John i. 18.--No MAN HATH SEEN GOD AT ANY TIME. St. John's expressions unambiguous and positive. Pre-existence of the Messiah a Jewish notion Inferiority of John the Baptist to Christ Christ the Lamb of God The death of Christ, a sacrifice The Son of God: The Son of Man; of David Notions entertained by the Jews of their Messiah. Angels entrusted with the guardianship of righteous men, 279 Expulsion of the money-changers from the temple Not so the Apostles Why many rejected Christ The conference with Nicodemus. The ordinance of baptism not temporary. In what sense Jesus came down from heaven The Messiah to be lifted up Its efficacy Christ crucified the object of our faith. John the Baptist's testimony to the exalted nature of Christ Jesus made himself equal with God And is to be worshipped equally with the Father 301' The union of the two natures in Christ a certain but The economy of the Gospel covenant revealed by The intention of the Evangelist to exhibit Jesus as the Recapitulation of the doctrines asserted in this Gospel. 330 Ye shall be witnesses unto me both in Jerusalem, and in all Judea, and in Samaria, and unto the uttermost part of the earth. SUCH were the last words which the Son of God spoke upon earth: for when he had so said, while the Apostles beheld, He was taken up, and a cloud received him out of their sight. He had just renewed to them the promise of spiritual illumination and support, and announced its speedy fulfilment; he then subjoins to the command, which he had before laid upon them, a prophetical designation of their office. He had commissioned them to teach all nations, baptizing B them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost*; he had explained to them the nature of that eternal decree of the Most High, which rendered it necessary that repentance and remission of sins should be preached in the name of Jesus Christ; and he now adds, and ye shall be witnesses unto me, both in Jerusalem, and in all Judea, and in Samaria, and unto the uttermost part of the earth. This branch of their sacred office was, in point of order, the first: for if they were to preach the Gospel to mankind, as a revelation from God; and Christ crucified, as the Saviour of the world; it was necessary that they should be witnesses, unquestionable witnesses and avouchers, to the truth of those extraordinary facts, upon which were grounded his pretensions to the character of a divine teacher, and their own authority as the interpreters of his doctrine. And this office they fulfilled in three ways; first, by preaching the Gospel, and testifying unto the men of that age, that Jesus was the Christ; secondly, by committing, or causing to be committed, to imperishable records, the history and proofs of the Gospel; and, thirdly, by giving the last attestation of sincere conviction to the Matth. xxviii. 19. |