John v. 35. He tvas a burning and a shining light.
IT might well be expected that the advent of the Messiah should be marked by such concurrent cir- cumstances, as should carry conviction, to every dispassionate mind, that the person assuming that character was indeed the person predicted by Moses and the prophets. Accordingly we find, that there was a person sent as the forerunner of our blessed Lord, to prepare his way, and to bear witness to him. This person was John the Baptist*, himself a most extraordinary man ; so extraordinary, that the Jewish rulers doubted whether he was not the Mes- siah : but he disclaimed all pretensions to that honour; and rested satisfied with executing the office which had been assigned himb. To this man's testimony our blessed Lord appealed; at the same time tes- tifying respecting him, that " he was a burning and a shining light."
In confirmation of this assertion respecting John, I will,
I. Point out the peculiar excellencies of his charac- ter—
Of course I cannot enter into all the parts of his character: I will content myself with specifying three things which pre-eminently distinguished him:
1. The clearness of his knowledge —
[In this he excelled all who went before him. Many prophets had spoken plainly of Christ, declaring both his sufferings, and the glory that should follow them. But they spake of Christ at a distance of several hundreds of years, and understood not the prophecies which they were inspired to record0. But John pointed out the Messiah himself, and directed the people to Jesus, as "that Lamb of God, who, by the sacrifice of himself, should take away the sins of the world11." In this act, not only was the typical nature of the
a John i. G— 8. b John i. 19—27.
e 1 Pet. i. 10, 11. (1 John i. 29.
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Mosaic offerings distinctly recognized ; but the Lord Jesus Christ was made known as fulfilling in his own person what had been so long shadowed forth in the daily sacrifices. Thus did he " give the knowledge of salvation to the people for the remission of their sinse:" a knowledge which pre-eminently exalted John above all the prophets that had gone before himf.]
2. The ardour of his zeal —
[The first thirty years of his life he spent in retirement, and in the closest walk with God. And, when he entered on his office as the Messiah's harbinger, he came in the most self-denying way, "having his raiment of camel's hair, and a leathern girdle about his loins ; whilst his meat was locusts and wild honey g." As to the manner in which he executed his office, nothing could exceed his fidelity. To all persons, of whatever rank, he preached with undaunted boldness ; and declared, as far as he was able, the whole counsel of God. When many of the Pharisees and Sadducees came to his baptism, he, well knowing their hypocrisy, addressed them in these animated and pungent strains: " O 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 : 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 of the trees : therefore every tree which bringeth not forth good fruit is hewn down, and cast into the fire h." Even before Herod himself did he manifest the same undaunted courage; telling him plainly, that " it was not lawful for him to live in an incestuous commerce with his brother Philip's wife;" and exhorting him without delay to put her away1. He well knew at what peril he exercised this fidelity : but no personal consideration could induce him to withhold, or modify, this salutary counsel. Herein, then, he approved himself to be a prophet indeed, and rendered himself a pattern for ministers in all ages.]