Lay the premises fairly together, and you cannot be to feek for the conclufion.

JOHN had engaged his reputation as a prophet, that Jefus of Nazareth, whom he baptized in Jordan, would anfwer the character of Meffiah, and do the works predicted of him; as appears from John x. 39. where we read, that Jefus, having efcaped from the Jews, went again beyond Jor

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dan, unto the place where John at

“first baptized; and there he abode. "And many reforted unto him, and

faid, John did no miracle: but all "things that John fpake of this man "were true. And many believed on "him there." Malice itself cannot find reafon to fufpect a collusion, when prophecies and miracles thus unite their testimony, and proclaim Jefus to be the Meffiah.

AT his word, "the eyes of the blind were opened, and the ears of the deaf unftopped; the lame man "leaped as an hart, and the tongue "of the dumb did fing*;" the leprofy, that foul, contagious, and obftinate difeafe, for which fo many ceremonies of purification were appointed by the law, was healed at once; and the dead in their graves, hearing the voice of the fon of man, * Ifai. xxxv. 5, 6.

came

came forth. Every malady and infirmity, to which the children of Adam were fubject, vanifhed at his prefence, and confeffed the almighty deliverer of his people. This, therefore, is "He that thould come," nor let us think of "looking for another," to open the eyes of the understanding, and let in the light of heavenly knowledge upon ignorant and benigted minds; to remove all obftructions, formed by interest, prejudice, or paffion, and give us the hearing ear; to reftore and invigorate the will and affections, that we may make large advances in the course of duty, and run with delight the way of God's commandments; to loose the tongues which guilt hath tied, and tune them 'to hymns of praise and thanksgiving;

to

to cleanfe us, by his blood, from all. fin, that leprofy which excludeth from the congregation of Ifrael, the camp of the faints, and the beloved, city; to raise our fouls from death. to life, and our bodies from duft to, glory. "We have found him of. "whom Mofes in the law, and the.

prophets did write-Rabbi, thou "art the Son of God, thou art the "King of Ifrael * !”

THERE is one particular in this, anfwer of Chrift, which remaineth yet unnoticed; "The poor have the Gofpel preached unto them." Our

Lord bere referreth to the celebrated paffage in Ifaiah, which, in the fynagogue of Nazareth, he had, ex-. pounded, and declared to be fulfilled *John i. 45, 49.