And to those who questioned his doctrines, he said, " If any man will do God's will, he shall know of the doctrine, whether it be of God, or whether I speak of myself"1:" so, to those who would approve themselves to him, he says, " If a man love me, my Father will love him ; and we will come unto him, and make our abode with him11." A docility of mind, and a readiness to follow the dictates of an enlightened conscience, are the distinguishing features of " an Israelite indeed," and shall never fail of being honoured with testimonies of his special approbation °.]
2. His dedication of himself to Christ —
[No sooner did the Lord Jesus profess himself to be the Messiah, than this man acknowledged him under that character, and paid him that " worship" which was due to him as God's only dear Son.
Now, whence had he power to do this ? Was not this faith the gift of Godp? And was not this act of adoration the fruit of the Spirit, even of the Holy Ghost " working mightily in him" as "a Spirit of grace and of supplication q?" Yes: the Lord Jesus, who had restored the organs of vision to his body, " gave light also to his soul," and enabled him to exercise these sublime graces : for we know, assuredly, that " without Christ he could have done nothing1."
And will He not do as much for us, if we manifest the same child-like spirit ? He will : he will remove all doubts from our minds, and enable us to exclaim, with Thomas, " My Lord, and my God ! "
And here let me observe, that our Lord did not decline these expressions of his adoring love. When such were offered by Cornelius to Peter s, and by John to an angel*, they were rejected instantly, as an invasion of the divine prerogative: but to Jesus they were properly offered, because he was the Son of God; and therefore he accepted them; and has thereby taught us, that all men are to " honour the Son, even as they honour the Father; and that he who honoureth not the Son, honoureth not the Father who hath sent him11."]
Behold then, I say, the rewards conferred upon the dis- position that was exercised. In an instant, as it were, this man was brought " from darkness unto light, and from the power of Satan unto God."]
Let me, in conclusion,
111 John vii. 17. n John xiv. 23. ° John i. 47.
P Acts xviii. 27. Phil. i. 29.
(i Zech. xii. 10. with John vi. 44. r John xv. 5.
s Actsx. 25, 20. l Rev. xxii. <). « John v. 23.