LORD and SAVIOUR, JESUS CHRIST. 131 circumcifion: confider therefore, the nature of the thing, be not blinded by prejudice, be no longer attached to foolifh traditions, or fvperftitious opinions ; but make ufe of your reafon, chew yourfelves men, and judge impartially : Mofes, faid our great Redeemer, therefore gave untoyou circum- citon (not becaufe it is of Mofes, but of the fathers) ; andye on the Sabbath-day circunz- efe a man. If a man on the Sabbath-day receive circumcifion, that the law of Mofes jhouldnot be broken; are ye angry at me, becaufe Ihave made a man every whit so/sole on the. Sabbath-day ? 7udge not according to the appearance, but judge righteous judg- ment. Though the Jews could not anfwer this argument, they would not be convinced, but objeaed to Jesus being the Meffiah, becaufe they were acquainted with his pa- rents and relations : they apprehended, that when the 'Meffiah appeared, his pedi- gree and relationfhip would not be known; and they founded their opinion on a paf- fage in the prophet Ifaiah, Who 'hall declare his generation? They were full of refent- ment and malice, and force of them were de- firous that he fhould be apprehended ; but Divine Providence would not permit them to accomplifh their cruel purpofe, becaufe the time of his fufferings was not yet come. But though his enemies beheld him with rancour and contempt, yet many of the people, convinced by his miracles, affeaed by his divine difcourfes, and fatisfied with the unanfwerable reafons which he had ad- vanced in fupport of his chareaer, believed on him, and publicly in the temple af- firmed that he was the Meffiah. The evan- gelift informs us, that manyof the people believed on him, and Paid, When Chrijl cornea, will he do more miracles than thefe which this man hath done? John vii.31. The Scribes and Pharifees beheld the attachment of the common people to the Saviour of (inners, with the higheft indig- nation and contempt, and were fo pro- voked, that they could bear it no longer; and, accordingly, on the Taft andgreat day of the feaft, they met in council to con- fider on force means to prevent his grow- ing popularity : the refult of theirdelibera- tions, was a determination to apprehend him ; and, accordingly, the proper officers were difpatched from the council to arreft him, and bring him before them. While thefe things were in agitation in the coun- cil, JESUS was teaching in the temple, and he exhorted the people to give a diligent and unabating attention to his difcourfes; not only becaufe the fubjea matter of them was of the utmoft importance, but he informed them that their opportunity of hearing him would foon be over: Yet a little while, faid he, am I with you, and then I go unto hint that fent nse. Ye(hall feek me, and ye (hall not find me: and where Iam, thitherye cannot cime. Not underftanding that our Saviour al- luded tohis death, refurreEtion, and afeen- fion to the right-hand of God, whither no perfon in the body could follow him, the Jews were very much puzzled with this de- claration, and could by no means under- ftand the meaning of it: they could form no other conjeaure concerning the mean- ing of thefe words, than that our Lord de- figned to leave Judea, and go amongft the Gentiles, to preach amongft their bretheren who were difperfed in the neighbouring nations: but they were aware, that this conjeaure did not anfwer to the latter part ofour Lord's declaration ; for though he fhould go amongft the Gentiles, it would not be impoffible for them to follow him : they, therefore, in the utmoft confufion, reafoned amongft themfelves, ánd inquired, Whither will he go, that we 'hall not find him? Will hego unto the difperfed among/t the Gentiles, and teach the Gentiles? What manner offaying is this that hefaid, Ye 'hall Peek me, and'háll notfindme: and where Iant, thitherye cannot come.. While our exalted Redeemer was teach- ing in the temple, according to the annual cuftom, the water of the pool of Siloam was brought in. Part of this was drank in the temple with loud acclamations, in com- memoration
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