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But goes up afterwards in a private Way.

Sect. 98. the World cannot hate you (e), because it is on
Principles of carnal Wisdom that you act, and so
John VII. 7. have nothing in your Conduct that may draw upon
you any particular Oppofition; but me it bates,
not on Account of any ill Action which I have
committed, but because from a Zeal for Truth,
and a Defire of its Reformation, I bear my Testi-
mony concerning it, that its Deeds are evil.

8 Do you therefore go up to this Feast, when-
ever you please, without waiting for me; and
acquiefce in what I now tell you, that I do not
as [yet] go up to this Feast (f); for that which
I judge my most convenient Time of doing it, is
not yet fully come, nor do I need to be directed
by you in my Conduct, on such Occafions as
these.

9

hate you; but me it hateth, because I testify of it, that the Works thereof are evil.

8 Go ye up unto this Feast: I go not up yet unto this Feaft, for my Time is not yet full come.

w When he had faid thefe Words unto them, he abode still in Galilee.

ro But when his Brethren were gone up, then went he also up unto the

Now when he had said these Things unto them, he continued [still] in Galilee for a few Days longer: 10 But when his Brethren or Kindred were gone up, then be alfo himself went up to the Feast (g), not publickly with a Train of Attendants, as he Feast, not openly, but as it had often done (b), but alone, and as it were in fecret, as privately as he could.

11

were in secret.

II Then the Jews fought

The Jews therefore, not seeing him appear as usual, fought for him at the Beginning of the him at the Feast, and faid, Feast, and faid, What is become of Jesus, and

where

Where is he?

(e) The World cannot hate you.] These Words, gentle as they may appear, contain a most awful Infinuation, that these his Kinsmen were Persons governed entirely by Carnal Views, and therefore defstitute of the Love of God, and all well-grounded Hope from him.

(f) I do not yet] go up to this Feast.] The Reader may observe, that I inclose the Word [yet], which answers to 8w in the Original, in Crotchets; and the Reason is, because do indeed doubt, whether it was in the oldest Copies. And this Doubt arises, not merely from Porphyry's objecting against this, as a Falshood; (for frequent Experience has taught us, how little the Enemies of Chriftianity are to be trusted in their Representations of Scripture;) but from obferving, that Jerom, and the other most antient Fathers, who reply to that Objection, do not found their Answer, on his citing the Paflage wrong, but, as they justly might, on the Intimation our Lord gave, of his intending shortly to go to the Feast, in that Expreffion, My Time is not yet fully come. It is a glorious Testimony to the unblemished Integrity of our Lord's Character, that so cunning and inveterate an Enemy was forced to have Recourse to such mean and ridiculous Methods of afperfing it. See Dr. Mill on this Text, and Cleric. de Arte Criticâ, part. iii. pag. 232.

(g) He also went up to the Feast.] Our Lord might know of fome Circumstance of particular Danger, which might have rendered his going up at the usual Time, and with this Company, unsafe, and therefore improper.

(b) Not publickly with a Train of Attendants, &c.] I look on this, as a most certain Argument, that the Story in Luke ix. 51, 56. cannot (as most Commentators suppose,) relate to this Journey; since it is fo evident, he was then attended with a numerous Train of Fol

lowers. Compare Note (a), pag. 37.

:

(i) Where

The Jews are divided in their Sentiments about him.

:

12 And there was much murmuring among the People concerning him:

fome faid, He is a good Man: others faid, Nay, but be deceiveth the People.

13 Howbeit no

Man spake openly of him, for fear of the Jews.

W

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where is he? or what can have prevented his com- Sect. 98. ing up to the Feast (i)?

John V.II..

And there was in the mean. Time a great 12.
Murmuring among the People concerning him; for
fome faid, (as they had, from the whole Tenour
of his Life, the utmost Reason to conclude,).
Surely (k) he is an eminently pious and a good Man:
But others, under the Force of strong Prejudices,
suspected the worst, and faid, Nay, that cannot
be; but he certainly feduces the ignorant Populace,
however he comes by this Power of doing it; and
the wisest Part of Mankind must see, that he will
undoubtedly at last draw his Followers into Ruin,
as some other Impostors have lately done. (See
Acts v. 36, 37.) Thus they privately debated 13.
the Matter; bowbeit no one, that thought favour-
ably of him, Spoke his Mind with Freedom con-
cerning him (1), for fear of the Rulers among the
Jews, who were jealous of his growing Fame,
and looked with a very malignant Eye on all whọ
took any peculiar Notice of Jesus.

IMPROVEMENT.

