Wright - BT300 W8 1788

88 Tile NEW and co~IPLETE LIFE of our BLESSED fo fuddenly wrought, could not fail of exciting the afionifhment of the beholders; and the hol}efi: plain-hearted pan of th"e nation were incliqed to believe. But the P)larifees, who had followed him from Jerufalem with the bafdl: intentions, were filled with the mofi tonnenting envy at feeing him perform fuch furprifing mi>acles, and burning with all the rage of difap– pointed mal"ice, contrary to all the rules of reafon and the convift.ion of their own minds, impudently a>td wickedly afcribed his miracles to the power of th"e devil : an affirmation fo horrid, abominable, and defperatel) wicked, could not efcape the notice, or fail of exciting the fharp rebukes of the Son of God; who addrefung himfelf both to his enemies and the furrounding multitudes, demonfira.ted the abfurdity and impoflibility of fuch <\ eoncluw<>n from the common al!airs qf lif~. Every kingdom, faid the ble!Ted jEsus, d,ivid.ed ogainfl i!felf is brought to difola(iol' ; amd CVf'Y city m· lwufl divided ogainfl itfelf foal! not fland : and if Sa!fi-n cofl out Satan, he is divided tNJai'!JI himfelf;; l1ow tlun j/ta/.1. his king– dOinj/anr/? How fooli!h and ridiculous is it to fupp<;>f~ that the devil would aa againfl: himfelf, ~nd undermine the founda– tions of his own kingdom ' To which our great Rede<;n;>er thought fit to add, If I by Beelze/JJtb. cc;jl out devils, by whom do your ch,i(drcn cafl them out? ·ThcTejore they Jltall beyour judges. But if I cajl md devils by the Spirit qf God, then is t/,; kingdom qf God CfYnl.e unto you. You did not impute the miracles<>f your prophets to Beeh:ebub, buj received therl) on th~ evidence of thefe miracles as the me!Tengcrs of God : but ye rejeB: me, who work greater and more numerous miracles than they, a.nd impute them to the power of the devil. Is this condua confifl:ent; or is it po!Ttble to reconcile it to r~a.fon or common fenfe? Thefe prophets therefore fhalJ be your judges ; and they fl1all condemp you. But if it is true, that I ca(l out devils by the Almighty Powe~ and Spir\t of God, it follows, that the kingdom of God fo long 2 expeQed, and ardently defired, is going to be efl:ab!i!hed amongfl: you. Is not the horrid impudence of this blafphemy of yours really afl:onifhing! But, great as your crime is, it may yet be forgiven; becaufe fnller an.d more manifdl evidences . of the truth of my million, may hereafter convince you of your l\'ickednefs, and excite you to believe: and the time is com– ing, when the Son of man flrall be raifed fwm the dead, and the gift of miracles by the power of the Holy Ghofi will be befl:owed on almofl every believer. The nature of the Me!liah's kingdom will be more fully explained, and fuch proofs given, as, if attended to, will be abun– dantly fullicient to remove your prejudices, aod overcome your obflinacy and prevail– ing unbelief. But if you then fhut your eyes, and fpeak evil againfl the Holy Gho(l, contrary to the conviaion of your minds, malicioufty arcribing the miracles wrought by his power, and his extraordi– nary gifts, to proceed from the prince of d~rknefs, you have wilfully fhut your eyes agair;rfl: the light; you have dared to infult< the eternal God to his face; you have refifl:ed, wilfully rcfifl:ed, the lafl: mean~ which he will ufe to convince you, and you never will be forgiven, but fhall furely fall under the liercenrfs of his wrath, both in this world, and that which is to come .. V.lleTejorc I fay unto you, all manner of .fro and blajpherny )hall be forgiven nnto men: but the biafiJ/umy againjl the Holy Glwfl flzall not be fo•"given unto men. And who– foever fpeakell< a <Vord againjt the Son •f man, it Jltall be fm·given him : but whaJO~ everfpeaketh againj/ the Holy Ghoj/, it jlwlt not be j'o1givcn him, n<ither in this v.·o.-ld, n'ither i" the world to come. This awful and alarming denunciation; againflthe bla!phemy of the Holy Gho!t, was probably laid down by our Sa,·iour nt this time, to apprife the Pharifees oftheir danger, to awaken them to a fenfe of their ohfl:inate and envious oppofition to the– truth and make them afraid of the confequence

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