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SECTION I.

JOHN i. 1-18.

In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. The same was in the beginning with God. All things 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 shineth in darkness; and the darkness comprehended it not.

There was a man sent from God, whose name was John. The same came for a witness, to bear witness of the light, that all men through him might believe. He was not that light, but was sent to bear witness of that light. That was the true light, which 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 beheld his glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the Father,) full of grace and truth. John bare witness of him and cried, saying, This was he of whom I spake, He that cometh after me is preferred before me; for he was before me. And of his fulness have all we received, and grace for grace. For the law was given by Moses, but grace and truth came by Jesus Christ.

No man hath seen God at any time; the only begotten Son, which is in the bosom of the Father, he hath declared him.

Justly hath our Redeemer said, Blessed is the man that is not offended in me; and we may peculiarly apply the words to that great and glorious doctrine of the deity of Christ, which is here before us. A thousand high and curious thoughts will naturally arise in our corrupt hearts on this view of it; but may Divine Grace subdue them all to the obedience of an humble faith; so that, with Thomas, we may each of us fall down at his feet, and cry out with sincere and unreserved devotion, My Lord and my God!

Let us adore him as the Creator and Preserver of all, the overflowing fountain of light and life. Let us with unutterable pleasure hail this Sun of righteousness, whose rays by the tender mercies of the Father, have visited our benighted world to guide our feet into the way of peace; and while we lament that the darkness hath not apprehended and received him, let us earnestly pray that he may ere long penetrate every cloud of ignorance and mist of error, and may diffuse among all the nations knowledge and grace, purity and joy. Let us especially pray that he may penetrate our beclouded souls ; and that they may, in holy correspondence to the purposes of his appearing, be turned as clay to the seal. Job xxxviii. 14.-The world knew him not; but may we know him, and give him that honourable and grateful reception which so great a favour may justly demand!-Yet what returns can be proportionable to his condescension in becoming flesh for us, and pitching his tabernacle among miserable and sinful mortals?-Happy apostles that beheld his glory! And surely there are in his word such reflections of it as we may also behold, and as will oblige us to acknowledge it to be a glory that became the Only-begotten of the Father.

Let us cordially receive him as full of grace and truth, that we also may stand entitled to the privileges of God's children. And if we are already of that happy number, let us not arrogate the glory of it to ourselves, or ascribe it entirely to those who have been the instruments of this important change; but remember that of his own will God hath begotten us by the word of his power, and that of him we are of Christ Jesus; to him then let us refer the ultimate praise, if that divine and almighty Saviour be made unto us wisdom and righteousness and sanctification and redemption. 1 Cor. i. 30.

Happy are they that (like this beloved apostle), when they hear the praises of Christ uttered by others, can echo back the testimony from their own experience, as having them

selves received of his fulness! May an abundance of grace be communicated from him to us! We are not straitened in him; oh, may we not be straitened in ourselves; but daily renewing our application to him as our Living Head, may vital influences be continually imparted to our souls from him!

With pleasure let us compare the dispensation of Jesus with that of Moses, and observe the excellency of its superior grace and of its brighter truth; but let us remember, as a necessary consequence of this, that if the despisers of Moses's law died without mercy, they shall be thought worthy of a much sorer punishment and a more aggravated condemnation who tread under foot the Son of God. Heb. x. 28, 29.

May we ever regard him as the Only-Begotten of the Father; and, since he hath condescended so far as to come down from his very bosom to instruct us in his nature and will, let us with all humility receive his dictates and earnestly pray, that under his revelations and teachings, we may so know God as faithfully to serve him now, and at length, eternally to enjoy him.

SECTION II.

MATT. III. 1-4.-MARK I. 2—4.—Luke III. 1—6. Now in the fifteenth year of the reign of Tiberius Cesar, Pontius Pilate being governor of Judea, and Herod being tetrarch of Galilee, and his brother Philip, tetrarch of Iturea, and of the region of Trachonitis, and Lysanias the tetrarch of Abilene, Annas and Caiaphas being the high priests, the word of God came unto John the son of Zacharias in the wilderness of Judea. And he came into all the country about Jordan, preaching the baptism of repentance for the remission of sins. And saying, Repent ye: for the kingdom of heaven is at hand. As it is written in the prophets, Behold I send my messenger before thy face, which shall prepare thy way before thee. For this is he that was spoken of by the prophet Esaias, saying, The voice of one crying in the wilderness, Prepare ye the way of the Lord, make his paths straight. Every valley shall be filled, and every mountain and hill shall be brought low; and the crooked shall be made straight,

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and the rough ways shall be made smooth; and all flesh shall see the salvation of God.

And the same John had his raiment of camel's hair, and a girdle of a skin about his loins, and his meat was locusts and wild honey.

It is surely matter of unspeakable thankfulness that the kingdom of heaven should be erected among men! that the great God should condescend so far as to take to himself a people from our mean and sinful world, and appoint his own Son to be the governor of that kingdom! How happy are we that it is preached among us and we are called into it! Let it be our great care that we be not only nominal but real members of it.

For this purpose let us remember and consider that, to become the subjects of this kingdom, we are to enter it by the way of repentance; humbly confessing our sins, and resolutely forsaking them, if we do indeed desire to find mercy.

Let us bless God, both for the promises of pardon and for the appointment of the seals of it, particularly of baptismal washing; always remembering the obligation it brings upon us to cleanse ourselves from all filthiness of the flesh and spirit, perfecting holiness in the fear of God. 2 Cor. vii. 1.

And, being ourselves become members of Christ's kingdom, let us pray that it may be every where extended. May Divine Grace remove every obstruction, and make a free course for his gospel, that it may every where run and be glorified, so that all flesh may see the salvation of God!

SECTION III.

MATT. III. 5-12-MARK I. 7-8.-LUKE III. 7—20. THEN went out to him Jerusalem, and all the land of Judea, and all the region round about Jordan, and were all baptized of him in the river of Jordan, confessing their sins. But when he saw many of the Pharisees and Sadducees come to his baptism, he said unto them, O generation of vipers, who hath warned you to flee from the wrath to come? Bring forth therefore fruits worthy of 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

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