the
likeness of the old Adam, who was of the earth, earthy; of whom it is
written that--like the animals--dust he was, and unto dust he must
return; and would mould us into the likeness of the new Adam, who is the
Lord from heaven, into the likeness of which it is written, that it is
created after God's image, in righteousness and true holiness; the end of
which is not death, but everlasting life through Jesus Christ our Lord.

And so will be fulfilled in us the saying of the Psalmist; and the Lord
shall rejoice in His works: for we too, not only body and soul, but
spirit also, shall be the work of God; and God will rejoice in us, and we
in God.

SERMON XIX. SIGNS AND WONDERS.

JOHN IV. 48-50.

Then said Jesus unto him, Except ye see signs and wonders, ye will not
believe. The nobleman saith unto him, Sir, come down ere my child
die. Jesus saith unto him, Go thy way; thy son liveth.

These words of our Lord are found in the Gospel for this day. They are a
rebuke, though a gentle one. He reproved the nobleman, seemingly, for
his want of faith: but He worked the miracle, and saved the life of the
child.

We do not know enough of the circumstances of this case, to know exactly
why our Lord reproved the nobleman; and what want of faith He saw in him.
Some think that the man's fault was his mean notion of our Lord's power;
his wish that He should come down the hills to Capernaum, and see the boy
Himself, in order to cure him; whereas he ought to have known that our
Lord could cure him--as He did--at a distance, and by a mere wish, which
was no less than a command to nature, and to that universe which He had
made.

I cannot tell how this may be: but of one thing I think we may be
sure--That this saying of our Lord's is very deep, and very wide; and
applies to many people, in many times--perhaps to us in these modern
times.

We must recollect one thing--That our Lord did not put forward the mere
power of His miracles as the chief sign of His being the Son of God. Not
so: He declared His almighty power most chiefly by shewing mercy and
pity. Twice He refused to give the Scribes and Pharisees a sign from
heaven. "An evil and adulterous generation," He said, "seeketh after a
sign: but there shall be no sign given them, but the sign of the prophet
Jonas." And what was that,--but a warning to repent, and mend their
ways, ere it was too late?

Now the slightest use of our common sense must tell