Mosaic offerings distinctly recognized; but the Lord Jesus Christ was made known as fulfilling in his own person what had been so long shadowed forth in the daily sacrifices. Thus did he "give the knowledge of salvation to the people for the remission of their sins:" a knowledge which pre-eminently exalted John above all the prophets that had gone before him1.] 2. The ardour of his zeal [The first thirty years of his life he spent in retirement, and in the closest walk with God. And, when he entered on his office as the Messiah's harbinger, he came in the most self-denying way, "having his raiment of camel's hair, and a leathern girdle about his loins; whilst his meat was locusts and wild honey"." As to the manner in which he executed his office, nothing could exceed his fidelity. To all persons, of whatever rank, he preached with undaunted boldness; and declared, as far as he was able, the whole counsel of God. When many of the Pharisees and Sadducees came to his baptism, he, well knowing their hypocrisy, addressed them in these animated and pungent strains: "O generation of vipers, who hath warned you to flee from the wrath to come? Bring forth, therefore, fruits meet for repentance. And think not to say within yourselves, We have Abraham to our father: for I say unto you, that God is able of these stones to raise up children unto Abraham. And now also the axe is laid unto the root of the trees: therefore every tree which bringeth not forth good fruit is hewn down, and cast into the fire h." Even before Herod himself did he manifest the same undaunted courage; telling him plainly, that "it was not lawful for him to live in an incestuous commerce with his brother Philip's wife;" and exhorting him without delay to put her away. He well knew at what peril he exercised this fidelity: but no personal consideration could induce him to withhold, or modify, this salutary counsel. Herein, then, he approved himself to be a prophet indeed, and rendered himself a pattern for ministers in all ages.] 3. The holiness of his life ["He was filled with the Holy Ghost, even from his mother's womb." And so holily did he demean himself, that Herod could not but reverence and stand in awe of him, and, in many instances, comply with his admonitions'. In the whole of his ministrations his attention was particularly turned to the advancement of practical religion; enforcing upon all • Luke i. 76, 77. 1 Mark vi. 20. f Luke vii. 26-28. g Matt. iii. 4. k Luke i. 15. those peculiar duties which their situation called for, or which their peculiar circumstances tempted them to neglect. Those who were under good impressions from his ministry, consulted him, as might be expected, what they should do in order to evince the efficacy of the principles they had imbibed from him. "When some asked him, What shall we do? He answered, He that hath two coats, let him impart to him that hath none and he that hath meat, let him do likewise." When publicans (i. e. tax-gatherers) made the same inquiry, to them he said, "Exact no more than that which is appointed you." And when soldiers requested the same information, he said, "Do violence to no man, neither accuse any falsely; and be content with your wages m.' Thus he shewed how anxious he was that all should bring religion into their daily practice; not suffering it to evaporate in mere sentiments and professions, but carrying it into effect, in the whole of their life and conversation.] Having thus set before you the character of this blessed man, I will, II. Commend it to your imitation— Far, very far, in general, are men from admiring such a character as this [By many, even of this holy man it was said, "He hath a devil." The Rulers and Pharisees rejected his counsel altogether, and would not submit to his baptism"." And though many were well affected towards him, and "rejoiced in his light, they rejoiced in it only for a season:" and at last he fell a sacrifice to his fidelity. Thus, at this time, if a man were to resemble him, he would find but little acceptance with an ungodly world. In fact, he would by many be thought to be more under the influence of demoniacal delusion than of sound reason and solid piety. His deadness to the world would be regarded as most contemptible fanaticism, and his faithfulness in reproving sin would be condemned as most insufferable presumption.] Nevertheless, I cannot but earnestly commend his character to the imitation of you all [From ministers in particular his example demands the most respectful attention. Certainly the same degree of austerity that he practised is not necessary now. Our Lord has shewn, that under this new dispensation a greater measure of liberty is allowed, provided we be duly careful that in no instance it degenerate into licentiousness. But with respect to an entire m Luke iii. 10-14. n Luke vii. 30. devotion of the soul to God, and a faithful discharge of our ministry, there is to be no difference between us and John: we must be as faithful in our ministrations, and as holy in our lives, as he But to Christians of every class is this bright example applicable. Every follower of Christ is called to be a "light in the world"," yea, "a burning and a shining light." His soul, inflamed with fire from heaven, should burn with holy love; nor should the fire, once kindled on the altar of his heart, ever be suffered to go out. To all around him he should "hold forth the word of life;" and so 66 cause his light to shine before men, that all who behold it may be constrained to glorify their Father who is in heaven" ADDRESS --] 1. Be" willing, then, to rejoice in his light"— [Surely such a ministry as his, so instructive, so faithful, so convincing, is an unspeakable blessing to every one that enjoys it. And such a ministry we have, not in him only, but the holy Apostles, yea, and in multitudes of the present day. Shew, then, that you duly appreciate the labours of these men; and "be followers of them, as they are of Christ"———] 2. Let your joy in that