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whole, if their hearts are not bent towards the place of God's worship.

than we

Sin made this man a cripple, and in more ways think of, it plagues us. But for what end does Christ loose us from the bonds of sin, by bestowing upon us forgiveness? Hear it from his own mouth, and let the heavenly instruction sink deep into our souls, if we would not lose his mercy for ever. It is that we may sin no more; that is, live in no known sin.

15. The man departed, and told the Jews that it was Jesus which had made him whole.

He was not afraid to do it: his cure made him speak. It is happy for us when we confess Jesus from our own experience.

16. And therefore did the Jews persecute Jesus, and sought to slay him, because he had done these things on the sabbath-day.

Sabbath-breaking was death: but this charge against Jesus was only a cover for a persecuting spirit. They never stayed to inquire whether Jesus had broken the sabbath, or not.

17. But Jesus answered them, My Father worketh hitherto, and I work.

The law of the sabbath is no law to God; and especially, no bar to the continual work of the Father, and the Son, in governing, blessing, and saving mankind. Christ, therefore, instead of directly answering the accusation, takes occasion from it to tell them who, and what he was.

18. Therefore the Jews sought the more to kill him, because he not only had broken the sabbath, but said also that God was his Father, making himself equal with God.

In what follows, Jesus does not deny this. If the Jews had been mistaken in their inference, he would certainly have told them of their error. The Son of God is as trul

God, as the son of man is man.

19. Then answered Jesus, and said unto them, Verily, verily, I

say unto you, The Son can do nothing of himself, but what he seeth the Father do: for what things soever he doeth, these also doeth the Son likewise.

Jesus declares that he is intimately united to God the Father, and entirely one with him in all he does. Who could, with truth, make these declarations, or what follows, but God?

20. For the Father loveth the Son, and sheweth him all things that himself doeth : and he will shew him greater works than these, that ye may marvel.

He would show them greater works than such as healing the lame man, even those of restoring the dead to life, as Lazarus and others. Yea, he would raise dead souls to life, and the dead bodies of all at the last day, and would display his power in judging them. He would display in a little time such specimens of his divine power, that they might so wonder, as to be converted.

SECTION XXI.

Chap. v. ver. 21—31.

JESUS SHOWS HIS DIVINITY.

21. For as the Father raiseth up the dead, and quickeneth them; even so the Son quickeneth whom he will.

Christ quickeneth in every sense; to bodily, spiritual, and eternal life. He is still asserting his divinity.

22. For the Father judgeth no man; but hath committed all judgment unto the Son:

Judgment is the essential prerogative of the Godhead.

23. That all men should honour the Son, even as they honour the Father. He that honoureth not the Son, honoureth not the Father which hath sent him.

God the Father would have all men know with what authority the Son is invested, that they might honour him, as they do honour the Father. He that honoureth not the Son, as the Son of God, as God, as sent to quicken, redeem, and save mankind, "honoureth not the Father who hath sent him." Whoever thinks he does, deceives himself. How can he, who denies the wisdom, resists the will, and despises the grace of the Father, in thmissi on of the Son?

24. Verily, verily, I say unto you. He that heareth my word, and believeth on him that sent me, hath everlasting life, and shall not come into condemnation: but is passed from death unto life.

He that believes in the Father, as sending Christ. What constitutes a believer? Answer, Hearing Christ's word, and receiving what he teaches of God, with undisputing simplicity. This is his nature and character; his blessedness follows. He hath everlasting life: a right to it by the promise of God; and he hath it already begun in him, by a new birth of the Holy Spirit. "And shall not come into condemnation; but is passed from death unto life." Hence we infer that we are in a state of death at the first, and can only know a passing from it by faith in Christ.

25. Verily, verily, I say unto you, The hour is coming, and now is, when the dead shall hear the voice of the Son of God: and they that hear shall live.

If the words "now is," are to be strictly taken, the passage must be understood of a resurrection to a spiritual life; in which Christ is the agent, namely, as sending the Holy Spirit and it is a farther proof of his Godhead. This cannot be the power of a creature. Now is the time for us to hear, and if we do not, we continue in a state of death and condemnation.

26. For as the Father hath life in himself; so hath he given to the Son to have life in himself.

That is, life in himself essentially; and therefore a power of communicating it, which no creature can, having only a derivative, borrowed life of its own.

27. And hath given him authority to execute judgment also, because he is the Son of man.

Christ took our nature upon him, and therefore had experience in himself of our temptations, and infirmities. There is both comfort and terror in this. None will be condemned, whose case will admit of favour; and none will have any excuse left, who are condemned by "the Son of man."

28. Marvel not at this: for the hour is coming, in the which all that are in the graves shall hear his voice,

I suppose the stress is to be laid upon the pronoun his. He it is, who, by his all-powerful voice shall quicken all the countless millions of the dead.

29. And shall come forth; they that have done good, unto the resurrection of life; and they that have done evil, unto the resurrection of damnation.

This needs nothing but application. Let us think daily, under the impression of this awful truth; and ask ourselves, what are we doing in the world? And let us remember who it is, from whom we have life, or the will and power to believe and be saved. What person is there, who considers the wickedness of some, and the dead carelessness of others, who would think there was such a text in the Bible?

30. I can of mine own self do nothing: as I hear, I judge: and my judgment is just; because I seek not mine own will, but the will of the Father which hath sent me.

I can do nothing, as distinct from the Father, but all I do is in union with him, and whatever I do he does; and therefore what pretence can you have for condemning me for what I have done?

31. If I bear witness of myself, my witness is not true.

Christ means, that though it was true in itself, it could not be admitted, being single. Christ did not expect to be received in his own word only, and therefore appeals to farther proof.

SECTION XXII.

Chap. v. ver. 32—47.

CHRIST'S TESTIMONY OF JOHN.

32. There is another that beareth witness of me; and I know that the witness which he witnesseth of me is true.

That other person who bears witness of Christ, is the Father. ver. 37.

33. Ye sent unto John, and he bare witness unto the truth. 34. But I receive not testimony from man: but these things I say, that ye might be saved.

Jesus says, I do not rest the proof of my being sent of God upon any human testimony. The end for which he said these things is our salvation: why then will we not let him save us? Why do we not lay what he said and did more to heart? It is plain he intended a particular regard should be paid to what he had been saying of his power and Godhead.

35. He was a burning and a shining light; and ye were willing for a season to rejoice in his light.

This reproof strikes many. Nothing is true work but lasting work.

36. But I have greater witness than that of John for the works which the Father hath given me to finish, the same works that I do, bear witness of ine, that the Father hath sent me.

Let us adhere to this, against the world. Nicodemus was certainly in the right, when he argued, that no man could do such works, except God be with him.

37. And the Father himself, which hath sent me, hath borne witness of me. Ye have neither heard his voice at any time, nor seen his shape.

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