ence on the divine blessing as never to venture out of the way of it, be the necessity ever so urgent nor let us ever expose ourselves to unnecessary danger, in expectation of extraordinary deliverance. Like him, let us learn to overcome the world, and to despise all its pomps and vanities when offered at the price of our innocence.-To furnish us for such a combat, let us take the sword of the Spirit which is the word of God. Let us not only make ourselves familiarly acquainted with the words of scripture, but let us study to enter into the true design and meaning of it; that so, if Satan should attempt to draw his artillery from thence, we may be able to guard against that most dangerous stratagem, and to answer perverted passages of holy writ by others more justly applied.

Once more; when the suggestions of Satan grow most horrible, let us not conclude that we are utterly abandoned by God, because we are proved by such a trial; since Christ himself was tempted even to worship the infernal tyrant. But in such cases let us resolutely repel the solicitation, rather than parley with it, and say, in imitation of our Lord's example, and with a dependence on his grace, Get thee from behind me, Satan. If our conflict be thus maintained, the struggle will ere long be over; and angels, who are now the spectators of the combat, will at length congratulate our victory.

SECTION XX.

John the Baptist examined by the great men among the Jews. JOHN i.

19

A

19-28.

ND this is the further testimony of John when the Sanhedrim or grand council of the Jews at Jerusalem sent priests and 20 Levites to inquire of him, saying, Who art thou? And he acknowledged, and did not deny or disguise his real character, but 21 protested, I am not the Messiah. And they further asked him, What then?-Art thou Elijah And he said, I am not. Art thou a prophet, raised from the dead? And he answered, No. 22 They said unto him therefore, Who art thou? that we may give an answer to them that sent us. What dost thou say concerning 23 thyself? He said, I am the voice of one crying in the wilderness, 24 Make the way of the Lord straight, as Isaiah the prophet said. Now 25 the messengers were of the sect of the Pharisees; and they asked

him and said unto him, Why then dost thou baptize? since thou 26 art neither the Messiah, nor Elijah, nor a prophet? John answered them saying, I baptize you with water, but there is one that 27 has stood in the midst of you, whom you know not: this is he that cometh after me who is preferred before me, of whom I am 28 not worthy even to untie the string of his shoe.-These things passed on the other side Jordan, at Bethabarah, or the house of passaget, where John was now baptizing.

This explanation which follows the Dr.'s translation seems better to be substituted for it.

Near that part of the river which was dried up for the Israelites to pass over into Canaan. Josh. iii. 16. Jud. xii. 6.

REFLECTIONS.

How remarkably were the words of our blessed Redeemer fulfilled in John, He that humbleth himself shall be exalted!-He declined as suming the name of any of the servants of God among the prophets; and yet our Lord bore testimony to him as of a higher rank than any of the prophets, than whom there was none greater among those that had, in a natural way, been born of women. Did John, this great and illustrious saint, speak of himself as unworthy to untie even the sandals of Christ; what reverence then do we owe him? and what reason have we to admire his condescension, that he should honour us, who are so much more unworthy, with the title of his servants?

Let not any, the most distinguished of that happy number, wonder if they be unknown by the world, and perhaps too slighted and despised; since it appears that even Jesus himself, not only at his first appearance stood unknown among the Jews, but afterwards was rejected by them, when his claim was solemnly entered, and his miracles most publicly wrought.

Vain, and worse than vain, was this message and inquiry which, when answered, was so soon overlooked and forgot. May divine grace teach us to inquire as those that are in earnest in our search! and then shall we know to saving purposes, if we thus follow on to know the Lord,

SECTION XXI.

John's repeated testimony to Jesus, as the Lamb of God, the occasion of introducing some of his disciples to him. JOHN i. 29–42.

