Ifrael, in the fulleft latitude, then indeed it would become indifpenfably neceffary, that the Baptift should know him, in his divine character; but it was not immediately requifite, before the opportunity arrived of shewing him perfonally to the people. Upon this footing then, the whole of that knowledge, which had been imparted to John, either at his call, or fince, was ftrictly adjufted to the nature of his office, as forerunner; and extended no further, than to qualify him for that part of his ministry, which has been hitherto confidered. As to the time, to which the words of the Baptift, "I knew him not," extend; if they are taken in the firft of the two fenfes abovementioned, it comprehends nearly the whole of his life; if they are understood in the latter fenfe, the period, to which they relate, commences with his call to the baptismal miniftry; but in either cafe, expires upon the coming of Jefus to his baptism. And perhaps the greatest strength of the affertion, may lie in this latter fenfe, and in this reference of it to a period, pofterior to the commencement of his baptismal ministry. The cafe then appears to ftand thus; it be prefumed, that John could not know may the the Meffias, without a divine revelation; and the fubftance of his doctrine, as the Evangelifts deliver it, during his ministry of half a year, gives no evidence, that he knew the Meffias, during that period; and confequently, it feems to be credible, that he applied the affertion, "I knew him not," in that sense, and to that interval of time. Upon the whole, there appears a fufficient reason to imagine, that the Baptist intended to affert, that he knew not the person of Jefus, and also, that revelation had never acquainted him, who was the Meffias, before they met at the river Jordan; fo that, in fact, he had predicted the immediate coming of the Meffias, and disclosed fome of his attributes, by virtue of one revelation, but, at the fame time, was left unable to know him, whenever he should appear, without another. (73) SERMON N IV. JOHN i, 6, 7. There was a man, fent from God, whofe name was John the fame came for a witness A LL the characters of the Meffias, were afcribed to him, before the coming of Jefus to Jordan; and the Baptist feems to have disclaimed any knowledge of him, previous to that interview, either as to his perfon, or his office. Some reasons were offered, at the conclufion of the former difcourse, for interpreting the affertion, “I knew him not," in both these senses; and in the laft of them, it was then applied to all that period of his baptismal ministry, in which he continued strictly the forerunner. For the the Baptist, confidered as only the prophet of the Highest, might have been fufficiently qualified to prepare his way, without knowing him, either as to his perfon, or his divine character, that is, without knowing Jesus of Nazareth, as fuch, or that He was theMeffiah. But there is another light, in which the laft only of the Evangelists seems to have represented the Baptift. He "came for a witnefs," as well as a prophet; and it appears requifite to diftinguish and feparate these characters, fince the affertion, "I knew him not," cannot extend to them equally, and be applied, with the fame propriety, to the one, as to the other; which will be fhewn more fully, as I proceed. As this difcourfe will treat of the teftimo ny of John, immediately subsequent to that interview, wherein the Meffias became known to him; and as that teftimony was grounded principally upon the baptism of Jesus, it will be proper to begin with a view of that important tranfaction. Jefus came from Nazareth of Galilee to Jordan unto John, to be baptized of him but John forbad him-" z Matth. iii. 13, and Mark i. 9. As |