SECTION III.

A prophecy of John's, concerning Jesus, con

fidered,

THE only design John and Jefus could poffibly be engaged in, fuppofing there could be any plot in the cafe, was a deep-laid defign of counterfeiting the two laft prophets the Jews ever expected to behold: and one of whom efpecially, was to be b far the most accomplished, in all prophetical endowments, of any they had ever feen. And had -They really undertaken fuch an attempt as this; nothing can be more obvious, than that it would have been one conftant, and chief object of their care, not to foretell any thing, and more especially any thing relating to Each Other, by which their prophetical knowledge might poffibly be brought into question.

THIS was manifeftly a point of fuch importance, as they could not but very carefully attend to, from their very firft entrance upon the execution of their defign. If they were defirous of feeming to foretell any thing concerning Each Other, as by divine infpiration; in order the more effectually to fupport the delufion; they must first

privately

privately have agreed upon fome particular actions, which the One could fafely undertake to perform; and the Other might therefore fecurely venture to foretell. To have hazarded any prediction, without this obvious and neceffary precaution, would have been contriving the fureft method of expofing their want of all real infpiration, and laying open their imposture to the public view.

1

SHOULD it appear then, that John actually foretold of Jefus, upon a very remarkable occafion, and as an infallible token whereby to diftinguifh him for the true Meffiah; that Jefus would introduce a certain most remarkable kind of religious rite; totally different from what John himself made ufe of for the fame purpose: and fhould it likewife be found, that Jefus, during his whole life, never fo much as attempted to put in practice any fuch rite; nor ever alleged any reason for declining it; nay, nor ever made the leaft mention of it: this furely must be acknowledged as another convincing proof, that John and Jefus could not be the impoftors fuppofed.

WHEN John made his firft public appearance in the country round about Jordan, preaching the baptifin of repentance for the remiffion of fins; the whole multitude, we find, came forth to be baptized

S4

baptized of him, and to learn from him the means of falvation * "And t," at this time,

as the people were in expectation, and all men "mufed in their hearts of John, whether he were "the Chrift or not; John answered, faying unto "them all;-I indeed baptize you with water; "but one mightier than I cometh, the latchet of "whose fhoes I am not worthy to unloofe: HẸ 66 SHALL BAPTIZE YOU WITH THE HOLY GHOST "" AND WITH FIRE. And foon after this prediction, when Jefus was come to John, and like the reft of the people had been baptized § by him; to prevent the poffibility of any doubt, about his being the perfon, whose institution of this unheard-of kind of baptifm, John had particularly pointed out; in order that they might know Him by this fign to be the true Mefiah; "John bare "witnefs of him, and cried, faying; this was "he, of whom I fpake, he that cometh after me is preferred before me; for he was before me ||."

* Matthew iii. 1, &c. Mark i. 3, &c. Luke iii. 2-14. Luke iii. 15, 16. Compare Matt, iii. 11. Mark i. 7, 8. And John i. 33.

For the nature and end of John's Baptifm, fee Lightfoot, Vol. II. p. 121, &c. See alfo Macknight's, fect. 14. note. § Matthew iii. 13—17.

John i. 15. and i, 26—34,

NOTHING

NOTHING Could be more remarkable, on its own account, than the particular kind of baptifin here foretold; nor could any occafion be of greater importance, than that on which this prophecy was delivered. John had just begun to baptize, in order to prepare the people for giving Jefus's high pretenfions a more favourable reception, when, contrary to his views, they began already to imagine, that John himself might be the Mefrah.

SUCH a perfuafion, fhould it have continued, muft unavoidably have broke in upon their plan, and prevented the fuccefs of their whole defign. Since John, who firft fet out as the Meffiah's Forerunner, could not affume the character of the Meffiah himself; how willing foever the people might be to give it him; without effectually proving himself an impoftor, in fo harefaced a manner, as could not long efcape the notice of any intelligent obferver.

It was therefore of the utmost importance to prevent this opinion from gaining ground. And to fhew how fenfible John himfelf was of the neceffity of doing it, in the most effectual method; we find him folemnly declaring to all that came to him; that though "he did indeed baptize with water, he was not the Meffiah; but that

"one

"one mightier than he," who was indeed the Meffiah, would very fpeedily appear. At the fame time, to give them the lowest comparative opinion of his own character, and the most exalted one of Jefus; he tells them, he himself was fo far from being the Meffiah, that he was not even worthy to unloofe the very latchet of his fhoes.

Ir was impoffible to fet the fuperior excellence and dignity of Jesus's character above his own, in a ftronger light. Yet left his own pofitive denial of the high office which they were inclined to ascribe to him, fhould not be fufficient to put an end to their doubts; he proceeds likewife to give them a fign, by which they might diftinguith the Meffiah, not from himself only, but from every pretender to his character; and by which they would fhortly be convinced, that Jefus was he. " I indeed," fays he, "baptize you with water;" a ceremony which you yourselves have long fince adopted in the admiffion of profelytes into your own religion*: thereby declaring myself a real prophet, commiffioned from on high. But the Merah himself, when the proper time arrives, will baptize you in a manner totally different from all

See Lightfoot, ii, 121, &c. Lewis, Antiq, Heb. b. iv. ch. 2.

that