29

THE

HE next day, John seeth Jesus coming towards him, and says to them that were near him, Behold the Lamb of God 30 which taketh away* the sin of the world! This is he of whom I said, After me there comes a man who is preferred before me, for 31 he existed before me. And I did not personally know him; yet

for this I came baptizing with water, that he might be made man32 ifest to Israel, And John proceeded and bore testimony to him, saying, I saw the Spirit descending like a dove from heaven, and 33 it abode upon him. And I did not personally know himt: but ha that sent me to baptize with water, He said unto me, Upon whom thou shalt see the Spirit descending and remaining upon him, 34 this is he that baptizeth with the holy Spirit. And I saw this sign, and have testified that this is the Son of God.

35

Again on the next day, John was standing, and two of his dis36 ciplest with him; and looking steadfastly on Jesus as he was walk

* By expiation; the only sense in which, as Mr. Tomkins well observes, a Lamb can be said to take away sin.

Though nearly related, Providence so ordered it that they were not brought up in any intimacy with each other; which, if they had been, might have rendered John's testimony to Christ suspected.

Andrew was one of them, v. 40. and probably John the other, who frequently conceals his name.

37 ing, he says to them, Behold the Lamb of God! And when the 38 two disciples heard him speak, they followed Jesus. And Jesus

turning back, and seeing them following [him] says to them, What do you seek? They said to him, Rabbi (which being trans39 lated from the Syriac is, master) where dost thou dwell? He says unto them, Come and see. They came and saw where he dwelt, and continued with him the remainder of that day, it being then about the tenth hour; or four in the afternoon.

40

Now Andrew, the brother of Simon Peter, was one of the two 41 that heard John [speak of Jesus] and followed him. And he was ready to impart the joyful news to others. He first findeth his own brother Simon, and tells him, with joy, We have found the Messiah (which being interpreted is the Christ, or the anointed one.) 42 And he brought him to Jesus. And Jesus, looking steadfastly upon him, said, Thou shalt be called Cephas, which signifies a rock, as he was to be one of the great foundations of the church.

REFLECTIONS.

Let our faith daily behold Jesus under the character of the Lamb of God, a Lamb indeed without blemish and without spot; by whose precious blood we are redeemed, as by an infinitely more valuable ransom than silver and gold. As such let us humbly apply to him to take away our sins, and rejoice that (as the apostle John elsewhere expresses it) he is the propitiation, not for our sins only, but also for the sins of the whole world; all ages and nations being interested in the benefit of his atonement. Let us consider him as anointed by the holy Spirit, and as baptizing his church with it; and learn, after the example of John the Baptist, to bear our testimony to him again and again, with continued steadiness and growing zeal.

Our satisfaction in him as the great and only Saviour will surely grow in proportion to our acquaintance with him. If divine grace hath discovered him to us, and taught us to repose the confidence of our souls upon him, let us, like Andrew in the passage before us, be concerned to make him known to others; and especially to lead our nearest relatives and our most intimate friends into that acquaintance with him, which is so absolutely necessary to their eternal hap piness!

Let the condescending readiness with which our blessed Redeemer accepted and even invited the visit of these two disciples, engage every preacher of righteousness most willingly to give his private as well as his public labours, and his time (valuable as that treasure is) to the service of those who are seriously affected with the concerns of their souls, and are inquiring after the way to salvation. We are sufficiently honoured if, by any means, and by all, we may be instrumental in promoting that cause which employed the daily labours of God's incarnate Son, and at length cost him his very blood!

SECTION XXII.

The calling of Philip, and the interview of Christ with Nathaniel. JOHN i. 43-51.

43 T

44 me.

HE next day Jesus determined to depart from thence to Galilee, and there he findeth Philip, and says unto him, Follow Now Philip was of Bethsaida, the city of Andrew and Peter. 45 And Philip findeth Nathaniel, and says unto him, We have found him whom Moses in the law and the prophets have described, 46 [even] Jesus the son of Joseph, from Nazareth. And Nathaniel said unto him, Can any good thing come out of Nazareth*? Philip says unto him, Come and see.

