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PART on of men) by him, who, he fays, had fent IV. him, that he declares the future proof of his miffion: and what is admirable, and points out his divinity, he ftiles himself the light of the world, before the miracle, which was to prove it; and he withdraws, and conceals himself after it had been evidently proved by the miracle.

5. Was it natural to imagine, that clay put on the eyes of a man born blind, fhould reftore him to fight? could one have framed fuch an expedient, fo improbable, fo contrary to the wish'd-for effect, fo proper for deftroying the fight, if the power and wisdom of Jefus Chrift had not employed it?

6. Was there no other clay, no other expedient for making it, than the mixing it with the spittle of our Saviour? is it not plain from this, that the first origin of man was taken from the earth, which the hands of God fafhioned, and animated by the breath of his mouth? The blind man wanted a natural organ the creator bestowed it on him, by adding a new clay to the old, and thus rendering his work perfect:

7. But why did he fend the blind man to the pool of Siloam? what virtue was there in that pool? and what mystery is concealed in its name, who was fent? why did he put clay upon his eyes, fince it was to be removed by washing them? why was it only after a kind of a fecond voluntary blindness, that the natural blindness was cured? why did his eyes open, when the water of the pool caused the clay to

fall

fall off, with which they were purposely co-CHAP. vered? Do we fee in all this any trace of hu- II. man thought?

8. Is it likely, that a man born blind from his birth, fhould fo eafily credit what Jefus faid to him; that he fhould obey him fo punctually; that he should expofe himself to public ridicule by carrying the clay on his eyes, and caufing himself to be conducted to the pool of Siloam, with the hopes of being restored to his fight? are we not still even furprised at fuch a docility? and how then could any fuch thing, be imagined before it happened?

One must be very little acquainted with the nature of man, to imagine him capable of counterfeiting any fuch thing, and to have but little difcernment in refpect to truth and falsehood, to be guilty of a mistake on fuch an occafion. Yet if any one should still deny to furrender, let him but join the pharifees, who, with utmost care, scrutinized the miracle, with an intent, if they could, to fupprefs it: for I do not imagine, he is more capable to examine it, than men of weight and authority of the fame times, nor that he can fhew as much malignity as they to obfcure it.

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PART
IV.

ARTICLE

III.

The efforts of the pharifees in order to eclipfe this miracle, eftablish the truth of it.

TH

HOSE who were informed of the man born blind, and how he was cured, brought him to the pharifees. And it was remarkable, that it was on the fabbath-day.

*Then again the pharifees alfo asked him, "how he had received his fight. He faid "unto them, He put clay upon mine eyes, " and I washed, and do fee. Therefore faid "fome of the pharifees, This man is not "of God, because he keepeth not the fab

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bath-day. Others faid, How can a man "that is a finner, do fuch miracles? And there was a divifion among them. They fay unto "the man that was lately blind, What fayeft "thou of him, that he hath opened thine eyes? He faid, He is a prophet. But the Jews did not believe concerning him, that "he had been blind, and received fight, un"til they called the parents of him that had "received his fight. And they asked them,

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faying, Is this your fon who ye fay was "born blind? how then doth he now fee? His parents anfwered them and faid, We know that this is our fon, and that he was born blind: but by what means he now

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John ix. 15, &c.

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II.

"feeth, we know not; or who hath opened CHAP.. "his eyes, we know not: he is of age, afk "him, he shall speak for himself. for himself. These "words fpake his parents, because they fear

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ed the Jews: for the Jews had agreed al"ready, that if any man did confefs that " he was Christ, he should be put out of the fynagogue. Therefore faid his parents, He "is of age, afk him. Then again called they "the man that was blind, and said unto him, "Give God the praise: * we know that this

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man is a finner. He anfwered and faid, "whether he be a finner or no, I know "not: one thing I know, that whereas I

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was blind, now I fee. Then faid they to

him again, What did he to thee? how "opened he thine eyes? He answered them, "I have told you already, and ye did not "hear: wherefore would you hear it again? "will ye alfo be his difciples? Then they "reviled him, and faid, Thou art his difci

ple; but we are Mofes' difciples. We know "that God fpake unto Mofes: as for this fel"low, we know not from whence he is. "The man answered and faid unto them,

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Why, herein is a marvellous thing, that ye "know not from whence he is, and yet he "hath opened mine 'eyes. Sinc the world began was it heard, that any man open"ed the eyes of one that was born blind. If "this man were not of God, he could do nothing. They answered and faid unto him, "Thou waft al ogether born in fins, and * That is, acknowledge the truth in the presence of Ged. VOL. III.

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PART" doft thou teach us? And they caft him

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Is not this fufficient? did not the pharifees take the right way to discover the falsehood of the miracle? did they too eafily acquiefce to the depofition of the blind man? did the father and mother feem to act in concert with their fon, or to be prejudiced in behalf of Chrift? was not the repeated examination of the fon made by men in power, who were enemies to Christ, capable of making him commit fome mistake, if he had not told the truth; or even to intimidate him, and render him lefs refolute in his latter evidence, if he had not been endued with more courage than his parents? was this a just method of examining the truth without prejudice, to pronounce beforehand the fentence of excommunication against thofe, who acknowledge Chrift for the Meffiah? Was not partiality and prepoffeffion joined with the fupreme authority? and, under fuch circumstances, was it not a ftrong proof of the miracles of Jefus Chrift, that they were de-, fended before his enemies, though with the certainty of attracting their hatred and revenge?

Would the pharifees have cavilled at the circumftance of the fabbath, if they could have fapped the foundation of the miracle, or rendered it doubtful? don't they themfelves confirm it, by accufing Chrift of having wrought it on a day of rest? did

not

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