learly the principles upon which their judgment
proceeded. Whether he has related the matter truly or not, the relation
itself discovers the writer's own opinion of those principles: and that
alone possesses considerable authority. In the next chapter, we have a
reflection of the evangelist entirely suited to this state of the case:
"But though he had done so many miracles before them, yet believed they
not on him." (Chap. xii. 37.) The evangelist does not mean to impute the
defect of their belief to any doubt about the miracles, but to their not
perceiving, what all now sufficiently perceive, and what they would have
perceived had not their understandings been governed by strong
prejudices, the infallible attestation which the works of Jesus bore to
the truth of his pretensions.

The ninth chapter of Saint John's Gospel contains a very circumstantial
account of the cure of a blind man; a miracle submitted to all the
scrutiny and examination which a sceptic could propose. If a modern
unbeliever had drawn up the interrogatories, they could hardly have been
more critical or searching. The account contains also a very curious
conference between the Jewish rulers and the patient, in which the point
for our present notice is, their resistance of the force of the miracle,
and of the conclusion to which it led, after they had failed in
discrediting its evidence. "We know that God spake unto Moses, but as
for this fellow, we know not whence he is." That was the answer which
set their minds at rest. And by the help of much prejudice, and great
unwillingness to yield, it might do so. In the mind of the poor man
restored to sight, which was under no such bias, and felt no such
reluctance, the miracle had its natural operation. "Herein," says he,
"is a marvellous thing, that ye know not from whence he is, yet he hath
opened mine eyes. Now we know that 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 one
that was born blind. If this man were not of God, he could do nothing."
We do not find that the Jewish rulers had any other reply to make to
this defence, than that which authority is sometimes apt to make to
argument, "Dost thou teach us?"

If it shall be inquired how a turn of thought, so different from what
prevails at present, should obtain currency with the ancient Jews; the
answer is found in two opinion