47

Jesus saw Nathaniel coming towards him, and says concerning him, Behold one [that is] truly an Israelite,† in whom there is no 48 deceit. Nathaniel says to him, Whence dost thou know me? Jesus replied and said unto him, Before Philip called thee, I saw thee when thou wast under the fig-tree, and observed what passed in that 49 retirement. Nathaniel says to him, Rabbi, from this one circumstance I am convinced that thou art the Son of God, the king of 50 Israel. Jesus replied and said unto him, Dost thou believe be

cause I told thee that I saw thee under the fig-tree? Thou shalt 51 see greater things than these. And he says unto him, Verily verily I say unto you, from this time you shall see such a train of miracles that it shall seem as if heaven was opened, and the angels of God were ascending and descending [to wait] upon the Son of man.

REFLECTIONS.

How cautiously should we guard against popular prejudices, which possessed so honest a heart as that of Nathaniel, and led him to suspect that the blessed Jesus himself was an impostor, and that no good could be expected from him because he had been brought up at Nazareth! But his integrity prevailed over that foolish bias, and laid him open to the conviction of evidence, which a candid inquirer will always be glad to admit, even when it brings the most unexpected discovery, How amiable is the character here given of Nathaniel! An Israelite indeed, in whom there is no guile! May the attainment of so excellent a character, and a resemblance to him in it, be the daily aim and emulation of all who have the honour to be called into the Israel of God!

A constant intercourse with God in secret devotion will be a happy expression of one branch of this sincerity, and an effectual means of promoting the rest. Let it therefore be our care that the eye of him that seeth in secret may often behold us in religious retirement, pour

* A place so infamous that the Galileans themselves had an opinion of it as worse than the rest of their country.

† Rev. iii. 9. John viii. 39. Perhaps the common translation is preferable. "An Israelite indeed."

Like Jacob, Gen. xxv. 27.

ing out our souls before God, and humbly consecrating them to his service. The day will come when those scenes of duty which were most cautiously concealed shall be commemorated with public honour; and when he who now discerns them, and is a constant witness to the most private exercises of the closet, will reward them openly.

Happy were those who saw the miracles performed by the Son of man while he was here on earth! and happy those favourite spirits of heaven which were ascending and descending as ministers of his to do his pleasure! But in some degree yet happier are they who, having not seen, have believed. John xx. 29. As their faith is peculiarly acceptable, it shall ere long be turned into sight. They shall behold much greater things than ever were seen below, and more extraordinary manifestations of his glory than they can now conceive; and, being brought with all his people to surround his throne, shall join in those nobler services which attendant angels render him, above.

SECTION XXIII.

Christ at a marriage feast at Cana changes water into wine. JOHN ii. 1-11.

NO

OW the third day after Christ's discourse with Nathaniel there was a marriage at Cana in Galilee, and the mother of Jesus 2 was there. And Jesus and his disciples were invited to the mar3 riage. And when the wine fell short, the mother of Jesus (ex4 pecting a miracle) says unto him, They have no wine. Jesus says to her, O woman,* what hast thou to do with me? to direct me how and when my miracles are to be wrought? My time is not 5 yet come. His mother says unto the servants, Whatever he shall order you, do it.

Now there were set there six water-pots of stone, according to the Jewish custom of purifying, containing each of them two or 7 three measures. Jesus says to them, Fill up those jars with water. 8 And they filled them to the brim. And having transformed the water into wine, he says to them, Now draw some of it out, and carry it to the president of the feast. And they carried it to him. 9 Now when the president of the feast had tasted the water that was made wine, and knew not whence it came (though the servants that drew the water knew) he calls for the bridegroom, and 10 says unto him, Every man first sets out the good wine, and when they have drank plentifully, then that which is worse; [but] thou 11 hast kept the good wine until now. This beginning of his public miracles Jesus wrought in Cana of Galilee, and manifested his glory, and his disciples believed on him, more steadfastly than before.

*There was no rudeness in this address, for it was anciently used to ladies of the highest rank.

† Or, Is not my time yet come? q. d. that I should be left to govern my own actions. Greg. Naz. [This best connects with the following words of Mary]

Ed.

It is hardly possible to determine the exact contents of these vessels.