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happened it, I fay, that they were filent with re- Chapter Verfe spect to this business? But however negligent, however improbable it may seem; so it is not a word do they fay upon this interefting, this wonderful, this fupernatural fubject the Afcenfion. John only records the particular difbelief of Thomas with respect to the refurrection: Jefus, though introduced as a spirit, convinced him that he was corporeally rifen from the dead ;-and then faid-Thomas, because thou haft feen me, xx. ⚫ thou haft believed: bleffed are they that have not feen and yet have believed.' John goes onAnd many other figns truly did Jefus in the prefence of his difciples, which are not written in this book. But these things are written, that ye might believe that Jefus is the Chrift the Son of God; and that believing ye might

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have life through his name.' This has the appearance of a conclufion: As fuch it is much fuperior to any we find in the evangelic histories; and particularly fo with refpect to that which is faid to be John's, viz. And there were also xxi. many other things which Jefus did, the which if they fhould be written every one, I fuppofe that even the world itself could not contain the • books that should be written. Amen.' I will fuppofe, and for the honor of St. John, I hope, this conclufion was not written by him. I am inclined to think the whole chapter was added by fome weak, though poffibly well meaning brother,

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after John's death; and that this very death gave birth to it. My reafons are-In v. 23, it is faid- Then went this faying abroad among the brethren that that difciple (John) should not die yet Jefus faid not unto him, he fhall not die: but, if I will that he tarry till I come, what is that to thee?' This statement of the matter, leads to a fuppofition that the opinion was taken up at that time; but I am of opinion it had an carlier date. Jefus (Matthew ch. xvi, v. 28) fays to his difciples Verily I fay unto you, there be ⚫ fome standing here,which fhall not tafte of death, till they fee the Son of Man coming in his kingdom*. (Mark and Luke record this faying, nearly in the fame words.) We find John, throughout the gofpel diftinguished as the beloved difciple: we may therefore reasonably conclude, that the other difciples would naturally fuppofe that he was so distinguished here. John's longevity probably strengthened this opinion, and occafioned its becoming general among the converts; till it was proved erroneous, by his death. A weak brother thinking this circumstance did, or might, reflect fome difgrace upon the church, and anxious to remove or prevent it; is not very fcrupulous as to the means. Perhaps too he had read, what was too generally taught in those days; that to promote a good caufe, lying, and * Vide page 52.

deceit were not only allowable, but praife-worthy. Chapter Verse So influenced and fo encouraged, the mode was not at all extraordinary. Forgeries, in the first, fecond, and third centuries were common: New gofpels were compofed, and fathered upon old faints. Peter, Thomas, Matthias, Bartholomew, and Philip, had each one: Thadeus, and Barnabus were not forgotten: Nay even Judas had his fhare of the honor. Peter, Thomas, Stephen, and Paul, had their revelations too; but none of them had the good fortune to be canonized with John's. Liturgies, acts, memoirs, and epiftles, flew about like paper kites; were, for a time, the admiration of the ignorant, and then thrown by as ufeless lumber, or applied to the dirtieft ufes.

It now remains to notice fome things peculiar to St. John's Gofpel. Such is the very outfet "In the beginning was the Word, and the Word i.

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was with God, and the Word was God. The 'fame was in the beginning with God. All things

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were made by him; and without him was not any thing made that was made. In him was

life, and the life was the light of men. And the light fhineth in darkness; and the darkness 'comprehended it not. There was a man fent 'from God whofe name was John, The fame came for a witness, to bare witness of the light,

'that all men through him might believe. He was

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not that light, but was fent to bear witness of that light. That was the true light which

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Chapter Verfe lighteth

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lighteth every man that cometh into the world. 'He was in the world, and the world was made by him, and the world knew him not. He came unto his own, and his own received him not. But as many as received him; to them gave he power to become the Sons of God, even to them that believe on his name: Which were born not of blood nor of the will of the flesh, nor of the will of man, but of God. And the Word was 'made flesh, and dwelt among us, and we

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beheld his glory. The glory as of the only

begotten of his Father, full of grace and truth. John bare witnefs of him, and cried, faying, • This was he of whom I fpake; He that cometh after me is preferred before me; for he was 'before me. And of his fullnefs have all we re

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ceived, and grace for grace. For the law was given by Mofes; but grace and truth came by Fefus Chrift. No man bath feen God at any time: The only begotten Son, which is in the bofom of the Father, he hath declared him.' This enthusiaftic rhapsody, was taken for infpiration, by the wife fathers, or at least they endeavoured to impose it as fuch upon their wife followers but of this, 1 more hereafter. The Word was with God, and the Word was God. The fame was in the beginning with God.' Jefus was not God; he 5 was God and yet he was not God. He was the light of men, which fhined in darkness; but as the darkness comprehended it not, it might as well not have fhined in darkness at all. But we

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Chapter Verfe

are told, John was fent from God, to bear witness i. of that light, before it came, I apprehend that all men through him might believe-when it did come-that he was the true light which lighteth every man that cometh into the world. If it lighteth every man that cometh into the world; a witness was unneceffary. If it lighteth every man that cometh into the world; how happened it that fo many men believed not when that light was come into the world?-If, in answer to this, you fayJohn means every man that came into the world af

ter the death of Jefus and the publication of his doctrine: I ask-Why then are not all men Chrif

tians? He came unto his own; and his own received him not. How then were they his own? But as many as received him, to them gave he power to become the fons of God. Even unto them that believe on his name: which were born not of blood, nor of the will of the flesh, nor of the will of man; but of God. That isthose who were elected by God, to be his fons ; were impowered by Jefus to become fuch-pro'vided they believed that he was the Christ.

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Excellent. And of his fullness have all we received, (Who does he mean by all we?) and grace for grace. For the law was given by

Mofes; but grace and truth came by Jefus

Christ. (It seem then, according to St. John, the Jews, before this, had neither grace nor • truth. Their Prophets were nearly of that

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