or self-denial which we should not willingly exercise for the good of others ; yea, even to the laying down of our life for them'. Here then we see the pro^.er duty of this season : Search out the poor, the sick, and the afflicted, that you may administer to them the consolations the}' stand in need of: and especially exert yourselves to see what you can do for the souls of men — This is the work that will most assi- milate you to Christ, and will best prove the sincerity of your love to him.]
' Ch. iii. 16.
1 John iv. 14. IVe have seen, and do testfy, that the Father sent the Son to he the Saviour of the tv or Id.
WERE it announced to us that the enemies of our country were vanquished, that those who had me- naced us with utter destruction were all taken cap- tive, and that we might henceforth enjoy an honour- able and lasting peace ; our first inquiry would be, What ground is there for crediting the report ? If we were assured, that several persons, who had been present at the battle and had seen the captive ene- mies, were sent by the conqueror on purpose to make known to us the glad tidings, we should be filled with transports of joy, and congratulate one another on the glorious event. Such tidings, and thus au- thenticated, we have to declare unto you ; not in- deed in reference to an earthly enemy, but in re- ference to our great adversary, the Devil ; whom Christ, our Almighty Deliverer, has subdued. The Apostles were sent by their victorious Lord to pro- claim the news ; and they have come to us, affirming that they were eye-witnesses of the truths which they have been commiissioned to declare.
But that we may ascertain more the nature and growth of their testimony, we shall shew,
I. What evidence we have for the fact reported in the text —
It would divert us too far from our object to enter
into
2G6 1 jorix, IV. 14. [1189.
into the question of the credibihty of the Apostles ; suffice it to say, that, as they had no possible induce- ment to deceive us, so they have never, on any oc- casion, betrayed the smallest wish to deceive us. Their veracity is unimpeached, and may fully be re- lied on.
But, it may be asked. Were they themselves well- informed on the points whereof they affirm ? We an- swer, They saw the things which they attest : they did not receive them from the report of others, but were assured of them by ocular demonstration. They saw all which they affirm concerning Christ : they saw,
1. His personal glory —
[Others, even his bitterest enemies, beheld him as a man like unto themselves ; but some of his Apostles had ocu- lar proofs of Jus Godhead : they saw him transfigured on Mount Tabor, his face shining brighter than the meridian sun, and his garments all illumined by the bright effulgence of his Deity; and they heard the Father's voice from heaven attesting him to be his only, his beloved Son\ This vision was vouch- safed to them for their more perfect satisfaction : and they record the circumstance in proof, that what they reported con- cerning him they knew to be true ^]
2. His matchless perfections —
[Not they only, but his very enemies, were astonished at his wisdom, and constrained to confess, that " never man spake like him." His power and goodness v/ere alike manifest in the authority which he exercised over diseases, devils, and the very elements. Hence, on different occasions, his Disciples expressed their full conviction tl:at he v.as the promised Mes- siah, the Saviour of the world : " We believe and are sure that thou art that Christ the Son of the living God '^."J
3. His shameful death —
[His crucifixion was seen by all : but there were some circumstances attending his death, which tended to corrobo- rate the opinion wliich his Disciples had formed of him. The effusion of l)lood and water from his wounded side in two dis- tinct streams, particularly impressed them with the idea, that he died to cleanse men, not only from the guilt, but also from the