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CHRIST's SECOND APPEARING.

PART II.

THE FIRST APPEARING OF CHRIST THE
BEGINNING AND WORK OF A NEW

CREATION.

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CHAPTER I.

Christ introduced by John the Baptist.

1.

ANKIND being universally sunk in depravity, CHAP. and the Jews themselves, who in the times of their obedience and prosperity, had figuratively stood as God's chosen people, being totally ignorant of that kind of Messiah and his kingdom, which their ancient prophets had foretold; it was highly necessary, that the way for the coming of Christ should be prepared, before he could be received by any.

2. The angel Gabriel had informed Zachariah of Luke i the birth and designation of John, that he should 15, 16, 17 drink neither wine nor strong drink, but should be filled with the Holy Ghost from his mother's womb, Matt. ïï. and turn many of the children of Israci to the Lord 3. their God-That he should go before him, in the spir- Mark i. 1, it and power of Elias-and make ready a people prepared for the Lord.

3. It was in the last days of the Jewish commonwealth, and in their worst state of depravity, that John the Baptist appeared. His parents were both aged, like Abraham and Sarah. And John, like Isaac, was born according to promise.

4. It is every where observable in the sacred history of God's dealings with mankind, that his ways are

2, 3.

I.

CHAP. not man's ways. John did not make his appearance to the world, from among the learned doctors, nor the great Sanhedrim of the Jews; but abode in the deserts until the day of his testimony unto Israel.

Luke i.

३०.

2,5-9.

5. And when the fulness of time was come, John received his mission from Almighty God, and went Matt. i. forth with the solemn cry, Repent ye; for the kingdom of heaven is at hand. Then went out to him multitudes from Jerusalem, and from other parts of Judea, particularly from the region round about the river Jordan, and were baptized of him in Jordan, confessing their sins.

Luke vii. 30.

Mark xi.

32.

6. But when he saw many of the Pharisees and Sadducees coming to his baptism, he said unto them, 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.

7. The Jews had been long accustomed to confess their sins, one by one, to the priests appointed for that purpose; and, in times of calamity, they had acquired an old trick of feigning repentance, and claiming their right to the promises made to faithful Abraham; while they themselves continued to bring forth the fruits of sin, and perpetual rebellion against God, and were abominable, and to every good work reprobate.

8. But this feigned repentance, and confessing sins without forsaking them, and this pretended submission to what John taught, by being baptized, while they had no sincere intention of reforming, was too thin a mask to conceal the hypocrisy of those blind guides from that burning and shining light which penetrated their secret motives.

9. It was not the rulers who believed, or wished to believe the testimony of John; on their parts they rejected him. It was the common people that were the most disposed to receive his testimony. And while they came to him from every quarter, and were baptized, confessing their sins, such an affair could not escape the notice of the rulers, without their taking cognizance of it; but fearing the multitude, who all held John as a prophet, they conducted them

I.

selves with caution, and sent priests and Levites to CHAP. examine, and if possible to detect him.

10. The deputies found John in Bethabara, beyond Jordan, where he was baptizing. And they asked John i. 19 him, Who art thou? He acknowledged, I am not the -27. Christ. And they asked him, What then? Art thou Elias? And he said, I am not. Art thou that prophet? And he answered, No.

11. Then said they, "Who art thou? What sayest thou of thyself?" He said, "I am the voice of one crying in the wilderness, Make straight the way of the Lord, as said the prophet Esaias."

12. This was enough, had they been honest. But, added they, "Why baptizest thou then, if thou be not that Christ, nor Elias, neither that prophet?” This was equal to saying, If thou art not an extraordinary person, immediately commissioned by God, why dost thou introduce a new rite, which is not instituted in the law, and for which thou hast received no authority from us?

13. John answered them, "I baptize with water: but there standeth one among you, whom ye know not; he it is, who, coming after me, is preferred before me."

14. And John bare record that he saw the Spirit Johni.32; descending from heaven like a dove, and abiding 33. upon him; and also freely acknowledged of himself, saying, and I knew him not; but he that sent me to baptize with water, the same said unto me, Upon whom thou shalt see the Spirit descending and remaining on him, the same is he which baptizeth with the Holy Ghost.