E see how little the greatest external Advantages can do, without John vii. 5. the Divine Bleffing, when some of the nearest Relations of Chrift himself, by whom he had been most intimately known, were not prevailed upon to believe in him. Who then can, wonder, if some remain incorrigible in the most regular and pious Families? How much more valuable is, the Union to him, which is founded on a cordial and obedient Faith, than that which arose from the Bands of Nature? and how cau

tioufly

(i) Where is he? or what can have prevented his coming up to the Feast?] If our Lord' had absented himself from the two preceding Feasts, (which perhaps the Expostulations of his Brethren, ver. 3, 4. may imply,) there was yet an obvious Reason for the Surprize, which this Question exprefies;, for undoubtedly our Lord used generally to attend on these Occasions.. See Vol. i. pag. 516. Note. (b)..

(k) Surely.] It is possible, as our Translators have supposed, that the Word of here may be only an Expletive; but to me it seems probable, that it may not improperly be rendered furely, or truly, which is accordingly the Sense that I have sometimes given it. We should not, I think, unnecessarily conclude a Word to be quite infignificant in any Writer of Credit and Character, especially in the Sacred Penmen.

(1) No one, that thought favourably of him, &c.] The Reason afterwards given renders fuch a Restriction abfolutely necessary. Those that thought contemptibly of Christ, might have spoken their Minds as freely as they pleased.

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Reflections on the Treatment we may expect from the World. Sect. 98. tioufly should we watch against those carnal Prejudices, by which even ~ the Brethren of Chrift were alienated from him.i Ver. 1, 8.

Ver. 12.

.

Our Lord, we fee, used a prudent Care to avoid Persecution and Danger, till his Time was fully come; and it is our Duty to endeavour by all wife and upright Precautions to fecure and preserve ourselves, that we may have Opportunities for farther Service.

In the Course of such Service, we must expect, especially if we appear under a publick Character, to meet with a Variety of Cenfures; but let us remember, that Jesus himself went thro' evil Report, and good Report; by some applauded as a good Man; but by others, and those the greater Part of his Countrymen, condemned as deceiving the People. Let us learn of Christ patiently to endure such injurious Treatment; and endeavour to behave ourselves so, that we may have a Testimony in the Consciences of Men, and the Presence of God, that, after the Example of our great Master, in Simplicity and godly Sincerity, not with fleshly Wisdom, but by the Grace of GOD, we have our Conversation in the World: (2 Cor. i. 12.) Then will the Honour and Reward of our faithful Obedience continue, when the Memories of those that reviled us are perished with them.

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CHRIST going up privately to Jerufalem at the Feast of Tabernacles, vindicates his Conduct, and farther urges the Proofs of his Divine Mission. John VII. 14,---24.

Sect. 99. T

John VII.

14.

JOHN VII. 14.

JOHN VII. 14.

NOW about the midft of the Feast, Jesus went up into the Temple, and taught.

HUS were the Jews divided in their Sentiments about our blessed Lord, and tho' they eagerly enquired after him, yet knew not where to find him; but now in the Midst of the Feast of Tabernacles, about the third or fourth Day, Jefus went up to Jerufalem, and entered publickly into the Temple, and taught the People, who were in 15 vast Multitudes assembled there. And the Jews who heard him, were amazed, saying, How does velled, saying, How knowthis Man understand Letters (a)? or how comes

he

15 And the Jews mar

eth

(a) How does this Man understand Letters?] I see no Reason to believe, that our Lord adorned his Discourses with Quotations from, or References to, the Writers that were then most celebrated for their Learning, or shewed any extraordinary Acquifitions in History, Antiquities, &c. The Evangelists have given us no Specimen of that Kind; and it is certain, that foreign Literature was then in great Contempt among the Jews. - The Words undoubt

He preaches openly, and shews that his Doctrine is from GOD.

eth this Man Letters, having never learned ?

16 Jesus answered them, and faid, My Doctrine is not mine, but his that sent

me.

17 If any Man will do his Will, he shall know of the Doctrine, whether it be of God, or whether I speak of myself.

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he to be so well acquainted with Sacred Literature, Sect. 99.
as to be able thus expound the Scriptures, and
to apply himself to us with fuch Gracefulness and John VII.
Propriety, having never learned these Arts of Ad-
dress at any Place of publick Education ?

15.

