resurrection and the life: whosoever believeth in me, though he were dead, yet shall he live; and whosoever believeth in me, shall never die. Believest thou this?" Thus making that clear to her, which before was visible, but indistinctly visible: thus enlightening the mind of Martha, as he opened the eyes of this blind man.

25. After that he put his hands again upon his eyes, and made him look up: and he was restored, and saw every man clearly.

26. And he sent him away to his house, saying, Neither go into the town, nor tell it to any in the town.

There was good hope of this complete restoration, when light was once let in upon the sight of this man. And so there is hope of a more mature and effective knowledge, when a man's mind has been once turned towards the concerns of the soul. It is a sign that the Spirit of God has touched him; touched the eyes of his mind. He may for a while have very obscure views of much that ought to be clearly understood: in "the redemption that is in Christ Jesus," and in the counsels of God as revealed in the gospel, there may be much that he does not properly discern. So it was with the apostles themselves to whom our Lord remarked, "I have many things to say unto you, but ye cannot bear them now." But let him persevere under the same teaching, and in the end he shall see things distinctly: shall see that this world is a passage to eternity; see that Christ is the door of heaven; see that faith in him, is the key that opens it; see that holiness is

6 John xvi. 12.

the road along which he must walk, that he may be admitted into the kingdom of God at last.

This is to look up to be restored to that state which Adam lost: to see every thing clearly. When this is perceived, "the eye is single, and the whole body shall be full of light."

But the man must persevere, and not be satisfied till he has this clear vision of truth. Had the blind man left his benefactor, whilst he saw men as trees; had he been contented with this imperfect use of sight, and withdrawn himself from Jesus, he would have gained little. To the power of seeing at all, the power of seeing distinctly must be added. So it should be in religion. We must "add to our faith, knowledge." St. Faul insists on this; exhorts the Hebrew Christians, "leaving the principles of the doctrine of Christ, to go on unto perfection." " He reproves them, for remaining too long in this elementary state, and not "giving all diligence" to understand the whole counsel of God, and " by reason of use to have their senses exercised." must strive to know clearly the whole " mystery of godliness," except that "which passeth knowledge," the extent of Christ's love in man's redemption. We must desire to see everything clearly, except that which mortal eye hath neither seen, nor can see;—the greatness of "the glory that shall be revealed," the good things which God hath laid up for them that love him.

7 Heb. v. 14.

We

LECTURE XLVIII.

PETER REBUKED.

MARK Viii. 27-33.

27. And Jesus went out, and his disciples, into the towns of Cesarea Philippi: and by the way he asked his disciples, saying unto them, Whom do men say that I am?

28. And they answered, John the Baptist: but some say, Elias; and others, one of the prophets.

29. And he saith unto them, But whom say ye that I am? And Peter answereth and saith unto him, Thou art the Christ.

30. And he charged them that they should tell no man of him.

These various opinions concerning Jesus were spread abroad among the Jewish people. One had appeared, who taught in a manner unlike that to which they had been accustomed; and whose words of authority were confirmed by his works of power. John the Baptist also had taught with authority; and some supposed that he had been raised from the dead. "But John did no miracle: this man wrought many miracles." Others referred to the words of Malachi, "Behold, I will send you Elijah the prophet before the coming of the great and dreadful day of

1 John x. 41.

2

the Lord." Others said, One of the prophets has appeared again. "A great prophet is come into the world." 3

66

And why was not this prophet the Messiah, "he who should come?" He of whom Moses and the prophets had written, he who should fulfil "the promises made unto the fathers," and in whom "all the nations of the earth should be blessed?" Because he came out of Galilee, a despised country; because he came not with observation;" because he was "meek and lowly," not triumphant and a conqueror; because his "conversation was in heaven," his "kingdom not of this world." But to the disciples it had been given to discern the truth; and in their name Peter declares, Thou art the Christ. The veil had been removed from their eyes. Much indeed remained, which at present they could not unravel. The expectation still dwelt upon their minds, that he should "redeem Israel" from temporal as well as spiritual bondage. They had grown up with the idea that the Messiah should be an earthly prince, and that the throne on which he should sit, should be an earthly throne like that of David. But this they knew and were sure of, that Jesus was the "Christ, the Son of the living God," who "had the words of eternal life." +

The time was not come when this was to be generally declared. The work which Jesus had undertaken, the "giving his life a ransom," must be brought about as had been foreseen in "the determinate counsel of God;" and not by that tumult 3 Luke ix. 19. Matt. xvi. 16; John vi. 66.

2 Mal. v. 5.

which might have been excited, if the people had "come by force and made him a king;" and if the rulers on the one hand, and the multitude on the other, had been engaged in supporting or opposing him. So that he charged the disciples, as on other occasions, that they should tell no man of him: not proclaim him publicly as the Messiah: but leave those who saw his miracles and heard his words to judge from their own eyes and ears, and receive an impression which should be hereafter confirmed, when all that the prophets had written had been fulfilled.

We soon perceive that the disciples themselves were little prepared to receive a suffering and not a reigning Messiah; one who was to be "despised and rejected of men; a man of sorrows; smitten of God, and afflicted." 6

31. And he began to teach them, that the Son of man must suffer many things, and be rejected of the elders, and of the chief priests, and scribes, and be killed, and after three days rise again.

32. And he spake that saying openly. And Peter took him, and began to rebuke him.

33. But when he had turned about and looked on his disciples, he rebuked Peter, saying, Get thee behind me, Satan : for thou savourest not the things that be of God, but the things that be of men.

The same rebuke had been used, when the tempter in a very different spirit from that of Peter, proposed that the Lord should "fall down and worship him."7 "Get thee hence, Satan," was the re

5 John vi. 15.

6 Isa. liii. 1-4.

'Matt. iv. 9, 10. R