they had figured to themselves Christ, the expected Deliverer. And when they answered that he was the son of David; that in their opinion he was to sit on an actual throne, and lead armies, and subjugate nations by personal prowess, and the employment of physical arms and array, he asked them again, why, if such were the case, David, speaking in the spirit, had called him "my lord?" Jesus, who was himself the Christ, would lead the minds of his hearers to the conclusion, which indeed he was continually inculcating, that Christ, though descended from David, which was a matter of little consequence, was to be far superior to David in the mission he was to perform, and the kingdom he was to establish. He was to be, not the son of David, but the son of God; not in the image of David, who, with his victories, had passed away, but in "the image of the invisible God;" bringing the word of God, which was able to save the souls of men; exhibiting the eternal perfections of God in his works and life, and founding a kingdom of God in the hearts of his followers, a kingdom of truth and righteousness, which would endure when all earthly dominations were in ruins.

Many beside the Pharisees and Jews of that distant time, many in every age, have had erroneous ideas of the proper sonship of Christ. Earthly

power and worldly show have been all too closely connected with his name in the minds of his professed disciples; and the consequences have been wars and persecutions, strifes and contentions, outward display and pomp, which have disgraced Christianity, and brought anything rather than salvation to the souls of men. Let us not so learn Christ; but receiving him, not only as the son of David, but the son of God, let us conform ourselves to the likeness of that divine relationship, being "changed into the same image from glory to glory;" so that we also may be "the sons of God," and "more than conquerors through him who loved us;" that we may sit with him in his throne, even as he also overcame, and is set down with his Father on his throne."

SERMON XIX.

THE WORKS OF JESUS THE WORKS OF GOD.

IF I DO NOT THE WORKS OF MY FATHER, BELIEVE ME NOT. BUT IF I DO, THOUGH YE BELIEVE NOT ME, BELIEVE THE WORKS; THAT YE MAY KNOW, AND BELIEVE, THAT THE FATHER IS IN ME, AND I IN HIM.

John x. 37, 38.

It was at Jerusalem, during the Feast of the Dedication, that the scene occurred which gave occasion to these words, which, even considered apart from their connexion, are evidently those of argument and expostulation. The Jews, or chief men among the Jews, had gathered around Jesus, as he was walking in the temple, in Solomon's porch, and, professing to be in doubt with regard to his claims, asked him to tell them plainly whether he was the Christ. Jesus answered, that he had told them already; for that the works which he had done in his Father's name, had borne witness of him; but that they had rejected this evidence, and had not believed, because, being destitute of the right dis

positions, they were not of his sheep, who heard his

voice and followed him. continued, he was secure.

Of his own sheep, he

They could not perish,

nor could they be plucked out of his hand, for they could not be plucked out of the almighty hand of his Father, who had given them to him. Then, to enforce the idea, that to be in his hand and in his Father's hand was the same, and implied the same safety, he made the memorable declaration, "I and my Father are one.”

Whether the Jews misunderstood these words or not, in the manner in which they have since been misunderstood, they were highly offended and incensed at what they considered, or pretended to consider, the presumption of them, and took up stones to stone him. Jesus expostulated with them, saying, “Many good works have I shewed you from my Father; for which of these works do ye stone me?" To this the Jews answered, "For a good work we stone thee not; but for blasphemy; and because that thou, being a man, makest thyself God." And what was the reply of Jesus to this charge? "Jesus answered them, Is it not written in your law, I said, Ye are gods? If he called them gods, unto whom the word of God came, and the scripture cannot be broken, say ye of him, whom the Father hath sanctified and sent into the

world, Thou blasphemest, because I said, I am the Son of God?"

In this reply Jesus expressly disclaims the intention of making himself God by the words which he had used, and to which they had taken exception. He reminds them that in their own sacred and infrangible Scriptures, those persons are called gods unto whom the word of God has come; and then he puts it to them how they can consistently accuse of blasphemy him, who was sent into the world by the Father with his holy will and word, because he had said "I am the Son of God." His works bore witness that he came from God with the word of God, and therefore he might assume an equal title, at least, with those magistrates and others who were called "gods" in several places of the Old Testament, and especially in that passage of the Psalms, "I said, ye are gods." tion of Jesus before the eyes of all, how is it to be accounted for, that many theologians have quoted the words, "I and my Father are one," as a proof of the equality of the Son with the Father? Can it be that they have been dishonest, and intended to deceive? No. But it is because the Bible has been regarded by them, and by so many others, as a magazine of texts, to be quoted independently, without regard to connexion, and for the support

With this explana