"God heareth not sinners; but if any man be "a worshipper of God, and doeth his will, him "he heareth. Since the world began was it "not heard, that any man opened the eyes of (6 one that was born blind. If this man were "not of God, he could do nothing."* Upon more occasions than one does our Lord openly avow the design of his miracles, at the very time of working them. As in the great miracle of raising Lazarus from the dead,† he declared to his disciples, that the sickness and death of Lazarus were only permitted by heaven for the sake of that glorious proof of divine power that he was about to give. "This sickness," said he, "is not unto death, but for 66 "the *The introduction to this miracle is attended with some difficulty. "The disciples asked him, saying, "Master, who did sin, this man or his parents, that he "was born blind?" This question hath been generally supposed to imply a prepossession in favor of the doctrine of a pre-existent state of souls. But it does not seem likely, that the apostles should introduce a doctrine, of which there are no traces either in the Old or New Testament; still less likely, that our Lord should pass so singular a doctrine, without any direct answer, or refutation. There is another opinion with which the later Jews were deeply infected, and which may have left some scruples in the minds of the apostles. I mean the opinion which the Jews entertained under their captivity, and in the calamitous times that followed, that all their sufferings descended upon them from the crimes of their fathers, and were wholly unmerited on their own ↑ John xi. "the glory of God, that the Son of God might "be glorified thereby." And again, "I am "glad, for your sakes, that I was not there, to "the intent ye may believe." Nay, to remove all doubt, as to the intention of the miracle, immediately before the powerful word was pronounced, which the dead man heard in his tomb and came forth, he declared before all the people," Because of the people which "stand by I said it, that they may believe that "thou hast sent me. "" The effect was answer able, part. This opinion it was that drew from the pen of Ezekiel that severe remonstrance and animated vindication of the ways of providence, contained in the eighteenth chapter of his prophecy. Some remains of this opinion may still have possessed the minds of the apostles, full as they were at that time of all Jewish prejudices. They fancied they saw in the man born blind a case that could not be accounted for but by supposing him to suffer for a parent's guilt. "Master, who did "sin, this man or his parents, that he was born blind?” The question they thought admitted but of one reply. "The crime must precede the punishment. The "punishment in this case commences before there could "be any personal guilt in the sufferer. It must there"fore descend from the parent's sin." But our Lord showed them, that the case admitted of a very different solution. Jesus answered, “Neither hath this man "sinned, nor his parents; but that the works of God "should be made manifest in him." "Suffering is not "in this instance the effect of sin. This is a peculiar case; an exception from the ordinary course of God's " providence This private calamity is permitted for "a public good; to give me an opportunity of dis"playing to the world that divine power by which I "act." able, "for many of the Jews which came to "Mary, and had seen the things which Jesus did, believed on him." Nay, the Jewish council themselves, blinded as they were, could not help seeing the natural consequence of miracles like these, and were greatly alarmed. "What do we," said they in deep deliberation amongst themselves, " for this man doeth ma ny miracles. If we let him thus alone, all "men will believe on him." And again, "The chief priests consulted that they might put Lazarus also to death, because that by reason of him, many of the Jews went away, "and believed on Jesus." To carry on the same design it was that our Lord appointed his Apostles. *" And ye also "shall bear witness," said he, "because ye "have been with me from the beginning." His parting words, just before his ascension, again reminded them of this end of their institution. "Ye shall be witnesses unto me, both "in Jerusalem, and in all Judea, and in Sama"ria, and unto the uttermost part of the earth." And thus from heaven he declares his commission to St. Paul: "I have appeared unto thee "for this purpose, to make thee a minister and "a witness both of those things which thou "hast seen, and of those things in the which "I will appear unto thee." The apostles upon all occasions claim to themselves the character of witnesses. Matthias was chosen into the number of the apos *John xv. 27. †Acts i. 1. Acts xxvi. 16, tles, that he might be *" a witness with them" of the resurrection of Jesus. This was their declaration before the council of the Jews: "We are his witnesses of these things; and so is also the Holy Ghost, whom God hath given to them that obey him." When Peter unfolds the gospel to Cornelius, he tells him " We are witnesses of all things which he did both in the land of the Jews, and in Jerusalem." And then he continues: "Him God raised up the third day, and "shewed him openly, not to all the people, but "unto witnesses chosen before of God, even "to us." To the same purpose Paul speaks in the synagogue at Antioch. "He was seen many days of them which came up with him " from Galilee to Jerusalem, who are his wit"nesses unto the people." And of himself he says, "Having therefore obtained help of "God, I continue unto this day witnessing "both to small and great." We find this character of witnesses sustained not only by the declarations of the apostles, but by their practice. It was by the power of evidence that they undertook the conversion of the world. "With great power gave the "apostles witness of the resurrection of Je"sus." This is manifest throughout the whole course of their ministry; from the first effu *Acts i. 22. + Acts v. 32. sion of the Holy Ghost, through all the history of their private and separate labors. It was from the visible effects of that power from on high shed forth on the apostles at the feast of Pentecost, that St. Peter drew this conclusion; *" Therefore, let all the house "of Israel know assuredly, that God hath "made that same Jesus whom ye have cruci"fied, both Lord and Christ." By the force of this evidence, explained and urged home by the apostle, three thousand souls were converted. By the next † public miracle of healing the lame man at the gate of the temple, the number of converts was increased to five thousand. It was in consequence of many signs and wonders wrought by the hands of the apostles, that "believers were the more added "to the Lord, multitudes both of men and 66 women." If we attend still farther the progress of the word of God, and behold " the number of "the disciples multiplying in Jerusalem great"ly, and a great company of priests obedient "to the faith :" we see at the same time "Ste "phen full of faith and power, doing great "wonders and miracles among the people." When the disciples, providentially " scatter"ed abroad" by the first persecution at Jerusalem, "went every where preaching the "word," along with the word they carried its *Acts ii. 36. † Acts iii. 4. |