II. Our duty to him under that character —
The history before us will enable us to state this to advantage. Our duty to him is,
1. To believe in him —
[At the time that Jesus abode on earth, it was generally expected that the Prophet spoken of by Moses would appear ; " the Prophet like unto Moses," who should be a Lawgiver, a Mediator, a Prophet, a Ruler, a Deliverer6. Such a prophet Jesus professed to bef: and such a prophet he was. The people who saw this miracle had no doubt of it : they said, " This is of a truth that Prophet that should come into the world." Let the same conviction be on your minds. View him as the true Messiah. Regard him in the full extent of his
character, as resembling Moses and give him, from
your inmost souls, the honour due unto his name ]
2. To become his devoted followers —
[Hear from him all that he has come to reveal : for God has said, that " Whoso will not hear that Prophet, he will require it of him." How zealous the people were in his cause, you are told in the very words following my text : " They sought to take him by force, and to make him their King." In this they erred, because they thought of him only as a temporal Prince. And therefoi'e he withdrew, and hid himself from them. But if you will, in a spiritual view, make him your King, I will venture to assure you, he will not withdraw from you, or decline the honour you would assign him. You may even come by force, the holy "violence" of faith and prayer with which " the kingdom of God is taken ;" and he will yield to your importunity, and establish his throne in your hearts. O that we could see somewhat of this ardour in the minds of those who profess to acknowledge him as their Messiah ! Let every rival be banished from your hearts
and let Jesus henceforth reign the unrestrained
governor of your souls.]
3. To look to him for all that your utmost neces- sities can require —
e Deut. xviii. 15, IS, 19. f Acts iii. 22, 23.