was prophecy; but not of fuch a cast, as to leave the point, which it was intended to afcertain, for a confiderable interval of time, in fufpence and undetermined. It was pro

phecy, not with remote, but nearly present, accomplishment; it was not as a light, fhining long in a dark place, but the dawn hafted on, and the day-ftar foon arofe. The matter was placed upon the proper ground, by fome of the Jews, in one inftance, which is thus recorded by the Evangelist. Jefus went away again beyond Jordan, unto the place, where John at first baptized, and there he abode. And many reforted unto him, and faid, John did no miracle; but all things, that John spake of this man, were true.” The place reminded them of former teftimonies to the Meffias, which they had heard the Baptist deliver there; and this recollection produced in them a natural and reasonable effect, for the Evangelift adds, " and many believed on him there." They faw and felt the true evidence of the prophetical character of John, and were immediately led, by their juft views, to proceed one step further than many

* John x. 41, 42.-See Chemnit. H. E, B. 5. pag. 10.

of their countrymen, and to admit the divine miffion of Christ, as well as that of John.

I have thus endeavoured to fhew, that the ground, upon which those Jews, who looked no farther than the Baptist, attributed an inspired character to him, was partial; and have ftated what appears the full evidence of it, to which they ought to have extended their views; that it might be diftinctly feen, with what admirable ftrictness, the credentials of the Baptist were adjusted to the nature and defign of his office. And, as this point seems of confequence in any account of the testimony of the Baptift to Jefus, this discourse fhall be clofed with a fhort illuftration of it.

Many prophets, and especially Elias, in whose spirit and power the Baptift came, had been permitted to work miracles. They ftood as fingle objects; and the public attention was to be drawn, and continued, to them alone. The exercife of a miraculous power would therefore directly facilitate their admiffion, in the character of divine meffengers. But the cafe was otherwise with the Baptist. The exercife of a miraculous power, as it must tend to fix the eyes of the people immoveably upon him, would have counteracted the real purpose of his office, which was in

tended

tended to manifeft another unto Ifrael. And, as the Jews ftood most in need of an inducement to look beyond the Baptift, the conclufive evidence of his divine miffion, was of that particular nature, which was beft calculated to carry their views forward to the Meffias.

A perfuafion that John really was a prophet, generally prevailed; this seems to be clear from the Jewish hiftorians. But the Scriptures alone affign the ground, upon which that perfuafion could be completely juftified. According to them, neither the prophetical notice, given by the Baptist, “ the kingdom of heaven is at hand," nor the preceding prophecies of the Angel and Zacharias, could be verified, except in the actual coming of the Meffiah; and all decifive evidence, of the infpiration of John, would therefore, as it feems, be excluded, if the Baptift was confidered independent of him.

A neceffary connection appears then to have fubfifted between them; and their credentials feem to have been unavoidably involved fo far, that the divine miffion of both was to be ascertained, at one instant, and in one event. The Baptist came in the character of forerunner; and it was not poffible to

prove him, even a prophet, except from that very incident, which would alfo prove him the Forerunner. So evidently was it provided, that the Baptist could not fail to authenticate the divine miffion of the Meffias, by the fame means, and in the fame degree, wherein he established his own.

The credibility of the Gospel-history of the Baptist will perhaps be confirmed, and his teftimony to Jefus enforced, if it has now been shewn with any fuccefs, that, although John certainly was received as a prophet, yet his character could not be proved prophetical, if it were any other, except that, which the Gofpel-writers reprefent it, of Forerunner to the Meffiah.

SER

SERMON II.

MATT. iii. 5, 6.

Then went out to him ferufalem, and all Judæa, and all the region round about Fordan, and were baptized of him in Jordan, confeffing their fins.

T

HE divine miffion of the Baptift, however ftrongly it might be prefumed, could not, as I have before endeavoured to fhew, be completely ascertained, if he were confidered fingly, and independent of the Meffias. If he did not really bear that character of Forerunner to One Mightier, who was to come, which the Gospel-writers attribute to him, no decifive evidence seems affignable, that he came from God.