light be both abiding and progressive [Of the myriads who were impressed by the ministry of John, there were very, very few who became steadfast in the faith. All the Disciples of John, and Jesus, and his twelve Apostles, and his seventy Disciples, amounted to no more than five hundred, after the ascension of our Lord. The great mass of those who appeared hopeful, were turned aside by fear, or by the vanities of this sinful world. Be on your guard then, brethren, against every thing that may produce this sad effect on you and beg of God that your "path may be like the shining light, which shineth more and more unto the perfect day."] o Matt. v. 14. P Lev. vi. 12. a Phil. ii. 15, 16. r Matt. v. 16. MDCXXX. CHRIST'S APPEAL TO THE SCRIPTURES. John v. 39. Search the Scriptures; for in them ye think ye have eternal life: and they are they which testify of me. WHEN our Lord professed himself to be the promised Messiah, and claimed an authority equal to that of Almighty God, it was necessary that he should bring abundant evidence of his Divine mission, and prove, by testimonies of the most unquestionable kind, his title to the honour he assumed. Nor was he backward to give all the proof which the occasion required. He appealed to the testimony of John the Baptist, whom the whole Jewish nation considered as a prophet, and whose testimony therefore ought to have great weight with them. He appealed also to his own miracles, which were so great and numerous as to be in themselves an indubitable evidence that God was with him. He further appealed to the testimony which his heavenly Father also had given to him at his baptism, both by an audible voice from heaven, and by the visible descent of the Holy Spirit upon him. Lastly, he appealed to the Holy Scriptures, which the Jews themselves received as the word of God, and which bore testimony to him; even such testimony as would be found to agree exactly with his person and character in every respect. As these had existed for centuries, and might be compared with all that he had either done or taught, their testimony must be unexceptionable, and must carry conviction to every mind. From the words before us we shall be led to notice, I. The transcendent excellency of the Holy Scrip tures Two things are here spoken respecting them: 1. They reveal unto us eternal life [Reason never could suffice for discovering the immortality of the soul. Philosophy never enabled any man so to establish the certainty of a future state, as to render it an article of general belief, or to produce any considerable influence on the minds of those around him. Many have reasoned well upon the subject, and spoken what approximated to the truth: but they never could with certainty affirm a future state of rewards and punishments; much less could they tell us how to avoid the one, and obtain the other. But the Scriptures have drawn aside the veil and shewn us that this present world is introductory to another, in which men shall exist to all eternity. The Old Testament, it is true, speaks but darkly on this point: yet was it sufficiently clear to impress the Jewish nation at large with a persuasion that both the souls and bodies of men should live in a future state of existence. The Sadducees, who were the free-thinkers of the day, were exceptions to the general rule. The national creed in these respects accorded with what was more fully revealed under the Christian dispensation. By the Gospel, life and immortality have been fully brought to light;" yea, and the way of salvation been clearly revealed: so that we who live under its benign influence, do not merely think, but know, that there is for those who believe in Christ, a salvation treasured up, a "salvation with eternal glory." In 66 this respect therefore a very child amongst us is better instructed than all the wisest philosophers of Greece and Rome.] 2. They testify of Christ Jesus our Lord ["The testimony of Christ," we are told," was the spirit of prophecy" from first to last. The testimony which the Scriptures have borne to Christ is clear; not like the ambiguous answers of heathen oracles, which were so formed, as to be, without any great difficulty, accommodated to any event; but clear and precise, and incapable of any other interpretation than that which, upon the very face of it, it professed. Take, for instance, the prophecy relating to the time and place of our Saviour's birth; and it was as much understood before his advent as afterwards, even by those who had not the grace to welcome his arrival. It was also copious, so that no one thing which could by any means be desired to designate the Messiah's advent, was omitted. His person, his work, his offices were all described and shadowed forth: the nature of his salvation was fully delineated, and the extent of his kingdom declared. Nothing was left for any reasonable man to desire either for the rectifying of his views, or the ascertaining that those views were correct. It was in the highest possible degree convincing. The prophecies concerning him were so minute that they could never have entered into the mind of an uninspired man, nor could by any possibility have been accomplished by any contrivance or conspiracy of men. Though a Jew, our Lord Jesus was to die, not a Jewish, but a Roman death, the death of the Yet in his crucifixion he was not to suffer all that was usually associated with that punishment; for "not a bone of him was to be broken." On the other hand, there were to be inflicted on him indignities, never associated with that punishment in other instances; he was to be scourged before his crucifixion, and to be pierced to the heart with a spear after it. The very taunts with which he was to be insulted on the cross were accurately and literally foretold; as was also the cruelty in offering him vinegar in the midst of all his torments. The division of one of his garments, and the casting of lots upon the other, were among the circumstances which no human being could cross. |