16

Jesus answered them, and faid, There is no such Reason why you should wonder at this; for my Doctrine, or that which I now teach you, is not mine own Invention, or what I have learnt by any common Method of Enquiry; but it is entirely his that fent me, and I learned it by immediate Inspiration from him. And if you 17 defire rightly to enter into the Evidences of it, you must make it your great Care to maintain an honest and religious Temper; for if any one be resolutely determined to observe the Dictates of my Heavenly Father, and to do his Will (b), tho' ever so contrary to the Impulse of a corrupt Nature, be shall then quickly understand, whether my Doctrine be of GOD, or whether I speak it of myself; for the Evidence is plain to an honest Mind, and the Correspondence which such a truly good Man will find between the whole System of my Doctrine, and his own inward Experience, will be unto him instead of a thousand speculative Arguments. In the mean Time, you might ob- 18 serve something, even in the very Manner of my teaching, sufficient to convince you that I am no Impostor; for he that, in such a Circumstance, and with such Pretensions, speaks of himself, without any Divine Commission, will govern himself by Secular Views; and a fagacious Observer will foon fee, that he is feeking his own Glory and Interest, even under the most self-denying Forms : But he that in the whole of his Conduct shews, that.

18 He that speaketh of himself, seeketh his own Glory: but he that seeketh This

undoubtedly refer to our Lord's great Acquaintance with the Scriptures, and the judicious and masterly Manner in which he taught the People out of them, with far greater Majesty, and nobler Eloquence, than the Scribes could attain to by a learned Education. See Mark i.. 22. and Mat. vii. 29. Vol. i. pag. 299. Note (g).

(b) Be determined to do his Will] This seems to be the Import of those Words, θελη του θέλημα αυτά ποιειν. (See Sect. 22. Note (a). Vol. i. pag. 127.) - This important Passage feems an express Declaration, that every upright Man, to whom the Gospel is proposed, will fee and own the Evidence of its Divine Authority; which indeed might reasonably have: been concluded, from the awful Judgment pronounced on those, who presume to reject it.

(c), Nai

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Sect. 99.

John VII. 18.

19

20

21

his Glory that sent him, the righteousness is in him.

same is true, and no Un

They seek his Life for a Miracle wrought on the Sabbath:
that he feeks the Glory of GOD, as of him that he de-
clares to have fent him, gives great Reason to believe,
that he is true and fincere in that Declaration, and
there is no Unrighteousness or Imposture in kim (c).

But your Character is the very Reverse of
this, and you cannot but know it in your own
Confcience: For let me upon this Occasion call
you to reflect on your own Conduct, and appeal
to that: Hath not Mofes given you the Law, and
do you not eagerly contend for its Divine Origi-
nal? and yet none of you observes the Law, that
he has given you. If you deny the Charge, let me
remind you of that grand Precept, "Thou shalt

not kill," and then ask you, Wherefore do you go about to kill me, tho' an innocent and upright Person, who am come to bring you a most important Message from GOD?

This Jesus said with Reference to what he knew to be the secret Design of some of his Hearers, who were even then plotting his Destruction; but the Multitude, who were not aware of it, ignorantly and rudely answered and faid, Surely thou art poffefsfed, and distracted (d), to talk thus; dost thou not safely travel from Place to Place, and appear in our most publick Assemblies, even here at Jerufalem, and who goes about or defires to kill thee?

Jefus referring to the Design, which he knew some of them had, of renewing their Prosecution against him as a Sabbath-breaker, because he had commanded the Disabled Man at the Pool of Bethesda to carry his Bed on that Day, (compare John v. 16. Vol. i. pag. 288.) answered in the gentlest Manner, and said unto them, I have some Time

ago

19 Did not Mofes give you the Law, and yet none of you keepeth the Law ? Why go ye about to kill me?

20 The People answered

and faid, Thou hast a Devil: who goeth about to kill thee?

:

21 Jesus answered and said unto them, I have done one Work, and ye all marvel.

(c) No Unrighteousness or Imposture in him.] The Word αδικια, in this Opposition te αληθης, must signify Imposture. Yet I think it the fairest Way to translate the original Words in all their Extent, and content myself with suggesting in the Paraphrafe those Limitations, which the particular Connection requires.

(d) Thou art poffefsed, and distracted.] So some of them express it, John x. 20. He hath a Devil, and is mad: Which plainly shews, (as many have observed,) that they thought, fome of the worst Kind and Degrees of Lunacies proceeded from the Agency of some Demon; as many confiderable Greek Writers plainly did. See Bos, Exercit. pag. 41,-43. But it can never be argued from hence, that Poffeffion and Lunacy are universally Synonymous Terms. When joined together, they seem to fignify different Things; the former being put for the Cause, and the latter for the Effect.

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(e) I

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