I. Shew what obligations we lie under to magnify and adore the Lord —
The Disciples at that time had abundant reason to praise his name —
[They had seen the miracles he had wrought, and especially that of raising Lazarus from the grave after he had been dead four days b : perhaps many of them had themselves experienced his power to heal. From what they had seen and heard, they were assured, that he was the Messiah so long promised to the worldc : and they regarded his advent as the most wonderful expression of God's favour toward their tvhole nation. Could they then keep silence? Were they to be blamed for testifying their love to this august Personage, now that they saw him in the very act of fulfilling one of the most remarkable of all the prophecies'1? When they wei-e thus highly privileged to wit- ness, what " many prophets and kings had in vain wished to see and hear," would they not have been guilty of the basest ingratitude, if they had held their peace? If Abraham leaped for joy at a distant prospect of that period, should not they much rather e ?]
But our obligations to praise him are far greater
than theirs —
[We have a far clearer knowledge of the dignity of his person. They viewed him indeed as " a great prophet ;" and on some occasions they seemed to have thought him more than human: but on the whole, they considered him as a mere man, though indeed the greatest of men. But we know him to be " God manifest in the flesh," even " God over all, blessed for everf." And shall we behold in him such adorable majesty and condescension, and yet withhold from him our tribute of praise ?
We also are far better acquainted with the ends of his mission. The Disciples supposed that he was sent to instruct them more fully in the knowledge of God's will, to deliver them from the Roman yoke, and to make them a prosperous and happy people. But we know that he came to deliver us from the yoke of sin and Satan, to reconcile us to God by the death of his cross, to teach us, not by his word only, but by his Spirit, and finally, to save us with an everlasting salvation. Are not we then bound to bless and adore his name ?
Moreover, we have a far deeper insight into the extent of his benefits. If the Disciples had seen their nation raised to uni- versal empire, and enjoying uninterrupted peace and prosperity,
b John xii. 17, 18. c ver. 38.
d Compare Zech. ix. 9. with John xii. 13 — 15. e John viii. 56.
f 1 Tim. iii. 16. Rom. ix. 5. Heb. i. 3. Col. ii. 9.