15. The next day after John's answers to the Pharisees, he saw Jesus coming, and introduced him as the Saviour of mankind, saying, Behold the Lamb of God, which taketh away the sin of the world!

Matt.

16. This was the testimony of John from the beginning, "I indeed baptize you with water unto repen- 11, 12. tance but he that cometh after me is mightier than I, whose shoes I am not worthy to bear; he shall baɲtize you with the Holy Ghost and with fire: Whose fan is in his hand, and he will thoroughly purge his floor,

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CHAP. and gather his wheat into the garner; but he will I. burn up the chaff with unquenchable fire."

John i. 7,

8.

17. John was a burning and shining light; yet he was not that true light, but was sent to bear witness of him: So the baptism with water, was not the true baptism of the Holy Ghost and fire; but the former was a striking figure of the latter. As baptizing, dipping, or washing in water, cleanses the body from outward pollution, so the baptism of the Holy Ghost and fire cleanses the soul from sin.

18. The baptism of the Holy Ghost and fire, had been prefigured under the law, and spoken of by the prophets, but by nothing in a more striking manner than by John's baptism; particularly the prophet Malachi, who said of Christ, He is like a refiner's fireMal..2, and he shall sit as a refiner. And mankind had been encouraged to long and thirst for that day of God that chap.iv.1 should burn as an oven.

S.

Matt. iii.

19. Of course, when that day commenced, the sign could be of no further use, nor could it be continued, except it were with those who ignorantly wished to continue under a comfortable deception.

20. Here lay the mystery: the baptism of John was no more like that of Christ, than water is like fire; and the only comparison that could be drawn between them was, that as water is refreshing to a thirsty man, so is the fire of truth to a soul thirsting for salvation. And as water is of a cooling, cleansing nature, so it is the nature of fire to burn and consume; and therefore, what was ceremonially cleansed under the law, must needs be consumed under the gospel. Such then is the difference between the shadow and substance.

21. Jesus himself came to be baptized of John ; but 13, 14, 15. John said, I have need to be baptized of thee, and comest thou to me? Jesus said, Suffer it to be so now, for thus it becometh us to fulfil all righteousness. Then he suffered him.

22. And when Jesus was baptized, and came up out of the water, and the Spirit of God descended on him like a dove; (which appearance served as a visible sign to John, that this was the son of God, who should baptize with the Holy Ghost and fire ;) them

was John's mission fulfilled; consequently he must CHAP. thenceforth decrease.

I.

23. John was a faithful witness, and plainly testifi- John. ed of Christ. He must increase, but I must decrease: 30. and therefore, as soon as the Holy Ghost was given, and the baptism of fire commenced, there was no further need of the baptism of water. Nor could it be used as a binding institution, unless it were through ignorance, or cunning deceit, to ease the pain and prolong the life of that sinful nature, which the fire of naked truth had begun to consume. For this was 49. the fire which Christ came to kindle on earth.

24. It was the testimony and baptism of John that first attracted the multitude. And some of John's disciples left him, and followed Jesus. From this it may easily be inferred why the disciples of Jesus baptized.

25. Jesus himself baptized not, and whether he commanded his disciples to baptize with water, or not, the sacred text doth not say, but prudence itself would have dictated it, while the faith of the multitude was so strenuously fixed on the economy of John, and the disciples themselves were as yet ignorant of the baptism of the Holy Ghost.

26. And even after the Holy Ghost was given, it is evident enough, that the apostles, in some instances, used water baptism; and it is as evident that they used circumcision, and other Jewish ceremonies; but never once as a binding institution.

Luke

27. It is evident, from the gospel of the circum- Cal. 1.7, cision being committed to Peter; and Paul's circum- . cising Timothy, and baptizing when he had no command, that outward ceremonies were frequently used, in order to make the truth accessible to the blind and bigoted, who were yet unable to see beyond the shadow, to the end of that which was to be abolished.

xxviii, 19.

28. Jesus commanded his disciples, saying, "Go Matt. ye and teach all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost." But here was a mystery. They had first to tarry at Jerusalem, and know for themselves what it was to be in the Father, and in the Son, and in the Holy Acti Ghost, before they could in truth baptize in that name.

5.

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